Baseball Roundtable Ranks The Top Post-Season Pitching Performances

As I take in the  2023 MLB post-season – live at an energized Target Field (kind of sad that’s over) and on TV in my man cave – I  have found time to reflect on some past post-season pitching performances (especially since there are no games for a couple of days).

I was transported back to three World Series I was privileged to attend (at least one game);

• 1957 – I was ten-years-old and my home town Milwaukee Braves beat the Yankees four games-to-three behind the right arm of  Lew Burdette, who earned three complete-game victories against the vaunted Yankees. His performance included two shutouts and, at one point, he threw 24 straight scoreless inning against a highly favored New York squad.
• 1965 – My then (and still) hometown Twins lost to the Dodgers four games-to-three, with Sandy Koufax pitching a complete-game,  three-hit shutout in Game Seven (on just two day rest). In that one, the winning pitcher in each game went the distance.
• 1991  – When I was lucky enough to be in the ballpark to witness Jack Morris‘ ten-inning shutout in the winner-take-all Game Seven.

Anyway, those thoughts led me to embark on a post ranking the top single-game, post-season pitching performances.  My old-school bias is probably reflected by the fact that I chose to rank the top five for the World Series, top four for the League Championship Series, top three for the Division Series and top two for the Wild Card Game/Series. I looked at such factors as how dominant the performance was and the strength of the opposition – also giving weight to the final score (a 1-0 win getting the edge over, say, a 6-0 win) and the impact on the series (a winner-take-all final game earning extra credit). I also, admittedly, leaned toward complete-game victories.

As I’ve noted before, when I start research “one thing always seems to lead to another.”  This time, I noticed most (not all) of the truly heroic pitching performances seem to have happened at least a couple of decades ago.  This distracted me briefly into a look at post-season (specifically World Series) pitcher usage.  I saw that:

• In the 1905 World Series, just six pitchers were used and there was only one relief appearance.
• In 1957 (that first World Series I attended), 17 pitchers were used and there were 21 relief appearances.
• In the most recent World Series (2022), 24 pitchers were used and there were 46 relief appearances.

Clearly, the chance for a truly remarkable single-game, post-season pitching performance has waned as pitching changes have risen.

The ratings are coming right up, but to honor my distractions, I’ll present a couple of charts on World Series pitcher usage.

Now on to the ratings.

Baseball Roundtable Top Five World Series Pitching Performances

A “PERFECT” CHOICE FOR NUMBER ONE

 

ONE – WITH A BULLET – Don Larsen, Yankees, Game 5, 1956 World Series … October 8, 1956

A no-brainer here.  How could you not put the only World Series perfect game at the top of this list?

When Don Larsen took the mound to start Game Five of the 1956 World Series for the Yankees (against the rival Brooklyn Dodgers at Yankee stadium) expectations may not have been very high.  Larsen (11-5, 3.26 on the season) was coming off a Game Two start (in Brooklyn, three days earlier) when he lasted just 1 2/3 innings and gave up four runs (none earned) on one hit and four walks.

Larsen, however, was in complete control in Game Five – fanning seven in a 97-pitch, perfect game – a 2-0 Yankee win. In the game, Larsen went to a three-ball count on only one batter, started 14 hitters off 0-1 and – if you count the four batters who hit the first pitch for an out –  threw a first-pitch strike to 18 of 27 hitters.  The lineup Larsen held hitless, by the way, included five  Hall of Famers: SS Pee Wee Reese; CF Duke Snider; 2B Jackie Robinson; 1B Gil Hodges; and C Roy Campanella.

Bookends

Don Larsen opened his World Series Perfect Game with a five-pitch strikeout (looking) of Dodgers’ 2B Jim Gilliam and closed it out with a five-pitch strike out (looking) of pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell.

Larsen seems an unlikely hurler to head this list. His career record (1953-65, 1967 … Browns, Orioles, Yankees, Athletics, Giants, Astros, Cubs) was 81-91, 3.78. He had just six MLB seasons – out of 14 – in which he won more games than he lost.  Four of those came during his five seasons as a Yankee, when he went 45-24, 3.50.  Larsen was 4-2, 2.75 in ten World Series appearances.

Don Larsen was a good-hitting pitcher. In 596 career regular-season at bats, he hit .242-15-72.  

