NEW YORK (AP) – Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw became the first pitcher to lead the major leagues in earned run average in four straight years, and Houston’s Jose Altuve and Colorado’s Justin Morneau won their first batting titles.
Kershaw’s 1.77 ERA was the lowest in the National League since Greg Maddux’s 1.63 for Atlanta in 1995.
Seattle’s Felix Hernandez won his second AL ERA title, pitching 5 1-3 scoreless innings to finish at 2.14, just besting Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox at 2.17. A scoring change a day earlier from Hernandez’s previous start had dropped his ERA from 2.34 to 2.18.
Originally left out of the starting lineup by the Astros on Sunday, Altuve went 2 for 4 to win the AL batting title at .341.
Morneau didn’t start for the second straight day and topped the NL at .319 – the lowest average for a batting champion in either league since Atlanta’s Terry Pendleton hit .319 in 1991.