Best LCS Game 6 Starting Pitcher Performances
Posted by Steve Lombardi on October 22, 2010
As we head into Game 6 of the ALCS and NLCS this year, let's look back at the best efforts by a starting pitcher in LCS Game 6's prior to this year.
Here's the list:
| Rk | Player | Date | Series | Gm# | Tm | Opp | Rslt | App,Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | GSc | BF | WPA | RE24 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Mussina | 1997-10-15 | ALCS | 6 | BAL | CLE | L 0-1 | GS-8 | 8.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 88 | 27 | 0.00 | 0.568 | 4.305 | 1.057 |
| 2 | Steve Avery | 1991-10-16 | NLCS | 6 | ATL | PIT | W 1-0 | GS-8 ,W | 8.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 82 | 26 | 0.00 | 0.526 | 3.624 | 1.202 |
| 3 | David Cone | 1988-10-11 | NLCS | 6 | NYM | LAD | W 5-1 | CG 9 ,W | 9.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 76 | 35 | 1.00 | 0.277 | 2.788 | .778 |
| 4 | Roy Oswalt | 2005-10-19 | NLCS | 6 | HOU | STL | W 5-1 | GS-7 ,W | 7.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 72 | 27 | 1.29 | 0.270 | 2.586 | .907 |
| 5 | Dennis Martinez | 1995-10-17 | ALCS | 6 | CLE | SEA | W 4-0 | GS-7 ,W | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 71 | 26 | 0.00 | 0.511 | 4.023 | 1.406 |
| 6 | Doug Drabek | 1991-10-16 | NLCS | 6 | PIT | ATL | L 0-1 | CG 9 ,L | 9.0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 71 | 36 | 1.00 | 0.210 | 3.077 | 1.589 |
| 7 | Greg Maddux | 1996-10-16 | NLCS | 6 | ATL | STL | W 3-1 | GS-8 ,W | 7.2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 70 | 29 | 1.17 | 0.445 | 3.906 | 1.091 |
| 8 | Curt Schilling | 2004-10-19 | ALCS | 6 | BOS | NYY | W 4-2 | GS-7 ,W | 7.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 69 | 25 | 1.29 | 0.291 | 2.853 | .832 |
| 9 | Juan Guzman | 1992-10-14 | ALCS | 6 | TOR | OAK | W 9-2 | GS-7 ,W | 7.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 69 | 29 | 1.29 | 0.193 | 2.547 | .622 |
| 10 | John Tudor | 1987-10-13 | NLCS | 6 | STL | SFG | W 1-0 | GS-8 ,W | 7.1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 69 | 30 | 0.00 | 0.462 | 3.580 | 1.535 |
| 11 | Sterling Hitchcock | 1998-10-14 | NLCS | 6 | SDP | ATL | W 5-0 | GS-6 ,W | 5.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 68 | 20 | 0.00 | 0.220 | 1.557 | 1.085 |
| 12 | Danny Jackson | 1990-10-12 | NLCS | 6 | CIN | PIT | W 2-1 | GS-6 | 6.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 66 | 23 | 1.50 | 0.070 | 0.969 | 1.043 |
| 13 | Dave Dravecky | 1987-10-13 | NLCS | 6 | SFG | STL | L 0-1 | GS-6 ,L | 6.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 66 | 23 | 1.50 | 0.179 | 2.088 | .751 |
| 14 | Bob Knepper | 1986-10-15 | NLCS | 6 | HOU | NYM | L 6-7 | GS-9 | 8.1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 66 | 30 | 3.24 | 0.143 | 1.400 | .807 |
| 15 | John Maine | 2006-10-18 | NLCS | 6 | NYM | STL | W 4-2 | GS-6 ,W | 5.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 65 | 23 | 0.00 | 0.282 | 2.626 | 1.250 |
| 16 | Curt Schilling | 2007-10-20 | ALCS | 6 | BOS | CLE | W 12-2 | GS-7 ,W | 7.0 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 62 | 26 | 2.57 | 0.098 | 2.085 | .517 |
| 17 | Charles Nagy | 1997-10-15 | ALCS | 6 | CLE | BAL | W 1-0 | GS-8 | 7.1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 61 | 33 | 0.00 | 0.395 | 3.354 | 1.445 |
| 18 | Dave Stewart | 1993-10-12 | ALCS | 6 | TOR | CHW | W 6-3 | GS-8 ,W | 7.1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 61 | 30 | 2.45 | 0.265 | 1.604 | 1.562 |
| 19 | Andy Pettitte | 2009-10-25 | ALCS | 6 | NYY | LAA | W 5-2 | GS-7 ,W | 6.1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 60 | 25 | 1.42 | 0.216 | 2.134 | 1.076 |
| 20 | Kevin Brown | 1997-10-14 | NLCS | 6 | FLA | ATL | W 7-4 | CG 9 ,W | 9.0 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 56 | 39 | 4.00 | 0.169 | 0.712 | .882 |
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Which one of these games do you remember most and why? (I'm sure the Bloody Sock will get a few mentions here. But, that Avery-Drabek game back in 1991 was something too, no?)
