Kershaw, deGrom make playoff strikeout history in Game 1
Clayton Kershaw and Jacob deGrom became the first-ever starting pitching duo to each strikeout at least 11 batters in a playoff game. And deGrom tied Tom Seaver's Mets postseason record with 13.
By
Matt Snyder
•
1 min read
We know the Mets-Dodgers NLDS would feature some great starting pitching. We especially knew this to be true of the Game 1 matchup between Jacob deGrom and Clayton Kershaw. What we didn't know is that they'd go out and make history (follow live on Gametracker).
Through six innings, with the Mets leading 1-0, each pitcher had struck out 11 batters.
This marked the second time in baseball history that two pitchers in the same game struck out more than 10 batters apiece in a playoff game.
Previously, the only game in which each pitcher hit double digits came in Game 5 of the 1944 World Series, when Mort Cooper of the St. Louis Cardinals struck out 12 in his shutout and Denny Galehouse of the St. Louis Browns managed 10 punch outs in his complete-game loss (Baseball Reference box score).
DeGrom finished with 13 strikeouts in 7 shutout innings, tying him with Tom Seaver (NLDS Game 1, 1973) for the most strikeouts in a postseason game as a Mets pitcher.
Kershaw fanned 11 in 6 2/3 innings.
What a showing by the two starters, particularly deGrom.
