Clayton Kershaw wins NL Pitcher of the Month for July

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw followed up the best month of his career with one nearly as good, and on Monday was awarded the National League Pitcher of the Month award for July.

Kershaw was 4-0 with a 1.07 ERA in five July starts, with 43 strikeouts and only four walks in 42 innings. He led the National League in ERA, WHIP (0.643) and innings and was fourth in strikeouts, five behind Tyson Ross of the Padres.

Kershaw also led baseball with three complete games in July, including one shutout.

Ross had a legitimate case for the award as well, at 4-2 with a 1.10 ERA in six starts for the month, with 48 strikeouts and 10 walks in 41 innings. Ross allowed 39 runners to reach base by hit, walk or hit by pitch, 11 more than Kershaw.

Kershaw won the NL Pitcher of the Month award in June, going 6-0 with a 0.82 ERA in six starts, with 61 strikeouts and four walks in 44 innings.

Entering this season Kershaw had two pitcher of the month awards in his career, and now is the third Dodger to win the award in back-to-back months. The other Dodgers to capture the award in successive months were Don Sutton (April, May 1975) and Burt Hooton (August, September 1975), both in 1975, the first year the award was given out.

The last pitcher in MLB to win back-to-back pitcher of the month awards was Kris Medlen in August and September 2012.

Kershaw is scheduled to start next on Tuesday night against the Angels at Dodger Stadium.