Scherzer Ks 17 Mets in 2nd no-hitter of season

Max Scherzer made history Saturday night. (USATSI)

Washington Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer completed his second no-hitter of 2015 on Saturday night, striking out 17 in a 2-0 victory against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Scherzer is the first pitcher since Nolan Ryan in 1973 to throw two no-hitters in the same regular season, and the fifth to do it in major-league history. Scherzer’s 17 strikeouts were a career high and tied Ryan’s record for a no-no (which Ryan also accomplished with his second one of ’73).

Scherzer allowed no walks and would have been perfect except for an error made by third baseman Yunel Escobar on a routine throw to first base in the sixth inning. Scherzer needed just 109 pitches to complete the game.

Scherzer struck out nine of his final 10 batters, with Curtis Granderson ending the ninth inning on an infield popup. Tom Seaver owns the major-league record, striking out 10 batters in a row — again, that’s the most consecutive K’s at any point in a game in history, and Seaver did it to finish a 19-strikeout performance. Scherzer nearly tied him.

Scherzer also threw a no-hitter against the Pirates in June, missing a perfect game by hitting a batter in the ninth inning.

The other pitchers to throw two no-no’s in the same season: Johnny Vander Meer in 1938, of course, who is the only pitcher to throw no-hitters in consecutive starts; Allie Reynolds in 1951 and Virgil Trucks in 1952 also threw two no-hitters in the same season.

It also should be noted that Roy Halladay of the Phillies threw a perfect game in the 2010 regular season and followed up with a no-hitter in the playoffs.

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