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Top post-season pitching Game Scores

Posted by Andy on October 4, 2007

Here are the top 49 post-season pitching game scores (after the jump) since 1903.

Beckett performance last night, not on this list yet, got an 87, good for a tie at 37th with 8 other games. Notice that Beckett already has the 6th best game score since 1903.

  Cnt Player            Date          Series G 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 Roger Clemens     2000-10-14    ALCS   4 NYY @SEA W  5-0  SHO9  ,W   9    1  0  0  2 15  0 138  87     98         30 28  1  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00 

    2 Dave McNally      1969-10-05    ALCS   2 BAL  MIN W  1-0  SHO11 ,W  11    3  0  0  5 11  0             97         41 36  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  1  0  0  0  0   0.00
    3 Babe Ruth         1916-10-09    WS     2 BOS  BRO W  2-1  CG 14 ,W  14    6  1  1  3  4  1             97         48 43  1  0   0   0  2  0   1  0  2  0  0  0   0.64 

    4 Don Larsen        1956-10-08    WS     5 NYY  BRO W  2-0  SHO9  ,W   9    0  0  0  0  7  0  97  71     94         27 27  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
    5 Ed Walsh          1906-10-11    WS     3 CHW @CHC W  3-0  SHO9  ,W   9    2  0  0  1 12  0             94         30 29  1  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  1  0  0  1   0.00 

    6 Josh Beckett      2003-10-12    NLCS   5 FLA  CHC W  4-0  SHO9  ,W   9    2  0  0  1 11  0 115  80     93         30 29  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
    7 Ken Holtzman      1973-10-09    ALCS   3 OAK  BAL W  2-1  CG 11 ,W  11    3  1  1  1  7  1             93         38 37  0  0   0   0  0  0   1  0  0  0  0  0   0.82
    8 Bob Gibson        1968-10-02    WS     1 STL  DET W  4-0  SHO9  ,W   9    5  0  0  1 17  0             93         32 31  1  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  1  0  0  0   0.00 

    9 Kevin Brown       1998-09-29    NLDS   1 SDP @HOU W  2-1  GS-8  ,W   8    2  0  0  2 16  0 119  77     92         28 25  0  0   0   1  0  0   1  0  0  0  0  0   0.00 

   10 Randy Johnson     2001-10-28    WS     2 ARI  NYY W  4-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  1 11  0 110  76     91         30 29  0  0   0   0  0  0   1  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   11 Randy Johnson     2001-10-16    NLCS   1 ARI  ATL W  2-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  1 11  0 125  87     91         31 30  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00 

   12 Livan Hernandez   1997-10-12    NLCS   5 FLA  ATL W  2-1  CG 9  ,W   9    3  1  1  2 15  1 143  88     90         31 29  0  1   0   0  0  0   0  0  1  0  0  0   1.00
   13 Nolan Ryan        1986-10-14    NLCS   5 HOU @NYM L  1-2  GS-9       9    2  1  1  1 12  1             90         30 29  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   1.00
   14 Mike Scott        1986-10-08    NLCS   1 HOU  NYM W  1-0  SHO9  ,W   9    5  0  0  1 14  0 125  88     90         34 33  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  2  0  0  0  0   0.00
   15 Vida Blue         1974-10-08    ALCS   3 OAK @BAL W  1-0  SHO9  ,W   9    2  0  0  0  7  0             90         30 30  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  1  0  0  0   0.00
   16 Monte Pearson     1939-10-05    WS     2 NYY  CIN W  4-0  SHO9  ,W   9    2  0  0  1  8  0             90         29 28  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  1  0  0  0   0.00
   17 George Earnshaw   1931-10-06    WS     4 PHA  STL W  3-0  SHO9  ,W   9    2  0  0  1  8  0             90         30 29  1  0   0   0  0  0   0  2  0  0  0  0   0.00
   18 Bill Dinneen      1903-10-02    WS     2 BOS  PIT W  3-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  2 11  0             90         29 27  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  1  0  0   0.00 

