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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 dont think at this point of your career that youre going to do that. I just dont feel that my stuff is good enough to do that. Im probably as hard on myself as anybody." Beckett stuck out six, walked three and didnt 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. "Its very special. It takes really good defence behind you, a little luck sprinkled in and making pitches when you need to make pitches," Beckett said. "Thats a good-hitting team you dont take lightly." Beckett mixed a sharp fastball with a slow, deceptive curve that kept hitters off-balance while retiring 23 straight 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. "I knew he had something special going early," catcher Drew Butera said. "I was a nervous wreck from the fourth inning on when he said he had never taken one this far. Hes a guy who is going to keep it loose and he didnt want anybody to be thinking about it." Beckett pitched the first no-hitter in the majors since Miamis Henderson Alvarez did it against Detroit on the final day of the 2013 season. Beckett also became the first visiting pitcher to throw a no-hitter in Philadelphia since Montreals Bill Stoneman stopped the Phillies on April 17, 1969, at Connie Mack Stadium. All of the defensive plays behind Beckett were routine. Domonic Brown had the hardest out, a liner that left fielder Carl Crawford ran down near the warning track in the fifth. Beckett sat at the end of the bench, next to a security guard, as the Dodgers batted in the ninth inning, before taking the mound in his bid for history. "It was awesome. You think about it pretty much from the fourth on. Im not one of those guys that carried a lot of no-hitters deep into games," he said. Becketts longest previous bid was 6 2-3 innings before allowing a single to Detroits 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 Ive ever been playing defence," 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. "I knew he wasnt expecting me to throw a fastball down the middle," Beckett said. A pitch before striking out, Utley took a few steps toward first base when he thought a 3-1 delivery was ball four. Instead, it was strike two. Utley left the clubhouse before reporters arrived. "He had real good stuff right down to the final batter," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Our best hitter not swinging at the last two strikes is an indicator right there." Beckett walked off the mound, pumped his fist and was mobbed by teammates. He got a standing ovation from the crowd of 36,141 at Citizens Bank Park on his way to the dugout. "That was a lot of fun," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "Hes been throwing well all year and his breaking ball and change keep getting better." Last July, Beckett had a rib removed in thoracic outlet syndrome surgery to fix a condition that was affecting his right arm. He went 0-5 with a 5.19 ERA in eight games in 2013. Beckett (3-1) started this season on the disabled list with a thumb injury, raising more doubts about how effective he would be for a team with post-season expectations. "I just wanted to help the team," he said. "You always want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem." Beckett was the MVP of the 2003 World Series for the Marlins, capping off their championship run by pitching a five-hit shutout in the clinching Game 6 at Yankee Stadium. Roy Halladay had the only other no-hitter at cozy Citizens Bank Park, doing it for the Phillies in a 4-0 playoff win over Cincinnati on Oct. 6, 2010. In 1988, Pascual Perez of the Expos held the host Phillies hitless for five innings at Veterans Stadium before the game was stopped because of rain. A Major League Baseball committee later ruled that no-hitters of less than nine innings didnt officially count. Beckett walked Utley in the first and Marlon Byrd in the second before retiring 23 straight batters. Beckett threw a one-hitter for the Red Sox at Tampa Bay on June 15, 2011. He allowed an infield single to current Phillies utilityman Reid Brignac in the third inning of a 3-0 win. The Phillies were shut out for the fourth time in their last seven home games and seventh time this season. Phillies righty A.J. Burnett (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. Gonzalezs RBI double to right-centre with two outs in the first gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. Justin Turner led off the second with a solo homer to straightaway centre that just cleared the wall to make it 2-0. Turner singled and scored on Erisbel Arruebarrenas two-out single in the sixth, giving the Dodgers a 3-0 lead. Sandberg allowed Burnett to lead off the bottom of the sixth instead of pinch-hitting for him with a 3-0 deficit. Burnett grounded out and then allowed three runs in the seventh. Beckett followed Burnett as one of the prized young arms in Florida a decade ago. It was the fifth time theyve faced each other and first matchup since Aug. 7, 2009, when Beckett was in Boston and Burnett pitched for the Yankees. New York won that game 2-0 in the 15th inning. NOTES: Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez remained out of the lineup because of a sore calf. ... The Phillies placed 3B Cody Asche on the DL with a left hamstring strain. ... Dodgers CF Matt Kemp, the 2011 NL MVP runner-up, wasnt in the starting lineup for the third straight game. Manager Don Mattingly said Kemp will start playing some LF. The Dodgers finished a nine-game road trip with a 5-4 record. Theyre 18-11 on the road, 9-13 at home. ... The Dodgers return home to start a three-game series vs. Cincinnati on Monday. LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-3) goes for LA against RHP Johnny Cueto (4-3). ... For the Phillies, RHP Kyle Kendrick (0-5) faces Colorados Jhoulys Chacin (0-3) in the opener of a three-game set Monday. Wholesale MLB Jerseys . The union filed a grievance late Thursday, one day after Goodell suspended four players who participated in bounties from 2009-11. The complaint says Goodell is prohibited from punishing players for any aspect of the case occurring before the new collective bargaining agreement was signed last August. Cheap Jerseys From China . Coming off a 6-0 drubbing at Chelsea on Saturday, Arsenal endured another demoralizing result after rallying for a 2-1 lead -- only to concede a fluke equalizer. http://www.authenticwholesalejerseys.net/ . -- So much for concern that running back Marshawn Lynch would be absent from the Seattle Seahawks minicamp. NFL Jerseys Outlet . - Kobe Bryant and LeBron James traded hugs, big shots and verbal jabs all night with warmth and humour. Wholesale Jerseys For Sale . -- Pelicans coach Monty Williams does not expect guard Eric Gordon to play in any of New Orleans final five games this season.It appears former captain Mats Sundin wont be suiting up for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Alumni Showdown against the Detroit Red Wings on New Years Eve. According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. "I have had problems with my right knee for a while aand Im having surgery," Sundin told the Star Thursday.dddddddddddd "I have not been able to skate this last year and I cant skate with my knee like this. Im very disappointed, not been able to play in the great alumni outdoor game and represent the Maple Leafs again. Sundin, who is the Maple Leafs all-time leader in goals and points, was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012. ' ' '