Archives for October 2023

With the Rangers and Diamondbacks opening the 2023 World Series this evening, Baseball Roundtable will present its traditional post on World Series Target to shoot for (or to avoid).  I’ve worked to incorporate Negro League World Series records ( 1924-27, 1942-48) whenever possible (relying heavily on retrosheet.org).  You should keep in mind, those records are still  incomplete or, in some cases, not thoroughly documented. Note:  For a past post on World Series that Baseball Roundtable is partcuarly fond of, click here. 

Albert Pujols – Possibly the Best World Series Game at the Plate … Ever

Photo by Dirk DBQ

On October 22, 2011 – in Game Three of the Cardinals/Rangers World Series matchup – Redbirds’ 1B Albert Pujols went five-for-six with four runs scored and six RBI.  In the process, he established a new (and still-standing record for total bases in a World Series game (14) and also earned, and still holds, a share of the World Series’ single-game records for hits (5), runs scored (4), RBI (6) and home runs (3). Ironically, in the other six games, he went one-for-nineteen, with six walks, four runs scored and no RBI.

Now, let’s look at the Fall Classic record book.

SOME SINGLE-GAME WORLD SERIES MARKS TO SHOOT FOR (or avoid)

Home Runs in a World Series Game – Three

Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Albert Pujols, Pablo Sandoval

Babe Ruth … While three players have hit three home runs in a World Series game, the Yankees’ Babe Ruth is the only player to accomplish the feat twice – October 6, 1926 and October 9, 1928. In Game Four of the 1926 Series, as the Yankees topped the Cardinals 10-5, Ruth went three-for-four, with three home runs, two walks, four runs scored, four RBI and, of course, three dingers. The long-ball victims were Redbirds’ starter Flint Rhem (twice) and reliever Herman Bell. In Game Four of the 1928 World Series (a Yankees’ sweep over the Cardinals), Ruth went three-for-five with three solo home runs – two off Bill Sherdel and one off Grover Cleveland “Pete” Alexander.

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Reggie Jackson … The Yankees’ Reggie Jackson’s feat was unique in that he hit his three long balls (October 18, 1977) off three consecutive pitches offered up by three different pitchers. After drawing a walk to lead off the bottom of the second inning of Game Six (versus Dodgers’ starter Burt Hooton), Jackson hit the first pitch he saw from Hooton in the fourth inning for a two-run home run. He came up again in the fifth, facing Elias Sosa, and hit the first pitch in that at bat for another two-run homer. In his next at bat, leading off the eighth frame, Jackson hit the first pitch from Charlie Hough for a solo home run. A three-for-three day with four runs scored and five RBI.

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Albert Pujols … Albert Pujols hit his three home runs in Game Three of the 2011 World Series (versus the Rangers) in Texas – as part of a five-for-six day. He hit a three-run homer on a 1-1 pitch from Alexi Ogando in the top of the sixth; a two-run shot on the first pitch he saw from Mike Gonzalez in the seventh; and a solo shot homer a 2-2 pitch from Darren Oliver in the ninth. Those six RBI – which tie for the World Series single-game record – were the only runs driven in by Pujols in the seven-game Series – won by the Redbirds four games-to-three.

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Pablo Sandoval … In Game One of the 2012 World Series (October 24), the Giants’ Pablo Sandoval  went four-for-four, with three home runs, three runs scored and four RBI. He homered in the first and third innings off the Tigers’ Justin Verlander and in the fifth off Al Alburquerque before adding a single off Jose Valverde in the seventh – as the Giants triumphed 8-3.

Pablo Sandoval hit just 12 home runs in 108 games during the 2012 season and only 153 in 14 MLB seasons. In the 2012 post-season, however, he hit six home runs in 18 games.

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Home Runs in a Single World Series – Five

Reggie Jackson, Chase Utley, George Springer

Reggie Jackson … As noted above, Yankee RF Reggie Jackson had a three-home run game  in the sixth and final matchup of the 1977 World Series.  The Yankees won the game 8-4 and the Series four games-to- two. Jackson also went deep in the Yankees’ Game Four 4-2 win over the Dodgers (a solo shot off Rick Rhoden) and in  the Yankees’ 10-4 loss in Game Five (a solo homer off Don Sutton).   Over the final three games of the Series, Jackson went   seven-for-eleven, with a double, five home runs, eight runs scores and eight RBI.

Chase Utley … Utley’s Phillies lost the 2009 World Series (four games-to-two), but it wasn’t Utley’s fault, The Philly 2B led all players with five homers and tied the Yankees’ Hideki Matsui for the Series RBI lead with eight. He hit two solo homers in the Phillies’ Game One 6-1 win, had a home run and a double in a 7-4 Game Four loss; and had a second two-homer Game as the Phillies took Game Five 8-6. (Utley drove in four of the eight runs).

George Springer … Astros’ CF and leadoff hitter George Springer hit .379, with five home run and seven RBI as the Astros topped the Dodgers four games-to-three in the 2017 World Series. This was after a Game One in which he  came to the plate four times and fanned four times (on a total of 19 pitches). He went on to homer in Games Two, Four, Five, Six and Seven.

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Base Hits in a World Series Game – Five

Paul Molitor, Albert Pujols

Paul Molitor … Brewers’ third baseman and leadoff hitter Paul Molitor – who hit .302 with 201 hits in the 1982 regular season – grounded out to second base leading off the 1982 World Series (Inning One, Game One, in St. Louis on October 12). It would be the only time he was retired in the game, as the Brewers triumphed 10-0. Molitor followed with a single in the second inning; an RBI-single in the fourth; a single in the sixth; a single in the eighth; and an RBI single in the ninth.

Taking It One Base at a Time

When the Brewers’ Paul Molitor hit .355 (11-for-31) in the 1982 World Series, every one his safeties was a single. The Brew Crew  lost the Series to the Cardinals four games-to-three.

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Albert Pujols … Cardinals’ first baseman Albert Pujols had his five-hit World-Series contest in Game Three (October 22) of the 2011 Series (in Texas). Like Molitor (above), Pujols grounded out in his first at bat – and then went on to record five straight hits. Unlike Molitor, his safeties were not all singles. He led off the fourth inning with a single (off Matt Harrison); led off the fifth with a single off Scott Feldman; popped a three-run home run off Alexi Ogando in the sixth; homered off Mike Gonzalez in the seventh; and homered off Darren Oliver (solo) in the ninth.  The Cardinals won the contest 16-7 and won the Series four game-to-three.

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Base Hits in a Single World Series – Fifteen

Judy Johnson

Judy Johnson … The Hilldale Club’s 3B Judy Johnson rapped 15 hits in 44 at bats in the best-of-nine 1924 Negro Leagues World Series. (The Hilldale Club topped the Kansas City Monarchs five games -to-four (with one tie).  Johnson hit .341 for the Series with  five doubles, one triple, one home run and seven runs scored.

Side Note:  The record for base hits in a best-of-seven World Series is 13, shard by Bobby Richardson, Yankees (1964); Lou Brock, Cardinals (1968); and Marty Barret , Red sox, 1986). 

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Runs Batted in a World Series Game – Six

Bobby Richardson, Hideki Matsui, Albert Pujols, Addison Russell

Bobby Richardson … In Game Three of the 1960 World Series (October 8), the Yankee trounced the Pirates 10-0. Despite a lineup that included the big bats of Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, Bill Skowron and Elston Howard, little  5’9” second baseman Bobby Richardson  (a .252 hitter with just one home run and 26 RBI in 150 1960 regular-season games) did the most damage to the Pirates’ pitching staff.  His day included a Grand Slam home run in the first frame and a tw0-run single in the fourth (part of a two-for-five day). Richardson’s six RBI set a new MLB single-game World Series RBI record (since tied). How unlikely was the Richardson Grand Slam? In 12 MLB seasons (1,412 regular-season games), he had  just 34 home runs and one regular-season Grand Slam. Despite the Yankees losing the Series four games-to-three, Richardson, who drove in a World Series’ record 12 RBI in the seven games, was named the Series MVP – the only player from the l0sing team ever granted that honor.

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Hideki Matsui … In the final game of the 2009 World Series (Game Six on November 4), Yankee DH Hideki Matsui filled the DH role well – driving in six runs in the Yankees’ 7-3 win over the Phillies. His three-for-four day included a two-run home run (off Pedro Martinez) in the second inning; a two-run single off Martinez in the third; and a two-run double off J.A. Happ in the fifth. Matsui had quite a series, leading the Bronx Bombers in average (.615); home runs (3); and RBI (8) – and winning World Series MVP Honors. Matsui was coming off a .274-28-90 regular season.

Put Me In, Coach

In Hideki Matsui’s first  three seasons with the Yankees (2003-05), he played in every Yankee Game – going .297-70-330. Matsui joined the Yankees (and MLB) after playing ten seasons in Japan, where he hit .304-332-889.

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Albert Pujols … Yep, Albert Pujols is here again – thanks to his three-home run, six-RBI game in the 2011 World Series (Game Three, October 22). As noted earlier, in that 16-7 win, Pujols set the World Series single-game record for total bases and tied the World Series single-game records for hits (5), home runs (3), RBI (6) and runs scored (4).

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Addison Russell … The Cubs faced elimination for the second game in a row as they came into Game Six of the 2016 World  Series. (The opposing  Indians had won three of the first four games.) Cubs’ SS Addison Russell lashed a two-run double in the top of the first to put the Cubbies ahead 3-0 and, two innings later, smacked a Grand Slam to push the edge to 7-0. The Cubs eventually won 9-3 and ended  up taking the Series four games-to-three, with a ten-inning, 8-7 win in Game Seven. Russell hit just .222 for the Series, but drove in a Series-leading nine runs. Over a five-season MLB career, Russell hit .242-60-253 in 615 games. 2016 was his only All Star year and he reached career highs in runs (67), home runs (21) and RBI (95).

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RBI in a Single World Series – 12

Bobby Richardson … Yankees’ 2B Bobby Richardson drove in a record 12 runs (.367-1-12 for the Series), as the Yankees lost to the underdog Pittsburgh Pirates four games -to- three.

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Runs Scored in a World Series Game – Four

Babe Ruth, Earle Combs, Frankie Crosetti, Enos Slaughter, Reggie Jackson, Kirby Puckett, Carney Lansford, Lenny Dykstra, Jeff Kent, Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman

This is a mark, I ‘d like to see broken, if only to end an 11-player tie.

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Runs Scored in a Single World Series – Ten

Monte Irvin, Reggie Jackson, Paul Molitor

Monte Irvin … Newark Eagles’ SS Monte Irvin scored ten runs as his Newark Eagles topped the Kansas City Monarchs four games-to-three in the 1946 Negro League World Series. Irvin was pretty much unstoppable in the Series, going 12-for-26 (.462), with two, doubles, three homers, the ten runs scored and eight RBI.  Oh, and he also stole two bases.

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Reggie Jackson … Yankees’ RF Reggie Jackson Jackson  went .450-5-8 with ten runs scored as the Yankees bested the Dodgers four games-to-three in the 1944 World Series. Six of Jackson’s nine hits went for extra baes (five homers, one double).

