most strikeouts in a single game by a pitcher

Tom Cheney has struck out the most hitters in a game, with 21 strikeouts versus the Orioles on September 12, 1962.

Interpreted as:
most strikeouts in a single regular-season game by a pitcher
NAMESODATETMOPPDECGSERACGSHOSVIPHERRHRBBHBPGFIBBTBFWP
1Tom Cheney
T. Cheney
21
9/12/1962
@
W
1
0.56
1
0
0
16.0
10
1
1
0
4
0
0
0
62
1
2Max Scherzer
M. Scherzer
20
5/11/2016
vs
W
1
2.00
1
0
0
9.0
6
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
33
0
3Randy Johnson
R. Johnson
20
5/8/2001
vs
1
1.00
0
0
0
9.0
3
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
29
0
4Kerry Wood
K. Wood
20
5/6/1998
vs
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
29
0
5Roger Clemens
R. Clemens
20
9/18/1996
@
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
32
1
6Roger Clemens
R. Clemens
20
4/29/1986
vs
W
1
1.00
1
0
0
9.0
3
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
30
0
7Randy Johnson
R. Johnson
19
8/8/1997
vs
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
5
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
35
0
8Randy Johnson
R. Johnson
19
6/24/1997
vs
L
1
4.00
1
0
0
9.0
11
4
4
2
0
0
0
0
37
0
9David Cone
D. Cone
19
10/6/1991
@
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
3
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
31
0
10Nolan Ryan
N. Ryan
19
6/8/1977
vs
1
0.00
0
0
0
10.0
6
0
1
0
5
0
0
1
41
2
11Nolan Ryan
N. Ryan
19
8/20/1974
vs
L
1
0.82
1
0
0
11.0
4
1
1
0
5
0
0
0
41
0
12Nolan Ryan
N. Ryan
19
8/12/1974
vs
W
1
2.00
1
0
0
9.0
7
2
2
0
2
0
0
0
36
1
13Nolan Ryan
N. Ryan
19
6/14/1974
vs
1
2.08
0
0
0
13.0
8
3
3
1
10
0
0
0
58
0
14Tom Seaver
T. Seaver
19
4/22/1970
vs
W
1
1.00
1
0
0
9.0
2
1
1
1
2
0
0
0
31
0
15Steve Carlton
S. Carlton
19
9/15/1969
vs
L
1
4.00
1
0
0
9.0
9
4
4
2
2
0
0
0
38
1
16Luis Tiant
L. Tiant
19
7/3/1968
vs
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
10.0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
36
0
17Corey Kluber
C. Kluber
18
5/13/2015
vs
W
1
0.00
0
0
0
8.0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
26
0
18Ben Sheets
B. Sheets
18
5/16/2004
vs
W
1
1.00
1
0
0
9.0
3
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
31
0
19Roger Clemens
R. Clemens
18
8/25/1998
vs
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
30
0
20Randy Johnson
R. Johnson
18
9/27/1992
@
1
2.25
0
0
0
8.0
6
2
2
0
4
0
0
0
34
0
21Ramon Martinez
R. Martinez
18
6/4/1990
vs
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
3
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
31
0
22Bill Gullickson
B. Gullickson
18
9/10/1980
vs
W
1
2.00
1
0
0
9.0
4
2
2
0
2
0
0
0
33
1
23Ron Guidry
R. Guidry
18
6/17/1978
vs
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
4
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
33
0
24Nolan Ryan
N. Ryan
18
9/10/1976
@
W
1
2.00
1
0
0
9.0
3
2
2
0
9
0
0
0
41
0
25Don Wilson
D. Wilson
18
7/14/1968
@
W
1
1.00
1
0
0
9.0
5
1
1
0
2
0
0
0
33
1
Results may be incomplete. StatMuse has complete game-level data for strikeouts going back to the 1901 season.
Some of the information used here was obtained free of charge from Retrosheet.

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