Cristopher Sánchez kept rolling on Wednesday, May 27 at San Diego, extending his scoreless run to 44 2/3 innings and breaking a Phillies mark that had stood for 115 years.
When Cristopher Sánchez walked off the mound after seven more scoreless innings at Petco Park, it wasn’t just another routine day for a pitcher in rhythm. It was the kind of performance that snaps a record that had survived 115 years.
Sánchez tossed his 42nd consecutive shutout inning on Wednesday, May 27 in San Diego, breaking Grover Cleveland Alexander’s mark that had stood since 1911. The milestone came during Sánchez’s fourth shutout inning against the San Diego Padres, as the Phillies went on to win 3-0.
By the time the afternoon was finished, Sánchez had stretched his streak to 44 2/3 scoreless innings. It also reopened the question of how close this run might come to the longest scoreless stretch ever: Orel Hershiser’s 59-inning scoreless run at the end of the 1988 season. Sánchez and Hershiser are the only pitchers since 1913 to pitch a scoreless calendar month of at least 30 innings. with Hershiser doing it in September 1988.
The Phillies’ franchise history adds extra weight to the moment. The club traces back to 1883 and has seen Hall of Famers grace its mound over generations. Still, for Sánchez, the numbers have been almost stubbornly consistent. In his five starts since he last gave up a run to the San Francisco Giants on April 30. he struck out 45 and walked three. posting a 0.74 WHIP.
Against San Diego, Sánchez struck out nine in seven innings and walked none, exiting the game with a 2-0 lead. His season ERA has dropped to 1.47.
One difference stands out when the streaks are compared across eras. Sánchez has tossed one shutout in his current run, while Alexander’s 1911 streak included four consecutive shutouts. Lefty Cliff Lee has come closest to Alexander’s club mark in more modern times, firing 34 consecutive scoreless innings in 2011.
Cristopher Sánchez Phillies record scoreless streak Grover Cleveland Alexander Orel Hershiser Petco Park San Diego Padres MLB news WHIP ERA
So he never allowed a run for like a whole month?? Phillies legend mode.
I swear the Phillies always have some random pitcher doing this and then it’s over the next week. 44 2/3 innings sounds insane though. Is that like 44 full games or am I missing something?
Breaking a 115-year record since 1911 sounds cool but honestly records change every era. Did he face the best Padres lineup or was it one of those lineups that just sits there and strikes out? Also WHIP 0.74… but they said he had a 2-0 lead when he left, so how is it 3-0 final?
Petco Park is always weird for hitters, so I’m not totally shocked. Like pitchers get lucky there and suddenly it’s a “streak.” Either way it’s wild he hasn’t given up a run since April 30 (or whatever) and has 1.47 ERA now. I remember Orel Hershiser too, and isn’t 59 innings like almost double this? Phillies fans are gonna be insufferable about it for months.