Philadelphia Phillies' ace Zack Wheeler achieved a significant career milestone on Tuesday night, recording his 2,000th career strikeout during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citizens Bank Park. Wheeler, 36, entered the game needing three strikeouts to reach the milestone and accomplished it swiftly by striking out the side in the first inning. He concluded the inning by getting Brice Turang to swing and miss at a high four-seam fastball. (heavy.com)
Wheeler's performance didn't stop there; he went on to strike out the first seven batters he faced, setting a new Phillies franchise record for consecutive strikeouts to start a game. This feat surpassed the previous record of six consecutive strikeouts held by Brandon Duckworth since 2002. (koranmanado.co.id)
With this achievement, Wheeler becomes the 96th pitcher in Major League Baseball history and the 10th active player to reach 2,000 career strikeouts. Notably, he joins teammate Aaron Nola, who reached the same milestone earlier this season, making them the second duo in MLB history to achieve this in the same season as teammates. The first duo to do so was Tim Hudson and Jake Peavy of the 2014 San Francisco Giants. (koranmanado.co.id)
Wheeler's stellar performance contributed to the Phillies' 5-3 victory over the Brewers, bolstering their position in the National League Wild Card race. The Phillies now hold an 87-70 record, while the Brewers stand at 98-59. (foxsports.com)
This milestone underscores Wheeler's consistency and dominance on the mound throughout his 12-year MLB career, further solidifying his reputation as one of the league's premier pitchers.