Clayton Kershaw's scoreless innings streak was the pitching highlight of the first half. But who will lead the way in the second half? Maybe someone will perform at an elite level that rivals the following pitchers, who produced the best second-half pitching performances of the past 50 years (based on ERA and at least 75 innings pitched).

1. Kris Medlen (2012)

No one saw this coming. Medlen was 1-1 with a 2.95 ERA in 31 first-half relief appearances. The second half? He went 9-0 with a 0.94 ERA in 12 starts, with a 0.82 WHIP and 95 K's in 95 1/3 innings. During one stretch he threw 30 2/3 scoreless innings. Daniel Shirey/Getty Images

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2. Roger Clemens (1990)

Clemens was at his best, posting a 9-2 record with a 0.97 ERA as he led the Red Sox to the AL East title. His second half included four shutouts and he did not allow a home run in 92 2/3 innings. Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images

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3. Tom Seaver (1971)

The Mets finished 14 games back in the NL East, but not because of Seaver, who was phenomenal in the second half. Along with a 1.10 ERA and 10-4 mark, Seaver had 12 complete games, a 0.81 WHIP and 143 K's in 139 1/3 innings. AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy

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4. Bob Gibson (1968)

Gibson's 1968 season is one of the greatest ever. Although his ERA (1.19) was slightly up in the second half, he completed 14 of his 16 starts and had seven shutouts, along with 150 K's in 144 innings. Focus on Sport/Getty Images

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5. Johan Santana (2004)