The MLB saw some notable achievements this weekend with Alex Rodriguez getting to 3,000 hits in style with a home run for the NY Yankees, while Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer pitched a no-hitter after losing his perfect game with a hit batter in the ninth inning.
Scherzer has been pitching very well for the Nationals this season and he threw his first career no hitter and perfect game on Saturday night. Scherzer threw just 105 pitches and had 80 of them for strikes and he came very close to a perfect game, hitting Jose Tabata of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the ninth inning with two outs. Scherzer got Gregory Polanco and Jordy Mercer out to start the inning and after hitting Tabata with two strikes on him, he was able to get Josh Harrison to finish off the no hitter.
Scherzer struck out 10 batters in the game and he put in his sixth start this year with double digit strikeouts. Chris Heston threw a no hitter this year, while Jordan Zimmermann had one last year for the Nationals. Felix Hernandez remains the last pitcher to throw a perfect game in the MLB. Scherzer has been pitching very well lately and he has allowed just three runners on base in the last two games.
Scherzer comes in after striking out 16 batters against the Brewers and allowing just one hit and that came in his start before the no hitter. Scherzer has struck out 26 batters in his last two starts and only walked one while allowing one hit in that span. Scherzer signed a mega contract in the offseason as a free agent and he is 8-5 on the season with a 1.76 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 102 innings pitcher. Scherzer is one of the front runners for the Cy Young award in the NL. Scherzer previously won the award in the AL.
Rodriguez has been playing very well for the Yankees and he entered the 3000 hit club in style with a home run off of Justin Verlander on Friday night. Rodriguez continued to swing the bat well, hitting his 3001st hit into the stands to get past Roberto Clemente on the all-time hit list. Rodriguez hit a three run home run against the Tigers and he has been solid for the Yankees this season with a 279 batting average.
