Most earned runs allowed in a complete game
Posted by Andy on March 30, 2009
Since 1954:
Cnt Player Date Tm Opp GmReslt App,Dec IP H R **ER** BB SO HR Pit Str GmSc IR IS BF AB 2B 3B IBB HBP SH SF GDP SB CS Pk BK WP ERA +----+-----------------+-------------+---+----+-------+---------+----+--+--+------+--+--+--+---+---+----+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---+--+--+---+--+--+--+--+--+------+ 1 Mike Norris 1980-09-26 OAK MIL L 7-10 CG 9 ,L 9 17 10 10 1 9 4 21 45 44 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 10.00 2 Ken Holtzman 1979-05-18 CHC PIT L 5-9 CG 9 ,L 9 13 9 9 3 4 3 26 43 39 3 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 9.00 3 Nolan Ryan 1978-05-17 CAL @CHW L 6-9 CG 8 ,L 8 10 9 9 7 6 2 25 40 31 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.12 4 Jim Kaat 1964-07-02 MIN @BOS W 15-9 CG 9 ,W 9 13 9 9 4 3 2 24 42 36 1 1 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 9.00 5 Lew Burdette 1960-10-02 MLN @PIT L 5-9 CG 8 ,L 8 15 9 9 1 0 0 15 40 39 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 10.12 6 Frank Lary 1960-08-25 DET @BAL L 3-9 CG 8 ,L 8 10 9 9 4 3 2 25 38 32 1 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 10.12 7 Hal Griggs 1959-07-26(1) WSH @CLE L 0-9 CG 8 ,L 8 9 9 9 7 3 2 24 39 31 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 10.12 8 Randy Johnson 1998-07-05 SEA @TEX L 4-8 CG 8 ,L 8 9 8 8 2 12 3 141 84 42 35 33 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 9.00 9 Pat Hentgen 1996-08-07 TOR @BOS L 0-8 CG 8 ,L 8 9 8 8 1 5 3 103 69 36 34 31 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 9.00 10 Mark Williamson 1988-05-25 BAL @OAK L 1-8 CG 8 ,L 8 9 8 8 2 7 2 129 84 37 35 32 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9.00 11 Floyd Youmans 1986-10-02 MON NYM L 2-8 CG 9 ,L 9 8 8 8 3 10 2 46 36 33 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 8.00 12 Fernando Valenzue 1986-05-09 LAD @MON L 4-8 CG 8 ,L 8 11 8 8 1 6 3 33 35 33 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 9.00 13 Britt Burns 1985-07-13 CHW @BAL W 10-8 CG 9 ,W 9 8 8 8 5 4 3 38 37 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 8.00 14 Chris Codiroli 1983-06-12(2) OAK CHW L 1-8 CG 9 ,L 9 11 8 8 4 4 0 33 42 38 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8.00 15 Rick Langford 1980-10-02 OAK @CHW L 4-9 CG 8 ,L 8 15 9 8 1 2 1 19 39 34 1 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 9.00 16 Mike Norris 1980-06-16 OAK @BOS W 11-8 CG 9 ,W 9 12 8 8 2 3 3 32 41 39 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8.00 17 Phil Niekro 1977-05-03 ATL PIT L 7-8 CG 11 ,L 11 12 8 8 5 9 2 45 48 41 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 2 2 0 0 0 6.55 18 Mickey Lolich 1975-08-15 DET @CAL L 0-8 CG 8 ,L 8 14 8 8 1 3 1 24 38 35 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 9.00 19 Mel Stottlemyre 1971-07-19(1) NYY CHW L 3-8 CG 10 ,L 10 13 8 8 3 2 1 33 43 40 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 7.20 20 Don Drysdale 1968-07-28(1) LAD @CHC L 3-8 CG 8 ,L 8 8 8 8 3 6 1 37 35 29 3 0 2 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 9.00 21 Bob Sadowski 1964-08-24 MLN PHI W 12-9 CG 9 ,W 9 13 9 8 0 4 3 31 41 40 3 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 8.00 22 Gary Blaylock 1959-05-27 STL @SFG L 4-9 CG 8 ,L 8 8 9 8 3 2 3 31 35 29 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 9.00 23 Robin Roberts 1956-09-30(1) PHI NYG L 3-8 CG 9 ,L 9 15 8 8 1 4 3 28 42 39 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 8.00 24 Bob Feller 1956-09-30 CLE DET L 4-8 CG 9 ,L 9 14 8 8 3 0 1 24 42 38 1 1 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 8.00 25 Art Ditmar 1955-08-21 KCA @CLE L 4-9 CG 8 ,L 8 7 9 8 10 3 2 27 41 28 2 0 1 1 0 2 0 4 0 0 0 1 9.00 +----+-----------------+-------------+---+----+-------+---------+----+--+--+------+--+--+--+---+---+----+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---+--+--+---+--+--+--+--+--+------+ Cnt Player Date Tm Opp GmReslt App,Dec IP H R **ER** BB SO HR Pit Str GmSc IR IS BF AB 2B 3B IBB HBP SH SF GDP SB CS Pk BK WP ERA +----+-----------------+-------------+---+----+-------+---------+----+--+--+------+--+--+--+---+---+----+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---+--+--+---+--+--+--+--+--+------+ 26 Bob Trice 1954-07-02 PHA @BOS L 4-8 CG 8 ,L 8 10 8 8 4 2 0 28 37 33 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9.00
I can understand that sometimes a starting pitcher is left in even when he's not that effective. This can happen when a bullpen is worn out or if there are more important games coming up immediately and the manager wants to keep other arms fresh.