   19 Curt Schilling    2001-10-09    NLDS   1 ARI  STL W  1-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  1  9  0 101  74     89         32 30  2  0   0   0  1  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   20 Kevin Millwood    1999-10-06    NLDS   2 ATL  HOU W  5-1  CG 9  ,W   9    1  1  1  0  8  1 105  76     89         29 29  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   1.00
   21 Kevin Brown       1998-10-08    NLCS   2 SDP @ATL W  3-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  3 11  0 122  78     89         32 29  0  0   0   0  0  0   1  0  0  0  0  1   0.00
   22 Jon Matlack       1973-10-07    NLCS   2 NYM @CIN W  5-0  SHO9  ,W   9    2  0  0  3  9  0             89         31 27  0  0   0   0  1  0   0  0  1  1  0  0   0.00
   23 Don Drysdale      1963-10-05    WS     3 LAD  NYY W  1-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  1  9  0             89         32 29  0  0   1   1  1  0   0  0  0  1  0  0   0.00
   24 Hod Eller         1919-10-06    WS     5 CIN @CHW W  5-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  1  9  0             89         31 30  0  1   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00 

   25 Mike Hampton      2000-10-16    NLCS   5 NYM  STL W  7-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  1  8  0 120  74     88         31 30  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
+----+-----------------+-------------+------+-+---+----+-------+---------+----+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---+--------+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---+--+--+---+--+--+--+--+--+------+
  Cnt Player            Date          Series G 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 Bobby Jones       2000-10-08    NLDS   4 NYM  SFG W  4-0  SHO9  ,W   9    1  0  0  2  5  0 116  73     88         30 28  1  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   27 Mike Mussina      1997-10-15    ALCS   6 BAL  CLE L  0-1  GS-8       8    1  0  0  2 10  0 107  73     88         27 25  1  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   28 Mike Boddicker    1983-10-06    ALCS   2 BAL  CHW W  4-0  SHO9  ,W   9    5  0  0  3 14  0 142  94     88         36 31  0  0   0   2  0  0   0  2  1  0  0  0   0.00
   29 Jim Lonborg       1967-10-05    WS     2 BOS  STL W  5-0  SHO9  ,W   9    1  0  0  1  4  0             88         29 28  1  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   30 Sandy Koufax      1965-10-14    WS     7 LAD @MIN W  2-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  3 10  0             88         33 30  1  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   31 Sandy Koufax      1965-10-11    WS     5 LAD  MIN W  7-0  SHO9  ,W   9    4  0  0  1 10  0             88         29 28  0  0   0   0  0  0   2  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   32 Whitey Ford       1961-10-04    WS     1 NYY  CIN W  2-0  SHO9  ,W   9    2  0  0  1  6  0             88         30 29  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   33 Warren Spahn      1958-10-05    WS     4 MLN @NYY W  3-0  SHO9  ,W   9    2  0  0  2  7  0             88         31 29  0  1   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   34 Allie Reynolds    1949-10-05    WS     1 NYY  BRO W  1-0  SHO9  ,W   9    2  0  0  4  9  0             88         33 28  1  0   0   0  1  0   1  1  0  0  0  0   0.00
   35 Bill James        1914-10-10    WS     2 BSN @PHA W  1-0  SHO9  ,W   9    2  0  0  3  8  0             88         28 25  1  0   0   0  0  0   1  1  0  2  0  0   0.00
   36 Jack Coombs       1911-10-17    WS     3 PHA @NYG W  3-2  CG 11 ,W  11    3  2  1  4  7  0             88         36 31  1  0   0   0  1  0   0  0  4  0  0  0   0.82 

   37 Roger Clemens     2000-10-22    WS     2 NYY  NYM W  6-5  GS-8  ,W   8    2  0  0  0  9  0 112  78     87         28 27  0  0   0   1  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  1   0.00
   38 John Smoltz       1997-10-03    NLDS   3 ATL @HOU W  4-1  CG 9  ,W   9    3  1  1  1 11  1 103  76     87         32 31  0  0   0   0  0  0   1  0  0  0  0  0   1.00
   39 Orel Hershiser    1988-10-16    WS     2 LAD  OAK W  6-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  2  8  0             87         31 29  0  0   0   0  0  0   2  1  0  0  0  0   0.00
   40 Bob Forsch        1982-10-07    NLCS   1 STL  ATL W  7-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  0  6  0 104  74     87         30 30  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  1  0  0  0   0.00
   41 Bob Gibson        1964-10-12    WS     5 STL @NYY W  5-2  CG 10 ,W  10    6  2  0  2 13  1             87         39 36  0  0   1   1  0  0   1  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   42 Vic Raschi        1950-10-04    WS     1 NYY @PHI W  1-0  SHO9  ,W   9    2  0  0  1  5  0             87         30 29  0  0   0   0  0  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   43 Schoolboy Rowe    1934-10-04    WS     2 DET  STL W  3-2  CG 12 ,W  12    7  2  2  0  7  0             87         42 41  1  1   0   0  1  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   1.50
   44 Orval Overall     1908-10-14    WS     5 CHC @DET W  2-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  4 10  0             87         34 30  1  0   0   0  0  0   0  1  1  0  0  1   0.00 

