Clayton Kershaw Reaches 3,000 Strikeouts in Dodgers' 5-4 Walk-Off Win vs. White Sox

Thursday, July 3rd, 2025

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on July 2, 2025, capped by Freddie Freeman's walk-off single in the ninth inning. The game also featured Clayton Kershaw achieving his 3,000th career strikeout.

Kershaw reached the milestone, becoming the 20th pitcher in MLB history to do so, when he struck out Vinny Capra looking on a slider for the final out of the sixth inning.

Los Angeles trailed 4-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, having been scoreless since the second inning. Michael Conforto singled, and Tommy Edman and Hyesong Kim followed with back-to-back walks off Grant Taylor, loading the bases. Shohei Ohtani hit into a run-scoring forceout, making it 4-3. Mookie Betts then tied the game with a sacrifice fly off Steven Wilson before Freeman delivered a sharp single to right field, scoring Ohtani for the win.

The victory marked the Dodgers' 14th win in their last 17 games and secured their seventh consecutive series win.

Earlier in the game, Andrew Benintendi gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI single in the first inning. Will Smith quickly tied the game in the bottom half against Sean Burke with his 11th home run of the season. Andy Pages led off the second with his 17th homer, putting the Dodgers up 2-1.

The White Sox retook the lead in the third inning. Austin Slater hit a two-run home run for a 3-2 advantage, and Edgar Quero added an RBI single to extend their lead to 4-2.

Key Moment

Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy was injured in the sixth inning while tagging out Michael A. Taylor, who was caught stealing second base on a throw from catcher Will Smith. Muncy fell to the ground after the tag and was checked by trainers. The team later announced he experienced left knee pain. A White Sox trainer also checked on Taylor, who sustained a bruised left trapezius in his back on the play.

Key Stat

Clayton Kershaw threw a season-high 100 pitches over six innings, allowing four runs on nine hits. He recorded strikeouts against Miguel Vargas in the third and Lenyn Sosa in the fifth, culminating in his 3,000th career strikeout against Vinny Capra in the sixth.

Up Next

The series concludes on Thursday. The Chicago White Sox are scheduled to start right-hander Aaron Civale (1-4, 4.74 ERA). The Los Angeles Dodgers will counter with right-hander Dustin May (4-5, 4.68 ERA), who will be making his first career appearance against Chicago.

In summary

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on July 2, 2025, securing a dramatic walk-off victory thanks to Freddie Freeman's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Dodgers rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the final frame. The game also featured a significant personal achievement for Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who recorded his 3,000th career strikeout. Key players in the rally included Michael Conforto, Tommy Edman, Hyesong Kim, Shohei Ohtani, and Mookie Betts. Earlier scoring for the Dodgers came from home runs by Will Smith and Andy Pages. Max Muncy left the game after sustaining a knee injury. This win marked the Dodgers' seventh straight series victory.

Related Links

• Chicago White Sox News & Updates
• Chicago White Sox Schedule & Scores
• Los Angeles Dodgers News & Updates
• Los Angeles Dodgers Schedule & Scores
• MLB News