▁displayed ▁much ▁better ▁off ensive ▁skills ▁than ▁most ▁pitch ers . ▁During ▁his ▁ro ok ie ▁season , ▁Val enz uela ▁batt ed ▁. 2 5 0 ▁and ▁struck ▁out ▁just ▁ 9 ▁times ▁in ▁ 6 4 ▁at ▁b ats , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁recip ient ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁League ' s ▁Silver ▁Sl ug ger ▁Award ▁for ▁pitch ers . ▁ ▁" El ▁Tor o " ▁ ▁Following ▁his ▁out standing ▁debut , ▁Val enz uela , ▁nick named ▁" El ▁Tor o " ▁( the ▁Bull ) ▁by ▁fans , ▁settled ▁down ▁into ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁years ▁as ▁a ▁work hor se ▁st arter ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁league ' s ▁best ▁pitch ers . ▁He ▁had ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁best ▁seasons ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁when ▁he ▁finished ▁ 2 1 – 1 1 ▁with ▁a ▁ 3 . 1 4 ▁E RA ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁league ▁in ▁wins , ▁complete ▁games ▁and ▁inn ings ▁pitch ed . ▁He ▁lost ▁a ▁narrow ▁vote ▁for ▁the ▁Cy ▁Young ▁Award ▁to ▁the ▁Ast ros ' ▁Mike ▁Scott . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁All - Star ▁Game , ▁Val enz uela ▁made ▁history ▁by ▁striking ▁out ▁five ▁consecutive ▁American ▁League ▁bat ters , ▁t ying ▁a ▁record ▁set ▁by ▁fellow ▁left - hand ed ▁sc rew ball er ▁Carl ▁Hub bell ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁contest . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁his ▁performance ▁decl ined ; ▁he ▁earned