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TWO – Bob Gibson, Cardinals … Game One, 1968 World Series … October 2, 1961

1968 was the Year of the Pitcher and, in the National League, Bob Gibson was the Pitcher of the Year.  Gibson went 22-9 that season, with a microscopic, MLB-best 1.12 earned run average. In addition, 13 of his wins were complete-game shutouts (another 1968 MLB-best).  He also led the NL in strikeouts with 268 in 304 2/3 innings pitched.  Gibson’s 1968 earned run average of 1.12 was the third-lowest, post-1900, qualifying MLB ERA – and his 13 complete-game shutouts are the second-most in a single season since 1900.

It’s no surprise that the Redbirds selected Gibson to start Game One (against the Tigers’ 31-game winner Denny McLain) – and Gibson did not disappoint. He threw a five-hit shutout, walking just one and fanning a World Series-record 17 batters. Gibson fanned everyone in the Tigers’ starting lineup at least once, struck out at least one batter in every inning and fanned three batters in two frames. Only two runners got past first base over the nine frames. Gibson finished  the game with a flourish, fanning the Tigers’ 3-4-5 hitters (Al Kaline, Norm Cash and Willie Horton) in order in the ninth inning. Despite Gibson’s heroics, the Cardinals lost the Series four games-to-three behind three complete-game wins from Mickey Lolich. Gibson also started and completed three games, going 2-1, 1.67. He took the loss in Game Seven giving up four runs on eight hits and one walk, while Lolich gave up just one tally on five hits and three walks.

They Call Him the Streak

Over June, July and August of 1968, Bob Gibson started 18 games, completed 17, won 16 (one loss/one no-decision), threw 11 shutouts, and put up a 0.77 ERA.

Hall of Famer Gibson pitched in 17 MLB seasons (all for the Cardinals). He won two Cy Young awards and, in 1968, won both the NL Cy Young and MVP Awards. Gibson was a five-time 20-game winner, leading the NL in wins once, ERA once, complete games once, strikeouts once and shutouts four times. His career mound record was 251-174, 2.91, with 3,117 strikeouts in 3,884 1/3 innings. He also won nine Gold Gloves and hit .206 with 24 career homers.  In nine World Series starts, Gibson won seven and lost two, pitching eight complete games, posting a 1.89 earned run average and fanning 92 batters in 81 innings.

THREE – Christy Mathewson, Giants … Game 5, 1905 World Series … October 14, 1905

Christy Mathewson threw a nifty six-hit shutout (no walks, four strikeouts) in beating the Philadelphia Athletics 2-0 in Game Five of the 1905 World Series – giving the Giants the Series four games-to-one.  It was not just future Hall of Famer Mathewson’s excellence in this game that earned him spot number-two on this ranking  or even the fact that it was the clinching game (although that did factor in to my selection). It’s that this was Mathewson’s’ third-consecutive, complete-game shutout in the 1905 series – and he threw those three whitewashings over a period of just six days.  On October 9, Mathewson shutout the Athletics 3-0, giving up just four hits.  Then, on October 12, he threw another four-hitter, this time shutting down the Athletics 9-0. Then in Game Seven, it was the five-hit. 2-0 win.  For the Series, Mathewson gave up just 13 hits (and, of course no runs) and one walk in 27 innings, fanning 18.

Trivia Tidbits from the 1905 World Series

• The Giants’ four wins all came via the shutout – three by Christy Mathewson and one by Joe McGinnity.
• The Athletics’ only win also came via the shutout – a four-hitter tossed by Chief Bender in a 3-0, Game Two victory. 
• The Giants gave up just three runs in the Series – all unearned, giving them an unbeatable single-World Series’ record 0.00 earned run average.
• The Giants used only three pitchers in the entire series – Christy Mathewson (27 innings pitched); Joe McGinnity (17 innings pitched); and Red Ames one inning pitched. Yep, and entire World Series and only one “call to the pen.”

Mathewson was coming off a 31-9, 1.28 1905 season in which he led MLB in wins, ERA and shutouts (tied with eight), and led the NL in strikeouts (206). In his career, he led his league in ERA five times, strikeouts five times, wins four times and shutouts four times. He finished with a 373-188, 2.13 record.

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FOUR – Jack Morris, Game Seven, 1991 World Series … October 27, 1991

There have only been three extra-inning World Series complete-game shutouts, ten Game Seven complete-game shutouts and 18 World Series complete-game wins ending in a 1-0 score.  And, there has been only one game that met all three criteria – Jack Morris’ performance in the finale of the 1991 World Series – a ten-inning, seven-hit, two-walk, eight-whiff gem that gave the Twins a 1-0 Game Seven win over the Atlanta Braves.

