PHILADELPHIA -- Josh Beckett started talking about throwing a no-hitter in the fourth inning, ignoring traditional superstitions and making his catcher nervous in the process.

The big, folksy Texan had stuff that was too dominant to worry about a jinx.

Beckett pitched the first no-hitter of his stellar career and the first in the majors this season, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Philadelphia Phillies 6-0 on Sunday.

A year ago, Beckett was nearly derailed by a nerve condition that left him unable to feel his fingertips. On this day, he was downright nasty.

"I was joking about it because I was waiting for them to get a hit," Beckett said. "You don't think at this point of your career that you're going to do that. I just don't feel that my stuff is good enough to do that. I'm probably as hard on myself as anybody."

Beckett stuck out six, walked three and didn't come close to allowing a hit against a lineup that included two former NL MVPs and four former All-Stars. Beckett has credentials, too: A three-time All-Star, he also was a World Series MVP.

The 34-year-old right-hander threw 128 pitches. He fanned five-time All-Star Chase Utley on a called strike three to end the game.

"It's very special. It takes really good defense behind you, a little luck sprinkled in and making pitches when you need to make pitches," Beckett said. "That's a good-hitting team you don't take lightly."

Beckett mixed a sharp fastball with a slow, deceptive curve that kept hitters off-balance while retiring 23 consecutive batters at one stretch. He pitched the Dodgers' first no-hitter since Hideo Nomo beat Colorado at Coors Field in 1996, and the 21st in franchise history. Sandy Koufax threw four.

Beckett pitched the first no-hitter in the majors since Miami's Henderson Alvarez did it against Detroit on the final day of the 2013 season.

Beckett's longest previous bid was 6 2-3 innings before allowing a single to Detroit's Curtis Granderson on June 3, 2009.

Beckett retired pinch-hitter Tony Gwynn Jr. on a popup to shortstop to start the ninth. Speedy Ben Revere followed with a grounder that first baseman Adrian Gonzalez fielded, and he flipped to Beckett covering the bag for the second out.

"It was the most excited I've ever been playing defense," Gonzalez said.

Jimmy Rollins was up next, and Beckett walked him on a full-count pitch. That brought up Utley, and when the count when to 3-2, Butera went to the mound to talk to Beckett.

Beckett then threw a 94 mph fastball that Utley looked at, and plate umpire Brian Knight called strike three to end it.

Phillies righty A.J. Burnett (Central Arkansas Christian) (3-4) allowed four earned runs and 11 hits in seven innings in a matchup against his former Marlins teammate. Burnett is 1-3 with a 6.26 in his last four starts.

MARLINS 7, BREWERS 1 Jimmy Nelson pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his season debut for Milwaukee, and the Brewers beat the host Marlins. The Brewers' top prospect was recalled from Double-A Huntsville to start for Yovani Gallardo, who is nursing a sore left ankle.

NATIONALS 5, PIRATES 2 Ian Desmond hit a pair of run-scoring singles to lead visiting Washington over Pittsburgh, snapping the Nationals' four-game losing streak.

DIAMONDBACKS 2-4, METS 1-2 Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched six solid innings in a spot start and helped the clutch hitting-deprived Mets with an RBI single, Bobby Abreu added a run-scoring double in a rare chance to play and host New York salvaged a doubleheader split over Arizona. The Diamondbacks used a miscue by Daniel Murphy in the ninth and turned a season high-tying five double plays in the opener.

PADRES 4, CUBS 3 Ian Kennedy pitched six strong innings and host San Diego held on over Chicago.

BRAVES 7, ROCKIES 0 Evan Gattis hit two home runs to support Julio Teheran's six scoreless innings and host Atlanta beat Colorado. Justin Upton and Chris Johnson added two-run home runs for the NL East-leading Braves, who have won six of eight.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

RAYS 8, RED SOX 5 Boston Red Sox lost its 10th consecutive game, skidding to its longest slump in 20 years and brawling with host Tampa Bay. Rays pinch-hitter Sean Rodriguez connected for a tiebreaking, three-run home run in the seventh. Yunel Escobar hit a two-run double later in the inning and then took third on defensive indifference, setting off the fracas. Escobar, Rodriguez and Boston's Jonny Gomes were all ejected.

RANGERS 12, TIGERS 4 Alex Rios tripled and drove in three runs, and the Rangers rolled to another Texas-sized rout of host Detroit, beating Justin Verlander and the Tigers. Texas took three of four in the series, scoring 35 runs in the process. The Tigers have lost six of seven, and even Verlander (5-4) couldn't come close to stopping the slide.

BLUE JAYS 3, ATHLETICS 1 Edwin Encarnacion hit a home run, J.A. Happ won his third consecutive start and the host Blue Jays completed a three-game sweep of Oakland, beating the Athletics. The Blue Jays, who lead the AL East, won their season-best sixth consecutive. It's Toronto's longest streak since an 11-game run last June.

ORIOLES 4, INDIANS 2 Manny Machado and Nelson Cruz hit home runs, Steve Pearce had three hits and the host Orioles beat the Cleveland Indians for a split of the four-game series. Miguel Gonzalez (3-3) bounced back from a shaky start to hold the Indians to two runs and four hits over six innings.

YANKEES 7, WHITE SOX 1 Derek Jeter had four hits and Masahiro Tanaka rebounded nicely from his first major league loss, leading the visiting Yankees to a victory over the White Sox. Brett Gardner had a big two-run single in New York's four-run second inning as the Yankees closed out an extended stay in Chicago with a pair of victories against the White Sox.

ANGELS 4, ROYALS 3 Chris Iannetta hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning Sunday, lifting the host Angels over the Royals. Reliever Tim Collins (0-3) retired the first batter in the eighth before Iannetta lined a drive into the lower seats in the left-field corner for his fifth homer of the season and second of the series.

ASTROS 4, MARINERS 1 Former Arkansas Razorback Dallas Keuchel pitched a four-hitter for his second complete game in his last three starts, leading the visiting Astros to a victory over the Mariners. Keuchel (6-2) struck out six, walked none and allowed just an unearned run that scored on a throwing error in the second inning.

INTERLEAGUE

GIANTS 8, TWINS 1 Michael Morse doubled three times and drove in four runs, Madison Bumgarner stayed unbeaten in May and host San Francisco beat Minnesota to complete a three-game sweep.

Sports on 05/26/2014