Clayton Kershaw wins 2013 NL Cy Young Award

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw on Wednesday won his second National League Cy Young Award in three seasons, and did so in overwhelming fashion. Kershaw capture 29 of 30 first-place votes in winning the 2013 award, announced by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals finished in second place, capturing the other first-place vote and 15 second-place votes. NL Rookie of the Year winner Jose Fernandez of the Marlins got nine second-place votes and finished third in Cy Young balloting.

Mark Schmetzer of Reds Report and the Associated Press was the only voter to not have Kershaw first. Schmetzer voted Wainwight first, and Kershaw second.

Points are awarded on a 7-4-3-2-1 basis.

Kershaw was 16-9 with a 1.83 ERA and led the National League with 232 strikeouts in a career-high 236 innings. Kershaw became the third pitcher ever to lead MLB in ERA for three straight seasons, joining Lefty Grove (1929-31) and Greg Maddux (1993-95).

“Winning this award a second time is every bit as special as it was the first time around,” Kershaw said in a statement. “I want to especially thank my teammates and coaches for helping place me in such amazing company.”

Kershaw is the 17th pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards, and at 25 years, 239 days old is the fourth-youngest to do so. Roger Clemens was 24 when he won his second Cy Young, in 1987. Tim Lincecum was 25 years, 157 days old when he won his second Cy Young Award, in 2009. Bret Saberhagen was 25 years, 218 days old in winning his second award, in 1989.

In addition to his two Cy Young wins, Kershaw finished second in 2012. He is the sixth pitcher ever to finish in the top three in Cy Young voting in three consecutive seasons, joining Maddux (four straight wins), Randy Johnson (four straight wins), Pedro Martinez (three wins, with a second place mixed in), Jim Palmer (two wins, a second, a third) and Brandon Webb (one win and a pair of second-place finishes).

Sandy Koufax, who won the major league Cy Young Award in 1963, 1965 and 1966, is the only other Dodgers pitcher to win multiple Cy Young Awards.

Zack Greinke received two third-place votes, four fourth-place and four fifth-place votes and finished eighth in the balloting.