Before Yamamoto in the NLCS, there hadn’t been a complete game in the postseason since Justin Verlander threw one in the 2017 ALCS. Now, there have been two in less than two weeks.
Here’s a look at eight stats and facts from a spectacular night.
• Yamamoto became the first pitcher with complete games in consecutive outings in a postseason since Curt Schilling had three straight in 2001. They’re the only individuals to do this since the start of the 1993 postseason.
• It’s the eighth such streak by a Dodgers pitcher and first since Orel Hershiser threw three consecutive complete games in the 1988 postseason. Sandy Koufax threw consecutive complete games in both the 1965 and ’63 World Series. Before that, it was Sal Maglie (1956), Johnny Podres (1955), Whit Wyatt (1941) and Sherry Smith (1920).
• Yamamoto finished the game on a roll, retiring his final 20 batters. He’s the fourth pitcher to retire the last 20 or more batters of a postseason game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He joined Don Larsen, with all 27 in his 1956 World Series Game 5 perfect game, Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1926 World Series Game 2 (21) and Dutch Leonard in 1915 World Series Game 3 (20).
• Those 20 batters are also the most consecutive retired by a Dodgers pitcher at any point in a postseason game, per Elias. The record had been 19, by Carl Erskine in 1952 World Series Game 5.
• Both of Yamamoto’s complete games have come on the road. He’s the third pitcher in the last 95 years to throw consecutive complete games in a single postseason with both as a visitor, joining Scott McGregor (1979) and Hal Newhouser (1945).
• These have been the first two complete games of Yamamoto’s MLB career. He is the second pitcher to throw his first two career MLB complete games (regular season or postseason) in the postseason, per Elias. He joined Josh Beckett, who threw his first two in NLCS Game 5 and World Series Game 6 in 2003.
• While these were the first complete games for Yamamoto in MLB, he had 16 complete games over his seven years in Japan, including two in the postseason.
• This was the first complete game in the World Series since Johnny Cueto threw one in Game 2 in 2015. Yamamoto is the first pitcher with multiple complete games in a postseason since Madison Bumgarner in 2014.
