Clayton Kershaw is glad to have Sandy Koufax in his corner

Oct. 25, 2017, 11:57 a.m.

Clayton Kershaw is glad to have Sandy Koufax in his corner

Kevin Baxter

Only one pitcher in Los Angeles Dodgers history has struck out more batters in a World Series game than Clayton Kershaw, who fanned 11 in Tuesday’s Game 1 win over the Houston Astros. And after the game that other pitcher, Sandy Koufax, was among the first to congratulate Kershaw, meeting him with a handshake in a tunnel behind the Dodger dugout.

“He’s in our corner. He’s rooting for us,” said Kershaw, who has built a warm relationship with the usually aloof Koufax. “He’s a special guy. Not too many guys can have that pedigree and be the kind of man he is.

“I’m thankful that I’ve gotten to hang out with him.”

Koufax struck out 15 New York Yankees in Game 1 of the 1963 World Series.

Kershaw isn’t the only Dodgers player Koufax has helped prepare for the pressure and spotlight of baseball’s biggest stage.

“Sandy told me 162 [games] is work. Once you get to the playoffs, it’s fun,” said third baseman Justin Turner, who homered in Game 1. “I thought that was a pretty cool way to look at it, and I agree with him 100%.

“During the regular season, it’s work, it’s a grind. Once you get onto these stages it’s fun. And just to be in the moment and soak it in and take a step back and look around and see almost 60,000 people in Dodger Stadium on their feet going crazy, it’s pretty special.”