Max Scherzer of the Detroit Tigers and Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners dueled to a draw last night in the Tigers' 2-1, 14-inning victory last night at Safeco Field.
Scherzer started for the victorious Tigers, giving his team eight spectacular innings of six-hit, one run baseball. Scherzer struck out 12 Mariners and only walked one in the no-decision. He lowered his season ERA to 2.84, and now has 30 strikeouts in 19 innings of work.
Felix Hernandez, who received a seven-year, $175 million contract this offseason, proved his worth in matching Scherzer's sparkling performance. Hernandez also went eight innings, giving up just four hits, two fewer than Scherzer, while striking out 12 batters as well. It was the first time since 1992 when Randy Johnson and Mark Langston faced off that two starters each struck out at least 12 batters while only allowing one run to cross the plate.
In the top of the 14th inning, Tigers catcher Bryan Pena grounded out to shortstop, allowing Don Kelly to score what would be the game-winning run. In the bottom of the 14th, Pena helped Detroit literally hang onto that lead.
Justin Smoak had singled for Seattle, and came barreling toward home plate on a Dustin Ackely double. Tigers' first baseman Prince Fielder took a relay throw and fired a strike to the plate, where Pena absorbed a massive collision with Smoak and recorded the game sealing out.
After the game, Pena said, "It doesn't matter where your body is going to go, just hold onto the baseball. "I got dizzy. I think he hit me in the chin as he was running toward me."
Despite the thrilling finish, though, the story of the night was the efforts of Scherzer and Hernandez. The two starters combined for 24 strikeouts, and the teams in total combined for 40.
"It was a great game. Both sides," Hernandez said. "Scherzer was pretty good, too. He was changing speeds, he was throwing breaking balls. I was just trying to match it up. I was trying to be aggressive. Against a team like that you have to be in attack mode."
Today's game will be played at 3:40 p.m. at Safeco Field and can be live streamed for free here or for a fee with better quality video here.
UPDATE: Watch a video of Tigers' Win HERE.
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