No, it wasn’t something as newsworthy as a perfect game or a no-hitter, but it was something rather rare – a major league pitcher recording four strikeouts in a single inning – and it happened on Monday night in a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in downtown Milwaukee.

That pitcher was 36-year-old right-hander Chris Martin, who the Dodgers acquired from the Chicago Cubs on July 30, 2022 in exchange for 27-year-old utility infielder/outfielder Zach McKinstry, and who is 2-0 with a (now) 2.45 ERA in his (now) seven appearances with the Dodgers. He also (now) has nine strikeouts since joining the NL West first place Dodgers.

Martin entered the game in the bottom of the sixth inning in relief of Dodgers left-hander Julio Urías, who had pitched five shutout innings, having allowed only four hits and two walks while striking out six, enroute to his 13th (and the Dodgers 80th) win of the season.

Although Martin struck out the first batter he faced, 35-year-old Brewers designated hitter Andrew McCutchen, swinging on five pitches, McCutchen reached first base safely on a passed ball by Dodgers catcher Will Smith, to give Martin a credited strikeout but without recording an out.

Martin next struck out Brewers pinch-hitter Kolton Wong swinging, also on five pitches. However, during that at-bat, Martin uncorked a wild pitch, allowing McCutchen to take second base without a throw.

Martin then struck out Brewers right fielder and longtime Dodgers nemesis (as a former San Diego Padre) Hunter Renfroe on five pitches for the second out of the inning, bringing Brewers first baseman Rowdy Tellez to the plate.

After fouling off four pitches, Martin finally struck out Tellez looking on eight pitches for his fourth strikeout – and the third out – of the sixth inning. A rare feat indeed.

Martin became only the ninth Dodgers pitcher to record four strikeouts in a single inning. The last Dodgers pitcher to do so was (wait for it…) future Hall of Fame left-hander Clayton Kershaw on June 11 of last season.

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But wait, there’s more!

What’s even rarer than a four strikeout inning is an immaculate inning – an inning in which a pitcher strikes out all three batters he faces on nine total pitches. To date and as of July 31, 2022, there have been only 109 immaculate innings pitched in the 159-year history of Major League Baseball. Among them is (wait for it…) Chris Martin who, on September 11, 2019, struck out all three Philadelphia Phillies batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh inning on nine pitches while a member of the Atlanta Braves … an even rarer feat.

Play Ball!

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