Expert: Tom Schott - 5/1/2011

Question
Hi,
I just read that, in yesterday's game against the Mets, Roy Halladay started the game by throwing "eighteen straight strikes."

Taken literally, this would mean that Hallafay struck out the side by striking out batters 1,2, and 3 in the first inning and 3,4,and 5 in the second.

It obviously didn't mean this. Only about five pitchers have stuck out the side on nine pitches even once (Koufax did it twice, in different games). If Halladay had done it in two consecutive innings, surely this would have been mentioned.

But what does the "eighteen straight strikes" mean. Does it mean the first eighteen pitches that were caught by the catcher were strikes, but in between some balls were hit for outs (or even hits)?

What does the eighteen straight strikes mean?

Many thanks,

Steve .

Answer
Steve,

I don't think taken literally it would be mean consecutive strikeouts, but that is neither here nor there. Halladay's string of 18 strikes includes balls that were put in play, eight for outs and one for a hit, but not foul balls. It would have been even more had fouls been counted. The string began in the first inning and did not end until the Mets' lead-off hitter came up again in the top of the third. Pretty amazing.

See: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI201104300.shtml