On May 6, 1998, at the tender age of 20, Kerry Wood etched his name into baseball immortality with a performance for the ages. Facing the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field, Wood delivered a pitching clinic that would go down in history as one of the most dominant outings ever witnessed on a major league mound. Let’s rewind the clock and relive the magic of Kerry Wood’s unforgettable 20-strikeout game, inning by inning.
From the outset, it was clear that Kerry Wood was dialed in and ready to make a statement. With a blazing fastball and a devastating curveball in his arsenal, Wood struck out the side in the first inning, sending a powerful message to the Astros hitters: this was going to be a long afternoon.
Wood continued to mow down Astros batters with ease, showcasing pinpoint control and overwhelming stuff. Wood quickly settled into a rhythm, retiring the first two batters via the strikeout. The crowd at Wrigley Field began to buzz with anticipation as they witnessed the young phenom in action.
As the game progressed, Wood only seemed to get stronger, mixing his pitches with precision and confidence. In the third inning, he gave up his first hit of the day, an infield single to Ricky Gutierrez. He used a combination of fastballs, curves, and sliders to keep Astros hitters off balance. The third was a bit touchy for Wood as Gutierrez made it to 3rd on a sac bunt and balk. But he was able to get Craig Biggio to ground out to short to end the threat.
By the fourth inning, Kerry Wood was in complete control, overpowering Astros batters with his electric stuff. Wood got Derek Bell to flyout to right and proceeded to strike out the next two hitters, bringing his total to 8 strikeouts through four innings. The Cubs faithful erupted in applause, sensing that history was within reach.
As the game entered the middle innings, Kerry Wood’s dominance only intensified. With every pitch, he seemed to be inching closer to the record, painting the corners with precision and unleashing unhittable breaking balls. In the fifth inning, Wood struck out the side, bringing his total to an impressive 11 strikeouts through five frames. With each strikeout, the excitement in the ballpark grew palpable, as fans realized they were witnessing something truly special.
In the sixth, Kerry Wood struck out one, but got a little wild, plunking Biggio. The tension in the ballpark reached a fever pitch as fans held their breath with each pitch.
As the game entered the late innings, Kerry Wood’s pursuit of history took center stage. With the Cubs clinging to a slim 1-0 lead, Wood continued to attack Astros hitters with ferocity, striking out the side once again in the seventh inning to bring his total to an astonishing 15 strikeouts. The crowd at Wrigley Field erupted in a thunderous ovation, fully aware that they were witnessing a performance for the ages.
Kerry Wood remained locked in, determined to finish what he had started. In the eighth inning, he started off with a seven pitch at-bat against Dave Clark. Clark had worked a 3-1 count but Wood got him to fould off two pitches to bring the count to 3-2. On the next pitch, Wood shut Clark down. He didn’t stop there, he struck out the side to bring his total to 18 Ks.
With the finish line in sight, needing only two more strikeouts to tie Roger Clemens’ single-game record of 20 strikeouts. The crowd was in a frenzy. In the ninth inning, Wood started it by striking out Bill Spiers. Next, Biggio grounded out to shortstop Jeff Blauser. With two outs, and only one more for the record, Wood delivered the coup de grâce, striking out Derek Bell for the final out to complete his masterpiece and etch his name into the record books.
Kerry Wood’s 20-strikeout game on May 6, 1998, stands as a testament to the power and precision of one of baseball’s most dominant pitchers. With an electrifying mix of fastballs, curves, and sliders, Wood delivered a performance for the ages, captivating fans and etching his name into baseball lore. As Cubs fans look back on that magical night at Wrigley Field, they remember not just a game, but a moment of brilliance that will live on in their hearts forever.
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