Max Scherzer pitched an immaculate inning, reached 3,000 career strikeouts and flirted with perfect as the Los Angeles Dodgers shut out the San Diego Padres, 8-0, to complete a series sweep at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers kept pace with the San Francisco Giants and have swept their two most recent series against the Padres.
A potential duel between Scherzer and Blake Snell ended in the first inning when the Padres starter gestured to the dugout and walked off the found after delivering a pitch with two outs. San Diego later announced Snell was removed due to left adductor tightness.
Scherzer proceeded to retire the first 22 batters faced, which included an immaculate inning in the second. He rode that into the third by collecting a fourth consecutive strikeout.
Max Scherzer is immaculate. pic.twitter.com/3631ior7cI
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 12, 2021
Sunday jog around the park. pic.twitter.com/5f4iYC8vs1
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 12, 2021
The 3,000th strikeout. pic.twitter.com/3H4KzfLb4T
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 12, 2021
Can't stop Mookie magic. pic.twitter.com/pKdNIVF3g8
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 12, 2021
JT FOR THREE! pic.twitter.com/eYnBeN0l5w
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 12, 2021
The Padres then staved off history until Scherzer got Eric Hosmer swinging in the fifth inning to reach 3,000 career strikeouts. Hosmer got some measure of revenge in the eighth when he pulled a one-out double into right field to break up Scherzer’s perfect game.
The future Hall of Famer wound up completing eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts and just the one hit allowed. Scherzer improved to 6-0 with a 0.88 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and .158 batting average against in eight starts for the Dodgers.
Dodgers offense erupts
Corey Seager provided Scherzer with a lead in the fourth inning behind a solo home run. Mookie Betts then slugged his second homer in as many days in the fifth, and Justin Turner belted a three-run blast in the seventh to cap off a four-run inning.
L.A. scored an additional two runs in the eighth thanks in large part to Padre relief pitcher Austin Adams’ wildness.
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