In the game, Morris reached ball three on only six of the 38 batters he faced.  This performance earned extra credit for Morris, since it came at a time when complete games were at a premium.  As was widely reported, Twins’ Manager Tom Kelly was ready to pull Morris after nine innings and 118 pitches – but Morris was having none of it (and voiced his objection in no uncertain terms).   And, the rest, as they say, is history.

Hall of Farmer Morris pitched in 18 MLB seasons, going 254-186, 3.90. He was a five-time All Star and led his league in wins twice (winning twenty or more games in three seasons) and in complete games, shutouts and strikeouts once each. (He also led the league in wild pitches six times.) Morris was 4-2, 2.96 in seven World Series starts and was MVP of the 1991 World Series.

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FIVE – Babe Ruth, Red Sox … Game 2 …. October 9, 1916

Hard to pass on a chance to include Babe Ruth.  On October 9, 1916, as his Red Sox faced the Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers), Ruth twirled a gem – notching the longest outing in a World Series game.

Ruth pitched  a 14-inning, complete-game, six-hitter as the Red Sox prevailed 2-1. The only run off Ruth came  in the first inning (an inside-the-park home run by Robins’ CF and number-three hitter Hi Myers). Ruth tossed 145 pitches that day, 91 for strikes.  From the ninth through the 14th innings, Ruth allowed only two base runners (no hits, one  walk, one safe on an error.)  During the 1916 season, Ruth had gone 23-12, leading the Al with a 1.75 earned run average and nine shutouts.  His final career pitching line was 94-46, 2.28.  From 1916 through 1918 (Red Sox), Ruth was 60-32, 1.95 on the mound, with 76 complete games (97 starts) and 16 shutouts. In World Series play, he was 3-0, 0.87 in three starts – giving up just two runs in 31 innings.

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H0norble Mentions:

Moe Drabowsky, Orioles, 1966 … In 1966, Moe Drabowsky was a key member of the Orioles’ bullpen. He appeared in 45 games (just one start)  and went 6-0, 2.81, with six saves.  In his relief appearances, he never went more than 4 2/3 innings and averaged two innings per outing. In Game One of the 1966 World Series (October 5 – Orioles versus Dodgers), Drabowsky was called on to relieve starter Dave McNally with one out and the bases l0aded in the bottom of the third. (The Orioles were up 4-1 at the time.) Drabowsky got out of the jam allowing just one run and then went on to finish the game – going  6 2/3 innings, giving up just one hit and two walks and fanning 11.  In the process, he set the World Series’ single-game record for strikeouts by a relief pitcher.   (The Orioles, by the way, went on to sweep the Series four games-to-zero.)

Ed Walsh, White Sox, 1906 … Lots of reason to like this one; particularly (for The Roundtable) the fact that it was part of the White Sox/Cubs crosstown rivalry. In Game Three of the 1906 World Series, Ed Walsh started for the visiting White Sox. He tossed a nifty two-hit shutout, walking one and fanning 12, as the White Sox prevailed 3-0.   Baseball Roundtable sees a reason for extra credit, since since Walsh notched those 12 whiffs and fanned at least one batter in every inning at a time when the MLB regular-season average for strikeouts per nine inning was just 3.8.  Only two Cubs got past first base in the game, Walsh did not give up a hit after the first inning and, at one point, he retired 13 straight Cubs. It was very tough to keep this one out of the top five.

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Baseball Roundtable’s Top Four League Championship Series Pitching Performances

ONE – Dave McNally, Orioles …. ALCS, October 5, 1969

Dave McNally started for the Orioles (versus the Twins) in Game Two of the 1969 AL Championship Series. He was masterful – and he had to be. McNally was facing a tough Twins  lineup that featured future Hall of Famers Rod Carew (2B), Tony Oliva (RF) and Harmon Killebrew (3B). McNally was up to the task, tossing an 11-inning, complete-game, three-hit, shutout (five walks and 11 strikeouts) to  earn a tight 1-0 win.

