Braves' Spencer Strider makes strikeout history, flirts with perfection and no-hitter

Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider was the story Monday night in Truist Park despite his offense providing him with plenty of support, which included five home runs, in Atlanta's 11-0 win. The focus for much of the night was on Strider's strikeouts -- and we'll get to that -- but things shifted when he had a perfect game through six innings. He had sliced through the Marlins order twice with relative ease and seemingly didn't even break a sweat. It was 18 up, 18 down. 

Strider lost his perfect game on an error by first baseman Matt Olson to start the seventh. It was an easy one, too. Olson just booted it. 

Still, Strider got through the seventh without allowing a hit, meaning now the focus shifted to a possible no-hitter. The Braves haven't had a no-hitter since April 8, 1994 when Kent Mercker beat the Dodgers, 6-0, in Los Angeles. They have 14 in franchise history, though only three of them (Phil Niekro and a combined no-no in 1991 in addition to Mercker) have come since the franchise relocated to Atlanta. 

Simply, it was still a big deal. With one out in the seventh, meaning Strider was just five outs away, Jean Segura ended the no-hit bid. 

With all that out of the way, we can now nail down our focus to the strikeouts. Strider's final line was jaw-dropping: 8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 13 K. 

The outing marked the ninth consecutive start in which Strider has recorded at least nine strikeouts. This sets a new franchise record for the Braves, topping John Smoltz's run of eight straight during the 1997 season. Strider is now on a short list. 

Here are the pitchers to strike out at least nine hitters in nine consecutive starts. 

Strider will look to join Sale and Ryan in double digits with the streak in his next outing. If everything stays on schedule, he'll face the Mets on Saturday in Citi Field. That'll be fun. Entering Monday, the Mets were the second-toughest team to strikeout (via strikeout percentage or K%) in the majors this season. 

In Strider's career, he's pitched to a 4.30 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings against the Mets. His one outing against them in Citi Field was pretty bad, as he allowed four runs on six hits in just 2 2/3 innings. In his three starts against the Mets, he hasn't gotten to nine strikeouts (eight, five and four, respectively). 

For now, though, Strider is one of the best pitchers in baseball. Though five starts this season, he's 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 49 strikeouts against 11 walks in 30 innings.