Rays break AL strikeouts record

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa Bay's pitching staff broke the American League single-season record for strikeouts when James Shields fanned Toronto's J.P. Arencibia leading off the second inning on Friday night.

Rays pitchers began the night with 1,264 strikeouts, two shy of the 2001 New York Yankees.

Shields struck out Brett Lawrie and Edwin Encarnacion in the first to tie the mark, then got Arencibia swinging on a 2-2 pitch to begin the second.

The major league record is 1,404 by the Chicago Cubs in 2003. The Rays have 1,275 with 11 games remaining.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

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