Detroit Tigers: Scherzer Strikes Out 20 to Top Tigers 3-2

The Detroit Tigers were embarrassed yet again on Wednesday Night, this time by former pitcher Max Scherzer who tied the Major League record for strikeouts in a nine inning game with 20.

Things went from bad to worse for Detroit Tigers fans on Wednesday Night.

Former Ace Max Scherzer, who infamously turned down the Tigers 6-year, $144 million dollar contract extension in 2014 after becoming one of Major League Baseballs best pitchers while with the Tigers, faced his former team for the first time since leaving for the Washington Nationals and the $210 million he ended up receiving.

What he ended up doing was making Tigers Owner Mike Ilitch yet again regret that decision to try and skimp out on his 2013 Cy Young Award Winner, and struck out an MLB Record 20 batters, something that had only been done by two other pitchers in the history of the game over a 9 inning game before Wednesday Night. The Nationals won the game 3-2.

It was expected to be a pitchers’ dual between Scherzer and Tigers top pitcher Jordan Zimmermann and was everything as advertised, clearly more for Scherzer.

From the start, it was clear Max had everything in his arsenal working and working to perfection. Sliders, fastballs, you name it, it was located perfectly and Tigers hitters had absolutely no chance.

The only two mistakes made all night were on pitches to Jose Iglesias in the 3rd inning, who hit his first home run of the season barely over the fence to left field, and then to J.D. Martinez, who also hit a solo home run on the first pitch in the top of the ninth to give the Tigers their second run. Before that hit for Martinez he had been one of Scherzer’s favorite victims of the night, going down 3 times before the final at-bat.

The only Tigers hitter to not strike out against Scherzer was Victor Martinez. He had three hits.

Justin Upton also had a hit, raising his batting average to .221 after going 1-4 on the night.

The Nationals three-runs were also at the hands of only 2 batters. Daniel Murphy drove home a run in two separate at-bats and Danny Espinosa hit what ended up being the game winning home run in the 7th inning for their final run.

Next: Good Baseball Played in Washington

The Tigers have now lost eight of nine games and things don’t look much better on Thursday as gas-can Mike Pelfrey takes on Ubaldo Jimenez of the Baltimore Orioles in Baltimore. The game starts at 7:05 EST.