In this post, Baseball Roundtable will take a look at a handful of players who had a tough day at the old ballpark – each leaving at least a dozen runners on base during their plate appearances. Notably, only six players belong to this MLB “Club” – and three of them had their dismal days for the Red Sox (Dustin Pedroia, Trot Nixon, David Ortiz), while only two “accomplished” the feat in just nine innings (Glenn Beckert and Todd Helton).
Ryan Zimmerman – MLB Record for Runners Left On Base in a Game (any length).
Photo: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
On May 8, 2016, Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman was playing first base and batting cleanup as Washington took on the Cubs in Chicago. He came into the game hitting .242, with one home run and 11 RBI – and was about to have one of the most frustrating Sunday afternoons at the plate ever. He would go one-for-seven, with one RBI – as the Nationals fell to the Cubs 5-4 in 13 innings. That doesn’t sound too bad on the surface, but in the process, Zimmerman:
- Set the MLB individual player record for men left on base in a game – leaving 14 ducks on the pond;
- Left eight runners in scoring position;
- Made the final out with the bases loaded in three separate innings (twice in extra frames) – each time having his out preceded by an intentional walk.
Here’s how Zimmerman afternoon at Wrigley went:
First Inning – Strikeout (looking) on three pitches with runners on first and second.
Third Inning – RBI double past third base to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead. (Looking like an okay day so far).
Fourth Inning – Swinging strikeout on five pitches to end the inning with the bases loaded (after an intentional walk to Bryce Harper). The Nationals were up 2-0 at the time.
Sixth Inning – Fly out to RF, with runners on first and second, one out and Nationals up 3-1.
Eighth Inning – Ground out to 1B to end the inning, with a runner on first base.
Tenth Inning – Fly out to CF to end the inning, with bases loaded (after an intentional walk to Bryce Harper).
Twelfth Inning – Ground out to 3B to end the inning, with the bases loaded (after an intentional walk to Bryce Harper.)
Zimmerman ended the 2016 season with a .218-16-46 stat line. Still active, he is in his 16th MLB season. As of June 24, 2021, he had a .279 career average, with 278 home runs and 1.035 RBI. He is a two-time All Star, whose best season came in 2017, when he went .303-36-108.
It’s a Red Sox Ting
Baseball Almanac lists just three American League Players as having left 12 or more runners on bases in a single game – and they were all members of the Boston Red Sox – Dustin Pedroia (13 LOB on September 15, 2017 – setting a new AL record); David Ortiz (12 on May 14, 2009 – tying the then American League and MLB record); Trot Nixon (12 on June 12, 2003 – at the time, setting an AL mark and tying the MLB record).
Dustin Pedroia – AL Record Holder for Runner LOB in a Game.
Photo: Eric Kilby on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commonsnoto:
Baseball Almanac lists Red Sox’ 2B Dustin Pedroia holding the AL record for runners LOB in a game (13 in a fifteen-inning game on September 15, 2017). I should note, however, that I find the record somewhat less than deserved. (I’’ll explain in a bit.) Pedroia started at DH, batting second, in the game. He came into the game hitting .314, with seven home runs and 58 RBI. That day, as the Red Sox topped the Rays 13-6 in Tampa (15 innings), Pedroia went zero-for-nine, with one run scored. Side note: The game was tied 5-5 at the end of nine, each team was scoreless in innings ten through thirteen, each team scored one run in the fourteenth and the Red Sox put it away with seven runs in the top of the fifteenth.
Here’s a look at Pedroia’s game:
First Inning – Ground out to pitcher with a runner on first (runner went to second).
Third Inning – Fly out to RF to end the inning with a runner on first and the game knotted at 1-1.
Fifth Inning – Fly out to center to end the inning, with runners on first and third and Boston down 3-2.
Eighth Inning – Fly out to RF leading off the inning.
Ninth Inning – Strikeout with two outs, runners on first and second and the game tied at five apiece.
Eleventh Inning – Line out to SS, with one out and the bases loaded (after an intentional walk to Xander Bogaerts) and the scored tied 5-5.
Thirteenth Inning – Strikeout with one out and a runner on first (5-5 score).
Fifteenth Inning – Safe on an error with no outs and runners on first and second – with the runner on second scoring and the runner on first going to third. (This safe on error put the Red Sox up 7-6).
