Bill Gullickson strikesout 18 batters, the most strikeouts ever recorded by a rookie in a major league game

On September 10, 1980 — Montreal Expos Rookie Bill Gullickson whiffs 18 batters, the most strikeouts ever recorded by a rookie in a major league game. The Expos right-hander throws a complete-game four-hitter, beating Chicago Cubs at Olympic Stadium, 4-2.

ā€œI’m actually more excited about getting the win than I am the strikeouts. It was an important victory for us,ā€ said the rookie right-hander, who came within one of the major league strikeout mark for nine innings last night when he fanned 18 Chicago Cubs to pace the Montreal Expos to a 4-2 victory.

ā€œI had good control of the fastball, both inside and out, and I was staying ahead of the hitters,ā€ said Gullickson, who has struck out 68 batters in his last 65 innings.

Exposā€™ catcher Gary CarĀ­ter said the performance put Gullickson ā€˜ā€˜up there with the Koufaxes and the Drysdales and any other strikeout pitcher … Heā€™s just a rookie. Look how many years he has ahead of him.ā€ The Previous Expo record for Rookies was 14 held by Bill Stoneman who did it twice in 1971.

 

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