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Paul Molitor … Blue Jays’ DH/1B Paul Molitor went 11-for-24 (.458) in the 1993 Worlds Series, won by the Blue Jays over the Phillies four games-to-two.    Molitor had one double, two triples, two homers and seven RBI in the six games.

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Stolen Bases in a World Series Game – Three

Honus Wagner, Willie Davis, Lou Brock, B.J. Upton, Rajai Davis

Lou Brock … Lets’ just note here, that Lou Brock remains the only player to steal three bases in a World Series game twice in his career. The fleet Cardinals’ outfielder accomplished the feat against the Red Sox in Game Seven of the 1967 World Series (October 12) and in Game Three of the 1968 World Series (October 5) against the Tigers.

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Stolen Bases in a Single World  Series – Seven

Lou Brock

Lou Brock … Lou Brock, who stole 938 bases in his career (regular-season), is not just the only player to steal seven bases in a single World Series, he did it twice. In 1967, as his Cardinals lost to the Red Sox 4-3, and in 1968, as St, Louis topped the Tigers 4-3. Brock was seven-for-seven in steal attempts in 1967 and seven-for-nine in 1968. Notably, in those two World Series, Brock hit .414 (1967) and .464 (1968).

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Intentional Walks in  World Series Game – Three

Rudy York, Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, David Ortiz

Rudy York, Red Sox … October 11, 1946 –  Game Five of the Red Sox/Cardinals World Series.

Barry Bonds, Giants …   On October 23, 2002 – Game Four of the Angels/Giants World Series.

Albert Pujols, Cardinals … On October 24, 2011 – in Game Five of the Cardinals/Rangers World Series.

David Ortiz, Red Sox … On October 30, in Game Six of the Cardinals/Red Sox World Series.

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Grounded into Double Plays in a World Series Game – Three

Willie Mays

Willie Mays … On October 8, 1951 – in Game Four of the Yankees/Giants World Series – Giants’ rookie CF Willie Mays came to bat four times and not only was held hitless, but grounded into a Series single-game record three double plays.

Baseball Roundtable Extra – Whiff and Poof

While 17 players have fanned four times in a World Series Game – including position players Josh Devore, Mickey Mantle, Joe Collins, Wayne Garrett, Devon White, Brad Hawpe, Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell Mike Napoli, George Springer and Cody Bellinger:

• Only pitcher George Pipgras has fanned five times in a World Series Game. The Yankee righthander did it in Game Three of the 1932 Cubs/Yankees World Series – whiffing in all five of his plate appearances. Pipgras, a career .163 hitter, did get the win in a 7-5 Yankee triumph.
• Only Cody Bellinger has fanned four times in a World Series Game twice – and he did it in a span of five days. The Dodgers’ rookie 1B did it in Game Three of the 2017 Dodger/Astros World Series (October 27) – fanning four times in four at bats on fourteen pitches. He repeated the “feat” in Game Six (October 31) fanning four times in four plate appearances – this time on 24 pitches. Seager was coming off an All Star season in which he hit .2667-39-97. (In the 2017 World Series Bellinger struck out a World Series record 17 times (in 29 plate appearances.)

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Doubles in a World Series Game – Four

Frank Isbell

Frank Isbell … In Game Five of the 1906 World Series (Cubs/White Sox), White Sox’ 2B Frank Isbell went four-for-five, rapping four doubles, as the White Sox topped the Cubs 8-6. Isbell scored three times and drove in two.  Isbell was not exactly a doubles machine.  In the 1906 regular season he hit just 18 doubles in 617 plate appearances.

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Doubles in a Single World Series – Seven

Newt Allen

Newt Allen … Kansas City Monarchs’ 2B Newt Allen rapped seven doubles in the best-of-nine  1924 Negro League World Series, as his Monarchs topped the Hilldale Club five games-to- our (one tie). Allen collected 11 hits (39 at bats) in the Series and seven of them were doubles.  During the 1924 regular season, Allen hit just eight doubles in 73 games (298 at bats).

Side Note:  The most doubles in a best-of seven World Series is six, by Tigers’ RF Pete Fox in the 1934 World Series. For the Series (Cardinals over Tigers four games-to-three), Fox went 8-for-28 (.286). 

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Triples in a World Series Game – Two

Tommy Leach, Patsy Dougherty, Dutch Reuther, Bobby Richardson, Tommy Davis, Mark Lemke

Tommy Leach, Pirates … Game One 1903 World Series (Pirates/Boston Americans). Notably, both three-baggers were hit off Cy Young.  Part of a four-for-five day.

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Patsy Dougherty, Boston Americans … Game Five 1903 World Series, part of a three-for-six, three-RBI day.

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Dutch Reuther, Reds … Game One, 1919 World Series (Reds/White Sox). Reuther gets special mention as the only pitcher on the list. He collected two triples, a single and a walk in four plate appearances – and also pitched a one-run, six-hit, complete game as his Reds triumphed 9-1. Reuther was a solid-hitting pitcher, putting up a .258 average, with seven home runs and 111 RBI over 11 MLB seasons.

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Bobby Richardson, Yankees … Game Six 1960 World Series (Pirates/Yankees). The Yankee second-sacker went two-for-three with one run and three RBI in the game.

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Tommy Davis, Dodgers – Game Two, 1963 World Series (Dodgers/Yankees). The Dodgers’  CF went two-for-four, with one run and two RBI.

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Mark Lemke, Braves … Game Six, 1991 World Series (Braves/Twins). A two-for-three day with two runs and three RBI for the Braves’ 2B.

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Triples in a Single World Series – Four

Tommy Leach

Tommy Leach … Pirates’ 3B Tommy Leach had four triples among his nine hits (in 33 at bats) in the 1903 best-of-nine World Series, won by the Boston Americans five games-to-three.

Now Let switch to the moundsmen

Perfect Games in the World Series – One

Don Larsen

Don Larsen, Yankees …. Game 6 1960 World Series (October 8). Don Larsen, coming off a 11-5, 2.36 season, pitched the World Series’ only Perfect Game – retiring all 27 Dodger batters on a total of 97 pitchers as the Yankees won 2-0. Larsen, who fanned seven, reached ball three on only one Dodger hitter (Dodgers’ shortstop Pee Wee Reese in the first inning). Dodgers’ pitcher Sal Maglie had the longest at bat versus Larsen – a seven-pitch at bat before fanning on a 2-2 pitch to end the sixth inning.

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No-Hitter (not a Perfect Game) in a World Series – One

Red Grier

Red Grier … Claude “Red”  Grier of the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants (Eastern Colored League) tossed a no-hitter versus the Chicago American Giants (Negro National League) in a 10-0 win in Game Three of the 1926 Negro League World Series. Grier walked six and fanned eight in the outing – and also collected three hits (a double and two singles) and a walk.

No-Hitter (Not a shutout) in a World Series – One

Red Farrell

Red Farrell …. Luther “Red’ Farrell of the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants tossed a seven-inning (game called on account of darkness) in Game Four of the 1927 Negro League World Series -as Atlantic City topped the Chicago American Giants 3-2.  Luther gave up two unearned run, walked five and fanned three.  (Atlantic City made four errors.)

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Special Mention  – Extra-Inning, Single-Pitcher Shutouts &  Multiple Shutouts in a Single World Series 

There have been dozens of single-pitcher shutouts in World Series play, so let’s just look at the two categories listed above.

Johnny Markham Homestead Grays … In Game Seven of the 1943 Negro League World Series (the Series went eight games – one tie), Markham threw an eight-hit, 11-inning shutout (one walk and zero – yes, zero – strikeouts), as his Homestead Grays topped the Birmingham Black Barons 1-0. His mound opponent, Roy Partlow gave up ten hits (two walks/two whiffs) and one run in 10 2/3 innings.  Markham’s is the longest single-pitcher shutout in World Series history.

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.Christy Mathewson, Giants … In Game Two of the 1913 World Series (Giants/Athletics), Christy Mathewson pitched a ten-inning, eight-hit, one-walk, five-strikeout shutout as his Giants won 3-0.  Mathewson himself drove in the game’s first run with a single off Athletics’ starter Eddie Plank. (The Giants scored three times in the top of the tenth.)

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Clem Labine, Dodgers … In Game Five of the 1956 World Series (Dodgers/Yankees), Clem Labine went ten innings and shutout the Yankees on four hits, two walks and five strikeouts. Bob Turley went the distance for the Yankees, giving up just one run on four hits, with eight walks and 11 whiffs.  Jackie Robinson drove in the only run of the game plating Jim Gilliam with a single with two outs in the bottom of the tenth.

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Jack Morris, Twins …  Jack Morris tossed a ten-inning, complete-game shutout as the Twins won Game Seven of the 1991 Series 1-0. Ironman Morris tossed 126 pitches in shutting out the Braves on seven hits, with two walks and eight whiffs.

A few tidbits for trivia buffs:

• Christy Mathewson threw his three shutouts in span of just six days.
• Lew Burette, at one point in the 1957 World Series, threw 24 straight scoreless innings versus a powerful (and favored) Yankee squad.
• Sandy Koufax threw his second 1965 World Series shutouts on just two days rest.
• In 1943, Johnny Wright led the Negro National League II in wins, earned run average, appearances, starts, complete games, innings pitched and strikeouts.
• In the 1960 World Series, the Pirates scored zero runs in Whitey Ford‘s two starts and 27 runs in the other five games.  The Yankees scored 22 runs in Ford’s two starts and 33 runs in the other five games.
• Bill Dineen started four games in the best-of-nine 1903 World Series (which went eight games), completed them all and went and went 3-1, 2.06.  The Pirates’ Deacon Phillippe pitched a World Series record five complete games in the Series, going 3-2, 3.07.

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Lowest Earned Run Average – Single World Series (minimum 18 innings pitched)  – 0.00

Christy Mathewson, Waite H0yte, Carl Hubbell, Whitey Ford

Christy Mathewson … In the 1905 World Series, Giants’ righty Christy Mathewson put up a 0.00 earned run average over 27 innings . In fact, he threw three shutouts in six days.  In Game One,  on October 9, he shutout the Athletics on four hits in a 3-0 win, walking none and fanning six.  On October 12, he tossed another four-hitter (one walk, eight whiffs), as the Giants prevailed 9-0. Then, on October 14, he tossed a five-hit shutout (no walks, four whiffs), as the Giants closed out the Series with a 2-0 win.  So, three starts, 27 innings pitched, no runs, 13 hits, one walk and 18 whiffs.  (Keep in mind, in 1905, MLB pitchers average just 3.9 strikeouts per nine frames.  That season, by the way, Mathewson went 31-9, 1.28 with 32 complete games and eight shutouts in 43 appearances (37 starts).

Christy Mathewson is the only pitcher to throw three shutout in a single World Series. 

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Waite Hoyte … In 1921, 21-year-old Waite Hoyt  (after a 19-13, 3.09 season for the Yankees) was pegged to start Game Two of the World Series (on October 6 versus the rival Giants). Hoyte responded with a two-hit shutout (five walks and five strikeouts) in a 3-0 Yankee win.  Four days later (October 10), with the Series tied at two games apiece), he started again and threw a gutsy 10-hitter giving  up just one unearned run as the Yankees won 3-1. In that game, the Giants had runners on base in seven of the nine innings. Hoyle next pitched on October 13 – in the winner-take-all Game Seven and, despite giving up just one unearned run, took the loss in a 1-0 Giants win. In that one, Hoyte gave up six hits and four walks, while fanning seven. The only run scored in the top of the first inning, on an error by shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh.

