Bat Flip Friday: You Have To See Yasiel Puig Crush A 3-Run Home Run At Wrigley; Kershaw Wins 20th [VIDEO]

Clayton Kershaw continues to pitch his way into the record books. On Friday, he became just the 4^th pitcher in Dodgers history to win 20+games in a season at least two times. He joins Claude Osteen, Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax as the only players in Dodgers history to have such an honor, Koufax did it three times in 1963, 1965 and 1966 respectively.

Kershaw also became the first pitcher in the majors to 20 wins and will have at least one more opportunity to increase his MLB lead in wins by the end of the season. Despite giving up three runs in the first inning, Kershaw’s largest runs allowed in the first inning all year, he got tremendous offensive support by his teammates who had two six-run innings during the game and 14 in total as they beat the Chicago Cubs 14-5 at Wrigley Stadium.

Kershaw as not at his best on this day as the heavy winds at the stadium may have been a factor. He lasted only 5 innings after giving up the three runs in the first. The 5 inning start was his shortest start in almost four months.

Matt Kemp hit another homerun, Yasiel Puig added one of his own, and Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis had two home-runs, one in the first inning and one in the third inning for just his second multi-homer game of his career.

Los Angeles batted around in the first off Cubs starter Ediwn Jackson who they knocked for 13 hits and two homers before he was removed from the game. Jackson didn’t even get out of the first inning on Friday. Cubs first baseman, Anthony Rizzo had an RBI double off Kershaw during their three-run rally in the first inning, but the Cubs who are now in last place, did not have enough fire power against the Dodgers on this day.

Despite the short start, Kershaw still managed to strike out nine batters and collect his sixth consecutive win. Kershaw is in the conversation for MVP in the National League this year and is all but certain to win his second consecutive NL Cy Young Award and third overall. Kershaw is 17-1 with a 1.39 ERA and a no-hitter in his last 20 starts.