Scherzer Reaches 16 Consecutive Innings Without Allowing a Hit

After tossing a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates last weekend, Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning in Friday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies, making him the first pitcher since Dwight Gooden in May 1996 to throw 16 consecutive no-hit innings, per Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN Stats & Info).

The streak started against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 14, with Scherzer holding the Brew Crew hitless over the final two innings to finish off a one-hit, one-walk complete-game shutout that included a season-high 16 strikeouts. He took a perfect game into the seventh inning, but lost it on a single by Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez.

Scherzer then carried a perfect game into the ninth inning of last Saturday's start against Pittsburgh, but he lost it with two outs in the final frame when he hit Pirates outfielder Jose Tabata with a pitch. The right-hander still hung on for a no-hitter, giving him 11 consecutive innings without allowing a hit, in addition to back-to-back complete-game shutouts.

Although he didn't allow a hit through the first five innings, Scherzer wasn't quite as dominant in Friday's start, as the Phillies eventually got him for two runs on five hits and a walk over eight innings. The Nationals still managed to come away with a 5-2 victory, improving Scherzer's record to 9-5 on the season and giving him exactly 100 wins for his career, per MLB Milestones.

When all was said and done, the streak without allowing a hit lasted 54 batters, 12 days and three starts, with just one walk and one batter hit by a pitch during that span, per the Nationals' official website.

Had Scherzer retired Tabata instead of hitting him with a pitch, he would've set an MLB record by tossing 15 consecutive innings, per Sportsnet Stats.