Dodgers' Kazmir outdoes Reds' Straily during strikeout fest

Scott Kazmir and Dan Straily were all about the strikeouts Wednesday.

While Straily sat down 11 Los Angeles Dodgers hitters via strikeout, Kazmir one-upped his counterpart by striking out 12 Cincinnati Reds across just six innings of work to set a season high, which fell one short of his career high.

The pair became the first to strikeout 11-plus hitters in the same game at Dodger Stadium since 1969, according to Eric Stephen of True Blue LA.

Straily, a former shoe salesman at a sporting goods store who was claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres on April 1, tied his career high set as a member of the Oakland Athletics in 2013.

It was the third time in Kazmir's career he's struck out 12 hitters in a game, accomplishing the feat in both 2007 against the Athletics and 2013 against the Cleveland Indians.

Including Wednesday night's contest, the 32-year-old Kazmir has reached double digits in strikeouts 23 times during his 12-year career, while the lesser experienced Straily has only managed the feat twice.

Career Stats

Prior to the start, Kazmir had not pitched to the expectations of a player who signed a three-year, $8-million contract in the offseason, posting an ERA of 5.23 in nine starts, but looked more like the pitcher he's capable of being in the performance.