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Carl Hubbell … Hubbell started two games for  the Giants, as they topped the Nationals in the 1933 World Series.  He put up a 0.00 ERA over 20 innings.  his efforts included  a a complete game in a Giants’ 5-2 win in Game One (two unearned runs, five hits, two walks, ten strikeouts) and an 11-inning complete game in Game Four – one unearned run, eight hits, four walks, five strikeouts.

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Whitey Ford …  In the 1960 World Series (won by the Pirates over the Yankees in seven games), Whitey Ford pitched in two of the most lopsided shutouts in Series’ history, In Game Three, Ford pitched a four-hit (one walk/three strikeouts) shutout as New York prevailed 10-0. In Game Six, he again blanked the Pirates (seven hits, one walk, five whiffs), as the Yankees won 12-0. I

In the 1960 World Series, the Yankees outhit the Pirates .338 to .256, outhomered them 10-4 4, and outscored them 55-27. The Pirate , however, won the Series four games to three. 

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Most Innings pitched in a World Series Game -14

Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth … Babe Ruth pitched 14 innings for the Red Sox in a World Series complete-game, six-hit, 2-1 win ( over the Brooklyn Robins) on October 9, 1916. Ruth gave up just six hits (three walks/four strikeouts) over the 14 frames. He also picked up an RBI on a third-inning ground out.

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The Deacon Phillippe Standard Setter

In the 1903 World Series (best-of-nine between the Boston Americans and Pittsburgh Pirates), the Pirates Deacon Phillippe set a host of Word Series records – most games started (5), most complete games (5), most innings pitched (44). (The Series went eight games.)

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Most Strikeouts in a World Series Game – 17

Bob Gibson

Bob Gibson … In the Opening Game of the 1968 World Series (October 8), the Cardinals’ Bob Gibson (facing the Tigers) struck out a World Series’ single-game record 17 hitters – getting each of the nine players in the Tigers’ starting lineup at least once. Gibson threw a five-hit shutout, as St. Louis won 4-0.

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Most Strikeouts in a Single World Series

Bob Gibson

Bob Gibson ... As you might expect, Gibson holds the record for strikeouts in a single World Series (35 in 27 innings pitched in 1968). Gibson also holds the second spot on this list with 31 strikeouts in the 1964 Series (27 innings pitched) and is tied for the number-five spot  with 26 strikeouts in the 1967 World Series. At number-two is the Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax, with 29 strikeouts in 24 innings in 1965. Number three is the Boston Americans’ Bill Dineen, with 28 strikeouts in 35 innings in 1903.  Tied with Gibson for the five spot are the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants’ Claude “Red” Grier (26 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings in the 1926 Negro league World Series) and the Diamondbacks’  Curt Schilling (26 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings in 200).

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Batters Hit-by-Pitch in a World Series Game   – Four

Lance McCullers Jr.

Lance McCullers, Jr.  … in Game Seven of the 2017 World Series (November 1), Lance McCullers of the Astros plunked four Dodgers in 2 1/3 innings. Surprisingly, despite giving up three hits and hitting four batters in 2 1/3 innings, McCullers did not surrender a run.

It went like this:

• Bottom of the first – Astros up 2-0. Dodgers’ CF Chris Taylor opens with a double; McCullers fans SS Corey Seager on a 3-2 pitch; 3B Justin Turner is hit by a 1-2 pitch; 1B Cody Bellinger fans on a 1-2 pitch; RF Yasiel Puig is hit by a 3-1 pitch loading the bases. LF Joc Pederson grounds out on an 0-2 pitch to end the inning.
• Second Inning – 2B Logan Forsythe leads off with a single to left (on a 1-0 pitch); C Austin Barnes grounds out, Forsythe moving to second; PH Enrique Hernandez is it by a 3-1 pitch; Taylor lines into a double play.
• Third Inning – Seager singles to center on a 1-2 pitch; Turner is hit by an 0-0 pitch; Bellinger strikes out on a 2-2 pitch. Brad Peacock relieves McCullers and retries Puig and Pederson with no damage., The Astros go on to win the Game 5-1 and the Series four games-to-three.

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Strikeouts by A Reliever in a  World Series Game  – 11

Moe Drabowsky

Moe Drabowsky … In the Opening Game of the 1966 World Series (October 5) between the Orioles and Dodgers, Drabowsky came on in the bottom of the third inning with the Orioles up 4-1.  The Dodgers, however, had the bases loaded with one out (starter Dave McNally had walked RF Lou Johnson, LF Tommy Davis and 2B Jim Lefebvre in succession. Drabowsky got 1B Wes Parker on a strikeout; walked 2B Jim Gilliam to force in a run; and retired got C Johnny Roseboro on a foul pop up.

Drabowsky went on to fan the side in order in the fourth and fifth innings. Ultimately, he finished the game, pitching 6 2/3 frames – giving  up one hit and two walks and fanning 11, as the Orioles won 5-2. Those two runs would be the Dodgers only tallies in the four-game Series.  They lost the final three games by scores of 6-0, 1-0 and 1-0.

The Baltimore Orioles used only four pitchers Dave McNally, Wally Bunker, Jim Palmer and Moe Drabowsky in winning the 1966 World Series four games-to-one over the Dodgers.  

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The record for pitching appearances in a single World Series in seven, shared by Darold Knowledge (1973 A’s) – with seven appearances, 6 1/3 innings, two saves and a o.oo ERA) and Brandon Morrow (2017 Dodgers), five 1/3 innings pitched, and an 8.44 ERA. 

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Most Hits Allowed in a World Series Game – 16

Ray Brown

Ray Brown – The Homestead Grays’ Ray Brown  threw a complete-game  in the 1942 Negro League World Series Game Three matchup with the Kansas City Monarchs.  The Monarch won the contest 9-6, with Brown giving up a Series-record 16 hits.

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Most Home Runs Allowed in a World Series Game – 4

Charlie Root, Gene Thompson, Dick Hughes

Charlie Root, Cubs  … In Game Three of the 1932 Yankees/Cubs World Series, Cubs’ starter Charlie Root lasted just 4 1/3 innings (five hits, six runs).  Among the five hits were two home runs apiece by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The Yankees won the game 7-5, with Ruth and Gehrig driving in six runs.

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Gene Thompson, Reds  …  In Game Three of the 1937 Yankees/Reds World Series (October 7), Reds ‘starter Gene Thompson lasted 4 2/3 innings (five hits, four walks, seven runs). The five hits  included home runs by RF Charlie Keller (2); CF Joe DiMaggio; and C Bill Dickey. The Yankees won the contest 7-3.

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Dick Hughes, Cardinals … In Game Six of the 1967 Cardinals/Red Sox World Series ( October 11), Cardinals’ starter Dick Hughes lasted just 3 2/3 innings (five hits, four runs) giving up home runs to SS Rico Petrocelli (2); LF Carl Yastrzemski and CF Reggie Smith. The Red Sox prevailed 8-4.

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Most Walks Allowed in a Word Series Game – Ten

Bill Bevens

Bill Bevens … On October 3, 1947, the Yankees’ Bill Bevens gave up just one hit (8 2/3 innings) in a 3-2 World Series loss to the Dodgers. Bevens, unfortunately, walked a World Series single-game record ten batters (one intentional), and free passes contributed to all the scoring.

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Most Runs Given Up in a World Series Game  – Ten

Brickyard Kennedy

Bill “Brickyard” Kennedy … Bill Kennedy gave up a World Series single-game record ten runs on October 7, 1903, as his Pirates lost to the Boston Americans (AL) 11-2. Kennedy was matched up in a scoreless duel with Cy Young through five innings, before giving up six runs – all unearned – on three hits and three errors in the sixth and another four runs (all earned) in the seventh.

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Earned Runs Given Up – Eight

Grover Cleveland (Pete) Alexander, Ray Brown, Cotton Williams, Jay Witasick

Grover Cleveland Alexander … On October 5, 1928, Grover Cleveland  (Pete) Alexander (16-9, 3.36 in the regular season) lasted only 2 1/3 innings against the Yankees – giving up eight runs on six hits (one home run) and four walks, in a game the Yankees won 9-3. The 41-year-old Alexander, with 364 regular-season wins under his belt, pitched just five innings in the Series (a Yankee sweep), giving up 11 runs.

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Ray Brown … A little repetition here. The Homestead Grays’ Ray Brown  threw a complete-game  in the 1942 Negro League World Series Game Three matchup with the Kansas City Monarchs.  The Monarch won the contest 9-6, with Brown giving up a Series-record 16 hits, a total of nine runs of which eight were earned tying another Series record.

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Cotton Williams … In Game Three of the 1946 Negro League World Series (Newark Eagles versus Kansas City Monarchs), the Eagles’ Cotton Williams came on in relief to open the fifth inning (with the Eagles trailing 6-2.  Over the next 3 2/3 innings, he gave up 11 hits and nine runs – including a Series record-tying eight earned runs.

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Jay Witasick … On November 3, 2001 – in Game Six of the World Series –  Yankees’ reliever Jay Witasick came on in the third inning against the Diamondbacks, who already had roughed up starter Andy Pettitte for six runs (on seven hits and two walks) in just two innings. Witasick gave up a record-tying eight earned runs (plus one unearned) in 1 1/3 innings. While he gave up ten hits, Witasick walked none and recorded all four of his outs on strikeouts. Eight of the first nine batters Witasick faced collected base hits (six single and two doubles).

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Retrosheet.orgBaseball-Almanac.com; The World Series (Dial Press/Sports Products, Inc.)

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P1008

 

As I take in the  2023 MLB post-season – live at an energized Target Field (kind of sad that’s over) and on TV in my man cave – I  have found time to reflect on some past post-season pitching performances (especially since there are no games for a couple of days).

I was transported back to three World Series I was privileged to attend (at least one game);

• 1957 – I was ten-years-old and my home town Milwaukee Braves beat the Yankees four games-to-three behind the right arm of  Lew Burdette, who earned three complete-game victories against the vaunted Yankees. His performance included two shutouts and, at one point, he threw 24 straight scoreless inning against a highly favored New York squad.
• 1965 – My then (and still) hometown Twins lost to the Dodgers four games-to-three, with Sandy Koufax pitching a complete-game,  three-hit shutout in Game Seven (on just two day rest). In that one, the winning pitcher in each game went the distance.
• 1991  – When I was lucky enough to be in the ballpark to witness Jack Morris‘ ten-inning shutout in the winner-take-all Game Seven.

Anyway, those thoughts led me to embark on a post ranking the top single-game, post-season pitching performances.  My old-school bias is probably reflected by the fact that I chose to rank the top five for the World Series, top four for the League Championship Series, top three for the Division Series and top two for the Wild Card Game/Series. I looked at such factors as how dominant the performance was and the strength of the opposition – also giving weight to the final score (a 1-0 win getting the edge over, say, a 6-0 win) and the impact on the series (a winner-take-all final game earning extra credit). I also, admittedly, leaned toward complete-game victories.

