The time Blake Stein struck out eight straight batters

Considering they're both unremarkable players who just did remarkable things, perhaps it's appropriate that we've already featured Brian Gordon and Willie Bloomquist on the Stew Friday.

After all, as Kyle Lobner of Brew Crew Ball reminds us, it was 10 years ago Friday that Kansas City Royals pitcher Blake Stein pretty much defined that category.

Despite a five-year career that saw him compile a 21-28 career record and 5.41 ERA, Stein put himself in the history books by striking out eight consecutive batters in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 17, 2001. Only three other American League pitchers have ever done that ? Nolan Ryan (twice), Ron Davis and Roger Clemens ? while Tom Seaver owns the overall record with 10 straight.

While Stein's performance of 11 total strikeouts and the result (a 5-2 loss) were surprising ? he only reached double-digit Ks in one other game ? the fact that it came against the 2001 Brewers was not shocking. That free-swinging squad set a major league record with 1,402 team strikeouts, a mark that stood until the '09 D'Backs took it down.

Also surprising: Jose Hernandez (185 Ks in '01) and Jeromy Burnitz weren't among the eight straight whiffers and I'd have bet just about anything that they would have been. Neither man started, though Richie Sexson (178) did start the honors by striking out to end the first. He was followed by Devon White, Ronnie Belliard, Luis Lopez, Henry Blanco, Jamey Wright, Alex Sanchez and Mark Loretta. Geoff Jenkins finally stopped the madness up with a line-out before Sexson homered.

"The bottom line is we didn't win," Stein told reporters after the game. I'd rather not have a record and have a win than have a loss. �(But) the record is great and I'm more than happy to be a part of it."

"He was blowing everybody away," Brewers manager Davey Lopes said.

Stein, who is currently an assistant principal at McGill-Toolen High School in Mobile, Ala., is probably a bit happier about that achievement now that the pain of a regular-season loss against the Royals has worn off. While he never pitched in the big leagues past 2002, he still has a very cool story to tell 10 years later.

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