McNally allowed only two runners to get beyond first base during the game. His mound opponent, Dave Boswell took a seven-hit shutout into the bottom of the eleventh  frame. In that final inning, he gave up a walk to 1B Boog Powell, who was sacrificed to second by 3B Brooks Robinson. Then, 2B Davey Johnson was intentionally walked, putting runners on first and second with one out. Boswell got SS Mark Belanger on a foul pop up and then was lifted – with the Twins bringing in closer Ron Perranoski to face pinch hitter Curt Motton.  Motton singled home Powell to end one of the League Championship Series’ tightest-ever pitching duels.

Dave McNally’s 11-inning shutout in Game Two of the 1969 ALCS is MLB’s longest post-season, complete-game shutout.

McNally pitched in 14 MLB seasons (1962-75 … all but his final season for the Orioles). He went 184-119, 3.24, was a four-time All Star and three-time 20-game winner (a career-high and league-leading 24 wins in 1970). In 14 post-season appearances (12 starts), he was 7-4, 2.49 with six complete games.

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TWO … Roger Clemens, Yankees … ALCS , October 14, 2000

Roger Clemens took the mound against the Mariners (In Seattle)  in Game Four of the 2000 ALCS and went right to work – striking out the first two batters he faced (RF Stan Javier and LF Al Martin). It set the tone for the day, as Clemens went the distance in a 5-0 win, giving up just one hit (a seventh inning double to Martin) and two walks, while fanning 15 batters (11 swinging/four looking).  Clemens, who fanned at least one hitter every inning, seemed to get stronger as the game went on – fanning nine over the final four innings. Overall, he threw 138 pitches, 87 strikes. Clemens retired the Mariners in order in seven of the nine innings and, at one point, retired 16 straight.

Roger Clemens’ October 14, 2000 ALCS shutout was his only complete game in 34 post-season starts.

Clemens pitched 24 MLB seasons (1984-2007 … Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees, Astros).  He went 354-184, 3.12, with 4,672 strikeouts in 4,196 2/3 innings. He was a 11-time All Star, seven-time Cy Young Award winner and led his league in wins four times; ERA seven times; CG three times; IP twice; and strikeouts five times. He was 12-8, 3.75 in 35 post season appearances (34 starts).

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THREE – Livan Hernandez, Marlins … NLCS, October 12, 1997

In Game Five of the 1997 NLCS,  with the series tied two-games apiece, Marlins’ 22-year-old rookie righty Livan Hernandez (who had gone 9-3, 3.18 in seven starts during the season) was matched up against future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux.  Hernandez came away with a sparkling  2-1 win in front of the home crowd. Hernandez pitched a complete game three-hitter, walking two and fanning 15 ( tied for third-highest total ever in a post-season game and tied for  the highest in a League Championship Series contest). The only run off Hernandez came on a second inning homer by Braves’ RF Michael Tucker.

It didn’t start well for Hernandez. Braves’ CF Kenny Lofton hit his second pitch of the game for a triple to lead off the top of the first and Hernandez then walked 2B Keith Lockhart on five pitches. Sixteen pitches later, he had fanned Braves 3-4-5 hitters  – 3B Chipper Jones, 1B Fred McGriff, LF Ryan Klesko – and escaped unscathed.  Over the course of the game, Hernandez fanned at least one batter every inning and two batters in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth. Overall, he threw 148 pitches (88 strikes).  After the second inning, no Brave reached second base and Hernandez retired 21 of 23 batters,  (The Marlins, by the  way, went on to win the NLCS four games-to-two.)

Hernandez played in 17 MLB seasons (1998-2012 … Marlins, Giants, Expos, Nationals, Diamondbacks, Twins, Rockies, Mets, Braves, Brewers). He went 178-177, 4.44 in 519 games (474 starts). He was a two-time All Star. He was 7-3, 3.97 in 12 post-season appearances (10 starts).

MVP! MVP!

In 1997, Livan Hernandez – who finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting – was the MVP of the National League Championship Series and MVP of the World Series. His World Series MVP selection has  produced some debate (debate is such a great part of baseball). Hernandez was 2-0 in the Series, but had a 5.27 earned run average and walked ten batters in 13 2/3 innings.  (Side note:  There were 81 runs scored in the seven games).   Some argued the Marlins’ Moises Alou should have been MVP after hitting .321, with three homers, nine RBI and six runs scored in the high-scoring Series.

