Best pitching performances you've ever seen?

[Myankee4life]

The best pitched game I ever saw was Clemens in the 2000 AlCS against Seattle. He went all 9 allowed 1 hit and struck out 15. The reaction of A-rod after one strikeout said it all, you could see him say wow. Clemens was consistently hitting 98 on his fastball and his splitter 94-95. I was astonished and I feel that this was his best pitched game ever. It also put to rest the criticism of his abilities in the postseason.

What are the most dominant performances you've seen?

[Argyle]

Though it didn't feature a "dominating performance" by a pitcher in the strictest sense of the phrase, one game is forever etched in my mind:

1991 World Series, Game 7

- rgl

[GhostofGehrig]

Orel Hershiser ...

Game 2 of the 1988 WS.

IP H R ER BB SO
9.0 3 0 0 2 8

[oscargamblesfro]

on tv maybe pedros 17 k game against ny or a no hitter by ryan with houston in i think '81. in person, nothing too great. i saw clemens strike out 14 brewers c. '88 that's probably the best...

[RuthMayBond]

If you're talking the best that I've ever seen in person, strangely enough it would probably be by a 46-year-old pitcher Some of you may have been at that game, since people were thinking this might be the last time this guy pitches anywhere near the southeast part of the country. This 46-year-old guy gave up a leadoff single, I believe a single in the seventh or eighth . .
. . and nothing else in between. It was amazing seeing the different states on the license plates on that drive to Cleveland Municipal Stadium that day in 1993. And people were right, as it was the last time this pitcher would pitch anywhere near the southeast. That man named Nolan Ryan. Here's the box

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B08150CLE1993.htm

[shlevine42]

I was at Ebbets Field for Carl Erskine’s first no-hitter in ‘52, (which was only one walk shy of a perfect game), and at the Stadium when David Cone threw his perfect game in ’99.

But the in-person performance I remember far more clearly than those two is Erskine’s 5-hit, 5-run 3 BB complete game victory in the ’52 Series.

With the Series tied at 2 games, and the Dodgers leading 4-0 in the 5th inning of Game 5, the Yankees roughed up Erskine for 5 runs and 4 hits. including a 3-run home run by Mize, to take a 5-4 lead.

For this Dodger fan, that sinking feeling set in and it was déjà vu all over again.
But in a thrilling come back, Snider singled home the tying run in the 7th, then doubled home the winning run in the 11th.

Meanwhile, after Mize’s home run, Erskine held the Yankees at bay. Over the final six innings, he gave them nothing, retiring the last 19 batters in a gritty, heroic performance that gave the Dodgers the win and a 3-2 lead in the Series.

The game was high drama throughout, and though Erskine wasn’t anywhere near perfect, it was still a memorable display of courage and determination by a pitcher who was never overpowering but always skillful and competitive.

For me, though, the end result was perfect.

[KCGHOST]

I was at Nolan Ryan's first no-hitter in KC versus the Royals. He was just unhittable that day.

[Bluesteve32]

I was at Nolan Ryan's first no-hitter in KC versus the Royals. He was just unhittable that day.

He was, I had to see it on KTLA Channel 5 in Los Angeles with Dick Enberg announcing the game with Don Drysdale.

Exactly two months to the day in Detroit, he pitched his second no-hitter with an astonishing 17 strikeouts, which tied the daytime record at the time (If I remember correctly). Norm Cash came to bat with a table leg and the infamous Ron Luciano was behind the plate calling balls and strikes. The Angels scored like four uns in the top of the ninth and stiffened Ryan's arm so he did not stike out any in the ninth inning. It was a great game yo see, even on TV.

[RuthMayBond]

I was at Nolan Ryan's first no-hitter in KC versus the Royals. He was just unhittable that day.

Well, generally, if you throw a no-hitter . . .

[Honus Wagner Rules]

I've seen two no-hitters in person. In 1992 I saw the Dodgers' Kevin Gross no-hit my Giants. And in 1994 I say Kent Merker no-hit the Dodgers. Both Games were at Dodger Stadium. I also saw Hideo Nomo throw a one-hitter against my Giants in 1995. h The only hit was an infield single.

[Captain Cold Nose]

The one that has always stood out in my mind was Milt Wilcox's flirtation with a perfect game in 1983 for the Tigers. He was a solid number 3 starter for the Tigers, who would go on to win 92 games that year, but he just had it that day. Pinch hitter Jerry Hairston broke up the perfecto with a first pitch single with two outs in the ninth.
When Jack Morris pitched a no-hitter in his second (?) start the following year, the local news kept referencing Wilcox's close but no cigar game.

[csh19792001]

I was at Nolan Ryan's first no-hitter in KC versus the Royals. He was just unhittable that day.

Nice pun?

(Or would that be an oxymoron)? :o

[Dasperp]

I would go with the Clemens game as well. His fastball was high 90's with insane movement, his splitter was great, and even his rarely used slider was unhittable. Some honorable mentions:

Clemens in 2000 WS against Mets
Mussina's near perfect game in Boston
About 10 different Pedro games

[SABR Matt]

Clemens in 2000 ALCS against the Mariners...that was incredibly depressing.

[RuthMayBond]

Clemens in 2000 ALCS against the Mariners...that was incredibly depressing.

If you want depressing, a "tired" Pedro brought in in relief against a team that got eight runs in the first three innings

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B10110CLE1999.htm