As I’ve noted before, when I start research “one thing always seems to lead to another.”  This time, I noticed most (not all) of the truly heroic pitching performances seem to have happened at least a couple of decades ago.  This distracted me briefly into a look at post-season (specifically World Series) pitcher usage.  I saw that:

• In the 1905 World Series, just six pitchers were used and there was only one relief appearance.
• In 1957 (that first World Series I attended), 17 pitchers were used and there were 21 relief appearances.
• In the most recent World Series (2022), 24 pitchers were used and there were 46 relief appearances.

Clearly, the chance for a truly remarkable single-game, post-season pitching performance has waned as pitching changes have risen.

The ratings are coming right up, but to honor my distractions, I’ll present a couple of charts on World Series pitcher usage.

Now on to the ratings.

Baseball Roundtable Top Five World Series Pitching Performances

A “PERFECT” CHOICE FOR NUMBER ONE

 

ONE – WITH A BULLET – Don Larsen, Yankees, Game 5, 1956 World Series … October 8, 1956

A no-brainer here.  How could you not put the only World Series perfect game at the top of this list?

When Don Larsen took the mound to start Game Five of the 1956 World Series for the Yankees (against the rival Brooklyn Dodgers at Yankee stadium) expectations may not have been very high.  Larsen (11-5, 3.26 on the season) was coming off a Game Two start (in Brooklyn, three days earlier) when he lasted just 1 2/3 innings and gave up four runs (none earned) on one hit and four walks.

Larsen, however, was in complete control in Game Five – fanning seven in a 97-pitch, perfect game – a 2-0 Yankee win. In the game, Larsen went to a three-ball count on only one batter, started 14 hitters off 0-1 and – if you count the four batters who hit the first pitch for an out –  threw a first-pitch strike to 18 of 27 hitters.  The lineup Larsen held hitless, by the way, included five  Hall of Famers: SS Pee Wee Reese; CF Duke Snider; 2B Jackie Robinson; 1B Gil Hodges; and C Roy Campanella.

Bookends

Don Larsen opened his World Series Perfect Game with a five-pitch strikeout (looking) of Dodgers’ 2B Jim Gilliam and closed it out with a five-pitch strike out (looking) of pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell.

Larsen seems an unlikely hurler to head this list. His career record (1953-65, 1967 … Browns, Orioles, Yankees, Athletics, Giants, Astros, Cubs) was 81-91, 3.78. He had just six MLB seasons – out of 14 – in which he won more games than he lost.  Four of those came during his five seasons as a Yankee, when he went 45-24, 3.50.  Larsen was 4-2, 2.75 in ten World Series appearances.

Don Larsen was a good-hitting pitcher. In 596 career regular-season at bats, he hit .242-15-72.  

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TWO – Bob Gibson, Cardinals … Game One, 1968 World Series … October 2, 1961

1968 was the Year of the Pitcher and, in the National League, Bob Gibson was the Pitcher of the Year.  Gibson went 22-9 that season, with a microscopic, MLB-best 1.12 earned run average. In addition, 13 of his wins were complete-game shutouts (another 1968 MLB-best).  He also led the NL in strikeouts with 268 in 304 2/3 innings pitched.  Gibson’s 1968 earned run average of 1.12 was the third-lowest, post-1900, qualifying MLB ERA – and his 13 complete-game shutouts are the second-most in a single season since 1900.

It’s no surprise that the Redbirds selected Gibson to start Game One (against the Tigers’ 31-game winner Denny McLain) – and Gibson did not disappoint. He threw a five-hit shutout, walking just one and fanning a World Series-record 17 batters. Gibson fanned everyone in the Tigers’ starting lineup at least once, struck out at least one batter in every inning and fanned three batters in two frames. Only two runners got past first base over the nine frames. Gibson finished  the game with a flourish, fanning the Tigers’ 3-4-5 hitters (Al Kaline, Norm Cash and Willie Horton) in order in the ninth inning. Despite Gibson’s heroics, the Cardinals lost the Series four games-to-three behind three complete-game wins from Mickey Lolich. Gibson also started and completed three games, going 2-1, 1.67. He took the loss in Game Seven giving up four runs on eight hits and one walk, while Lolich gave up just one tally on five hits and three walks.

They Call Him the Streak

Over June, July and August of 1968, Bob Gibson started 18 games, completed 17, won 16 (one loss/one no-decision), threw 11 shutouts, and put up a 0.77 ERA.

Hall of Famer Gibson pitched in 17 MLB seasons (all for the Cardinals). He won two Cy Young awards and, in 1968, won both the NL Cy Young and MVP Awards. Gibson was a five-time 20-game winner, leading the NL in wins once, ERA once, complete games once, strikeouts once and shutouts four times. His career mound record was 251-174, 2.91, with 3,117 strikeouts in 3,884 1/3 innings. He also won nine Gold Gloves and hit .206 with 24 career homers.  In nine World Series starts, Gibson won seven and lost two, pitching eight complete games, posting a 1.89 earned run average and fanning 92 batters in 81 innings.

THREE – Christy Mathewson, Giants … Game 5, 1905 World Series … October 14, 1905

Christy Mathewson threw a nifty six-hit shutout (no walks, four strikeouts) in beating the Philadelphia Athletics 2-0 in Game Five of the 1905 World Series – giving the Giants the Series four games-to-one.  It was not just future Hall of Famer Mathewson’s excellence in this game that earned him spot number-two on this ranking  or even the fact that it was the clinching game (although that did factor in to my selection). It’s that this was Mathewson’s’ third-consecutive, complete-game shutout in the 1905 series – and he threw those three whitewashings over a period of just six days.  On October 9, Mathewson shutout the Athletics 3-0, giving up just four hits.  Then, on October 12, he threw another four-hitter, this time shutting down the Athletics 9-0. Then in Game Seven, it was the five-hit. 2-0 win.  For the Series, Mathewson gave up just 13 hits (and, of course no runs) and one walk in 27 innings, fanning 18.

Trivia Tidbits from the 1905 World Series

• The Giants’ four wins all came via the shutout – three by Christy Mathewson and one by Joe McGinnity.
• The Athletics’ only win also came via the shutout – a four-hitter tossed by Chief Bender in a 3-0, Game Two victory. 
• The Giants gave up just three runs in the Series – all unearned, giving them an unbeatable single-World Series’ record 0.00 earned run average.
• The Giants used only three pitchers in the entire series – Christy Mathewson (27 innings pitched); Joe McGinnity (17 innings pitched); and Red Ames one inning pitched. Yep, and entire World Series and only one “call to the pen.”

Mathewson was coming off a 31-9, 1.28 1905 season in which he led MLB in wins, ERA and shutouts (tied with eight), and led the NL in strikeouts (206). In his career, he led his league in ERA five times, strikeouts five times, wins four times and shutouts four times. He finished with a 373-188, 2.13 record.

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FOUR – Jack Morris, Game Seven, 1991 World Series … October 27, 1991

There have only been three extra-inning World Series complete-game shutouts, ten Game Seven complete-game shutouts and 18 World Series complete-game wins ending in a 1-0 score.  And, there has been only one game that met all three criteria – Jack Morris’ performance in the finale of the 1991 World Series – a ten-inning, seven-hit, two-walk, eight-whiff gem that gave the Twins a 1-0 Game Seven win over the Atlanta Braves.

In the game, Morris reached ball three on only six of the 38 batters he faced.  This performance earned extra credit for Morris, since it came at a time when complete games were at a premium.  As was widely reported, Twins’ Manager Tom Kelly was ready to pull Morris after nine innings and 118 pitches – but Morris was having none of it (and voiced his objection in no uncertain terms).   And, the rest, as they say, is history.

Hall of Farmer Morris pitched in 18 MLB seasons, going 254-186, 3.90. He was a five-time All Star and led his league in wins twice (winning twenty or more games in three seasons) and in complete games, shutouts and strikeouts once each. (He also led the league in wild pitches six times.) Morris was 4-2, 2.96 in seven World Series starts and was MVP of the 1991 World Series.

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FIVE – Babe Ruth, Red Sox … Game 2 …. October 9, 1916

Hard to pass on a chance to include Babe Ruth.  On October 9, 1916, as his Red Sox faced the Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers), Ruth twirled a gem – notching the longest outing in a World Series game.

Ruth pitched  a 14-inning, complete-game, six-hitter as the Red Sox prevailed 2-1. The only run off Ruth came  in the first inning (an inside-the-park home run by Robins’ CF and number-three hitter Hi Myers). Ruth tossed 145 pitches that day, 91 for strikes.  From the ninth through the 14th innings, Ruth allowed only two base runners (no hits, one  walk, one safe on an error.)  During the 1916 season, Ruth had gone 23-12, leading the Al with a 1.75 earned run average and nine shutouts.  His final career pitching line was 94-46, 2.28.  From 1916 through 1918 (Red Sox), Ruth was 60-32, 1.95 on the mound, with 76 complete games (97 starts) and 16 shutouts. In World Series play, he was 3-0, 0.87 in three starts – giving up just two runs in 31 innings.

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H0norble Mentions:

Moe Drabowsky, Orioles, 1966 … In 1966, Moe Drabowsky was a key member of the Orioles’ bullpen. He appeared in 45 games (just one start)  and went 6-0, 2.81, with six saves.  In his relief appearances, he never went more than 4 2/3 innings and averaged two innings per outing. In Game One of the 1966 World Series (October 5 – Orioles versus Dodgers), Drabowsky was called on to relieve starter Dave McNally with one out and the bases l0aded in the bottom of the third. (The Orioles were up 4-1 at the time.) Drabowsky got out of the jam allowing just one run and then went on to finish the game – going  6 2/3 innings, giving up just one hit and two walks and fanning 11.  In the process, he set the World Series’ single-game record for strikeouts by a relief pitcher.   (The Orioles, by the way, went on to sweep the Series four games-to-zero.)

Ed Walsh, White Sox, 1906 … Lots of reason to like this one; particularly (for The Roundtable) the fact that it was part of the White Sox/Cubs crosstown rivalry. In Game Three of the 1906 World Series, Ed Walsh started for the visiting White Sox. He tossed a nifty two-hit shutout, walking one and fanning 12, as the White Sox prevailed 3-0.   Baseball Roundtable sees a reason for extra credit, since since Walsh notched those 12 whiffs and fanned at least one batter in every inning at a time when the MLB regular-season average for strikeouts per nine inning was just 3.8.  Only two Cubs got past first base in the game, Walsh did not give up a hit after the first inning and, at one point, he retired 13 straight Cubs. It was very tough to keep this one out of the top five.

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Baseball Roundtable’s Top Four League Championship Series Pitching Performances

ONE – Dave McNally, Orioles …. ALCS, October 5, 1969

Dave McNally started for the Orioles (versus the Twins) in Game Two of the 1969 AL Championship Series. He was masterful – and he had to be. McNally was facing a tough Twins  lineup that featured future Hall of Famers Rod Carew (2B), Tony Oliva (RF) and Harmon Killebrew (3B). McNally was up to the task, tossing an 11-inning, complete-game, three-hit, shutout (five walks and 11 strikeouts) to  earn a tight 1-0 win.

