Orel Hershiser's Scoreless Innings Streak
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During the 1988
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season,
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
Orel Hershiser of the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
set the MLB record for consecutive scoreless
innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
. Over 59 consecutive innings, opposing hitters did not score a
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against Hershiser. During the streak, he averted numerous high-risk scoring situations. The streak spanned from the sixth inning of an August 30 game against the
Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
to the 10th inning of a September 28 game against the San Diego Padres. The previous record of innings was set by former Dodger pitcher
Don Drysdale Donald Scott Drysdale (July 23, 1936 – July 3, 1993) was an American professional baseball player and television sports commentator. A right-handed pitcher for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers for his entire career in Major League Baseball, D ...
in 1968; as the team's radio announcer, Drysdale called Hershiser's streak as he pursued the new record. Pundits have described the streak as among the greatest records in baseball history, with one pundit ranking it among the greatest individual feats in American sports. During the streak, the Elias Sports Bureau changed its criteria for the official consecutive scoreless innings record for
starting pitcher In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...
s from including fractional innings in which one or two outs had been recorded to counting only complete scoreless innings. Since the streak was active at the end of the 1988 season, it could have spanned two separate seasons. However, Hershiser yielded a run in his first inning of work in the 1989 season against the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
, thus ending the streak at 59 consecutive scoreless innings pitched. The streak includes only innings pitched in the regular season, excluding eight scoreless innings Hershiser pitched to start Game 1 of the
1988 National League Championship Series The 1988 National League Championship Series was played between the National League West champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the National League East champion New York Mets. The Dodgers won the Series four games to three, en route to defeating the O ...
on October 4 (unofficially extending his streak to 67 combined innings). Although he completed the ninth inning in each start, the streak's final game lasted 16 innings, of which he pitched only the first 10. Thus, Hershiser did not match Drysdale's record of six consecutive
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
shutouts In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...
. Like Drysdale's streak, the penultimate game of Hershiser's streak was a Dodgers–Giants game that featured a controversial umpire's ruling that saved the streak. The streak was initially overshadowed by Hershiser achieving 20 wins and the race for the NL
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
between Hershiser and
Danny Jackson Danny Lynn Jackson (born January 5, 1962) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1983 to 1997. He played for the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirate ...
until Hershiser reached 40 consecutive innings. Another distraction during the streak was his wife's pregnancy and his son's childbirth complications. The record-setting game was overshadowed by the
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,
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, and baseball
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s; it was not broadcast on local television in Los Angeles. Following the regular season, Hershiser was awarded the NL Cy Young Award. In the playoffs, he earned both the NL Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award and the World Series MVP Award. He also secured Sportsman of the Year and Associated Press Athlete of the Year honors. Hershiser appeared in the 1989 MLB All-Star Game and continued to be an effective pitcher for many seasons, including two additional appearances in the
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
, one of which was preceded by his winning the 1995 AL Championship Series MVP Award.


