
Striking out the side in order in World Series competition has been accomplished 55 times by 44 different pitchers through 2015. Orlando Hernandez is the only hurler to achieve the feat three times with Hod Eller, Mort Cooper, Sandy Koufax, Moe Drabowsky, Tom Seaver, Todd Worrell, John Smoltz, Phil Coke and Trevor Rosenthal all doing it two times during their career. Eller, Koufax, Drabowsky, Seaver and Worrell did it twice in one game with Eller, Drabowsky and Worrell doing it in consecutive innings and Coke doing in back-to-back games. Worrell and Danny Jackson are the only pitchers from opposing teams to strikeout the side in order in the same game during the same inning in World Series play when they did it on October 24, 1985 in the seventh inning of Game 5 between the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals.
Batters who were victims to pitchers who struck out the side in order in World Series competition more than once include: Tony Lazzeri, Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson, Tom Tresh, Buddy Biancalana, Lonnie Smith, Gerald Williams, Alfonso Soriano, Scott Brosius, Brandon Belt, Gregor Blanco, Xander Bogaerts, Stephen Drew, David Ross, Yoenis Cespedes, Lucas Duda and Daniel Murphy — Bogaerts, Drew and Ross did it three times in the same Series.
Only one of these 55 performances closed out a game. In Game 5 of the 1944 World Series, Mort Cooper of the Cardinals struck out the St. Louis Browns’ side in order in the bottom of the ninth to complete a 2-0 victory. Although Warren Spahn and Ryne Duren fanned three batters in order in the ninth inning of their games, neither were the final outs of the contest. Spahn’s feat occurred in the top of the ninth in Game 6 of the 1948 Fall Classic in a game the Braves lost 4-3. Yankees reliever Duren fanned three Milwaukee Braves in order in the bottom of the ninth in Game 6 of the 1958 Series, but the contest went into extra-innings.
In the Royals World Series clincher in 2015, Wade Davis came within one strike of fanning the side in order in the top of the ninth to become the first pitcher to end a Fall Classic with three consecutive strikeouts. Mets rookie Michael Conforto ended that opportunity with a two-strike single before Wilson fanned the next batter to wrap up the Royals second world championship in franchise history.
Batters who were victims to pitchers who struck out the side in order in World Series competition more than once include: Tony Lazzeri, Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson, Tom Tresh, Buddy Biancalana, Lonnie Smith, Gerald Williams, Alfonso Soriano, Scott Brosius, Brandon Belt, Gregor Blanco, Xander Bogaerts, Stephen Drew, David Ross, Yoenis Cespedes, Lucas Duda and Daniel Murphy — Bogaerts, Drew and Ross did it three times in the same Series.
Only one of these 55 performances closed out a game. In Game 5 of the 1944 World Series, Mort Cooper of the Cardinals struck out the St. Louis Browns’ side in order in the bottom of the ninth to complete a 2-0 victory. Although Warren Spahn and Ryne Duren fanned three batters in order in the ninth inning of their games, neither were the final outs of the contest. Spahn’s feat occurred in the top of the ninth in Game 6 of the 1948 Fall Classic in a game the Braves lost 4-3. Yankees reliever Duren fanned three Milwaukee Braves in order in the bottom of the ninth in Game 6 of the 1958 Series, but the contest went into extra-innings.
In the Royals World Series clincher in 2015, Wade Davis came within one strike of fanning the side in order in the top of the ninth to become the first pitcher to end a Fall Classic with three consecutive strikeouts. Mets rookie Michael Conforto ended that opportunity with a two-strike single before Wilson fanned the next batter to wrap up the Royals second world championship in franchise history.