McNally allowed only two runners to get beyond first base during the game. His mound opponent, Dave Boswell took a seven-hit shutout into the bottom of the eleventh  frame. In that final inning, he gave up a walk to 1B Boog Powell, who was sacrificed to second by 3B Brooks Robinson. Then, 2B Davey Johnson was intentionally walked, putting runners on first and second with one out. Boswell got SS Mark Belanger on a foul pop up and then was lifted – with the Twins bringing in closer Ron Perranoski to face pinch hitter Curt Motton.  Motton singled home Powell to end one of the League Championship Series’ tightest-ever pitching duels.

Dave McNally’s 11-inning shutout in Game Two of the 1969 ALCS is MLB’s longest post-season, complete-game shutout.

McNally pitched in 14 MLB seasons (1962-75 … all but his final season for the Orioles). He went 184-119, 3.24, was a four-time All Star and three-time 20-game winner (a career-high and league-leading 24 wins in 1970). In 14 post-season appearances (12 starts), he was 7-4, 2.49 with six complete games.

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TWO … Roger Clemens, Yankees … ALCS , October 14, 2000

Roger Clemens took the mound against the Mariners (In Seattle)  in Game Four of the 2000 ALCS and went right to work – striking out the first two batters he faced (RF Stan Javier and LF Al Martin). It set the tone for the day, as Clemens went the distance in a 5-0 win, giving up just one hit (a seventh inning double to Martin) and two walks, while fanning 15 batters (11 swinging/four looking).  Clemens, who fanned at least one hitter every inning, seemed to get stronger as the game went on – fanning nine over the final four innings. Overall, he threw 138 pitches, 87 strikes. Clemens retired the Mariners in order in seven of the nine innings and, at one point, retired 16 straight.

Roger Clemens’ October 14, 2000 ALCS shutout was his only complete game in 34 post-season starts.

Clemens pitched 24 MLB seasons (1984-2007 … Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees, Astros).  He went 354-184, 3.12, with 4,672 strikeouts in 4,196 2/3 innings. He was a 11-time All Star, seven-time Cy Young Award winner and led his league in wins four times; ERA seven times; CG three times; IP twice; and strikeouts five times. He was 12-8, 3.75 in 35 post season appearances (34 starts).

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THREE – Livan Hernandez, Marlins … NLCS, October 12, 1997

In Game Five of the 1997 NLCS,  with the series tied two-games apiece, Marlins’ 22-year-old rookie righty Livan Hernandez (who had gone 9-3, 3.18 in seven starts during the season) was matched up against future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux.  Hernandez came away with a sparkling  2-1 win in front of the home crowd. Hernandez pitched a complete game three-hitter, walking two and fanning 15 ( tied for third-highest total ever in a post-season game and tied for  the highest in a League Championship Series contest). The only run off Hernandez came on a second inning homer by Braves’ RF Michael Tucker.

It didn’t start well for Hernandez. Braves’ CF Kenny Lofton hit his second pitch of the game for a triple to lead off the top of the first and Hernandez then walked 2B Keith Lockhart on five pitches. Sixteen pitches later, he had fanned Braves 3-4-5 hitters  – 3B Chipper Jones, 1B Fred McGriff, LF Ryan Klesko – and escaped unscathed.  Over the course of the game, Hernandez fanned at least one batter every inning and two batters in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth. Overall, he threw 148 pitches (88 strikes).  After the second inning, no Brave reached second base and Hernandez retired 21 of 23 batters,  (The Marlins, by the  way, went on to win the NLCS four games-to-two.)

Hernandez played in 17 MLB seasons (1998-2012 … Marlins, Giants, Expos, Nationals, Diamondbacks, Twins, Rockies, Mets, Braves, Brewers). He went 178-177, 4.44 in 519 games (474 starts). He was a two-time All Star. He was 7-3, 3.97 in 12 post-season appearances (10 starts).

MVP! MVP!

In 1997, Livan Hernandez – who finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting – was the MVP of the National League Championship Series and MVP of the World Series. His World Series MVP selection has  produced some debate (debate is such a great part of baseball). Hernandez was 2-0 in the Series, but had a 5.27 earned run average and walked ten batters in 13 2/3 innings.  (Side note:  There were 81 runs scored in the seven games).   Some argued the Marlins’ Moises Alou should have been MVP after hitting .321, with three homers, nine RBI and six runs scored in the high-scoring Series.

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FOUR –  Mike Scott, Astros … October 8, 1986

Game One of the 1986 NLCS featured  Dwight Gooden of the Mets (17-6, 2.84 in the regular season) versus the Astros’ Mike Scott (18-10, 2.22) in a matchup of aces. The game lived up to its billing, as Scott and the Astros prevailed 1-0.  Scott pitched a gem, giving up five hits, walking just one and fanning 14 in his nine-inning shutout. He fanned the Mets 3-4-5 hitters (1B Keith Hernandez, C Gary Carter and RF Darryl Strawberry) eight times in 12 plate appearances.  Overall, Scott threw 125 itches (88 strikes). Gooden also pitched well.  The only run he allowed was on a home run by Astros’ 1B Glenn Davis leading off the second inning. Scott went to a three-ball count on only three batters and allowed just three runners to reach second base.

Scott was the MVP in the 1986 NLCS.  He went 2-0, 0.50 in two starts, pitching two complete games and giving up just one run on eight hits in 18 innings. In those 18 frames, he walked just one and fanned 19.

In 1986, Mike Scott led the NL in strikeouts with 306 (in 275 1/3 innings).

Mike Scott pitched in 13 MLB seasons (1979-91 … Mets, Astros), going 124-108, 3.54. He was a three-time All-Star and led the NL in wins with 20 (10 losses) in 1989.

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Honorable Mentions:

• Josh Beckett, Marlins, 2003 Game 5 … Two-hit shutout, with no walks and 11 whiffs as  Beckett’s Marlins topped the Cub 4-0.
• Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks, 2001, Game 1 … Three-hit shutout with no walks and 11 whiffs as Arizona topped Atlanta 2-1
• Mike Boddicker, Orioles, 1983, Game 2 … fFve hit, three-walk, 14-strikeout game in a 4-0 win over the White Sox .

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Baseball Roundtable’s Top  Three Division Series Pitching Performances

ONE –  Roy Halladay, Phillies … NLDS, October 6, 2010

In Game One of the 2010 NL Division Series (Reds at Phillies), Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay missed a  perfect game by one pitch – a seventh inning walk (on a 3-2 pitch) to Reds’ RF Jay Bruce.  Halladay fanned eight and only four balls were hit out of the infield.  In the 4-0, Phillies’ win, Halladay also had an RBI single (and later came around to score) in the bottom of the second.  It was more offense than he would need in the 4-0 win.

Let’s Get This Party Started

Roy Halladay’s no-hitter came in his first-ever post-season appearance.

In his no-hitter, Halladay threw 104 pitches (79 strikes) and went to a three-ball count on only three batters.

Hall of Famer Halladay pitched in 16 MLB seasons (1998-13 … Blue Jays, Phillies), going 203-105, 3.38. He was an eight-time All Star a two-time Cy Young Award winner and led his league in wins twice, complete games seven times and innings pitched four times.

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TWO … Kevin Brown, Padres … September 29, 1998

In Game One of the 1998 NL Division Series, Padres’ righty Kevin Brown set the tone for a series in which Padres’ pitchers would give up only eight runs in four games (five of those in Game Two). Playing in Houston, Brown threw eight scoreless frames against the Astros – giving up just two hits and two walks, while fanning 16 batters.

Number Two Ain’t Bad

Kevin Brown’s 16 strikeouts in Game One of the 1998 NLDS is the second-highest total ever in an MLB post-season contest.  He fanned at least one batter in each of his eight innings, two batters in four and three batters in two.

Brown’s stuff that day was not only unhittable, it was (apparently) at times uncatchable. In the third inning, he opened by fanning SS Ricky Gutierrez on a 3-2 pitch, before giving up an infield single to C Brad Ausmus. Next up was opposing hurler Randy Johnson.  Johnson’s at bat included not only a strikeout (looking on a 2-2 pitch), but a pair of passed balls that sent Ausmus to third. Brown topped off the inning, stranding Ausmus at third, by fanning 2B Craig Biggio on three pitches.

With the Padres up 2-0 in the top of the ninth, Brown was lifted for pinch hitter John Vander Wal (who struck out looking). Trevor Hoffman came in for the ninth inning save and gave up one run on two hits. In his outing, Brown threw 119 pitches (77 strikes).

Brown pitched in 19 MLB seasons (1986, 1988-2005 … Rangers, Orioles, Marlins, Padres, Dodgers). He was an All Star in six seasons and for four different teams (Rangers, Marlins, Padres, Dodgers). He led the AL with 21 wins in 1992 and led his league in earned run average in 1996 (Marlins – 1.89) and 2000 (Dodgers 2.58). He won 15 or more games in six seasons.

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THREE – Tim Lincecum, Giants,… October 7, 2010

Tim Lincecum started Game One of the 2010 NL Division Series for the Giants (at home) against Derek Lowe and the Braves and he set the tone for a three games-to-one Giants’ Series victory. He pitched a two-hitter, walking one and fanning 14, while besting five Braves’ hurlers in a 1-0 pitching duel.  All this after giving up a booming double to CF  the first batter he faced (Braves’ SS Omar Infante). He settled down quickly  and – after retiring RF Jayson Heyward on a flyball to left – struck out 1B Derrek Lee and C Brian McCann to get out of the inning. He then struck out the side in order on 14 pitches in the second frame. Lincecum put an exclamation point on his outing, fanning  Heyward and Lee for the final two outs of the contest.

Lincecum pitched in ten MLB seasons, nine for the Giants before finishing with the Angels. He was a four-time All Star  and two-time Cy Young Award winner (2008-09). He finished with a 110-89, 3.74 career record.  From 2008 through 2010, he was 49-22, 2.83 and average 252 strikeouts per season. He was 5-2, 2.40 in 13 post-season appearances (six starts).

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Honorable Mention:

Gerrit Cole, Astros, 2019 Game 2 …  In Game Two of the 2019 AL Division Series, Gerrit Cole of the Astros  was matched up against Blake Snell of the Rays (in Houston).  Cole was dealing that day, He went  7 2/3 innings, giving up just four hits and one walk (no runs), while fanning 15. In the second inning of that contest, Cole fanned  the side on just ten pitches. He also had a three-strikeout inning in the fifth – this time on 12 pitches (there was a single thrown in).  Cole’s strikeouts went like this:

First inning – two;

Second Inning – three;

Third Inning – one;

Fourth Inning – one;

Fifth Inning – three;

Sixth inning – zero;

Seventh inning – two;

Eighth inning – two.

Cole, still active, has pitched in 11 MLB seasons (2013-23 … Pirates, Astros, Yankees). He is a six-time All Star and led the AL in wins once, earned run average twice and strikeouts twice (a high of 326 in 2019). He is 10-6. 2.93. with 134 strikeouts in 104 1/3 post-season innings (17 starts).