Side Note: This is point at which I am not sure about the listing of Pedroia as the record holder with 13 runners left on base. MLB.com’s Glossary lists runners left on base as the number of runners that “remain on base after that batter makes an out at the plate, as the batter has failed to do his job to score those runners – or at least put himself in a position to score.” To reach 13 runners LOB, you have to count the runner on first who went to third (but did not score on the fifteenth-inning error). Still a run did score and – contrary to the MLB.com description – Pedroia did not “make an out at the plate.” I think I may have to send this one to Twins’ official scorer and SABR member Stew Thornley.
Fifteenth Inning – Pedroia got a second plate appearance in the fifteenth (by this time the Red Sox were up 13-6). He grounded out to SS to end the inning, with runners on runners on first and second.
Pedroia ended the 2017 season with a .293-7-62 stat line in 105 games. His career line (14 MLB seasons) was .299-140-725. He was a four-time All Star, four-time Gold Glover, the 2007 AL Rookie of the Year and the 2008 AL Most Valuable Player.
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Now, let’s take a look at the two player who share the record of 12 runners LOB in a nine-inning game.
Glenn Beckert, Cubs – Shares the Record for Runners LOB in a Nine-Inning Game
On September 16, 1972 – as the Cubs pounded the Mets 18-5 in Chicago – Cubs’ hitters had ample opportunity to leave men on base. And, Glenn Beckert took advantage of those opportunties, going zero-for-six and leaving 12 runners on base. Beckert, an all Star that season, came into the game hitting .258, with three home runs and 31 RBI. Here’s how his day went:
First Inning – Ended the inning with a fly out to CF, with the bases loaded and the Cubs up 1-0.
Third Inning – Popped out to the catcher, with runners on second and third, no outs and the Cubs up 4-1.
Third Inning – Beckert came up for a second time in the inning, this time with runners on second and third, two out and the Cubs up 11-1. He flied out to RF to end the inning.
Fifth Inning – Fly out to CF, with one out a runner on first and the Cubs up 13-2.
Seventh Inning – Foul out to 3B, with one out, a runner on third and the Cubs up 13-5.
Seventh Inning – For the second time in the game, Beckert batted twice in an inning. In this plate appearance, he grounded out to end the inning, with the bases loaded and the Cubs up 18-5.
Not much suspense here and the at bats clearly were not critical. Still, it got Beckert into the record books – albeit not in a way he would have preferred. Beckert ended the 1972 season at .283-3-43 in 120 games. Over his 11-season MLB career, he was .283-22=360. Beckert was a four-time All Star and one-time Gold Glover.
Todd Helton – Shares the Record for Runners Left on Base in a Nine-Inning Game.
Unlike Beckert’s 12-LOB game (in which the Cubs didn’t need Beckert’s offense), the Rockies could have used some help from Helton in this one. It came on April 11, 1998 and Helton’s Rockies lost to the Reds 12-5 Denver. Helton, on his way to a .315-25-97 season, came into this early season contest with a .306-0-4 stat line. He was playing 1B and batting third. Helton ended the day zero-for five with one RBI. It went like this;
First Inning – Strikeout with one out, runners on second and third and the Rockies already down 5-0.
Second Inning – The Rockies had scored in the inning on a leadoff home run by Greg Colbrunn and Helton came up with the bases loaded, two outs and Colorado trailing 9-2. Helton lined out to third end the inning.
Fourth Inning – with the Rockies trailing 11-2, Helton drove in a run with a one-out sacrifice fly. Despite the run scoring (from third) a runner on first (of course) did not score – giving Helton one LOB in this plate appearance.
Sixth Inning – Ground out to SS (Fielder’s Choice) with one and runners on first and second. The Rox were down 12-4.
Seventh Inning – With the Rockies down 12-5, Helton flied out to center with the bases full to end the inning
Ninth Inning – Fouled out with a runner of first to end the game.
