Felix Hernandez has Three Consecutive “Complete” Games
Posted by Andy on July 1, 2010
Felix Hernandez is on one hell of a run.
Check out his starts in June:
| Gcar | Date | Tm | Opp | Rslt | Inngs | Dec | DR | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | BF | Pit | Str | LD | Unk | GSc | Exited | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 | Jun 3 | SEA | MIN | W,4-1 | GS-8 | W(3-4) | 4 | 8.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 3.26 | 31 | 116 | 79 | 4 | 0 | 76 | 8t 3 out a3 | |
| 151 | Jun 8 | SEA | @ | TEX | L,1-7 | GS-7 | L(3-5) | 4 | 6.0 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3.77 | 31 | 107 | 65 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 7b --- 0 out d6 |
| 152 | Jun 13 | SEA | @ | SDP | W,4-2 | GS-9 | W(4-5) | 4 | 8.2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 3.61 | 31 | 128 | 85 | 3 | 0 | 76 | 9b 1-- 2 out a2 |
| 153 | Jun 19 | SEA | CIN | W,5-1 | CG | W(5-5) | 5 | 9.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 3.39 | 32 | 116 | 81 | 2 | 0 | 81 | 9t 3 out a4 | |
| 154 | Jun 24 | SEA | CHC | L,2-3 | GS-9 | 4 | 9.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 3.28 | 34 | 117 | 81 | 2 | 0 | 76 | 9t 3 out tie | ||
| 155 | Jun 30 | SEA | @ | NYY | W,7-0 | SHO | W(6-5) | 5 | 9.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 3.03 | 32 | 115 | 76 | 3 | 0 | 91 | 9b 3 out a7 |
| SEA | 121.2 | 101 | 46 | 41 | 38 | 116 | 9 | 3.03 | 500 |
After starts of 8, 6, and 8.2 innings, he's turned in 3 stellar starts in a row. First was a complete game win against the Reds and last was a complete game shutout of the Yankees last night. The one in between is quite interesting.
Hernandez pitched 9 innings but didn't get a decision as the game went into extra innings. With his, he just barely missed pitching back-to-back complete games. I was alerted by Marcos Grunfeld, a baseball writer for BeisbolVenezolano.net, that Hernandez nearly joined this list of Venezuelan-born major league pitchers to throw consecutive complete games. Alejandro Carrasquel holds the major-league record for most consecutive complete games by a Venezuelan-born player. Never heard of him? Perhaps you know him by his Americanized name: Alex Carrasquel.
Even if you don't speak Spanish, it's very interesting to look at that site and their focus on Venezuelan players. As an American fan of baseball, I am quite accustomed to the wide range of nationalities among ballplayers. Sometimes I think I lose perspective on the identities and ancestries of these players. I love sites like BeisbolVenezolano because of pride they take in their country and their culture as well as the players who represent them.
Note to our readers: if you know of other web sites that, like BeisbolVenezolano, are serious journalistic sites dedicated to major-league players from certain countries, would you please post the link in the comments on this post?
More on Hernandez. How ironic is it that he pitched 9 innings without getting a CG but did pitch a CG both before and after that game? Amazing.
He became the 4th guy this year to throw at least 9 innings without earning a complete game. Here are the guys to do it since 2009:
| Strk Start | End | Games | W | L | GS | CG | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | Tm | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felix Hernandez | 2010-06-24 | 2010-06-24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 2.00 | SEA |
| Mike Pelfrey | 2010-06-08 | 2010-06-08 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1.00 | NYM |
| Edwin Jackson | 2010-06-02 | 2010-06-02 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0.00 | ARI |
| Colby Lewis | 2010-04-30 | 2010-04-30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.00 | TEX |
| John Lackey | 2009-09-05 | 2009-09-05 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1.00 | LAA |
| Matt Cain | 2009-07-29 | 2009-07-29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0.00 | SFG |
| Matt Garza | 2009-07-24 | 2009-07-24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 2.00 | TBR |
| Roy Halladay | 2009-07-24 | 2009-07-24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 1.00 | TOR |
| John Lackey | 2009-07-19 | 2009-07-19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0.00 | LAA |
| Adam Wainwright | 2009-07-01 | 2009-07-01 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 1.00 | STL |
I discovered some other gems regarding this type of game but you'll have to wait for that...will post it this afternoon.
