Scherzer Has 20 Ks, Ties MLB Record

Still, after his latest masterpiece on Wednesday night, he said: "There's something about 20."

Scherzer struck out 20 batters to match the major league record for a nine-inning game in the Nationals' 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night.

"Tonight was an emotional game, facing a former team and all those guys I have so much respect for," Scherzer said after pitching against the Tigers for the first time since leaving Detroit. "And so to have a game like this against that caliber of hitter on their side, it really puts a feather in my cap."

Scherzer (4-2) had a chance to break the mark when James McCann stepped to the plate with two outs in the ninth inning. McCann, who whiffed his previous three times up, grounded to third base for the final out.

"It crossed my mind," said Scherzer, who did not issue a walk. "I was thinking of all the different scenarios in an 0-2 count that I could do to be able to get that last strikeout."

The ace right-hander, who pitched two no-hitters for Washington last season and struck out 17 in the second one, joined Roger Clemens (twice), Kerry Wood and Randy Johnson as the only big league pitchers to compile 20 strikeouts in nine innings.

"That's some serious company," Scherzer said. "It won't sink in right now, but it's an amazing accomplishment."

A giddy Scherzer smiled and yelped as he high-fived and hugged other Nationals players on the field. He was doused by his teammates during a postgame television interview.

Scherzer threw an astounding 96 of 119 pitches for strikes in a six-hitter for his sixth career complete game. 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.

"That was one of the more dominant performances I've ever come across," said Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, also an opponent during Wood's 20-strikeout game and one of the two compiled by Clemens. "It wasn't quite as dominant as Kerry Wood and it was more dominant than Clemens."

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Mike Pelfrey (0-4, 6.23 ERA) is slated to start the opener of a four-game set against the Orioles at Camden Yards, where he's 2-0 with a 4.41 ERA in his career.