Seaver, Ryan combine for 26 Ks in sweep of Padres

Part of the INSIDE PITCH series

Written by: Craig Muder

By the end of their storied careers, Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver had totaled 9,354 strikeouts between them.

And on one day in 1971, the two Mets teammates showed off their talent together by striking out 26 of the 54 Padres they retired in a doubleheader sweep.

On May 29, 1971, Seaver and Ryan were the Mets’ starting pitchers in a twinbill against San Diego – a team that hit just .233 that season, scoring a National League-low 486 runs.

In the opener, Seaver allowed just seven hits and one run in nine innings, striking out 10 batters in New York’s 5-1 victory. The win improved Seaver’s record to 6-2 on the season – a year in which he would go 20-10 with a career-best 1.76 earned-run average and a career-high 289 strikeouts.

But the Mets’ pitchers were just getting started. In the nightcap, the San Diego fans were treated to a glimpse of the future when Nolan Ryan struck out 16 Padres in New York’s 2-1 victory. Ryan allowed only four hits and one unearned run while improving to 6-1 on the season.

For Ryan, 1971 was his final year with the Mets, and he went 10-14 while starting 26 games. He struck out 137 batters but walked 116 – and after the season was traded to the Angels.

With California, Ryan began assembling his Hall of Fame credentials en route to a record 5,714 career strikeouts in 27 seasons.

“He was the only guy that could put fear in me,” said future Hall of Fame teammate Reggie Jackson. “Not because he could get me out, but because he could kill me.