(Insert Atlanta Hitter Here) Struck Out Swinging

Who said September out of contention baseball couldn't be fun? Ricky Nolasco struck out 16 batters last night, which is a new Marlins record, eclipsing Livan Hernandez and Eric Gregg's epic performance in the 1997 NLCS (also against the Atlanta Braves). He struck out nine batters in a row at one point, which was one short of Tom Seaver's major league record. To show the magnitude of just how much sixteen strikeouts is, I've listed them all, as they appeared in the play-by-play.

1st: N McLouth struck out swinging.
1st: M Prado struck out looking.
2nd: B McCann struck out looking.
3rd: A LaRoche struck out swinging.
3rd: M Diaz struck out swinging.
3rd: J Vazquez struck out looking.
4th: N McLouth struck out swinging.
4th: M Prado struck out swinging.
4th: C Jones struck out swinging.
5th: B McCann struck out swinging.
5th: G Anderson struck out swinging.
5th: Y Escobar struck out swinging.
6th: G Norton struck out swinging.
6th: N McLouth struck out swinging.
7th: M Diaz struck out swinging.
8th: B Conrad struck out swinging.

The Marlins won the game 5-4¹. That coupled with Tuesday night's win just about kills Atlanta's playoff chances. The win also gives the team 85 for the year which means this has statistically been the third best season in franchise history (or best non-playoff/World Series year).

¹ Not before another Leo Nunez fail and a stunning bailout by Brendan Donnely (not really) and Matt Diaz of the Braves. Truly strange.