DETROIT (AP) — Jack Flaherty tied an American League record with seven straight strikeouts to open a game and struck out a career-high 14 before the St. Louis Cardinals rallied against a usually reliable bullpen with a two-run ninth inning to beat the Detroit Tigers 2-1 in a doubleheader opener Tuesday.
“It’s good to steal that one,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said.
Flaherty’s game-opening seven strikeouts matched the AL record shared by Joe Cowley of the 1986 Chicago White Sox, Carlos Rodón of the 2016 White Sox, Tampa Bay’s Blake Snell in 2018 and Seattle’s Luis Castillo two years ago.
Miami Marlins right-hander Pablo López set the major league record by striking out the first nine batters of a game in 2021.
“It was nice to come out and be in sync from pitch one,” Flaherty said.
Pitching against his first big league team, Flaherty kept the Cardinals off balance and flailing at four-seam fastballs and knuckle-curveballs.