Stom Seaver ties strikeout mark with 19
On April 22, 1970 – 1970: Before the game at Shea Stadium, the Mets’ Tom Seaver is applauded as he receives his Cy Young Award for being the outstanding pitcher in the National League in 1969. After the game, Seaver is applauded again by the paid crowd of 14,197, this time for his strikeout performance.
Going into the ninth inning, Seaver is on fire, having fanned the last seven San Diego Padres for a total of 16. Then he whiffs Van Kelly and Clarence Gaston. That brings up Al Ferrera, whose second-inning homer is the only run Seaver has allowed.
When the count reaches 1-2, Seaver thinks record book. “The right pitch to Ferrera would have been an outside slider,” he says. “But I decided to challenge him with my best pitch — a fastball. I went for the strikeout.”
He gets it too, blowing a low fastball past Ferrera for his 10th consecutive strikeout, a major league record. His 19 strikeouts tie Steve Carlton’s mark.
In the 2-1 victory, Seaver relies mostly on hard stuff, throwing 81 fastball, 34 sliders, 19 curves and just two change-ups.
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