Background

Hershiser was selected by Dodgers in the 17th round of the 1979 MLB draft with the 440th overall selection. He made his professional debut with the Class A Dodger farm team in the
Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
, the
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in 1979. He made his major league debut for the Dodgers on September 1, 1983, against the
Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
. Hershisher made his first start on May 26, 1984, against the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
and became a full-time starter in the Dodgers' rotation on July 14. Hershiser had pitched a -inning scoreless streak in 1984, eventually joining Gaylord Perry and Luis Tiant as the only pitchers between 1963 and 2014 with at least two streaks of this length. Hershiser's 1984 streak, which was the longest scoreless inning streak of the year, was broken up on July 24 by a
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
by two-time NL
Most Valuable Player In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
Dale Murphy of the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
. His streak included a
blown save In baseball, a save (abbreviated SV or S) is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. Most commonly a pitcher earns a save by entering in the ninth inning of a game in which his team ...
on July 8 against the St. Louis Cardinals and a nine-inning shutout against the Cardinals on July 19. Despite an emergency
appendectomy An appendectomy, also termed appendicectomy, is a Surgery, surgical operation in which the vermiform appendix (a portion of the intestine) is removed. Appendectomy is normally performed as an urgent or emergency procedure to treat complicated acu ...
that delayed his
spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
and shortened his time to get in shape for the season, Hershiser had been named NL Baseball Pitcher of the Month in April and a participant in the 1988 All-Star Game, getting outs against all three batters. In the eight games he started between July 10 and August 14, Hershiser had a 3–4
win–loss record In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
with a 4.76
earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA), raising his season ERA from 2.46 to 3.06. Following his August 14 start in which he left the game after two innings (his shortest appearance since 1985) with the Dodgers behind the Giants 8–2, he pitched
complete game In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
s on August 19 (a
shutout In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...
) and August 24. Prior to the game, Hershiser trailed teammate Tim Leary in shutouts, six to three, and Leary also combined with other pitchers to record a shutout that was not counted in his individual total. Previously,
Walter Johnson Walter Perry Johnson (November 6, 1887 – December 10, 1946), nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in Major League Baseball as a right-ha ...
of the 1913 Washington Senators had held the consecutive scoreless innings record, at , with two relief appearances, which gave him a fractional total. In 1968, Drysdale, also of the Dodgers, surpassed Johnson by pitching innings in six consecutive nine-inning shutouts between May 14 and June 4, 1968. Drysdale's streak ended with four scoreless innings in a 5-3 victory over the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
on June 8.


The streak

The streak spanned Hershiser's 29th through 35th (and final) starts of the 1988 season for the Dodgers, which were the 190th through 196th games of his career. It began on August 30 against the Expos, after seven-time All-Star Tim Raines scored with two outs in the fifth inning. The streak ended on April 5, 1989, against
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
, when Barry Larkin scored with two outs in the first inning. During the streak, although 41 of the 59 scoreless innings came on the road away from traditionally pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium, Hershiser lowered his ERA from 2.90 to 2.26. The Dodgers scored only 13 runs in support of Hershiser's 59 innings. Overall, opposing hitters batted 0-for-9 with runners on third and 0-for-31 with runners in scoring position. During the streak, according to the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'', Hershiser caused opposing teams to leave 30 runners on base; Drysdale, in his streak, left 35. However, ''
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'' reported that Hershiser left 36 runners on base. At that point in his career, Hershiser was regarded as a "right-handed sinkerball artist" although he did not throw a sinker. He relied on a fastball, slider,
curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...
, and split-finger fastball, the latter of which he used as a sinker. Once Hershiser achieved his second consecutive complete-game shutout to reach 22 consecutive scoreless innings, he was lauded for his 20th win in the national press while the local press praised his serious contention for the Cy Young Award, given to the league's best pitcher. The 20th win had been his preseason goal. His third consecutive complete-game shutout, which brought him to 31 consecutive innings, was said in local newspapers to have strengthened his Cy Young Award chances and in national newspapers to have helped his team in the pennant race. There was little emphasis on the historical context of his streak at this point, even among newspapers that headlined the streak. Upon reaching 40 consecutive innings, most of the national media began to mention that the record was 58 (in some cases ). In some papers, Hershiser's approach to the record was being described as a chase. Hershiser, however, said that he was primarily focused on his hospitalized newborn son. After Hershiser reached 49 consecutive innings because of what some sources describe as an umpire's favorable interference ruling on a
double play In baseball and softball, a double play (denoted as DP in baseball statistics) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs. In Major Leag ...
, the sports media compared him to Drysdale, who had a similar incident occur during his streak. The ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
'' noted that both beneficial calls were in Dodgers–Giants games. However, the press also noted that Hershiser needed another complete game shutout to tie Drysdale and pass Johnson on the all-time consecutive scoreless innings list. In addition to covering the record pursuit, some sportswriters perceived that Hershiser had taken a commanding lead in the Cy Young Award race. Despite the official ruling by MLB statistician
Seymour Siwoff Seymour Siwoff (November 9, 1920 – November 29, 2019) was an American statistician and businessman who was the president and chief executive of the Elias Sports Bureau from 1952 to 2019. He was named a finalist for the 2020 class of the Pro Fo ...
that only full innings of starting pitchers count toward the record, some sportswriters continued to refer to the record as innings. The pennant race also continued to draw attention as the Dodgers closed in on the NL West division title. An
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
article noted that it was Hershiser's eighth consecutive complete game and 15th of the season and Hershiser's fifth consecutive complete game shutout. As Hershiser's last remaining start approached, the media mentioned that he needed one more complete game shutout to tie the all-time record. When the total reached 49, Hershiser first began to believe that the record was within reach. Not only were his teammates too superstitious to talk to him about the streak, but Dodgers announcer Drysdale also avoided the subject when talking to Hershiser for fear of jinxing him. Hershiser was not superstitious about the record, saying, "I'm pretty loosey-goosey about it.... I talk about it all the time. I'm not superstitious."


