Former Loon Clayton Kershaw Wins NL Cy Young Award

MIDLAND, Mich. - Former Loon Clayton Kershaw further secured his status as one of Major League Baseball's elite pitchers Wednesday by being named the National League's 2013 Cy Young Award winner.

The Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander earned the award - given to the NL's top pitcher - for the second time in three seasons. His 2013 resume includes winning his third consecutive MLB ERA title, the first pitcher to do so since Greg Maddux in 1993-95.

Kershaw also won the Cy Young in 2011, and in 2012 finished second in the voting to R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets.

The Dallas native was the Dodgers' first pick in the 2006 MLB draft and seventh overall. He joined the Loons in 2007 and was the starting pitcher in the franchise's first game. He was 7-5 with a 2.77 ERA with the Loons and earned a spot in the Midwest League All-Star Game before being called up to Double-A Jacksonville in August.

He was also named the Midwest League's 2007 Prospect of the Year.

Kershaw was the NL's only pitcher in 2013 to finish in the top three in wins, ERA, strikeouts and innings pitched and helped the Dodgers advance to the National League Championship Series. He posted a 16-9 won-loss record with a 1.83 ERA while striking out 232 batters in 236 innings pitched, and was named to the NL All-Star team for the third straight season.

He made his major league debut with the Dodgers in 2008 at age 20. He has a 77-46 record in six big league seasons with an overall ERA of 2.60.

The Great Lakes Loons are a seventh-year partner of the Dodgers. For tickets and more information about the Loons, visit Loons.com or call 989-837-BALL.