The greatest 10-plus-inning postseason gems

Thirty-one years ago, on Feb. 5, 1991, the Twins signed Jack Morris to a one-year contract. Morris finished that one year with one of the most iconic pitching performances in playoff history -- a 10-inning shutout in Game 7 of the World Series.

It's the type of gem that's all but disappeared from the game today. No pitcher has pitched more than nine innings in a postseason game in the 30 years since Morris' masterpiece.

Actually, there hasn't even been a nine-inning complete game in the playoffs since 2017, and there hasn't been a shutout since 2016. But when the great workhorses of previous generations pitched in the playoffs, they would keep the ball into the 10th inning … and beyond. Those aces produced some brilliant individual achievements on the mound. In Morris' honor, let's take a look back at some of the best.

Here are 10 of the greatest 10-plus-inning postseason pitching performances.

Jack Morris, Twins -- 1991 World Series Game 7
10 IP, 0 R, 7 H, 2 BB, 8 K (SHO)

In one of the greatest pitchers' duels ever, Morris carried the Twins to a World Series championship with a 10-inning shutout of the Braves in Game 7 at the Metrodome. He outdueled John Smoltz, who went 7 1/3 scoreless innings himself, and stayed on the mound until Gene Larkin lofted the series-winning walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th. Morris' masterpiece cemented his legacy as a postseason hero and paved his way to the Hall of Fame.

Dwight Gooden, Mets -- 1986 NLCS Game 5
10 IP, 1 R, 9 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Doc dueled Nolan Ryan at Shea Stadium in the pivotal Game 5 of a thrilling series between the Mets and Astros. Ryan, who was almost 40 years old, went nine innings, allowed only one run and struck out 12. But Gooden, just 21 and one of baseball's most electric aces, pitched 10 innings of one-run ball himself to keep the Mets in the game. His gem paid off in the bottom of the 12th, when Gary Carter knocked the walk-off single to give the Mets a 3-2 lead in the series.

Joe Niekro, Astros -- 1980 NLCS Game 3
10 IP, 0 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 2 K

The knuckleballer Niekro took on Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose and the Phillies in this game at the Astrodome in a best-of-five series where the final four games were decided in extra innings. Niekro, who was in the best stretch of his career (back-to-back top-five Cy Young finishes in 1979 and '80), preserved a scoreless game through 10 innings. He retired both Rose and Schmidt in his final frame, and the Astros finally won, 1-0, on Denny Walling's walk-off sac fly in the bottom of the 11th.

Ken Holtzman, A's -- 1973 ALCS Game 3
11 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 7 K (W)

Holtzman and Mike Cuellar took the mound in a tied series between two of the powerhouses of the time, the A's and Orioles. The two pitchers allowed only a run each as they matched each other into extra innings. Holtzman allowed only three hits in his 11 innings on the mound, and after he finished off the top of the 11th, Bert Campaneris hit a walk-off home run off Cuellar leading off the bottom of the inning. Cuellar, who pitched 10-plus innings of two-run, 11-strikeout baseball, took the loss. Holtzman and the A's went on to win the World Series.

Tom Seaver, Mets -- 1969 World Series Game 4
10 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 6 K (W)

Seaver led the Miracle Mets to a commanding lead over the favored Orioles with a terrific effort in Game 4 of the World Series at Shea Stadium. Though Baltimore managed to break up Seaver's shutout bid and tie the game at 1 in the ninth inning, the Mets ace pushed on into extras, escaping a jam in the top of the 10th with a strikeout of Paul Blair. The Mets scored the walk-off run in the bottom of the 10th to take a 3-1 lead in the series and clinched their first World Series championship the next day.

Dave McNally, Orioles -- 1969 ALCS Game 2
11 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 5 BB, 11 K (SHO)

McNally sent the O's toward a sweep of the Twins in the '69 ALCS, shutting down a Minnesota lineup led by Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew and Tony Oliva. McNally struck out each of them once in an 11-inning shutout at Memorial Stadium, with Oliva's leadoff single in the fourth the last hit he allowed. Baltimore won on Curt Motton's walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th.

Bob Gibson, Cardinals -- 1964 World Series Game 5
10 IP, 2 R (0 ER), 6 H, 2 BB, 13 K (W)

Gibson had more than one iconic playoff pitching performance. This was the first one. The Cardinals legend had lost his first start of the '64 Fall Classic to the Yankees, but he came back to dominate the Bronx Bombers in Game 5 and the winner-take-all Game 7 and win World Series MVP honors. In Game 5 at Yankee Stadium, Gibson could have had a shutout if Mickey Mantle -- who'd already struck out twice against Gibson -- hadn't reached on an error in the ninth. The Yankees tied the game on Tom Tresh's two-out homer, but Tim McCarver launched a go-ahead three-run homer for St. Louis in the top of the 10th and Gibson closed the door.

Clem Labine, Dodgers -- 1956 World Series Game 6
10 IP, 0 R, 7 H, 2 BB, 5 K (SHO)

The Dodgers were on the brink of elimination against the rival Yankees, down three games to two entering Game 6 at Ebbets Field after Don Larsen's historic perfect game in Game 5. But Labine kept Brooklyn alive with a gem of his own, shutting out a New York lineup anchored by Mantle and Yogi Berra. Jackie Robinson lined a walk-off single over Enos Slaughter's head in left field in the bottom of the 10th and the Dodgers forced Game 7.

Babe Ruth, Red Sox -- 1916 World Series Game 2
14 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 3 BB, 4 K (W)

The Babe's first great World Series performance came as a pitcher, not a hitter. Ruth turned in what is still the longest pitching outing in postseason history, a 14-inning complete game to beat the Brooklyn Robins. After allowing an inside-the-park home run to Hi Myers in the top of the first inning, Ruth pitched 13 straight scoreless frames, and the Robins didn't manage a single hit from the ninth inning on. The Red Sox won on Del Gainer's walk-off single in the bottom of the 14th, and Ruth's gem sent them on their way to the second of back-to-back World Series wins.

Christy Mathewson, Giants -- 1913 World Series Game 2
10 IP, 0 R, 8 H, 1 BB, 5 K (SHO)

Mathewson threw the first extra-inning shutout in postseason history during a clash of two titans of the early days of baseball: John McGraw's New York Giants and Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics. At Shibe Park, Mathewson silenced a lineup led by Eddie Collins, striking out Collins twice in the game. As the game went scoreless into the top of the 10th, Mathewson broke it open himself by hitting a go-ahead single. The Giants scored twice more and won, 3-0, after Mathewson retired two Hall of Famers, Collins and Home Run Baker, to end the game.