August 30, 1988

The Dodgers entered the game with a 76–54 record and a 6.5-game lead in the NL West over the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
, while the
Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
were 11 games back in third place in the NL East with a 66–64 record entering the game. With the August 30 win, the Dodgers retained their 6.5-game lead. The win marked the Dodgers' fifth consecutive win and 12th out of 15. Hershiser contributed a two-run
double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * Th ...
in the second inning to help the Dodgers build a 3–0 lead. After Hershiser gave up two runs in the fifth, no baserunners reached second base against him in the final four innings, thus marking the first four scoreless innings of his streak. The game marked Hershiser's third consecutive and 10th complete game of the season. Following the game, his 2.84 ERA ranked third on the team behind Tim Leary (2.44) and John Tudor (2.37).


September 5, 1988

Hershiser had been scheduled to pitch against the NL-leading
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
(80–54) on Sunday, September 4, but a
rainout A rainout is the process of precipitation causing the removal of radioactive particles from the atmosphere onto the ground, creating nuclear fallout by rain. The rainclouds of the rainout are often formed by the particles of a nuclear explosion it ...
delayed his performance. The Dodgers entered the game with a 77–57 record and a five-game lead in the NL West over the Astros, while the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
were 31 games back in sixth place in the division with a 46–88 record entering the game. With the September 5 win, the Dodgers retained their 5-game lead. Hershiser struck out Dale Murphy four times, once resorting to a rare sidearm curveball to do so, to the dismay of
pitching coach In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decisio ...
Ron Perranoski Ronald Peter Perranoski (April 1, 1936 – October 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed relief pitcher from to , most prominently as a member of the Los Angeles Dodg ...
, who worried about injuries caused by sidearm pitching. According to
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's Mark Simon, this was the only game of Murphy's 2,180-game career in which a single pitcher struck him out four times. After a two-out walk to
Dion James Dion James (born November 9, 1962) is a former Major League Baseball player who played as a left and center fielder for an eleven-year career from 1983 to 1985, 1987–1990, 1992–1993, 1995-1996. James starred at C. K. McClatchy High School in ...
in the third inning, Hershiser allowed no baserunners until the ninth inning. With his fourth straight complete game, Hershiser raised his record to 19–8, making him 3–1 with a 1.00 ERA in those games.


September 10, 1988

The Dodgers entered the game with a 79–60 record and a four-game lead in the NL West over the Houston Astros, while the
Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
were 5.5 games back in third place in the division with a 74–66 record entering the game. With the September 10 win, the Dodgers held a five-game lead. Although left-handed pitcher Fernando Valenzuela had won 20 games in 1986, Hershiser became the first Dodger righthander to win 20 games since Don Sutton in 1976. Hershiser said, about reaching this accomplishment, "It's a goal that the world sets as a standard, and when you reach it, it's a great feeling." In the Cy Young Award race,
Danny Jackson Danny Lynn Jackson (born January 5, 1962) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1983 to 1997. He played for the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirate ...
of the Reds had beaten the Dodgers the night before to move to 21-6 with a 2.43 ERA (against Hershiser's 20-8 with a 2.62 ERA). In the third inning, Hershiser struck out
Eric Davis The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...
with the bases loaded and two outs and later got Davis to hit into two double plays. In the seventh inning,
Ken Griffey, Sr. George Kenneth Griffey (born April 10, 1950) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from through , most notably as a member of the Cincinnati Reds dynasty that won ...
and Larkin were retired after the Reds put runners on first and third base with one out. The game marked Hershiser's fourth consecutive complete game (and 12th of the season).