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FOUR –  Mike Scott, Astros … October 8, 1986

Game One of the 1986 NLCS featured  Dwight Gooden of the Mets (17-6, 2.84 in the regular season) versus the Astros’ Mike Scott (18-10, 2.22) in a matchup of aces. The game lived up to its billing, as Scott and the Astros prevailed 1-0.  Scott pitched a gem, giving up five hits, walking just one and fanning 14 in his nine-inning shutout. He fanned the Mets 3-4-5 hitters (1B Keith Hernandez, C Gary Carter and RF Darryl Strawberry) eight times in 12 plate appearances.  Overall, Scott threw 125 itches (88 strikes). Gooden also pitched well.  The only run he allowed was on a home run by Astros’ 1B Glenn Davis leading off the second inning. Scott went to a three-ball count on only three batters and allowed just three runners to reach second base.

Scott was the MVP in the 1986 NLCS.  He went 2-0, 0.50 in two starts, pitching two complete games and giving up just one run on eight hits in 18 innings. In those 18 frames, he walked just one and fanned 19.

In 1986, Mike Scott led the NL in strikeouts with 306 (in 275 1/3 innings).

Mike Scott pitched in 13 MLB seasons (1979-91 … Mets, Astros), going 124-108, 3.54. He was a three-time All-Star and led the NL in wins with 20 (10 losses) in 1989.

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Honorable Mentions:

• Josh Beckett, Marlins, 2003 Game 5 … Two-hit shutout, with no walks and 11 whiffs as  Beckett’s Marlins topped the Cub 4-0.
• Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks, 2001, Game 1 … Three-hit shutout with no walks and 11 whiffs as Arizona topped Atlanta 2-1
• Mike Boddicker, Orioles, 1983, Game 2 … fFve hit, three-walk, 14-strikeout game in a 4-0 win over the White Sox .

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Baseball Roundtable’s Top  Three Division Series Pitching Performances

ONE –  Roy Halladay, Phillies … NLDS, October 6, 2010

In Game One of the 2010 NL Division Series (Reds at Phillies), Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay missed a  perfect game by one pitch – a seventh inning walk (on a 3-2 pitch) to Reds’ RF Jay Bruce.  Halladay fanned eight and only four balls were hit out of the infield.  In the 4-0, Phillies’ win, Halladay also had an RBI single (and later came around to score) in the bottom of the second.  It was more offense than he would need in the 4-0 win.

Let’s Get This Party Started

Roy Halladay’s no-hitter came in his first-ever post-season appearance.

In his no-hitter, Halladay threw 104 pitches (79 strikes) and went to a three-ball count on only three batters.

Hall of Famer Halladay pitched in 16 MLB seasons (1998-13 … Blue Jays, Phillies), going 203-105, 3.38. He was an eight-time All Star a two-time Cy Young Award winner and led his league in wins twice, complete games seven times and innings pitched four times.

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TWO … Kevin Brown, Padres … September 29, 1998

In Game One of the 1998 NL Division Series, Padres’ righty Kevin Brown set the tone for a series in which Padres’ pitchers would give up only eight runs in four games (five of those in Game Two). Playing in Houston, Brown threw eight scoreless frames against the Astros – giving up just two hits and two walks, while fanning 16 batters.

Number Two Ain’t Bad

Kevin Brown’s 16 strikeouts in Game One of the 1998 NLDS is the second-highest total ever in an MLB post-season contest.  He fanned at least one batter in each of his eight innings, two batters in four and three batters in two.

Brown’s stuff that day was not only unhittable, it was (apparently) at times uncatchable. In the third inning, he opened by fanning SS Ricky Gutierrez on a 3-2 pitch, before giving up an infield single to C Brad Ausmus. Next up was opposing hurler Randy Johnson.  Johnson’s at bat included not only a strikeout (looking on a 2-2 pitch), but a pair of passed balls that sent Ausmus to third. Brown topped off the inning, stranding Ausmus at third, by fanning 2B Craig Biggio on three pitches.

With the Padres up 2-0 in the top of the ninth, Brown was lifted for pinch hitter John Vander Wal (who struck out looking). Trevor Hoffman came in for the ninth inning save and gave up one run on two hits. In his outing, Brown threw 119 pitches (77 strikes).

Brown pitched in 19 MLB seasons (1986, 1988-2005 … Rangers, Orioles, Marlins, Padres, Dodgers). He was an All Star in six seasons and for four different teams (Rangers, Marlins, Padres, Dodgers). He led the AL with 21 wins in 1992 and led his league in earned run average in 1996 (Marlins – 1.89) and 2000 (Dodgers 2.58). He won 15 or more games in six seasons.

