Scott Patterson (born September 11, 1958) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Luke Danes in Gilmore Girls and as Peter Strahm in the Saw films. He also starred as Michael Buchanan in the NBC drama series The Event and as a Tenctonese alien commander in the TV film Alien Nation: Dark Horizon. Early life Patterson was born September 11, 1958, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Patterson was raised in Haddonfield, New Jersey and attended Haddonfield Memorial High School, graduating in 1977, before attending Rutgers University, where he pursued a degree in Comparative Literature, before leaving college to play baseball. He studied acting in New York with renowned coaches Robert Lewis and Sondra Lee. He was exposed to the teachings of Paul Newman, Arthur Penn, and Frank Corsaro at the Actors Studio, where he also participated in the Producer's Unit chaired by Penn. He appeared in numerous productions, including Rasputin and Miss Julie. Baseball career Patterson spent seven years, from to , as a professional pitcher in minor league baseball, topping out at the Triple-A level, the highest before the major leagues. He played in two major league farm systems for seven different minor league teams and was selected to four all-star teams (two with Atlanta and two with the New York Yankees). Patterson was initially selected by the Atlanta Braves in the first round (12th overall) of the 1980 Major League Baseball secondary draft (an event distinct from the amateur draft). He played his first pro season with their Class A Anderson Braves in 1980. In 1981 Patterson won 13 consecutive games as a starting pitcher between Class A Durham and Double-A Savannah to set a Braves record for most consecutive wins to start a season. He was named the Braves Minor League Pitcher of the Month twice. Patterson was traded from the Braves to the New York Yankees for Bob Watson on April 23, 1982, and was placed on the Yankees Major League roster in 1983. Patterson was named as an All-Star both with the Yankees' Double-A Albany-Colonie Yankees and Triple-A Columbus Clippers in 1986. In 1985 he was selected by the Texas Rangers in the Rule 5 draft but subsequently returned to the Yankees. While in the Yankees organization Patterson was named their minor league Pitcher of the Month once, and Pitcher of the Week three times. Patterson also pitched in the Puerto Rican Winter