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Baseball Roundtable’s Top Two  Wild Card Game/Series Pitching Performances

 

ONE – Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers … October 1, 2020

In Game Two of the 2020 Wild Card Series, the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw shutdown the Brewers in a 3-0 win in Los Angeles.  Kershaw went eight innings, and gave up just three hits and one walk, while fanning 13.  In his eight innings, only two Brewers reached second base.  In the top of the sixth, Kershaw fanned  the Brewers 1-2-3 hitters (CF Avisail  Garcia, LF Christian Yelich, 1B Jedd Gyorko) on 12 pitches. Dodgers closer Brusdar Graterol came on to pitch a scoreless ninth for the save.

Kershaw, still active, has pitched in 16 MLB seasons (2008-2023), all for the Dodgers.  He is a ten-time All Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner.  He has led the NL in wins three times, ERA five times, complete games twice, shutouts three times and strikeouts three times.

In 2014, Clayton Kershaw went 21-3, 1.77 and won both the NL Cy Yong and Most Valuable Player Awards.

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TWO – Madison Bumgarner. Giants … October 1, 2014

In this 2014 Wild Card Game, Madison Bumgarner of the Giants tossed a complete-game shutout – giving up just four hits and one walk, while fanning ten. His Giants topped the Pirates 8-0 in Pittsburgh. He threw 109 pitches (79 strikes). Only three Pirates got past first base (one of those with the help of two Giants’ errors).

Bumgarner (active in 2023) has pitched in 15 MLB seasons (2009-2023).  The four-time All Star has a career 134-124, 3.47 record and has won 15 or more games in four seasons (all before 2017). He has been a post-season star, gaining 8-2, 2.11 in 16 appearances (14 starts) – and, even more impressive – 4-0, 0.25 in five World Series appearances (four starts).

Madison Bumgarner was the MVP of the 2014 NLCS and the 2014 World Series.

 

 

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; “The World Series,,” Richard Cohen, David Neft, Roland Johnson, Jordan Deutsch,  Dial Press, New York (1976)

 

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It’s October 1, and that means it’s time for the Baseball Roundtable monthly Wrap Up for September – a look at the stories and statistics that caught The Roundtable’s attention over the past month, as well as the standings, Roundtable Players and Pitchers of the Month, the Trot Index and more. Keep in mind, the stats presented are for September only and do not include games of October 1.

As usual, there a few things unusual over the past thirty days:

• The first rookie with a 25-50 season and the first-ever 40-70 campaign (HR/SB);
• A 200th career win and a 400th career home run;
• New records set for home runs and RBI out of the leadoff spot;
• A rookie getting on base via hit or walk in each of his first 29 games (streak still active);
• A team holding their opponents hitless for 10+ innings and still losing the contest;
• A player (an infielder no less) connecting for a home run in four consecutive innings ; and
• More.

Read on for these highlights – and the more. As usual, we’ll start with Baseball Roundtable’s Players and Pitchers of the Month.

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE PLAYERS AND PITCHERS OF THE MONTH

September 2023

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Player of the Month … Xander Bogaerts, SS, Padres

Padres’ SS Xander Bogaerts delivered that “shiny thing” that gets Baseball Roundtable’s attention – a .400+ average. Bogaerts hit .416 in September, leading all MLBers with at least 50 at bats.  His 42 base hits also led MLB and he delivered ten doubles (also leading MLB), two triples, four home runs, 13 RBI and 25 runs scored (third in MLB). In addition, he swiped six bases in six attempts. Bogaerts collected hits in all but three of his 24 September games and had 12 multi-hit games. From September 15-20, he had six consecutive multi-hit games, going 14-for-27 (.519).  Bogaerts finished September with a .285-19-58 line on the season (19 steals). (Side note: Marlins’ SS Jon Berti hit .417 in September, but his 48 at bats fell just short of The Roundtable’s 50 at bat cutoff.)

Honorable Mentions:  Lot of deserving players here. Another Padre, LF Juan Soto hit .340 and led MLB with 29 September RBI (26 games). His ten home runs were third in MLB and his 26 runs scored were second. In addition, he swiped six bags. He gets extra credit for walking more times (18) than he fanned (15). Soto had five three-hit games in September.

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Juan Soto had a 36-plate appearance streak – from September 13 to his fifth at bat September 23 – when he did not strikeout.

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The Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. averaged .343 for the month, scored 29 runs (leading MLB) and delivered 23 RBI.  His 11 September homers tied teammate Matt Olson for the MLB high. He also stole 11 bags in 14 tries.   A shout out also goes to to Reds’ CF TJ Freidl, who had a .333-7-18 month, and had three September triples as well.

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Pitcher of the Month: Blake Snell, LHP, Padres

An easy choice. Blake Snell was masterful in September, putting up an MLB-best (among pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched during the month) 0.58 earned run average in 31 innings (and topping the NL in strikeouts with 41). That earned him a 3-0 record in five starts. Snell gave up just 13 hits in his 31 innings (a .123 opponents’ batting average), although he did walk 14.  He gave up a run (two actually) in just one of his five September starts. Snell closed out September at 14-9, 2.25 on the season.

Honorable Mentions:  Braves’ southpaw Max Fried went 3-0, 1.88 in four starts, fanning 27 batters in 24 innings; Marlins’ lefty closer Tanner Scott went 3-1, 1,65, with nine saves in 13 appearances and struck out 20 batters, with just one walk, over 16 1/3 innings.

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AMERICAN LEAGUE

Player of the Month – Tie: Jose Altuve, 2B, Astros & Marcus Semien, 2B, Rangers

Jose Altuve’s 32 September hits were just one off the American League lead – as  he put up a .308-7-17 stat line, with 18 runs scored, in 25 September games. Altuve had ten multi-hit games in September. As September came to a close, Altuve was .312-17-51, with 14 steals in 89 games this season.

On September 5, Altuve went three-for-five, with three home runs (out of the leadoff spot), as his Astros topped Texas 14-1.

Rangers’ 2B Marcus Semien was an offensive force with  .292 average with a league-topping (tied) nine homers, 19 RBI and an AL-highest (tied) September 23 runs scored. Semien had a pair of two-homer games in September. He finished September at .278-29-100, with 14 steals on the season.

Honorable Mention:  Twins’ rookie infielder Royce Lewis went .313-6-23 in an injury-shortened month.

 

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Pitcher of the Month – Tarik Skubal, LHP, Tigers

Tarik Skubal went 4-0, 0.90 in five September starts (and, remember, he was pitching for the Tigers). His ERA was second only to Blake Snell among pitchers with at least 20 September innings. He also fanned 43 batters (second only to the Rays’ Tyler Glasnow‘s 48) and walked just four in 30 innings. His 0.60 WHIP was the lowest among pitchers with at least 20 September innings, and he held hitter to a .135 average. In his lone September no-decision, Skubal went four innings, giving up just two hits (no runs), while walking none and fanning eight.  He finished September at 7-3, 2.80 (with 15 starts this season).

Honorable Mentions:  Yankees’ RHP Gerrit Cole went 3-0, 1.03 in five September starts , including a two-hit, complete-game shutout (versus the Blue Jays) in his last start.

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Surprise Player of the Month – Reese Olson, RHP, Tigers

A 24-year-old righty, Reese Olson made his MLB debut on June 2 – called up from Triple-A Toledo (where he was 2-3, 6.38 in ten starts). The 13^th Round draft pick (out of North Hall High School in Gainesville, GA,) came into September with a 2-6, 5.10 record, but he turned on the after burners in the season’s final full month – going 3-1, 1.44 in five starts, including a six-inning one-run outing versus the powerful Dodgers.  In September, Olson putting up a 0.77 WHIP and held hitters to a .147 average.

 

 

 

 

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THE TROT INDEX … A REGULAR BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE FEATURE

Through September,  35.7 percent of the MLB season’s 182,977 plate appearances ended in a trot (back to the dugout, around the bases, to first base). We’re talking about strikeouts, home runs, walks, hit by pitch and catcher’s interference – all outcomes that are, basically, devoid of action on the base paths or in the field. Here’s the breakout: strikeouts (22.7%); walks (8.6%); home runs (3.2%); HBP (1.1%); catcher’s interference (less than 1%). Strikeouts, by the way, outnumbered base hits 41,560 – 40,618.

The 35.7 percent figure is up from 2022’s full season 34.6 percent.  Other recent seasons: 2021 – 36.3 percent; 2020 –  37.3 percent;  2019 – 36.2 percent; and 2018 – 34.8 percent.  By further comparison, in 1990, the Trot Index was 26.1 percent.  

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Observations:  There were only a handful  surprises in September.

First, the AL Central – that nobody seemed to want to win – suddenly came alive.  The Twins took charge with an 18-9 month and seemed to be hitting on all four-, six- or eight-cylinders (depending on what kind of car you have).  Offensively, they led MLB in runs scored for the month; were third in home runs (second in the AL); first in MLB in on-base percentage and walks drawn; third in total bases (first in the AL). On the mound, they were third in the AL in earned run average (seventh in MLB); second overall (and in the AL) in strikeouts; and gave up the fewest walks in the AL (second in MLB). They had MLB’s (and the AL’s) second-best September strikeouts-to-walks ratio and strikeouts per nine innings.  Key contributors were: 3B Royce Lewis (.313-6-23 in just 18 games); RF Max Kepler (.287-3-16); OF/3B Willi Castro (.312, with 18 runs scored) – and the list goes on.  In fact, seven Twins had 10+ September RBI and nine scored 10+ runs. On the hill, nine Twins’ pitchers put up ERA’s under 3.00 and seven held hitters to an under .200 average.  Don’t count them out in October.

The Tigers surprised a lot of people with their 17-10 month – led by some sterling young pitching: Tarik Skubal  (4-0, 0.90 in five starts) and Reese Olson (3-1, 1.44 in five starts) – and an offense driven in part by  24-year-old  1B Spencer Torkelson (.255-7-25 in September) and 40-year-old DH Miguel Cabrera (.324-1-10 during the month).  The Bengals also got a .297-5-11 month from C Jake Rogers and twenty runs scored from RF Matt Vierling.

The AL West was a surprise in that only the Rangers were above .500 for the month (15-13) – moving past the Mariners and Astros in a tight race.  The Orioles, notching their 100th win are no longer a surprise.

Over in the NL, the Padres had a solid 19-7 September, but their move was too late . Meanwhile the Braves, Brewers and Dodgers played well enough to hold off the competiti0n.

–——Team  Statistical Leaders for September  2023 ———-

RUNS SCORED

National League –  Braves (160); Cubs (151); Dodgers (147); Padres (146)

American League – Twins (173); Orioles (143); Rangers (143)

The fewest runs in September were scored by the White Sox (82). In the National League, it was the Giants at 92.  Also under 100 runs were the Angels (94) and  A’s (99).

AVERAGE

National League – Braves (.275); Marlins (.271); Padres (.269)

American League – Astros (.265); Royals (.263); Guardians (.261)

The lowest team average for September belonged to the Angels at .220. The lowest in the NL was the Cardinals (.221). 

HOME RUNS

National League – Braves (52); Phillies (46); Reds (43)

American League –  Rangers (49); Twins (46); Astros (43)

The Guardians had the fewest home runs in September at 20.  The Diamondbacks were at the bottom of the NL at 21.

The Braves led MLB in slugging percentage for at .502.  The Astros led the AL at .475. 

