MIAMI — Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly had a feeling Pablo Lopez would be “on a little bit of a mission” against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.
But even Mattingly probably couldn’t have predicted that Lopez would etch his name into Major League Baseball’s record book in the Marlins’ 7-4 win over the Braves to close out their schedule ahead of the All-Star Break.
Lopez struck out the first nine Braves batters he faced on Sunday, breaking the MLB record for most strikeouts by a pitcher to begin a game.
“Just totally on the attack,” Mattingly said. “Everything he had going was hitting spots, locating, changing speeds. He did a great job with everything.”
It was indeed a game of redemption for Lopez, whose last start against the NL East rival ended after one pitch with Lopez ejected after hitting Ronald Acuna Jr. with a sinker.
That was one factor for Lopez wanting to have a quality performance on the mound at loanDepot park.
The other was much more personal.
Sunday marked a year since Lopez’s father, Dr. Danny Lopez, died unexpectedly of a heart attack. Danny Lopez was his son’s mentor, the one who got him interested in playing baseball in the first place growing up in Venezuela.
So Lopez made his way to the mound on Sunday and pitched with an extra purpose.
And he delivered.
“I woke up with a lot of emotions, a lot of mixed feelings,” Lopez said, “but I woke up knowing we had to show up and try to win a ball game. Being able to come out here and perform and being able to get the win means a lot. I hope my dad enjoys the fact that my name is next to a record. I think he’ll enjoy that.”
MLB’s previous record for consecutive strikeouts to start a game: Eight, done three times (Jim Deshaies on Sept. 23, 1986; Jacob deGrom on Sept. 15, 2014; and German Marquez on Sept. 26, 2018).
Lopez also tied the Marlins’ franchise record for most consecutive strikeouts at any point in a game, set by Ricky Nolasco on Sept. 30, 2009. Scott Olsen had the club’s previous record for consecutive strikeouts to start a game. Olsen fanned the first five batters he faced on June 28, 2007, against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
MLB’s record for consecutive strikeouts at any point in a game is 10, done twice (Aaron Nola on June 25, 2021, and Tom Seaver on April 27, 1970).
Lopez needed just 35 pitches to get the nine strikeouts. Five of the strikeouts were on three pitches.
“It was just execution,” Lopez said. “We were able to get ahead but not with pitches over the heart of the plate. They were pitches with a purpose that were able to set up different pitches after that.”
Here’s how Lopez’s nine strikeouts to begin Sunday’s game unfolded:
— Ehire Adriana strikeouts out swinging on three pitches, whiffing on a high 93.9 mph four-seam fastball.
— Freddie Freeman strikes out swinging on three pitches, chasing on an 87.7 mph changeup below the strikeout for the out.
— Ozzie Albies falls behind 0-2, fouls off three pitches, takes a ball outside and then whiffs on an 87.4 mph changeup on the lower inside corner to end the first inning.
— Austin Riley strikes out swinging on three pitches, capped by an 85.1 mph changeup.
— Orlando Arcia takes Ball 1 before three consecutive strikes, the final a 93.5 mph four-seam fastball in the upper strike zone.
— Dansby Swanson strikes out swinging on three pitches, whiffing on a low 85.3 mph changeup to end the second inning.
— Guillermo Heredia worked ahead to a 2-1 count to lead off the third, but fouled off a changeup to even the count at 2-2 and watched as a 94.7 mph four-seam fastball went by him for Strike 3.
— Kevan Smith struck out swinging on three pitches, an inside 85.6 mph changeup the final pitch he faced.
— And Ian Anderson was called out on strikes to end a four-pitch at-bat. The final pitch was a 95.1 mph four-seam fastball.
“I kept thinking ‘Oh my God, this guy’s gonna throw a no-hitter right here,’” said outfielder Jesus Sanchez, who had three hits on Sunday and was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. “It was a lot of fun, just seeing him throw a lot of strikes and everybody swinging and missing and not being able to touch the ball.”
Adrianza grounded out to Jesus Aguilar at first base to start the fourth inning to snap the strikeout streak. Freddie Freeman followed with a single to center to break up Lopez’s early no-hitter bid.
The Marlins (39-50) scored runs on a Jesus Aguilar three-run home run in the first, Sandy Leon RBI groundout in the third, Garrett Cooper RBI double in the fourth, Aguilar RBI single in the fourth and Miguel Rojas RBI single in the sixth. Starling Marte Sanchez and Cooper each scored two runs.
The Marlins relieved Lopez after six innings. He gave up three runs on five hits and two walks while throwing 83 pitches. Lopez posted a 3.03 ERA with 111 strikeouts in 101 innings over his first 19 games ahead of the All-Star Break.
His season- and career-high marks for strikeouts in a game? Nine, done three other times this season.
He matched that strikeout mark again on Sunday. This time, though, it resulted in history.
And Lopez knows his dad is proud.
“I know he was somewhere watching,” Lopez said, “and I know that he’s been there with me ever since he passed a way a year ago. ... I’m just making sure I’m still doing the things he taught me. Just trying to do the right thing the right way.”