October 22nd, 2010 at 1:24 pm
the wildest one I see there is Mussina - Nagy in '97. Mussina has the highest game score on this list, gave up only 1 hit and 2 BBs with 10Ks, gave up no earned runs, yet lost on an unearned to a guy who had a good but not great game with a 1.6 WHIP but managed the shutout. His .395 WPA suggests he got a lot of outs when it counted. But then so did Mussina with .568 the highest on this list.
October 22nd, 2010 at 1:32 pm
I'll go with the top game on the list -- 1997 ALCS game 6, Mussina vs. Nagy (who appears at #17 on the list). For the 2nd time in this series, Mussina was brilliant, with 10 Ks and 2 walks; the only hit was a double by David Justice leading off the 5th, after which Mussina set down Matt Williams, Jim Thome and Sandy Alomar, Jr. And for the 2nd time in the series, his effort was wasted, as the O's set a postseason record with 16 baserunners in a shutout loss.
October 22nd, 2010 at 1:38 pm
@1
Michael, you obviously have great taste in postseason pitching duels. 🙂
But you lost me when you mentioned an unearned run. The game's only run was a solo HR by Tony Fernandez off Armando Benitez with 2 out in the top of the 11th; no fielding miscues were involved. And Nagy pitched 7.1 innings -- not a shutout.
October 22nd, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Interesting to see 3 clunkers from Glavine at the bottom of the full list.
October 22nd, 2010 at 2:05 pm
Bloody Sock!
October 22nd, 2010 at 2:14 pm
given the circumstances, schilling game 6 against the yanks in 2004. were there statistically better game 6 performances? sure (but not many). but the sheer guts of that performance is remarkable. to have surgery peformed that had only been tested on a cadaver, given that is was an elimination game, against the yanks, with all the historical significance, with how schilling had ran his mouth when he first got to boston about bringing in a trophy. to his comments about making new yorkers shut up...well, you get the idea
avery/drabek always gets overlooked because of smoltz/morris that same year
October 22nd, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Bob Knepper was so good until the 9th inning in 1986, but then again, everyone was bad against the Mets late in Game 6's that post season.
Also, I was wondering why the Yanks didn't have more appearances on this list (win or lose), but they have only been involved in 5 Game 6's in LCS (so almost half are repesented - Bloody Sock and Pettitte clinching in 2009). Anything before 1985 was only best of 5 series.
October 22nd, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Al Leiter's game at the bottom of the list is interesting:
0.0 IP, 6 batters faced, 2H, 1BB, 2HBP, 5R/ER ( No HRs or XBHs! )
Hit By Pitch
Walk; Williams to 2B
Williams Steals 3B; Boone Steals 2B; Williams Scores; Boone to 3B/Adv on E2
Hit By Pitch
Single to LF; Boone Scores; Jones to 2B
Fielder's Choice ; Jones to 3B; Jordan to 2B
Single to CF; Jones Scores; Jordan Scores; Jones to 3B
October 22nd, 2010 at 2:35 pm
oh, and the Mets still only lost by 1 run, and Leiter didn't take the loss!
October 22nd, 2010 at 2:51 pm
1997 was pretty cool because BOTH Game 6 LCS contests that year had great efforts by SP.
October 22nd, 2010 at 3:14 pm
@10
Steve, you've puzzled me re: 1997 NLCS game 6. The pitchers were Kevin Brown, Game Score 56 (9 IP, 11 H, 4 R) vs. Tom Glavine, Game Score 18 (pounded for 7 runs and 18 baserunners). I mean, sure, a CG is pretty good in itself, but Brown's performance wasn't even one of his own best postseason efforts.
October 22nd, 2010 at 3:36 pm
@8 / 9
Cheese, not only did Leiter not lose that '99 NLCS game, the Mets actually led, 8-7, in the 9th, before ol' unreliable Johnny Franco blew the lead.
And in (unnecessary) defense of Leiter:
(a) he pitched a 2-hit shutout in the "play-in" game vs. Cincinnati;
(b) he started the NLDS clincher and left after 7.2 IP with a 2-1 lead, only to have Armando Benitez immediately give up a 2-run double; and
(c) he pitched great in game 3 of the NLCS, allowing just an unearned run in 7 IP (on Mike Piazza's daily SB/throwing error).
October 22nd, 2010 at 4:02 pm
John - you're right. Re: 1997. I think I need new glasses!
October 22nd, 2010 at 4:27 pm
I'm sensing an Armando Benitize theme...
October 22nd, 2010 at 4:43 pm
Steve, the Avery-Drabek game was the first one I went looking for on the list. Drabek started Game 1 and allowed 3 hits in 6 innings. I'm wracking my brian, but I can't remember why he didn't start again until game 6. Was it injury? I remember something about Leyland not wanting to bring him back on short rest, but in fact he had extra rest before his gem (in a losing cause).