July 1st, 2010 at 11:40 am
Michael Kay agrees that it's very ironic.
July 1st, 2010 at 12:13 pm
http://www.cubanballplayers.com/
July 1st, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Grande Marcos, interesante que llamas la atencion del Guru de las Estadisticas...
July 1st, 2010 at 1:19 pm
That 8.2 IP start was fairly stellar itself. I'd say four terrific starts in a row for Felix, even if he slacked off and didn't finish that ninth inning.
July 1st, 2010 at 2:02 pm
[...] [...]
July 1st, 2010 at 2:16 pm
I have wondered for a while when they would stop babying him.
I love to watch his competitiveness, when he gets within range of a CG. He hates to come out.
He threw 128 pitches in the 8.2 IP game, but that was still no more than eight over what they had let him throw in seven innings in a game back in 2007.
Last season, Hernandez threw 238.2 innings, a career high, and the second consecutive season he's been over 200. Is that unusual for a young kid? Not really. But, it's not run-of-the-mill, either.
Compared to the likes of Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal, Don Drysdale, Tom Seaver, and a few other top names, Felix should be more than ready to take the next step.
With last night's win, Felix now leads the A.L. in starts, innings and batters faced.
It may boil down to a matter of maturity, as Felix still seems to drift, from time-to-time. He's dominant in the second, third, sixth, and seventh innings. And the ninth, when he's allowed to close out a game.
At other times, he struggles more. Like many top starters, his first frame can be his toughest. The fourth is usually the second time around the middle of the order, so that's logical, as is the eighth, when he's either making his third trip through, or back around to the top for the fourth time.
Felix took a 1-0 lead to the eighth at Anaheim earlier this season, and surrendered a solo home run to Bobby Abreu. He walked Hideki Matsui to open the bottom of the ninth, and was lifted at that point, having thrown 111 pitches. Even with the bottom of the order coming up.
What to make of it...
More recently, though, the fire and focus seems to be there. Cliff Lee has helped, I'm sure.
June, though, has always been his best month. He's 15-3, 2.50 ERA in June in his career, then usually tails off in July/August (19-15, 3.45).
July 1st, 2010 at 7:09 pm
Hope I'm not stealing your thunder, Andy, but I found this game: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT195507190.shtml Vern Law started for the Pirates and pitched 18 innings, leaving with the score tied at 2, as it had been since the top of the 4th. In the 19th inning, he was relieved by Bob Friend, who gave up a run but vultured the win when the Pirates scored twice in the bottom half. Law's game score is given as 118. The Braves' starter, Lew Burdette, lasted only 8 innings.
I believe that's the Play-Index era record for IP by a starter with no CG.
July 1st, 2010 at 7:52 pm
You're not, Gerry. It's better. You gotta wait til tomorrow morning to read it, though.
July 1st, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Gerry- George Uhle went longer in 1929. He threw 20 innings before being relieved by Lil Stoner (great name)
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHA/CHA192905240.shtml
July 1st, 2010 at 8:48 pm
Don't forget the granddaddy of them all:
The famous 26-inning, 1-1 tie between the Brooklyn Robins and Boston Braves, at Braves Field, May 1, 1920. Brooklyner Leon Cadore took the hill, opposed by Beantowner Joe Oeschger.
Wilbert Robinson's flock had opened the season just two weeks earlier, with a homestand against the Phillies and Braves. They traveled to Philly for three at the Baker Bowl, then returned home to greet the Giants.
On Thu., Apr. 29, following the capper of that series, they left for Boston. The two clubs were scheduled for three games over four days (no Sunday ball in Boston).
The visiting Robins dropped the first game of the set, 3-0, Friday afternoon. Saturday, Cadore and Oeschger were scheduled to start.
Both had already made three starts. Cadore was 2-1, already with one shutout, as was Oeschger, whose only loss was a 1-0 heartbreaker to the Robins in their previous tilt at Ebbets Field. The winner? Cadore. Already, the match had the makings of greatness.
The visitors broke the ice for the first run of the game in the top of the fifth inning, against Oeschger. Catcher Ernie Krueger, who left the game a short time later, walked, and was delivered by Ivy Olsen.
Boston came back an inning later for the tying run against Cadore. Tony Boekel, who had three of Boston's 15 hits, drove in Walton Cruise. Then, the scoring stopped. Inning after inning, the teams came up empty.
