Stephen Strasburg has done just about everything in his amateur career, from striking out 23 in a game to pitching for the Olympic team to cementing his place as the top talent in this June's First-Year Player Draft class. The one thing the San Diego State ace hadn't done was pitch a no-hitter.
Until now.
Facing an aggressive Air Force lineup at Tony Gwynn Stadium, the presumed top pick in the Draft threw the first no-no of his career on Friday night as the Aztecs won, 5-0, in front of a stadium-record crowd of 3,337.
"I was giving everything I had left," said Strasburg about a ninth inning that had the sellout crowd on their feet. "In that last inning, I think my stuff was the best it was all game. It was great to see a bunch of fans come out again, especially possibly for my last home night. To finish it like that was very memorable."
Strasburg allowed just two baserunners all night, both via walks, and one was erased trying to steal. Only one runner reached second base against Strasburg. He struck out 17 while throwing a fairly economical 116 pitches.
"I'm pretty much forcing guys to hit my best stuff," Strasburg said. "If they do, then maybe I'll change it. Tonight, they didn't."
Strasburg started the game by striking out two of the game's first three batters looking, and he punctuated it by striking out the side in the ninth to end it, throwing down his glove and jumping into his catcher's arms in jubilation. He also struck out the side in the second and the sixth. The only inning he didn't record a strikeout was in the eighth, and he was never really challenged.
Strasburg masterfully mixed his pitches, locating his 95-98 mph fastball all night while consistently buckling the knees of Air Force hitters with his nasty slider.
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