Milwaukee Brewers' Corbin Burnes becomes third pitcher in major-league history to strike out 10 in a row

CHICAGO — For the second time this season, Corbin Burnes etched his name into the major-league record book.

Burnes became only the third pitcher in major-league history – yet the second this season – to strike out 10 batters in a row, keeping the Milwaukee Brewers in command after a seven-run first inning that propelled them to a 10-0 victory Wednesday night over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Following a doubleheader sweep the previous day, the Brewers boosted their record to 23 games over .500 (69-46) for the first time this season and have won 12 of 15 meetings with the Cubs, including eight in a row.

With the Cincinnati Reds' 11-inning loss in Atlanta, the first-place Brewers also boosted their lead in the NL Central to eight games, matching their season high. 

Burnes, who established a major-league mark by striking out 58 hitters to begin the year before issuing his first walk, tied the record of 10 consecutive strikeouts established by Hall of Famer Tom Seaver on April 22, 1970 and matched by Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola on June 25 of this season.

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Burnes went on to record a career-high 15 strikeouts over eight innings, the highest individual total in franchise history behind Ben Sheets’ 18 strikeouts against Atlanta on May 16, 2004. He allowed only four hits and issued no walks in throwing 74 of his 99 pitches for strikes, a 75% rate.

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Burnes' battery mate, catcher Omar Narváez, paced the offense by going 3 for 3 with four RBI, reaching base four times with a walk, two singles, a two-run home run and sacrifice fly.

Veteran right-hander Jake Arrieta, last seen by the Brewers being unable to hold a 7-0 lead in the first inning on June 30 in Milwaukee, this time saw the 7-0 lead go the other way. Kolten Wong started the rally with a double and capped it with another double, and there were many, many hits in between.

Christian Yelich scored Wong by punching a hit through the left side and Willy Adames followed with another hit in that direction. The runners moved up when Eduardo Escobar grounded out to first and both scored when Narváez singled to right and Greg Deichmann let it get past for an error.

Avisaíl García was hit on the left hand by a pitch and exited the game with what proved to be a bruise but was ruled to have gone around on the pitch and did not get the base. Tyrone Taylor took over he at-bat and singled to right, scoring Narváez.

After a single by Rowdy Tellez, Lorenzo Cain’s double into the left-field corner scored both Taylor and Tellez to make it 6-0. Cain moved to third on a grounder to second by Burnes and scored when Wong collected his second double of the inning. Tellez would exit in the third inning with discomfort in his right knee.

Unlike Arrieta the last time he faced the Brewers, Burnes had no intention of letting a 7-0 first-inning lead disappear. It was still 7-0 when the Brewers scored their next run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Narváez in the last inning Arrieta would pitch.

By that time, Burnes was well into his streak of 10 consecutive strikeouts. He struck out the side in the second, third and fourth innings, all nine hitters going down swinging.

When Frank Schwindel struck out for the second consecutive time, Burnes had a piece of the big-league record. Matt Duffy wasn’t about to become victim No. 11, swinging at the first pitch he saw from Burnes, a fastball down in the zone, lining it the other way to right for a base hit.

Burnes then caught Deichmann looking at a called third strike, giving him 11 whiffs in a span of 12 batters.

COMING UP

Thursday: Brewers at Cubs, 2:20 p.m. ET. Milwaukee RHP Brandon Woodruff (7-6, 2.23) vs. Chicago RHP Kyle Hendricks (13-4, 3.68).