Scherzer Sets Nationals Single-Game Record with 16 Strikeouts

Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer may have fallen short of a perfect game, but he still managed to set a Nationals record with his 16 strikeouts in Sunday's 4-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Although the 16 punchouts is a record since the team moved to Washington in 2005, Bill Gullickson struck out 18 batters in a game for the Montreal Expos in 1980.

Franchise record or not, Scherzer's performance was arguably the finest by any pitcher so far this season, as it joined Clayton Kershaw's no-hitter from last year as the only outings in the last three seasons to get a Bill James Game Score of 100, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Scherzer allowed just one hit and one walk in the complete-game shutout, falling nine outs shy of a perfect game.

He was flawless through the first six innings, but Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez broke things up with a single to lead off the seventh.

Not fazed, Scherzer retired nine of the last 10 batters to finish things off, needing a season-high 119 pitches to go the distance for the first time in a Nationals uniform.

As great as he's been the past few years, Scherzer only had one complete game and one shutout in his career prior to Sunday, having tossed nine scoreless innings in a game against the Chicago White Sox while pitching for the Detroit Tigers last season.

He's the early favorite for NL Cy Young honors in his first season in the senior circuit, boasting a 7-5 record, 1.93 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 113-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 13 starts (93.1 innings).