Cade Smith of Vancouver, British Columbia made Canadian baseball history on Saturday by becoming the eighth Canadian pitcher all-time to win a postseason game. He accomplished the feat in a 7-0 Guardians win over the Detroit Tigers in game one of the 2024 American League Divisional Series.
Smith pitched an inning and a third of spectacular baseball. He struck out all four batters he faced. Smith struck out Tigers designated hitter Kerry Carpenter, right fielder Matt Vierling, left fielder Riley Greene and second baseman Colt Keith. Of the 18 pitches he threw on Saturday, 15 were strikes.
The other seven Canadian pitchers to win a postseason game are John Axford of Simcoe, Ontario; Jeff Francis of Vancouver, British Columbia; Rich Harden of Victoria, British Columbia; John Hiller of Toronto, Ontario; Nick Pivetta of Victoria; Paul Quantrill of London, Ontario, and Ron Taylor of Toronto. Francis is the only Canadian pitcher to have won two postseason games.
Axford got the win for the Milwaukee Brewers in game five of the 2011 National League Divisional Series. He gave up one earned run and three hits to go along with two strikeouts in two innings as the Brewers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2.
Francis won both of his games in the 2007 postseason for the Colorado Rockies. He gave up two earned runs in six innings in game one of the 2007 National League Divisional Series. Francis had eight strikeouts and gave up two walks and four hits as the Rockies beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2. He also gave up one earned run in 6 2/3 innings in game one of the 2007 National League Championship Series. Francis had four strikeouts, and gave up one walk and seven hits as the Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1.
Harden got the win for the Oakland Athletics in game one of the 2003 American League Divisional Series. He gave up two walks and had one strikeout in one inning in a 5-4 Athletics win over the Boston Red Sox.
Hiller got the win for the Detroit Tigers in game four of the 1972 American League Championship Series. He gave up one hit in a third of an inning in a 4-3 Tigers win over the Oakland Athletics.
Pivetta got the win for the Boston Red Sox in game three of the 2021 American League Divisional Series. He gave up zero earned runs, three hits and one walk in four innings in a 6-4 Red Sox win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Quantrill got the win for the New York Yankees in game six of the 2004 American League Divisional Series. He pitched a third of an inning in a 7-6 Yankees win over the Minnesota Twins.
Taylor got the win for the New York Mets in game two of the 1969 National League Championship Series. He pitched one inning and a third and gave up one hit and had two strikeouts in an 11-6 Mets win over the Atlanta Braves.
