Colorado Ace Matches Strikeout Record While Pitching Team Into First Place

German Marquez fanned eight batters to begin a game while tying the major league record.

DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 26:  Starting pitcher German Marquez #48 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Coors Field on September 26, 2018 in Denver, Colorado.  (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 26: Starting pitcher German Marquez #48 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Coors Field on September 26, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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Colorado Rockies right-hander German Marquez and New York Mets righty Jacob deGrom – who should win the Cy Young this year – are now in the same club.

Last night the ace tied a modern-day MLB record that was set by Houston lefty Jim Deshaies in 1986 and tied by deGrom in 2014 by striking out eight straight batters to start a game.

The deadball-era record is held by Mickey Welch, who had nine straight Ks for New York’s team in the National League in 1884.

The effort by Marquez (14-10) helped spur the Rockies to a 14-0 drubbing of the Phillies that boosted them to a half-game lead in the NL West with only a handful of games to go. 

“I really executed my plan good,” Marquez said. “The same mindset, attacking the hitter and executing my pitches. A lot of times it doesn’t work perfectly. Tonight, it was close to that.”

Overall, Marquez struck out 11 batters on the night to set a Rockies record with 221 for the season.

In addition to taking a slight lead for first place over the Dodgers, the Rockies also now have a 1.5-game advantage over St. Louis for the last NL wild-card spot.

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