Eduardo Rodriguez Photo by Keith Allison 
Yesterday (May 20, 2-18), the Baltimore Orioles put on an offensive display (sort of) at Fenway Park, as they outhit the Red Sox 13-12 – and still lost by a 5-0 score. What makes the outcome even more surprising is that the Red Sox’ shutout was not aided by a single double play. The Orioles left 14 runners on base. In the game, the Orioles went 1-for-ten with runners in scoring position and had at least one hit in every inning, as well as hits by nine of the ten O’s that batted in the contest. The Orioles’ offense went like this:
- With one out in the first, CF Adam Jones collected a one-out, ground-ball single off Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez – followed by two fly-ball outs.
- Orioles’ DH Mark Trumbo opened the second with a ground-ball single off Rodriguez – followed by two fly outs and an inning-ending strikeout.
- 1B Trey Mancini singled to right off Rodriguez with one down in the third. Jones followed with another right-field single, moving Mancini to second. Rodriguez then got a pop up (infield fly rule) and a ground out to third.
- In the fourth, 3B Danny Valencia reached on a one-out error by Red Sox’ 3B Rafael Devers; RF Joey Rickard reached on a fielder’s choice (Valencia out at second); C Andrew Susac singled to center, advancing Rickard to second; and LF Craig Gentry flied out to end the frame.
- Rodriguez toughened up in the fifth inning – giving up just one single (Jones) and striking out three Orioles.
- Rodriguez, who had given up six hits (all singles), was still on the mound in the sixth, which started with a Trumbo strikeout and then singles by Valencia and Rickard (Valencia to second). Rodriguez then got another strikeout, before Gentry singled to load the bases – bringing in reliever Heath Hembree, who ended the inning by inducing a Mancini fly out.
- Hembree had an easy seventh, just a lone single by SS Manny Machado, two K’s and a pop up.
- Bobby Poyner came on in the eighth for Boston and sandwiched two singles (Rickard and Gentry) between a lead-off ground out, third-hitter pop up and inning-closing ground out.
- The ninth, with Brian Johnson on the mound, opened with the Orioles’ 13th hit and first extra-base knock – a double by LF Jace Peterson. Johnson then got ground out, fly out, strikeout to finish the whitewashing.
Eduardo Rodriguez got the win, his fourth of the season (4-1, 4.13).
It’s been ten seasons since a team collected 13 hits in a nine-inning contest without scoring. On August 25, 2008, the Dodgers collected 13 hits and lost to the Phillies (who had ten hits) by a 5-0 score. The Dodgers had two extra base hits (both doubles by CF Matt Kemp), also collected three walks, fanned ten times and hit into two double plays. Los Angeles went 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position and left 14 runners on base. The Phillies used three pitchers in the contest.
The last American League team to collect 13 hits, while failing to score (nine innings) was the Minnesota Twins – in a 1-0 loss to the Royals on August 31, 2005. The Twins’ offensive output included two doubles and two walks. Twins’ hitters fanned just five times and hit into three double plays. They were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left ten on base. The Royals used three pitchers. The game’s lone run scored on a walk-off single by RF Emil Brown (just one of five Kansas City hits) with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Brown’s hit followed a single by 2B Denny Hocking; an error by Twins’ 3B Terry Tiffee on a grounder by Royals’ LF Chip Ambres (sending Hocking to second); and a strikeout by DH Matt Stairs.
For those who track such things, the Orioles’ unlucky thirteen is NOT the most hits by a team failing to score in a nine-inning game. I did find two instances in which a team failed to score ove nine innings while collecting 14 safeties. Notably, to show how times have changed – both resulted in complete-game shutouts and both games were completed in 120 minutes or less.
On September 14, 1913, Cubs’ right-hander Larry Cheney tossed a 14-hit shutout against the Giants in Chicago – as his Cubs won 7-0 and collected 11 hits. As with the Orioles yesterday, the Giants collected only one extra base hit (a double by C Chief Meyers.) It was the 20th win of the season for Cheney, who walked none and fanned four. The game lasted a crisp two hours even. Cheney (who led the NL with 26 wins in 1912) finished 1913 at 21-14, 2.57 (with 25 complete games and eleven saves).He was 116-100, 2.70 in nine MLB seasons.
On July 10, 1928. Washington Senators’ righty Milton Gason shutout the Cleveland Indians on 14 hits. Just as the Orioles outhit the Red Sox and the Giants outhit the Cubs, the Indians outhit the Senators 14-13 – but lost the contest 9-0. The Indians also drew a pair of walks and had three extra base hits (two doubles and a triple) in their output. Gaston went the distance in that contest (which lasted just 1 hour and 49 minutes), fanning just two and getting the benefit of two double plays. Gaston would finish the 1928 season at 6-12, 5.51 and an 11-season MLB career at 97-164, 4.55 – leading the AL in losses in 1926 and 1930.
Primary resources: Baseball-Refrence.com; MLB.com
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