STOLEN BASES

National League – Phillies (39); Reds (32); Padres (32)

American League – Guardians (38); Royals (31); A’s (25)

The White Sox stole the fewest sacks in Septembers  – six  in eleven  attempts.   The Giants were at the bottom of the NL, with 10  in 13  attempts. 

WALKS DRAWN

National League –   Cardinals (113); Brewers (109); Phillies (107)

American League  Twins (125); Rangers (124); Blue Jays (109)

The Twins  led MLB in on-base percentage for September at .355. The Reds led the NL  at .349.  The White Sox  had MLB’s lowest  OBP for September at .269.  The Nationals were at the bottom of the NL at .294. Six of the bottom seven in OBP were from the American League: White Sox; Angels; A’s; Red Sox; Mariners; Yankees.

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

National League – Phillies (281); Rockies (264); Pirates (264)

American League – Mariners (274); Yankees (273); Red Sox (272)

Astros’ batters fanned the fewest times in September (181). The Nationals fanned the fewest times in the NL at 195. While the Phillies led MLB in September whiffs, the next five teams were from the AL: Mariners; Yankees; Red Sox; A’s; Angels. 

 Bonus Stats:

• Braves’ batters racked up the most total bases in July at 499.  The White Sox were at the bottom of MLB at 310. 
• The Marlins were successful on all 20 of their September steal attempts. The only team with a 100% success rate.

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EARNED RUN AVERAGE

National League – Brewers (2.77); Padres (3.36); Mets (.347)

American League –  Tigers (3.00); Orioles (3.30); Twins (3.64)

The Rockies had the highest September ERA at 6.52.  Nine  teams were at 5.00+ including the Rockies and the Nationals (5.51); Reds (5.49); Braves (5.45); Rangers (5.31); Cardinals (5.23); Pirates (5.14); White Sox (5.08); Royals (5.00).

STRIKEOUTS

National League – Braves (266); Phillies (264); Dodgers (260)

American League –  Rays (304); Twins (279); Blue Jays (267)

The Rays averaged an MLB-best 11.15 strikeouts per nine innings in September. The Braves averaged an NL-best 9.54.  Fourteen teams averaged nine whiffs per nine or better. 

FEWEST WALKS SURRENDERED

National League  – Giants (56); Dodgers (71); Diamondbacks (82)

American League – Rays (66); Twins (66); Orioles (67)

The Giants walked an MLB-lowest 2.16 batters per nine innings in September.  The A’s walked an MLB-worst 4.73 batters per nine frames.

SAVES

National League – Pirates (10); Braves (10); Marlins (10)

American League – Yankees (11); Guardians (8); Tigers (8); Royals (8); Rays (8)

The Cubs blew the most saves in August  – recoding just six saves in 16 opportunities.

Bonus Stats:

• The Braves gave up an MLB-high 47 home runs in September. (Interestingly, the Braves gave up an MLB-low 25 in August).   The Mets gave up an MLB-low 42 home runs in September.
• The Brewers held opponents to an MLB-low .202 average in September – after holding opponents to an MLB-low .206 average in August. The Rockies’ staff was touched for an MLB-high .306 average in September.
• The Rays strikeouts-to-walks ratio for September topped MLB at 4.61. The A’s had MLB’s worse ratio at 1.65.

–—-SEPTEMBER 2023 HIGHLIGHTS —–

 

A First (homer) on the First (swing) of the First (at bat) . which happened to be on the  on the First (of the month)

Twenty-year-old switch-hitting Jasson Dominguez made his MLB debut on September 1, playing CF and batting fifth for the Yankees (playing in Houston). His first MLB at bat came against none other than three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander.  After letting a  first pitch curve go by for a strike, he took is first MLB swing at Verlander’s next offering – a 94 mph fastball – and smacked his first MLB home run.

Dominguez, by the way, was heralded as a five-tool player  ranked as the Yankees’ second-best prospect.  In his first eight games with the Yankees he hit .258, with four home runs and seven RBI. However, a scan on September 10 revealed an arm injury that required Tommy John surgery and he is now out for nine-to-ten months.

It Took Two Days, but it Was Worth It

This highlight started in the ninth inning of the Astros’ September fifth 13-6 win over the Rangers in Texas.  Astros’ 2B Jose Altuve, who had already gone deep in the sixth inning, finished off the Astros’ scoring with a solo home run off Martin Perez in the top of the ninth.

Fast forward to the very next day – Astros at Rangers again. Altuve led off the first inning with a home run off Nathan Eovaldi. He homered again the second inning (a solo shot with one out) off Eovaldi. Then, he added a homer in the third inning, this time a two-run shot off Dane Dunning.  According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that made Altuve the first player in the “Expansion Era” (since 1961) to homer in four consecutive innings.  More “InBaseballWeCountEverything.”  Altuve also tied the MLB record with five homers in a two-game span.

A Nice Round Number

On September 5, as the Yankees topped the Tigers 5-1, in New York, Yankee DH Giancarlo Stanton broke up 1-1 tie with a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth.  It was the 22nd long ball of the season for Stanton and the 400^th of his  14-season MLB career. Stanton is a five-time All Star, the 2017 National League MVP (Marlins).  He has hit 30+ homers in seven seasons (a high of 59 in 2017), led the league in homers twice and drove in 100 or more runs in three campaigns.

Let’s Get This Party Started

Angels 1b/1B Nolan Schanuel was the 11^th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft (after putting up a .386-46-176 stat line in three college seasons at Florida Atlantic). Forty days and 22 minor-league games later, he was in the big leagues – and he’s not slowing down a bit.  He made his debut August 18 and quickly ran off a ten-game hitting streak to start his MLB career. His first hitless game came on September 1, but he got on base via a walk in that contest,  In fact, as of September 29, he had appeared in 29 MLB gams and been on base via hit or walk in every one.  His 2023 stat line as of September 30 – 29 games,  .275-1-6, with 19 runs, 20 walks and 19 strikeouts.

Happy Birthday, Joey!

On Sunday, September 10, Reds 1B Joey Votto celebrated his fortieth birthday in style – leading off the eighth inning with a home run off the Cardinals’ Andrew Suarez (part of a 7-1 Reds Win in in St. Louis).  It was Votto’s 14^th long ball of the season and the 356^th homer of his 17-season MLB career. Votto is a six-time All Star and was the 2010 National League MVP.

A Tough Way To Lose

On September 10, three Brewers hurlers (Corbin Burnes, Devin Williams, Abner Uribe) held the Yankees not just scoreless – but hitless – over the first ten innings at Yankee Stadium. The Brewers, however, had managed just three hits and no runs.

The Brewers scored in the top of the eleventh – a single plating that “placed” runner. (Don’t even get me started on that.) The Yankees also plated their gift runner in the bottom of the inning.

Each team scored twice in the twelfth, before the Yankees finally won it 4-3 in the thirteenth – with five of the seven total runs scored being  ‘gifted” baserunners.” (Okay, that got me started.)

And a Happy Birthday to you, too, Freddie!

Dodgers’ 1B Freddie Freeman turned 34 on September 12th, but he didn’t show his age. In an 11-2 Dodgers win against the Padres (in LA), Freeman went four-for-five, with a homer, a double, four runs scored and two RBI. It was the fourth time Freeman has gone yard on his birthday – one shy of the MB record (more #InBaseballWeCountEverything).

It’s A Grand Old Game

On September 15, Twins’ 24-year-oold rookie infielder Royce Lewis laced a second-inning Grand Slam off of The White Sox’ Jesse Scholtens – breaking a 0-0 tie and starting the Twins toward a 10-2 victory in Chicago. And the Grand Slam was one of the record books.

• It was Lewis fourth grand slam in 18 games – shortest span of games for four Grand Slams in MLB history;
• It gave Lewis a share of the record for most Grand Slams by a rookie in a season;
• It gave Lewis the Twins’ franchise record for Grand Slams in a season.

Here a list of Lewis 2023 Grand Slams:

August 27, sixth inning  – off the Rangers’ Chris Stratton;

August 28, second inning – off the Guardians’ Xzavion Curry (gotta be the only MLBer whose first name starts XZ);

September 4, second inning – off the Guardians’ Lucas Giolito;

September 15, second inning – off the White Sox’ Jesse Scholtens.

Side Note; Lewis also had a Grand slam in 2022, when he played only 12 games (keeping his rookie status intact), giving him five Grand Slams in his first 66 MLB games,

Lewis, hampered by injury concerns, finished the 2023 season with a .309-15-52 stat line in just 58 games.

Sometimes It’s Not So Grand 

When Twins’ C Ryan Jeffers watched a called third strike from Angels’ righthander Andrew Wantz – in the second inning of a Twins 9-3 win over the Angels on September 24, it marked a not so grand MLB moment.  It was the Twins hitters’ 1,597th strikeout of the season – setting a new MLB single-season record. Notably, the Twins winning record this season is the exception, rather than the rule, among MLB’s top swing-and-miss teams.

A Braves New World

On September 16, as the Braves lost to the Marlins 11-5 in Miami, Braves’1B Matt Olson  went two-for-three with a home run .  It was his 52nd long ball of the season and gave him the Braves franchise single-season record for home runs (topping Andruw Jones … 51 in 2005). Olson, finished September with a .282-54-137 stat line (all career highs).  In fact, with one game left to play, Olson had reached career highs in hits, runs scored, triples, homers, total bases, RBI and average.  Note: On September 28, Olson drove in his 135^th and 136^th runs of the season, setting a modern-era (post 1900) franchise record for RBI (topping Eddie Mathews 135 in 1953).

The Time is WainwRIGHT

On September 18, Cardinals’ righthander Adam Wainwright – in his 18^th MLB season – came into his start against the Brewers with a sore right shoulder and a back impacted by the wear and tear of more than 2,500 MLB innings.  He had 199 MLB wins and a career 3.54 earned run average on his resume – but a 4-11, 7.95 record on the 2023 season.  On this day, Wainwright captured some of the old magic. He pitched seven strong innings (his longest start of the season), gave up just four hits (two walks) and held the Brewers scoreless (his first scoreless outing of the season) – as his Cardinals won 1-0.

The win, Wainwright’s 200^th MLB victory – proved to be his final MLB win. A few days later, Wainwright, who had already given notice that this would be his last season in uniform – confirmed that his back and shoulder issues would prevent him from taking the mound again begore retirement. (For trivia buffs, his last pitch was a 2-2 curveball to Brewers’ 3B Josh Donaldson (that Donaldson it for a flyout to center).

In the five seasons from 2009-214, Adam Wainwright went 92-50, 2.83 in 165 starts.

Wainwright will retire with a 200-128, 3.53 record. A three-time All Star, he twice led the NL in victories, owns a pair of Gold Gloves and three times finished in the top three in Cy Young Award voting. As a hitter, he homered on the very first pitch he ever saw (from the batter’s box) off the Giants’ Noah Lowry on May 24, 2006).  He went on to hit  .193, with ten homers and 75 RBI in 742 career at bats. For trivia buffs, what appears to be Adam Wainwright’s last MLB appearance was as a pinch hitter (in front of a Cardinals home crowd) in the sixth inning of a September 29 game against the Reds.  He hit for DH Luken Baker (in the cleanup spot) and grounded out against Brandon Williamson. (At the time, the Cardinals trailed 14-2.)