It's not known how hard Cadore and Oeschger were throwing, what mix of pitches they used. But they pitched on...and on...and on.
Finally, they ran out of sunlight. After 26 innings, the game was called due to darkness. Imagine that: 26 innings, for naught.
Oeschger is estimated to have thrown in the vicinity of 319 pitches. Cadore, an even more astounding 345.
In facing a staggering 96 batters that day, Cadore surrendered 15 hits and five walks, while Oeschger was challenged by nine Brooklyn hits and four passes among the 90 times hitters that crossed his path. They each fanned seven.
Among the batters, Boston's second sacker Charlie Pick suffered through an 0-11 collar. Brooklyn shortstop Chuck Ward was 0-10.
Since the next day was Sunday -- blue, in Boston -- you might think both clubs would have the luxury of a little down time to recover. Not so.
The Robins had a make-up game to play against the Phils, in Brooklyn, which they had re-scheduled for that open date. As legend has it, Manager Wilbert Robinson told Cadore to stay at the hotel in Boston and sleep it off, while the club went home to take care of business. When they got back to Boston, Cadore was still sound asleep.
As it turned out, the Phillies handed the tired troopers a 4-3 setback in the re-scheduled contest...in 13 innings. The Robins then returned to Boston for Monday's series finale against the Braves, losing that one, as well.
By a score of 2-1. In 19 innings.
Robins' southpaw Sherry Smith and Braves' righty Dana Fillingim each went the distance.
That's right. Three days, three games, 58 innings. No wins for the Brooks. That has to be some kind of record for futility.
There's an interesting coda to this story, though it actually takes place a year earlier. On Apr. 30, 1919 -- a year and a day earlier, to be exact -- Oeschger climbed the hill for a start, also against the Robins. He was pitching for the Phillies, prior to being dealt to New York. In a game nowhere near as tidy, Oeschger hurled all 20 innings of a 9-9 tie against the Brooks.
Thus, Oeschger is in the record books as the only hurler in the history of Major League Baseball to have thrown two games of 20 or more innings.
Forty-five innings, in all, with nothing to show, except two no-decisions.
One thing Cadore and Oeschger did get for their record-setting efforts was a tie atop the record books for best game score: 127 They are two of three hurlers to achieve that lofty mark.
July 1st, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Actually, my bad. They do get credit for CG's, I guess. Just no decisions.
July 1st, 2010 at 9:12 pm
Jeff - Their game scores are actually a bit higher. You can read about it in the starting here:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/6785#comment-25349
July 1st, 2010 at 10:35 pm
Grande Félix Hernández y grande Marcos Grunfield. Dos venezolanos
July 1st, 2010 at 11:11 pm
Nightfly - I went to the game against San Diego where he went 8.2 innings, and that SHOULD have been a 9 inning shutout. With a man on second base, Tony Gwynn jr hit a sinking drive to center field. Franklin Gutierrez starting to charge it, then eased up thinking he wouldn't get it, like he would play it as a 1 hop single. Then at the last second, he charged it again, but missed it badly, and the ball rolled by him all the way to the wall, allowing 2 runs to score. After that Hernandez etired 12 of the next 13 batters, and for the whole game, allowed just 3 fly balls to the outfield - he was dominant.
July 1st, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Thanks, Raphy. I couldn't see how to search for not-a-complete-game, so I just searched for no-decision. Although there's no play-by-play, it looks like Uhle was lifted for a pinch-runner in the top of the 21st. His team scored, he got the win, and escaped my search.
July 2nd, 2010 at 12:12 am
Gerry - I used the pitching streak finder and searched for CG=0 and IP>=15. Then I sorted by innings. You have to be careful, though because a lot of complete games from the 30's are not flagged properly.
July 2nd, 2010 at 2:00 am
Ralphy,
Thanks for the info on the game scores.
An incredible game, to be sure!
July 2nd, 2010 at 2:37 am
Thanks again, Raphy - I didn't think of using the streak finder to find streaks of length one! I see what you mean about being careful - the Hubbell game of 2 July 1933 shows up, even though it appears he was the Giants' only pitcher.
July 2nd, 2010 at 8:48 am
[...] Yesterday we looked at the recent game in which Felix Hernandez pitched 9 innings but failed to complete the game since it went to extra innings. Turns out there are some pretty interesting occurrences of these games in the past. [...]
July 11th, 2010 at 3:34 am
[...] [...]