He struck out Iglesias, one of two Tigers starters he had not yet victimized, to set a Nationals Park record with 16 strikeouts. He outpitched pal Jordan Zimmermann (5-2), a former Nationals teammate who left Washington as a free agent for a $110 million deal with Detroit before this season.
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WASHINGTON (AP) – Max Scherzer has thrown two no-hitters, come within one strike of a flawless game and met just about every expectation that accompanied the $210 million contract he signed with Washington. The fifth major league pitcher to strike out so many (Tom Cheney of the Washington Senators struck out 21 in an extra-inning game in 1962 and Randy Johnson had 20 in 2001 in a 10-inning game).
Zimmermann won 70 games for the Nationals. And when they did, the former teammates deadlocked in a pitchers’ duel.
Scherzer’s first thought when it was all over? Scherzer bounced back to whiff Cabrera on a fastball-the slugger’s third of the night-but then gave up an opposite-field single to Victor Martinez to put the tying run on with one out. Moments later, pinch hitter Clint Robinson – who acknowledged afterward he thought it was only the eighth inning – hit the first game-ending homer of his career.
Wood’s 20-strikeout performance in 1998 featured some of nastiest pitches, including the final breaking ball that sealed his 20th punchout.
Scherzer had nine strikeouts after four innings and broke his own personal career-high (17) by fanning the side in the eighth.
“I didn’t know what to expect and it was great”, Zimmermann said of the ovation.
Six Detroit players had multiple strikeouts, with five of those (including star first baseman Miguel Cabrera) going down by way of the K three times. Phil Hughes (1-6) lasted just four innings in another awful start for the worst team in the American League.
Scherzer made things interesting in the ninth inning.
The breathtaking performance came in Scherzer’s first outing against the Tigers, his former team. Zimmermann gave up three hits in the first and Scherzer yielded a flare single to left in the second to Martinez.
“I think I’m going to hang onto the improvised version and go with that”, she said. Hand appeared to end the inning by getting Kris Bryant to pop up on the infield.
It’s been 15 years since the last time a major league pitcher tossed 20 strikeouts in a game.
The last major league pitcher to homer twice in a game was Arizona’s Micah Owings, who accomplished the feat against Atlanta on August 18, 2007.
During the bottom of the ninth inning of Washington’s 5-4 victory over Detroit on Monday night, Harper was in the dugout when he was ejected by plate umpire Brian Knight after Nationals batter Danny Espinosa was called out on strikes.
MARINERS 6, RAYS 5, 11 innings (at Seattle) – Chris Iannetta’s 11th inning homer gave the Mariners a win and a three-game sweep over Tampa Bay.
“I just went out there and tried to execute [my fastball] and throw the slider off of that, and it worked”, Scherzer said. Lorenzo Cain, who hit three homers Tuesday, laced a two-run single in the sixth and Kendrys Morales added a solo homer in the seventh.
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After Victor Martinez singled and Upton doubled with one out in the seventh, Scherzer got McCann looking and Anthony Gose swinging to escape.
