Wasn’t it fitting that on Chris Sale’s 112th and final pitch of the night, he blew a 95-mph heater past Kole Calhoun to end the sixth inning and record on a monumental strikeout? Sale had at least nine strikeouts for the 17th time in 20 starts this season. In took Martinez 147 innings in 1999 and Johnson, who did it three times, 143 innings in 1995.
When Pedro Martinez struck out a career-high 313 batters for the Red Sox in 1999, he didn’t record his 200th strikeout until August 14. “His strikeout capability is certainly unique”.
Sale started his latest outing with four swift innings in which the Angels never touched second base.
Sale, who is 12-4 with a 2.48 ERA, was asked if this is the best season of his career.
For a change, the Red Sox also staked Sale to a big lead.
The Angels’ first run of the night came in the seventh inning with Sale out of the game. Last Saturday, for instance, he tossed 7⅔ scoreless innings against the New York Yankees and left with only a 1-0 edge.
Jackie Bradley Jr. made a tremendous, leaping catch as he flew into the center-field wall on a drive by Yunel Escobar to lead off the bottom of the first inning.
“I literally looked at [third baseman] Brock [Holt] and I was like, what’s wrong with that guy?”
“It’s cool”, Sale said. “You’re only going to get one pitch to hit, so you better make sure you square it up”. “It seems like he’s always raising the bar”.
Sale has won 11 of his last 13 decisions.
But Sale prefers to leave the historical context to others. “We have a long way to go – a long way to go”. We still have a lot of work to do.
The Sox offense jumped all over Angels starter Ricky Nolasco for five runs in the first inning.
“Certainly after the workload of the last week, that was pretty much called for”, Farrell said. Each great game starts to blend in with the rest.
Meantime, Sale just keeps piling up the Ks – and the zeroes. Nolasco went four innings and allowed all six runs on nine hits and a walk.
Sale has been so good that he has left teammates almost speechless.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, Sale got to 200 strikeouts faster than any pitcher in American League history in a single season. He’s an elite pitcher and it’s not just with one pitch.
Like Trout, Pedroia approaches his at-bats understanding he likely will get no more than one good pitch to hit.