Johan Santana gave the home crowd at the Metrodome something to remember Sunday when he set a franchise record with 17 strikeouts in eight innings to lead the Minnesota Twins past the Texas Rangers 1-0.
Santana’s 17 K’s were the most in the majors since Ben Sheets fanned 18 in Milwaukee’s 4-1 win over Atlanta on May 16, 2004, and rank second-best all-time for an eight-inning outing, tying Arizona’s Randy Johnson (June 30, 1999, vs. Cincinnati.) Johnson holds the record with 18 strikeouts in an eight-inning performance while with Seattle on Sept. 27, 1992.
Santana broke the Minnesota record of 15, accomplished four times, most recently by Bert Blyleven on Aug. 1, 1986, against Oakland. “I didn’t try to do anything different. I was just trying to stay aggressive, get ahead in the count and throw my fastball for strikes,” Santana said.
Closer Joe Nathan struck out two in the ninth to give Minnesota a team-record 19.
