Charlie Morton Holds MLB Record for Most Winner-Take-All Games

Charlie Morton took the hill against the Oakland A's in the do-or-die AL Wild Card battle, and while he didn't have his cleanest outing, the veteran got the job done and led the Rays to a date with the Houston Astros, his former club, in the ALDS.

The 35-year-old right-hander lasted five innings, during which he allowed eight Athletics to reach base, but allowed just one run (which was unearned), and struck out four.

The performance was enough to earn Morton a victory, and the dub etched his name into MLB history. His three W's in win-or-go-home showdowns is the most of any pitcher in postseason history.

Morton won't get the acclaim that some of the best pitchers in the game do, probably because he isn't one of them (despite being the Rays ace), but its time we start recognizing and commending his dominance under the bright lights.

How many hurlers can say that they've personified their regular season prowess into the playoffs? Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw, two of the best pitchers of their generation, hold ERA's of 3.83 and 4.32 respectively in the postseason.

Those stats alone should tell you that it's not an easy task, but Morton seems to thrive on baseball's biggest stages, even when he doesn't have his best stuff.

Up next for Morton is a showdown against the Astros, a team where he recorded a 29-10 record with a 3.36 ERA across two seasons before departing for the Rays in free agency.