Stats of the Day: 16 K's sweet for Velasquez
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Here are five interesting items from around the big leagues on Thursday …
• In Philadelphia, Vince Velasquezstruck out 16 Padres with no walks while allowing just three singles in a complete-game 3-0 shutout win for the Phillies. The 23-year-old righty's performance -- in his 21st career outing -- generated a game score of 97. Velasquez was the 25th pitcher since 1913 to have a line with at least 16 strikeouts and no walks, and he was the eighth youngest to accomplish the feat, at 23 years and 312 days old. Only Kerry Wood (fifth career game) accomplished it earlier in his career.
• Velasquez was also just the 13th pitcher since 1913 to work a shutout and fan at least 15 with no walks, and the first since Max Scherzer struck out 17 in his no-hitter last Oct. 3. Others of note: On May 6, 1998, a 20-year-old Wood struck out 20 in a one-hitter in his fifth career game; and on Sept. 12, 1984, a 19-year-old Dwight Gooden struck out 16 in a five-hitter in his 29th career outing.
• In St. Louis, Jaime Garcia allowed one hit and one walk while fanning 13 and walked away with an historic shutout. Garcia (like Velasquez) is one of 71 pitchers in the live-ball era to produce a game score of at least 97 in a nine-inning contest. Among those, he's one of just 13 southpaws to grace the list, and he's one of just 13 lefties since 1913 to hurl a one-hit or no-hit shutout with at least 13 strikeouts.
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• Playing in his 518th game, Bryce Harper -- at the age of 23 years and 181 days -- hit his 100th career home run on a third-inning grand slam in the Nationals' 6-2 win over the Braves. Harper is the eighth-youngest player to reach 100 home runs. Mel Ott, at 22 years and 132 days old when he hit his 100th homer in his 614th game, was the youngest.
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• Harper's 100th long ball came just a few days after he recorded his 100th career double. He is the 20th player to have at least 100 doubles and 100 homers through his age-23 season. Ranking the 20 by OPS+, Harper and his 144 OPS+ sit ninth, in between Joe DiMaggio (145) and Hank Aaron (143).