MLB: Near-perfect Scherzer notches 3,000th career strikeout

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles hurler Max Scherzer flirted with perfection Sunday as he became the 19th Major League Baseball pitcher to record 3,000 career strikeouts in the Dodgers 8-0 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Scherzer, 37, reached the 3,000 strikeout milestone when he fanned Eric Hosmer on a full-count changeup for the second out of the fifth inning.

But it would be Hosmer who broke up Scherzer's bid for a rare perfect game with one out in the eighth inning. Hosmer belted a changeup to the rightfield warning track -- out of the reach of speedy outfielder Mookie Betts -- for a double.

That ended Scherzer's bid for MLB's first perfect game since Seattle's Felix Hernandez threw the 23rd perfecto on August 15, 2012.

The nine-year drought without a perfect game -- in which a pitcher retires every batter he faces -- is the longest in the major leagues since the dry spell from 1968-1981.

But Scherzer had plenty to celebrate even without a perfect game or the third no-hitter of his career.

He joined former teammate Justin Verlander as the only active pitchers to reach 3,000 strikeouts.

He needed just 66 pitches to record six perfect innings -- that included striking out the side on nine pitches in the second for the third "immaculate inning" of his career.

"It's hard to describe the emotion," said Scherzer, who was able to celebrate his strikeout milestone with his wife and small children as well as his parents at Dodger Stadium -- which he has called home only since a July 30 trade from the Washington Nationals.

"To me this is a testament to durability, to me going out there making my 30-plus starts a year, year-in, year-out."

Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, is now in the hunt for a fourth award for the league's top pitcher.

He is 6-0 in eight starts as a Dodger with a 0.88 earned run average and 71 strikeouts in 51 innings.

His ERA for the season is a major league-leading 2.17, a smidge in front of Milwaukee's Corbin Burnes (2.25) and Dodgers teammate Walker Buehler (2.32).

Agence France-Presse

MLB: Dodgers defeat Padres, Astros put A's on brink of elimination

LOS ANGELES -- Corey Seager scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly as the Los Angeles Dodgers erupted for four runs in the sixth inning en route to a 5-1 come-from-behind win over the San Diego Padres in the opening game of their NL Division Series on Tuesday.

Justin Turner scored two runs and walked twice, and starting pitcher Walker Buehler pitched four solid innings and struck out eight for the Dodgers, who recorded their fifth straight NLDS game one victory.

Closer Kenley Jansen got the final out of the four-hour marathon contest by forcing Padres batter Jake Croenworth to ground out to first base at the neutral Globe Life Field stadium outside Dallas, Texas.

The Dodgers were hitless through the first five innings and drew a total of 10 walks in the contest including three to catcher Will Smith.

After falling behind 1-0 in the fourth, Los Angeles did not get their first hit until Mookie Betts smacked a one-out double early in the sixth which helped open the flood gates with a combination of singles, doubles, walks and errors on the part of the Padres.

"It's not about getting a bunch of hits, it's about taking our walks and setting the table," said right fielder Betts.

Game two is Wednesday when the Dodgers will start left hander Clayton Kershaw.

"It is good to get game one under our belt," said Betts. "It is a lot better feeling getting a win in game one and knowing we got Kershew up next."

The Padres didn't announce their game one starter until Tuesday, deciding to go with ace Mike Clevinger who was pitching for the first time in 13 days.

Clevinger's status had been a mystery due to an elbow problem. He hasn't pitched since leaving a start against the Los Angeles Angels after one inning on September 23.

Clevinger missed the Padres' first-round series triumph against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Clevinger worked a scoreless first against the Dodgers but had to exit early, making just two pitches in the second before being pulled by manager Jayce Tingler. Clevinger finished with three walks and one strikeout.

"He's getting checked out," Tingler said. "His stuff was right where it usually is. We've got our fingers crossed and hoping for the best of news." 

- 'We're expecting good things' -

Elsewhere, George Springer hammered two home runs and Framber Valdez won the battle of the lefties as the Houston Astros moved to within one win of reaching their fourth straight AL Championship Series with a 5-2 win over the Oakland A's.

Left-handed starter Valdez gave up two runs on five hits over seven innings and fanned four batters for the Astros, who will try to sweep the best of five series on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

"With every victory, the energy and the confidence grows," Houston manager Dusty Baker said. "We're expecting good things to happen."

Houston grabbed a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning on Martin Maldonado's home run that knocked Oakland lefty Sean Manaea from the contest. Springer then smacked the first pitch from Oakland relief pitcher Yusmeiro Petit over the left field wall.

Manaea surrendered four runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings with one walk and two strikeouts.

The Astros belted three homers Tuesday, one day after hitting three in a game one victory at the same southern California ballpark.

Elsewhere, Tyler Glasnow and three other pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts and the batting order erupted for four homers as the Tampa Bay Rays rebounded from a game one loss to beat the New York Yankees 7-5.

Rays right-hander Glasnow struck out a franchise playoff-record 10 batters in five-plus innings. He gave up four runs and three hits while walking three as the Ray leveled the series at 1-1.

Randy Arozarena slugged a homer for the second straight game, Mike Zunino and Manuel Margot drilled two run shots, and Austin Meadows hit a solo home run for the Rays, who equaled a club playoff record with four long balls.

Game three is Wednesday night at Petco Park in San Diego. 

New York star Giancarlo Stanton homered in his fourth consecutive playoff game, including a towering 460-foot, three-run drive that cleared the upper deck in the fourth inning.

Stanton's four straight homers tie for the third-longest streak in a single postseason. He now trails only Daniel Murphy, six in 2015, and Carlos Beltran, five in 2004.

Agence France-Presse