May retires the first 16 batters and takes a shutout into the eighth inning, striking out nine in a 6-2 win. Freddie Freeman drives in three runs, and Mookie Betts and Michael Conforto both hit

On a night that said plenty about the 18-year relationship between Kershaw and the Dodgers and Kershaw and the fan base, the left-hander showed why he stands alone among the 20 names on the list.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner is expected to achieve the milestone in front of his home fans at Dodger Stadium — where he has 1,627 Ks — when he faces the Chicago White Sox. Kershaw will become the 20th pitcher in major league history to reach the vaunted mark.