But I wonder about the story behind some of these games.
Why was Jim Kaat allowed to stay in a July game to give up 9 earned runs? The Twins were way ahead 12-2 in the 7th inning when Kaat got hit up for 3 runs. Then they got those runs back in the 8th, going up 15-5. He had toruble closing out the 9th, giving up 4 more runs for a final score of 15-9 with Kaat as the winning pitcher. I guess that makes sense--the game was never really in doubt, and if Kaat was uninjured and was willing to stay in, why not?
I'm sure there are lots of other interesting stories here. Share any with us that you might know.
March 30th, 2009 at 9:44 am
How about Phil Neikros 11 inning complete game. he gave up 8 runs and the braves lost the
at first i thought neikro just had a rough first inning or two before setlling down for the last 9 innings, this was not true. he scattered 7 runs over the first 6 innings. I supoose he stayed in only because the braves offenseanswered for the priates offense.
I also think that these games would be a lot more in number prior to say 1940 when relief pitching was used virtually never
March 30th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Norris was part of Billy Martin's staff that threw 94 CGs that year. I guess it was one of Martin's 'manhood' gimmicks that resulted in several shortened careers. Anyway, Norris was cruising with a 7-2 lead. The Brewers added two in the 5th and 1 in the 8th to trail 7-5. It wasn't quite as unusual then -- especially for Oakland -- to let the starter try to finish it. Even when the Brewers loaded the bases with one out, Norris was just a ground ball away from the win, but Ben Oglivie then hit a 9th inning grand slam to turn the game, followed by a Gorman Thomas solo shot for the final margin.
March 30th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Hentgen's game was interesting in that he threw only 103 pitches. He was 'in' it, trailing only 4-0 in the bottom of the 8th, when Tony Rodriguez (remember him? me neither) hit his only Major League home run, a three-run shot, to blow it open. Hentgen ended up taking it for the team as Tom "Flash" Gordon was virtually unhittable in completing the shutout.
March 30th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
No! I mis-read the box, Rodriguez' homer was a 7th-inning solo shot to complete a 3-RBI day; Mo Vaughn put it away with his two-run homer in a 3-run 8th. Sorry.
March 30th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Mike Norris had a 148 ERA+ in a season when he gave up 8 and 10 runs in two games? Must have had a heck of season otherwise.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:27 am
I'd like to know more about Bob Feller's 8-run CG on September 30, 1957, the last day of the season. Was this some sort of backhanded tribute to his career, or was management trying to make sure he would retire more-or-less willingly?
Feller finished 0-4 for this last season. He had not pitched since Sept. 15, when he had his other CG (loss, of course) for the year and gave up 5 runs.
In this final appearance (Sept. 30), the onetime strikeout king had zero K's.
Why not take Feller out? The day before, Art Houtteman had given up another 8 runs in 6 innings and was then relieved. These Cleveland pitchers had not thrown in a week: Lemon, Garcia, Mossi, McLish, Daley, and Maglie (assuming none was injured and all were on the active roster). The Indians finished 9 games behind the Yankees (in second place, as usual). Al Lopez resigned and moved to Chicago. Had Feller been badgering Lopez for more chances?
It seems a funny way to end the career of (arguably) your greatest player.