In what may have been his final start of the regular season, Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler saved his best for last.
Wheeler opened Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers with seven straight strikeouts, setting a Phillies record for most consecutive strikeouts to begin a game. He broke Brandon Duckworth's team record of six from 2002.
Wheeler's third punchout was also the 2,000th of his career, making him the 96th pitcher in MLB history to reach that milestone. Teammate Aaron Nola also notched his 2,000th strikeout earlier this season, making them the first pair of teammates to join the club in the same season since Jake Peavy and Tim Hudson did so for the San Francisco Giants in 2014.
Wheeler finished with 11 strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings, pitching Philadelphia to a 6-4 win at Citizens Bank Park. He could pitch again on Sunday if needed, but the Phillies will likely rest him if they clinch a playoff spot before then.
The three-time All-Star has been phenomenal this year, showing no signs of slowing down at age 36. Tuesday's victory improved his record to 13-5 with a 3.06 ERA and 5.6 WAR.