Santana strikes out 17 in Twins’ 1-0 win

MINNEAPOLIS -- Johan Santana gave the crowd at the Metrodome something to remember on the same weekend the Minnesota Twins honored their first championship team.

Santana set a franchise record with 17 strikeouts in eight innings to lead the Minnesota Twins past the Texas Rangers, 1-0, Sunday.

“You see these guys from 1987 coming in and what they did 20 years ago was really good,” said Santana, who was 8 years old when Minnesota won its first of two championships. “We still have a long way to go, but hopefully we will make it special, and 20 years from now we’ll be in the same situation.”

Santana’s 17 strikeouts were the most in the majors since Ben Sheets fanned 18 in Milwaukee’s 4-1 win over Atlanta on May 16, 2004. He broke the Minnesota record of 15, accomplished four times -- the last by Bert Blyleven on Aug. 1, 1986, against Oakland.

“Somehow I’ll always remember this game,” said Michael Cuddyer, who homered for the lone run.

Catcher Mike Redmond said Santana (13-9) did not shake him off once.

“I’ve had a handful of opportunities to catch a no-hitter. I’ve had a couple of one-hitters and a few two-hitters,” he said. “When I walked off the field in the second inning I thought, ‘This could be it. This guy’s got some amazing stuff today.’ . . . He was unbelievable. He executed all day.”