The Zero Heroes

September saw three complete-game shutouts.

September 8 – Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks, in a 1-0 win over the Cubs in Chicago. Gallen used 107 pitches, giving up three hits, walking one and fanning nine.

September 11 – Brian Woodruff, Brewers, in a 12-0 win over the Marlins in Milwaukee. Woodruff used 106 pitches to toss a seven-hitter, with one walk and seven whiffs.

September 27 – Gerrit Cole, Yankees, in a 6-0 win over the Blue Jays in Toronto.  Cole used 105 pitches, gave up two hits, walked none and fanned five.

Through September there were 21 single-pitcher shutouts in MLB. In 2022, there were 16.

Taking This Twins Thing Seriously

On September 17^th Twins manager Rocco Baldelli and his wife Allie added to their family with the birth of – of course – twins (both boys).

A Rookie First

On September 20, as the Diamondbacks topped the Giants  7-1 in Arizona, D-back’s rookie Corbin Carroll – starting in RF and leading off – had a big day. He went four-for-five, with a home run, three runs scored and two stolen baes. Not only did he lead the D-backs to a win, but he also hit his 25^th homer  of the season and stole his 49^th and 50^th bases – making him the first AL/NL rookie ever with a 25-50 season.

Another National Leaguer Goes “Clubbing”

On September 22, as the Braves topped the Nationals 9-6 in Washington D.C., Braves’ RF Ronald Acuna Jr. clubbed his 40th home run of the 2023 season. (He went two-for four, with a homer, double, hit-by-pitch, three runs scored and one RBI in the game). At the time, Acuna also had 68 stolen bases (in 81 attempts).  In the process, he became just the fifth member of the unique 40-40 club (forty homers and at least forty steals in the same season – joining Joe Canseco, A’s (42/40 in  1988); Barry Bonds, Giants (42/40 1996); Alex Rodriguez, Mariners (42/46 in 1998); Alfonso Soriano, Nationals (46/41 in  2006).

With that homer, Acuna also established a new exclusive club – the 40- homer/sixty-steal club. As September closed, they had to rename Acuna’s club the 40-70  Club (41 homers and 73 steals to go with a .338 average).

A Good Year to Lead Off

Ronald Acuna, Jr.’s September 22, home run gave him the record for home runs hit out of the leadoff spot in the  lineup in a single season at 40. In September 26, he extended that record to 41. As September closed, the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts had 39 home runs out of the leadoff spot this season, tying for second on the list.

Ditto the Above Headline

On September 23, Dodgers; 2B/OF Mookie Betts smacked a pair of doubles and drove in two runs, as the Dodgers topped the Giants 7-0 in LA.  Betts’ two RBI were his 104^th and 105^th of the season, giving him the single-season MLB record for RBI out of the leadoff spot. Charlie Blackman had held the record at 103 (2017). By September’s end Betts had extended his record to 107 RBI (.306-39-107).

Well, That’s Kind Of Surprising

On September 23, Aaron Judge had a big day versus the Diamondbacks (in New York).  Batting second and starting in RF for the Yankees, Judge:

• Doubled off Brandon Pfaadt in the bottom of the first inning;
• Hit a three-run homer to right-center off Pfaadt in the third;
• Hit a two-run homer off Pfaadt in the fifth;
• Hit a solo shot off Slade Cecconi in the seventh.

It was Judge’s second three-homer game of the 2023 season – which is why it is mentioned here.  Given a history that includes such sluggers as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle, it is surprising that Judge is the first Yankee with two three-homer games in a season. The Yankees, by the way, prevailed 7-1, with Judge collecting six RBI

More #InBaseballWeCountEverything

On September 24, with the Phillies leading the Mets 5-2 (in Philadelphia), the Phils called Mike Lorenzen in from the bullpen in the top of the ninth inning. Two groundouts and a strikeout later, Lorenzen had his first save of 2023. It came in just his second 2023 relief appearance – following 25 starts.  Why is it a highlight?  On August ninth, Lorenzen pitched a complete-game, no-hitter.  The save made him just the tenth  pitcher (since saves became an official stat in 1969) to toss a no-hitter and pick up a save in the same season.  Other names on the list Bob Moose (1969). Jim Bibby (1973); Nolan Ryan (1973); John Candelario (1973); Jerry Reuss (1976); Chris Bosio (1980); Matt Garza (1993); Tim Lincecum (2010).

They call Him the Streak

Between August 26 and September 27, the Padres’ Juan Soto ran off a streak of 30-games getting on base. During that streak her hit .349 (38-for-109), with 11 home runs, 32 RBI and 27 runs scored.,  He also drew 23 walks and was hit by a pitch (.463 on-base percentage).

 

–——Individual Statistical Leaders for September 2023——––

AVERAGE (minimum 75 September at  bats)

National League – Xander Bogaerts, Padres (.416); Noelvi Marte, Reds (.387); Seiya Suzuki, Cubs (.370)

American League –  Yandy Diaz, Rays (.345); Andres Gimenez, Guardians (.333); Josh Lowe, Rays (.318)

The lowest September average (among players with at least 50 at bats in the month)  belonged to Giants’ C Patrick Bailey  at .121 (7-for-58).

HOME RUNS

National League – Ronald Acuna, Jr., Braves (11); Matt Olson, Braves (11); Juan Soto, Padres (10); Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (10)

American League – Marcus Semien, Rangers (9); Nelson Valazquez, Royals (9); Logan O’Hoppe, Angels (9)

The Dodgers J.D. Martinez had the highest September slugging percentage (at least 75 at bats) at .724.  The AL leader was the Astros’ Yordan Alvarez at .629.

HITS

National League – Xander Bogaerts, Padres (42); Seiya Suzuki, Cubs (40); Ozzie Albies, Braves (38)

American League –  Gunnar Henderson, Orioles (33); Marcus Semien, Rangers (33); Jose Ramirez, Guardians (33)

The top seven hitters – in terms of base hits – for September were from the National League.

RUNS BATTED IN

National League – Juan Soto, Padres (29); Seiya Suzuki, Cubs (26); J.D. Martinez, Dodgers (25); Matt Olson, Braves (25)

American League –  Jose Abreu, Astros (26); Spencer Torkelson, Tigers (25); Royce Lewis, Twins (23)

The Rockies Nolan Jones led MLB (at least 75 September at bats) players in on-base percentage at .460. The AL  leader was the Yankees Aaron Judge at .452.  

DOUBLES

National League –   Willy Adames, Brewers (10); Xander Bogaerts, Padres (10); Michael Harris II, Braves (10); Marcell Ozuna, Braves (10)

American League –  Adley Rutschman, Orioles (9); Anthony Santander, Orioles (9); six with eight

TRIPLES

National League – Brenton Doyle, Rockies (4); TJ Freidl, Reds (3); Nolan Jones, Rockies (3)

American League –  Kyle Tucker, Astros (4); Gunnar Henderson, Orioles (3); five with two

The Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki  and Braves’ Marcel Ozuna led MLB in September extra-base hits with 18. The  Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson and Rangers’’  Marcus Semien led the AL with 17.

STOLEN BASES

National League –  Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks (13); Elly De La Cruz, Reds (12); three with 11

American League – Esteury Ruiz, A’s (13); Bobby Witt, Jr., Royals (11); Andres Gimenez, Guardians (8)

The Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll  stole his MLB-leading 13 bases in September  without ever getting caught.

WALKS

National League –  Bryce Harper, Phillies (24); Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (24); Nolan Jones, Rockies (20)

American League –  Aaron Judge, Yankees (27); Edouard Julien, Twins (24); Andy Rutschman, Orioles (19)

The Astros’ Alex Bregman  led in walks/strikeouts ratio (among batters with at least 75 September plate appearances)  at 2.00 … 16 walks versus 8 whiffs in 26 games.

BATTER’S STRIKEOUTS

National League – Kyle Schwarber, Phillies (43); Ryan McMahon, Rockies (33); Nick Castellanos, Phillies (33)

American League – Ryan Noda, A’s (45); Teoscar Hernandez, Mariners (40); Eugenio Suarez, Mariners (40)

PITCHING VICTORIES

National League – Spencer Strider, Braves (4-1); Michael Wacha, Padres (4-2); 13 with three

American League –  Tarik Skubal, Tigers (4-0); Brito, Yankees (4-1); 20 with three

Leading MLB with four September losses were: John Brebbia, Giants (1-4, 4.82); Hunter Brown, Astros (1-4, 9.14); Griffin Canning, Angels (0-4, 4.13); Carlos Rodon, Yankees (2-4, 8.10)

Right Place Right Time & Vice Versa

The Rangers’ Dane Dunning went 3-0, in five September games (four starts) with a 5.02 ERA. The Yankees Michael King went 1-2 in five starts, with a 1.30 ERA.

EARNED RUN AVERAGE (minimum 25 September innings pitched)

National League –  Blake Snell, Padres (0.58); Brandon Woodruff, Brewers (1.67); Logan Webb, Giants (2.02)

American League – Tarik Skubal, Tigers (0.90); Michael King, Yankees (1.30): Reese Olson, Tigers (1.44)

The Royals’ James McArthur  threw the most September  innings without giving  up an earned run (14 1/3). In 11 September  appearances, he gave up just  hits and no runs, while fanning 15 and not walking a single batter.

 INNINGS PITCHED

National League: Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks (36 2/3); Merrill Kelly, Diamondbacks (36 1/3); Logan Webb, Giants (35 2/3)

American League:  Justin Verlander (39); Jordan Montgomery, Rangers (36 1/3); Logan Gilbert (35 2/3)

 STRIKEOUTS

National League – Blake Snell, Padres (41K / 31 IP); Merrill Kelly, Diamondbacks (40K / 36 1/3 IP); Zac Gallen (38K / 36 2/3 IP)

American League – Tyler Glasnow, Rays (48K / 33 1/3 IP); Nick Pivetta, Red Sox (43K / 33 1/3 IP); Tarik Skubal, Tigers (43K / 30 IP)

SAVES

National League – David Bednar, Pirates (9); Tanner Scott, Marlins (8); three with six

American League – Emmanuel Clase, Guardians (8); Clay Holmes, Yankees (8); Pete Fairbanks, Rays (7)

The Pirates’  David  had the most saves without a blown saves in September at nine.

WHIP (Walks +  Hits per Inning Pitched – minimum 25 August innings)

National League – Ryan Pepiot, Dodgers (0.76); Brandon Woodruff, Brewers (0.81); Freddy Peralta, Brewers (0.83)

American League – Tarik Skubal, Tigers (0.60); Gerrit Cole, Yankees (0.69);  Reese Olson, Tigers (0.77)

The Padres’ Blake Snell (among pitchers with at least 25 September inning) held hitter to the lowest average (.123). In the AL, that honor went to Tarik Skubal of the Tigers at .135.

 Random  Bonus Stats:

• Lucas Giolito of the White Sox gave up the most September homers (10 in 25 2/3 IP), He went 1-3, 6.66.
• The Yankees’ Gerrit Cole pitched the most September innings without giving up home run – 35.
• The Pirate’s Johan Oviedo walked the most batters in September (19 in 23 1/3 innings).

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com; Baseball-Almnac.com

 

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