Dodgers starting pitcher Aaron Harang allowed a Cameron Maybin single to start the game Friday night against the Padres, but after that ... it was on. Harang would strike out three straight hitters to close the first. Then he struck out all three hitters he faced in the second. Then he did the same in the third. And that set a Dodgers record with nine consecutive strikeouts. Will Venable snapped the strikeout string when he led off the fourth inning with a home run.
The major league record is 10, which was set by Hall of Famer Tom Seaver in 1970.
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Harang struck out six hitters in 4 1/3 innings in his first start of the season. He struck out 6.5 hitters per nine innings in 2011 and his career high for strikeouts in one game is 13. He did lead the NL in strikeouts in 2006 with the Reds, but his rate has tailed off in recent years.
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