What happened: All six opening outs came via strikeout without a ball in play. He extended the run to seven straight for the franchise mark to start a game.
Why it matters: The burst continued a milestone week after reaching 2,000 career strikeouts. It set an early tone in the final week of the regular season.
By the numbers: 6 straight strikeouts to open; 7 straight for
What to watch: Watch the final strikeout total and pitch count after the long opening run. Efficiency from here decides how deep the start goes.