Clayton Kershaw first Dodgers pitcher since Sandy Koufax with 200 strikeouts in 4 straight years

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw struck out Wilin Rosario of the Rockies in the third inning on Monday at Coors Field, marking another notch in the Dodgers' record book. Kershaw reached 200 strikeouts on the season, making him the first Dodgers pitcher since Sandy Koufax 47 years ago with 200 or more strikeouts in four consecutive seasons.

There have only been three Dodgers pitchers to achieve 200 strikeouts in at least four consecutive seasons. Koufax did it in six straight seasons (1961-1966), Don Drysdale accomplished the feat from 1962-1965, and Kershaw has done it in the last four seasons.

Koufax and Drysdale lead the Dodgers franchise history with six total seasons of 200 or more strikeouts. Don Sutton is next with five seasons, followed by Kershaw's four campaigns. No other Dodgers pitcher has had more than three such seasons.

Kershaw leads the National League in strikeouts, nine more than the shut-down Matt Harvey of the Mets and 13 more than Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals.

In 2011 Kershaw led the NL with 248 strikeouts en route to winning the Cy Young Award. In 2012 Kershaw finished one strikeout behind R.A. Dickey for the league lead and was the runner-up to the then-Mets right-hander in Cy Young balloting.

Kershaw now has 137 strikeouts (and counting) in his career against the Rockies, second only to the Giants (149 strikeouts) for his most against any team.

With 889 strikeouts since the start of 2010, Kershaw has the most by a Dodger in a four-year span since Koufax fanned 1,228 batters from 1963-1966.