Classic Mariners Games: Randy Johnson Strikes Out 19 Against Oakland

From 1988 to 1996, Randy Johnson led the Major Leagues with 68 games of 10-or-more strikeouts. Over that span, more than 30 percent of his starts ended with the opposing batters striking out at least 10 times.

But on June 24, 1997 against the Oakland A’s at the Kingdome, Johnson recorded 19 strikeouts for the first time in his career. Johnson’s 19 strikeouts were a Mariners single-game club record, surpassing his own previous record of 18, set on September 27, 1992 at Texas.

Johnson fanned at least 2 batters in each of the first six innings. The 7th inning was the only frame in which he did not record a punchout, but he came back to strike out the side in the 8th, ringing up Mark McGwire,…