Scherzer strikes out 17, throws 2nd no-hitter of season

The Washington Nationals won't be playing postseason baseball this year, but that didn't stop Max Scherzer from ending his season with one of the most dominant pitching performances of all time.

Scherzer recorded a career-high 17 strikeouts and tossed his second no-hitter of the season in a 2-0 win over the New York Mets on Saturday night. He's the first pitcher to throw a pair of no-hitters in a single regular season since Nolan Ryan in 1973.

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

"You're speechless when you hear stuff like that," Scherzer said about the accomplishment. "Just to be able to come out here and compete against the Mets, I know our season didn't go the way we wanted it to, but we finished strong. Wilson (Ramos) tonight did a great job behind the plate, I trust him so much. We did a good job executing. Our defense played, we had great timely hitting when we needed it and we just found a way to grind one out."

Scherzer is also just the sixth hurler in major-league history to throw a pair of no-nos in the same season, and his 104 Game Score is the second-best ever behind Kerry Wood's 20-strikeout gem in 1998. His 17 strikeouts in the contest also set the record for the most ever in a no-hit, no-walk game.

The 2013 American League Cy Young Award winner was dominant in the late innings, racking up nine consecutive strikeouts before getting Curtis Granderson to pop out and seal the no-hit bid.

Scherzer, who fell one out shy of a perfect game and had to settle for a no-no June 20 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, took a perfect game into the sixth inning, but it was spoiled by a Yunel Escobar throwing error.

"These things are special," Scherzer said. "To do it twice in one season, my gosh, it doesn't seem possible."

(Video courtesy: MLB.com)

Related: 3 plays that broke up 3 perfect games for Scherzer

Nationals and Mets pitchers combined for 35 strikeouts in the contest, which is the most in a nine-inning game in major-league history.

There have now been seven no-hitters this season, which is tied for the most in any year since 1884.

2015 NO-HITTERS