In the excitement of the moment it is tempting to believe that Gerrit Cole’s performance in Game 2 of the ALDS Saturday night was the greatest game pitched in the history of Houston Astros playoff games. Maybe it’s true.
Consider these facts. His fifteen strikeouts were the most by an Astros pitcher in the playoffs, and third all-time, behind the great Bob Gibson. He walked only one in 7.2 scoreless innings. He induced 33 swings and misses, the most on record in the playoffs since the pitch-tracking era. Fourteen of his fifteen strikeouts came on swinging strikes, including his seventh inning K of Ji-man Choi clocked at 100 MPH.