   45 Jason Schmidt     2003-09-30    NLDS   1 SFG  FLA W  2-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  0  5  0 111  82     86         31 30  0  0   0   0  1  0   0  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   46 Allie Reynolds    1952-10-04    WS     4 NYY  BRO W  2-0  SHO9  ,W   9    4  0  0  3 10  0             86         32 28  0  0   0   0  1  0   1  0  2  0  0  0   0.00
   47 Bobo Newsom       1940-10-06    WS     5 DET  CIN W  8-0  SHO9  ,W   9    3  0  0  2  7  0             86         31 29  0  0   0   0  0  0   1  0  0  0  0  0   0.00
   48 Mordecai Brown    1906-10-12    WS     4 CHC @CHW W  1-0  SHO9  ,W   9    2  0  0  2  5  0             86         30 27  0  0   0   0  1  0   0  0  2  0  0  0   0.00
   49 Christy Mathewson 1905-10-12    WS     3 NYG @PHA W  9-0  SHO9  ,W   9    4  0  0  1  8  0             86         32 30  0  0   0   1  0  0   0  1  1  0  0  0   0.00

Remember that Livan Hernandez game at #12? I don't mean to pick on the late Eric Gregg, but his umpiring in that game reminded me of Leslie Neilsen's character in Naked Gun. Both called pitches prematurely, and both called pitches way out of the strike zone as strikes.

13 Responses to “Top post-season pitching Game Scores”

  1. vonhayes Says:

    Look at the big 'L's. I remember that '86 Nolan Ryan game very well - Charlie Kerfeld pitched well in relief but his own throwing error cost them the game in the 12th. Then in '97, Benitez, of course, blew the game of Mussina's life.

  2. psuimpreza Says:

    I am a Phillies fan, but WOW Beckett has been nasty in the postseason!

  3. Andy Says:

    Mussina's got several regular-season games with higher Game Scores, starting with the near perfect game in Boston before Dinosaur Boy got a hit. Check out Mussina's leading regular-season Game Scores here.

  4. vonhayes Says:

    Wow, not bad. Do you consider him to be a Hall of Famer?

  5. kingturtle Says:

    I love that Ruth has the best WS score. I love that big lug.

  6. Andy Says:

    Yup. .635 career winning percentage (currently 41st all-time), 250 wins (45th), 2663 Ks (22nd), double-digits in wins in every full season (16 straight), 22 post-season games with a 3.40 ERA.

    Here are the leaders for most 10+ win seasons since 1901. Moose is tied for 16th. For streaks of consecutive years, only Spahn (17), Gettysburg Eddie (16), Lefty (18), Ryan Express (16), Mad Dog (20), and Black & Decker (17) have equaled Moose.

  7. Andy Says:

    Here is a much better version of that Naked Gun clip.

  8. kingturtle Says:

    Don't forget his six of Gold Gloves.

    Also, he was born in Williamsport, PA. That's gotta count for something.

  9. Andy Says:

    Not until today did I notice that the announcers keep changing in that Naked Gun clip. I'm not a huge fan of that movie, or that genre in general, but I do appreciate the baseball humor.

  10. AbeTasite Says:

    Wow, Randy Johnson had two identical games in one postseason.

    SHO9 W 9 IP 3 H 0 R 0 ER 1 BB 11 SO

  11. vonhayes Says:

    How about Kevin Brown?

  12. Andy Says:

    Kevin Brown for Hall of Fame? I'd say no. He has "only" 211 wins, and a .594 winning percentage, both well short of where Mussina is now.

  13. vonhayes Says:

    I don't think he'll get in either, and Mussina will, but I actually have Brown rated a lot higher historically.

    But how about those 2 1998 starts for Brown!