Any time you can reference Smoky Joe Wood, you know a pitcher has done something for the first time in a long time.
Smoky Joe, for the last 113 years, has held the record for strikeouts in a World Series game by a pitcher 22 or younger.
He has company.
Toronto Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage matched that when he struck out Will Smith in the sixth inning of World Series Game 5 on Wednesday night, according to the Fox broadcast.
Smoky Joe Wood had 11 strikeouts on Oct. 8, 1912, pitching for the Boston Red Sox against the New York Giants. That was a complete game, nine-inning outing for Wood.
Smoky Joe went on to pitch Game 4, Game 7, and the non-existent-now Game 8. He got wins in three of his four outings.
Yesavage got himself to 11 strikeouts in just six innings on Wednesday night.
And in the seventh inning, Yesavage got his 12th K to break it.
MORE: Vladdy’s daughter left the cutest phone message for her dad
It’s been a remarkable rise.
Yesavage began the year at Single-A Dunedin.
From there, it was High-A Vancouver, then Double-A New Hampshire, then Triple-A Buffalo.
Yesavage made just three MLB regular season starts before the postseason got here.
He has now made five playoff starts.
It’s all kinds of history every time Yesavage throws given that sequence, and the 22-year old strikeout record for the World Series is just the latest one he’s got.
More World Series news:
