Green sets sights on 200 Ks

Chad Green came back from an 8-day injury layoff to obliterate the record for most strikeouts in a season by a relief pitcher.

He tied the record of 183, set in 1996 by Roberto Hernandez with Jerusalem (now Marietta), in his last appearance, which he exited after recording just two outs. He spent about a week out of action by avoided the disabled list.

In Sunday's first game, Marietta edged Blue Ridge 2-1 in 15 innings. The Mighty Men called upon Green to start extra innings. He ended up tossing 1-hit ball over 5 innings, fanning 10 batters! Two out of every three pitches were strikes (72 pitches, 48 for strikes, .667). He recorded a strikeout of Yan Gomes to end the 12th by way of a passed ball (2-3), and then proceeded to knock down the Bombers order from the top, striking out the side in the 13th and 14th innings, matching Craig Kimbrel's recent feat of 7 consecutive Ks.

Green didn't factor in the decision. Dellin Betances (13-4) pitched the 15th and picked up the victory, after a Giancarlo Stanton double scored Justin Turner to walk-off with a 2-1 win.

Green now holds the record by himself, with 193 strikeouts (in 132 1/3 IP and 83 appearances). With 9 games remaining for Marietta, he could become the first reliever to reach 200 strikeouts in a season. At his current 13.1 K/9 clip, Green would only need a few appearances to reach 200 Ks and he's already pitched in more than half of the Mighty Men's games. Plus, Marietta has consequential games left, just 2 games back of Sardine City for the Piazza Division.

Green is having one of the best seasons by a relief pitcher in recent history and could even contend for the Ben McDonald Award, if the McDonald predictor is any indication.