Age before youth as far as strikeouts would go on Sunday.
John Smoltz came into today’s game needing 4 strikeouts to pass Joe Niekro’s record of 2,912 with the Atlanta Braves. Smoltz ended the 3rd inning with his 2,913th career strikeout to break the Braves record. Smoltz would go on to add eight more strikeouts for 12 on in the Braves 6-2 win over Arizona.
As Sooze from Babes Love Baseball told me, Johan Santana was “fu&^&! filthy”. Santana and his changeup were dealing on Sunday as he struck out 17 of the 26 batters he faced in his 8 innings. Had his pitch count not been at 112, he probably would have gone back out to try for 20 K’s. Only Kerry Wood and Roger Clemens (2 times) have reached 20 strikeouts in a game. Johan did get the win as the Twins beat the Rangers 1-0.
The 17 strikeouts by Santana broke the Twins record of 15 strikeouts, which had happened 4 times. The last time was back in 1986 by now Twins broadcaster Bert Blyleven.
