Roark channels Scherzer, Strasburg in 15-K gem

Tanner Roark didn't look like himself Saturday afternoon at Nationals Park.

Truthfully, the undistinguished right-hander looked much more like teammates Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg as he dismantled the Minnesota Twins in the nation's capital, racking up 15 strikeouts - two shy of the franchise record - over seven scoreless innings in an uncharacteristically dominant outing.

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

Roark, who had recorded double-digit strikeouts just once in 51 career starts prior to Saturday's outing, allowed only two hits and three walks in the 2-0 win to join Scherzer and Strasburg (as well as Jordan Zimmermann) as the only Nationals pitchers ever to manage a game score of 85 or better at least three times.

Despite a strong record of not missing bats, Roark's performance Saturday in his fourth start of 2016 afforded him a strikeout distinction Strasburg - the former No. 1 pick with a career 28.7 percent strikeout rate - doesn't have. Roark joined Scherzer as the only pitchers in Nationals history to notch 15 or more strikeouts in a game (a feat accomplished just three times in the Expos' 36-year existence).