October 22nd, 2010 at 7:55 pm
@15
LJF -- Per Wikipedia on the '91 NLCS:
"An injury to Pirates starter Doug Drabek [in game 1] was to have major ramifications for the Series. Drabek slid into third and injured himself in the sixth inning, leaving the game with what appeared to be a pulled hamstring. The injury cost Drabek an early start in either Game 4 or 5, and it ensured he would not be available for a third start in Game 7 if the Series went that far as it ultimately did."
However, I don't think Leyland gave serious thought to using Drabek in games 4 and 7 on short rest. The Pirates had a very balanced rotation that year, with 4 qualifiers posting ERAs from 2.98 to 3.20, and they started games 1-4 in this order: Drabek, Zane Smith, John Smiley, Randy Tomlinson. Once you rule out giving Drabek 3 starts, it hardly matters whether he starts game 5 or 6. In any case, Smith threw 7.2 scoreless innings in Pittsburgh's 1-0 game-5 win.
BTW, Drabek did start 3 times in the next year's NLCS, and he lost all 3 (though of course he hardly deserved to lose game 7). He remains the only SP to lose 3 games in an LCS, or in any series that was played on the level. (Lefty Williams lost 3 WS games for the 1919 "Black Sox".)
October 22nd, 2010 at 9:31 pm
Response 7 mentions that there weren't many Yankee Game 6 performances listed. The Phillies have only been in one NLCS Game 6 before this year - in 1993 - and although they won the game, which was also the series-clincher, I guess whoever started that game (I'd have to look it up, but it was probably Mulholland or Greene) didn't make the cut. In 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, and 1983, the NLCS was only a best of five. In 2008 and 2009, they wrapped it up in 5.
If the Phillies force a Game 7 in this year's NLCS, it will be the first time they will ever play a Game 7 in any round. I guess we have Mitch Williams and Joe Carter to blame for that. (One reason I am a bit apprehensive regarding Game 6 in the NLCS on Saturday, October 23 this year is that the dates, days of the week, and the Phillies' result in this year's NLCS correspond exactly to those of the 1993 World Series - losses on Saturday, Oct. 16; Tuesday, Oct. 19; and Wednesday, Oct. 20 and wins on Sunday, Oct. 17 and Thursday, Oct. 21. The only difference is that the home and away situations are reversed, which is maybe the one thing that gives me hope for Games 6 and 7 this weekend.)
October 22nd, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Update: Assuming Colby Lewis is done after 8 IP, he has tied David Cone for the #3 spot on the list above, with a Game Score of 76. (8 IP, 3 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, 7 Ks.)
Lewis could have scored an 80 if not for the ump's missed call on the bounced pitch that clearly hit Swisher, but went as a run-scoring wild pitch instead. But I'm sure he's forgotten all about that.
BTW, though I am not a Texas fan and have no connection to Colby Lewis, I've been extremely happy about his fine season. Before this year, Lewis -- a 1st-round pick in 1999 with a good minor-league record -- had a MLB line of 12-15 with a 6.71 ERA. After 2 years rebuilding his mechanics and confidence in Japan, Lewis has come back triumphant.
October 22nd, 2010 at 10:33 pm
It's typical of everything that went wrong with Mike Mussina's career that he is #1 on the list in a loss. I really loved watching The Moose pitch, but try as he might, the big win always evaded him.
October 22nd, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Going off topic for a look back at Rangers history....
-- Their first game was a 1-0 loss at California. Dick Bosman pitched 8 scoreless innings, but left after loading the bases in the 9th on 2 walks and the 2nd error of the game by catcher Hal King. Reliever Paul Lindblad promptly threw a wild pitch to score the winning run. Andy Messersmith blanked the Rangers on 2 hits.
October 24th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
@20 - That may have been the first-ever Texas Rangers game, but the franchise began as the 2nd Washington Senators team. If I recall correctly (and I'll verify it with the boxscores here later this week as I settle back in from a vacation planned long before the league championship round teams were determined), those expansion Senators won their first two games back in 1961 but then went on a long losing streak. If it wasn't in 1961, then it was in another year in the early 1960s. They were pretty bad back then, overshadowed by the even worse team that came into being the following year, the New York Mets. Their slogan for their 4th season, 1964, was "Off the floor in '64." I do know that they avoided 10th place in the AL that year because 1965 was the first year of the amateur draft, and the Kansas City Athletics got that first pick. So no doubt the Senators did get off the floor that year.
It would have been great if the Rangers' first-ever World Series appearance could have come against the Washington Nationals, another franchise waiting for its first trip to the final round, including its days in Montreal (thanks, ironically, to that first pick by the KC A's in 1965, Rick Monday, whose NLCS heroics kept the Expos out of the World Series in 1981).