BBRT Extra … Yanks Strand 20 in Nine Innings
On September 21, 1956, a powerful Yankees squad (Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Bill Skowron, Elston Howard and more) lost to the Red Sox 13-7 in Boston – but it was not for the lack of scoring “opportunities.” In the game, the Yankee stranded 20 – still the MLB record for a nine-inning game. Here;s how it went:
- The Bombers scored three in the top of the first, but left the bases loaded when pitcher Bob Turley grounded out to end the frame);
- They added one in the second, but left two on as Elston Howard flied out to 2B;
- Stranded two more in the third (Enos Slaughter ground out to 1B);
- Scored one in the fourth, but left the bases full (Irv Noren fly out to LF);
- Left just one on base in the fifth (Yogi Berra ground out to 1B);
- Left the bases full again in the sixth (Jerry Lumpe made the final out);
- Scored two in the seventh, but left two more on base (Jerry Coleman fly out to CF);
- Left two on the eighth (Norm Siebern strikeout); and
- Left two more on in the ninth (George Wilson fly out to LF).
Overall, the Yankees outhit the Red Sox 15-14; out-homered them 1-0); and made just one error to the Red Sox’ five – and still lost by six tallies.
Now a look at the other two AL players to leave at least 12 runners on base in a fame. Like AL record holder (at 13) Dustin Pedroia, they both “accomplished” the feat for the Red Sox.
Trot Nixon – an Even Dozen Left on Base – The Record for an Inter-league Game
On June 12, 2003, Trot Nixon started in RF for the Red Sox (batting sixth) as they lost to the Cardinals 8-7 at Fenway. Nixon came into the game hitting .305, with eight homers and 36 RBI in 55 games. He went a respectable 2-7 (both singles) with one RBI – but had many more opportunities to contribute offensively in this one-run loss.
First Inning – Nixon ended the inning with a four-pitch strikeout and the bases loaded. (Game tied 0-0 at this point).
Fourth Inning – Pop out to the catcher, with one out and a runner on first.
Fifth Inning – Nixon ended the inning with a foul pop to 1B, with runners on second and third and the Sox trailing 2-0.
Eighth Inning – Single to LF.
Ninth Inning – Foul pop out to 1B, with one out and the bases loaded (after two intentional walks to set up the double play). The Sox had scored three in the frame to tie the game at 3-3, the third run scoring on a Nomar Garciaparra one-out triple. Manny Ramirez and Bill Millar were then intentionally walked to bring up Nixon, whose pop up was followed by a Bill Mueller fly out to send the game into extra innings.
Tenth Inning – Nixon ended the inning with a ground out to second,with the bases loaded and the game tied at 5-5. This Nixon out again followed a pair of intentional walks to load the bases.
Thirteenth Inning – RBI single (no outs) to bring the score to 8-6 (the Cards scored three in the top of the inning.)
Nixon ended the season at .306-28=87 and was .274-137-555 in 12 MLB seasons.
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David Ortiz – Another Dozen Red Sox Left on Base … At Least It wasn’t at Home
On May 14, 2009, David Ortiz started at DH for the Red Sox, batting third, as they faced the Angels in California. Big Papi came into the game hitting just .220, with no home runs and 15 RBI. He didn’t break his early-season slump. On the day, he:
- Went zero-for seven;
- Struck out three times;
- Made the final out of an inning in five of his seven at bats – all with at least one runner in scoring position, twice with the bases loaded.
Ortiz ended the season at .238-28-99 – a notable off year for Ortiz, who hit .286-541-1,768 in a 20 season MLB career. Ortiz was a ten-time All Star, hit 30+ home runs in ten seasons and drove in 100+ runs ten times.
Here’s how his “May Day” went:
First Inning – Strikeout looking on four pitches with one out and a runner on first.
Fourth Inning – Ended the inning on five-pitch strikeouts (looking) with the bases loaded and Boston training 3-2.
Sixth Inning – Ended the inning, striking out looking on four pitches, with a runner on second and the game tied 3-3.
Eighth Inning – Ended the inning with a fly out to deep LF, with runners on first and third and Boston trailing 4-3.
Tenth Inning – Ended the inning on a ground out to 1B, with a runner on second and the game tied 4-4.
Twelfth Inning – Ended the inning on a ground out in front of the plate (catcher to first bases), with the bases loaded and the game still tied 4-4. The Angels picked up a walk-off win in the bottom of the inning.
BBRT Extra – Old Guys Rule
In 2016, his final season (age 40), David Ortiz hit .315-38-127 in 151 games – leading the AL in RBI and doubles (48).
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.,com; Baseball-Almanac.com.
Baseball Roundtable Disclaimer: The MLB records referenced in this (and previous) posts have the potential to change as Major League Baseball recognizes and incorporates Negro League records from 1920-46 into the MLB record book.
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