Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw pitched seven perfect innings at Minnesota on Wednesday before exiting in eighth inning. In his first start of the 2022 season, the veteran struck out 13 Twins batters in a dominant performance.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled the 34-year-old before the bottom of the eighth inning with Kershaw at 80 pitches. Coming off MLB's lockout, with teams forced into a shortened spring training, most pitchers around the league started the season on strict pitch limits to protect their health.

Minnesota's Gary Sánchez lined a one-out single to right field off Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia in the eighth inning to break apart the perfect game — it ended up being the only hit allowed by Los Angeles pitchers. Vesia was booed by Minnesota fans when he took the mound.

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"It was the right decision," Kershaw said after the game, "it was time."

Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner and eight-time All-Star, threw a heavy mix of sliders at Twins hitters and 33 of his 80 total pitches were called or swinging strikes.