Max Scherzer moves into 9th on career strikeout list with 10 Ks in vintage performance

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer moved into ninth place on the career strikeout list Sunday, passing Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry.

A three-time Cy Young Award winner, Scherzer reached the mark by striking out Seattle Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh for the second out of the seventh inning, the 3,535th of his career.

The sellout crowd of 42,039 rose for a standing ovation when the record was displayed on the scoreboard.

"I respect who's on this list," Scherzer said. "To be moving up in the top 10 all-time means something. It's great to do it here at home and have the fans really get into as well. That's a special moment. Very thankful for my teammates and the fans, and their support."

Toronto's Max Scherzer moves into 10th place all-time in strikeouts, passing Walter Johnson

It was Scherzer's season-high 10th strikeout of the game, the first time this season and 115th time in his career that he has fanned 10 or more. His previous high was five.

Scherzer allowed one hit in a season-high seven innings to earn his first win since his season-opening start on March 31 against Colorado. He threw a season-high 97 pitches with 67 strikes.

It was just the third time in MLB history that a pitcher aged 42 or older threw seven or more innings, struck out 10 or more and allowed two or fewer baserunners. Nolan Ryan did it twice, most recently on May 1, 1991 against Toronto, his seventh and final no-hitter.

Scherzer, 42, struck out the side in the first inning Sunday, getting all three of Randy Arozarena, Dominic Canzone and Julio Rodriguez swinging.

"He was dialled from the very beginning and located everything really well, used his pitches really well," manager John Schneider said. "It was like vintage Max."

Buck Martinez