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THREE – Tim Lincecum, Giants,… October 7, 2010

Tim Lincecum started Game One of the 2010 NL Division Series for the Giants (at home) against Derek Lowe and the Braves and he set the tone for a three games-to-one Giants’ Series victory. He pitched a two-hitter, walking one and fanning 14, while besting five Braves’ hurlers in a 1-0 pitching duel.  All this after giving up a booming double to CF  the first batter he faced (Braves’ SS Omar Infante). He settled down quickly  and – after retiring RF Jayson Heyward on a flyball to left – struck out 1B Derrek Lee and C Brian McCann to get out of the inning. He then struck out the side in order on 14 pitches in the second frame. Lincecum put an exclamation point on his outing, fanning  Heyward and Lee for the final two outs of the contest.

Lincecum pitched in ten MLB seasons, nine for the Giants before finishing with the Angels. He was a four-time All Star  and two-time Cy Young Award winner (2008-09). He finished with a 110-89, 3.74 career record.  From 2008 through 2010, he was 49-22, 2.83 and average 252 strikeouts per season. He was 5-2, 2.40 in 13 post-season appearances (six starts).

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Honorable Mention:

Gerrit Cole, Astros, 2019 Game 2 …  In Game Two of the 2019 AL Division Series, Gerrit Cole of the Astros  was matched up against Blake Snell of the Rays (in Houston).  Cole was dealing that day, He went  7 2/3 innings, giving up just four hits and one walk (no runs), while fanning 15. In the second inning of that contest, Cole fanned  the side on just ten pitches. He also had a three-strikeout inning in the fifth – this time on 12 pitches (there was a single thrown in).  Cole’s strikeouts went like this:

First inning – two;

Second Inning – three;

Third Inning – one;

Fourth Inning – one;

Fifth Inning – three;

Sixth inning – zero;

Seventh inning – two;

Eighth inning – two.

Cole, still active, has pitched in 11 MLB seasons (2013-23 … Pirates, Astros, Yankees). He is a six-time All Star and led the AL in wins once, earned run average twice and strikeouts twice (a high of 326 in 2019). He is 10-6. 2.93. with 134 strikeouts in 104 1/3 post-season innings (17 starts).

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Baseball Roundtable’s Top Two  Wild Card Game/Series Pitching Performances

 

ONE – Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers … October 1, 2020

In Game Two of the 2020 Wild Card Series, the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw shutdown the Brewers in a 3-0 win in Los Angeles.  Kershaw went eight innings, and gave up just three hits and one walk, while fanning 13.  In his eight innings, only two Brewers reached second base.  In the top of the sixth, Kershaw fanned  the Brewers 1-2-3 hitters (CF Avisail  Garcia, LF Christian Yelich, 1B Jedd Gyorko) on 12 pitches. Dodgers closer Brusdar Graterol came on to pitch a scoreless ninth for the save.

Kershaw, still active, has pitched in 16 MLB seasons (2008-2023), all for the Dodgers.  He is a ten-time All Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner.  He has led the NL in wins three times, ERA five times, complete games twice, shutouts three times and strikeouts three times.

In 2014, Clayton Kershaw went 21-3, 1.77 and won both the NL Cy Yong and Most Valuable Player Awards.

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TWO – Madison Bumgarner. Giants … October 1, 2014

In this 2014 Wild Card Game, Madison Bumgarner of the Giants tossed a complete-game shutout – giving up just four hits and one walk, while fanning ten. His Giants topped the Pirates 8-0 in Pittsburgh. He threw 109 pitches (79 strikes). Only three Pirates got past first base (one of those with the help of two Giants’ errors).

Bumgarner (active in 2023) has pitched in 15 MLB seasons (2009-2023).  The four-time All Star has a career 134-124, 3.47 record and has won 15 or more games in four seasons (all before 2017). He has been a post-season star, gaining 8-2, 2.11 in 16 appearances (14 starts) – and, even more impressive – 4-0, 0.25 in five World Series appearances (four starts).

Madison Bumgarner was the MVP of the 2014 NLCS and the 2014 World Series.

 

 

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; “The World Series,,” Richard Cohen, David Neft, Roland Johnson, Jordan Deutsch,  Dial Press, New York (1976)

 

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