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MLB: Near-perfect Scherzer notches 3,000th career strikeout

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) gets ready to throw a pitch in the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/09/13/20210913_max.jpg"/><figcaption>Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) gets ready to throw a pitch in the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters.</figcaption></figure></div>LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles hurler Max Scherzer flirted with perfection Sunday as he became the 19th Major League Baseball pitcher to record 3,000 career strikeouts in the Dodgers 8-0 victory over the San Diego Padres.Scherzer, 37, reached the 3,000 strikeout milestone when he fanned Eric Hosmer on a full-count changeup for the second out of the fifth inning.But it would be Hosmer who broke up Scherzer&#x27;s bid for a rare perfect game with one out in the eighth inning. Hosmer belted a changeup to the rightfield warning track -- out of the reach of speedy outfielder Mookie Betts -- for a double.That ended Scherzer&#x27;s bid for MLB&#x27;s first perfect game since Seattle&#x27;s Felix Hernandez threw the 23rd perfecto on August 15, 2012.The nine-year drought without a perfect game -- in which a pitcher retires every batter he faces -- is the longest in the major leagues since the dry spell from 1968-1981.But Scherzer had plenty to celebrate even without a perfect game or the third no-hitter of his career.He joined former teammate Justin Verlander as the only active pitchers to reach 3,000 strikeouts.He needed just 66 pitches to record six perfect innings -- that included striking out the side on nine pitches in the second for the third &quot;immaculate inning&quot; of his career.&quot;It&#x27;s hard to describe the emotion,&quot; said Scherzer, who was able to celebrate his strikeout milestone with his wife and small children as well as his parents at Dodger Stadium -- which he has called home only since a July 30 trade from the Washington Nationals.&quot;To me this is a testament to durability, to me going out there making my 30-plus starts a year, year-in, year-out.&quot;Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, is now in the hunt for a fourth award for the league&#x27;s top pitcher.He is 6-0 in eight starts as a Dodger with a 0.88 earned run average and 71 strikeouts in 51 innings.His ERA for the season is a major league-leading 2.17, a smidge in front of Milwaukee&#x27;s Corbin Burnes (2.25) and Dodgers teammate Walker Buehler (2.32).© Agence France-Presse

Los Angeles hurler Max Scherzer became the 19th MLB pitcher to record 3,000 career strikeouts in the Dodgers 8-0 victory over the San Diego Padres.