Tanana was in danger of losing 20 games his rookie season, as there were still seven games to go. In his next start, September 27, he gave up two runs and was losing until pinch-hitter Doug Howard drove in two runs in the seventh inning to give him and the Angels a 3–2 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Then, in the last game of the year against the Oakland Athletics, he threw a shutout in a 2–0 victory. In 39 games (35 starts) his rookie year, Tanana had a 14–19 record, a 3.12 earned run average (ERA), 12 complete games (four shutouts), and 180 strikeouts in innings pitched. The 180 strikeouts were seventh in the American League (AL) (teammate Ryan led the league with 367), the four shutouts were tied for sixth (with five other pitchers), and Tanana did not lead the league in losses, as four other pitchers tied him for third behind Lolich (21) and Clyde Wright (20). In the first game of a doubleheader on June 21, 1975, Tanana struck out 17 batters in a 4–2 victory over the Texas Rangers, becoming the first left-hander in AL history to have that many strikeouts in a game. "Everybody stood up and applauded for me in the ninth inning," he remembered. "I felt invincible." He threw 13 shutout innings on September 22 against the Chicago White Sox, yet left with a no decision because neither Jim Kaat nor Rich Gossage had allowed a run thus far—the game would go to 16 innings before the Angels eventually won 3–0. Tanana struck out 13. At season's end, Tanana's 269 strikeouts led the American League; it would be the only time from 1972 to 1979 that anyone other than teammate Ryan, injured, led the AL in strikeouts. Tanana placed fourth in ERA (2.62), tied for third with three others with five shutouts, and had a 16–9 record on the season. He and Kaat tied for fourth in AL Cy Young Award voting after the season. With Ryan coming off a year in which he had missed time with injury, Tanana was named the Angels' Opening Day starter for 1976. As it turned out, 1976 would be the first of four straight Opening Day starts for Tanana. He was named an All-Star for the first time in 1976. The Angels' offense did not always score a lot for him; on August 27, 1976,