September 14, 1988

The Dodgers entered the game with an 83–60 record and a 6.5-game lead in the NL West over the Astros, while the Atlanta Braves were 34 games back in sixth place in the division with a 49–94 record entering the game. With Hershiser's September 14 win, the Dodgers maintained a 6.5-game lead. Hershiser's record on the season against the Braves was 5–0 with a 1.29 ERA. The game marked only the third time in 1988 that he pitched on three days' rest. Lasorda and Perranoski moved Hershiser's start up one day because they wanted him to pitch the next week against the second-place Houston Astros. With the streak at 31 innings Hershiser tied Jackson in number of wins, and moved into a tie for the sixth longest scoreless streak for the franchise since the 1958 relocation to Los Angeles. Although Drysdale's record was mentioned after he reached 31 consecutive innings, the focus of the media was on the Cy Young Award race with Jackson. The win was Hershiser's seventh consecutive against the Braves, a streak that began on September 13, 1987. The Braves opened the third inning with back-to-back singles by Ozzie Virgil and
Terry Blocker Terry Fennell Blocker (born August 18, 1959) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder who played with the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves. The 6'2" outfielder batted and threw left handed. MLB career Blocker was the Mets' fi ...
. Hershiser responded by striking out opposing pitcher
Rick Mahler Richard Keith Mahler (August 5, 1953 – March 2, 2005) was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves (1979–1988, 1991), Cincinnati Reds (1989–1990) and Montreal Expos (1991). His brother Mickey was a majo ...
and
Ron Gant Ronald Edwin Gant (born March 2, 1965) is an American television news anchor and former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves (1987–1993), Cincinnati Reds (1995), St. Louis Cardinals ...
and then retiring
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on a flyball to left. In the seventh inning, a double by
Andrés Thomas Andrés Péres Thomas (born November 10, 1963) is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues primarily as a shortstop for the Atlanta Braves from 1985-1990. He batted and threw right-handed. Thomas brought a power bat ...
was followed with an error by
Franklin Stubbs Franklin Lee Stubbs (born October 21, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player who was in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1984 to 1995. Stubbs played on four MLB teams in that time. His best season came in 1990 with the Houston ...
, giving the Braves runners at first and third. Hershiser loaded the bases with an intentional walk before retiring Mahler and Gant again. Gant's flyball sent Gibson to the outfield wall. Hershiser described it as his worst outing of his six consecutive complete games, saying: "It was the worst I've thrown in the last five or six starts.... I was really inconsistent. I didn't have good stuff or location. I couldn't establish a pattern. I had to work hard adjusting and got away with pitches I wouldn't have if I was going badly." The Dodgers' only run came in the ninth inning on what newspapers described as a successful
hit and run In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions. Additional obligation In many jurisdictions, there may be an ...
play in which Mike Marshall on a 2-2 count doubled Kirk Gibson in from first base. However, as recalled by Marshall: "Let me tell you, it wasn't a hit-and-run. Gibby was probably going with two strikes. We never would hit-and-run with us. You can call it a run-and-hit." Orel and wife Jamie scheduled induced labor for the following day, an off day for the Dodgers.


September 19, 1988

The Dodgers entered the game with an 86–61 record and a nine-game lead in the NL West over the Astros and Giants, each of whom held a 78–71 record. With the September 19 win, the Dodgers held a 9.5-game lead over the Reds. The game marked Hershiser's second consecutive 1–0 victory. The game marked Nolan Ryan's final start for the Astros. He pitched two innings (striking out four Dodgers) before leaving the game because of a hamstring cramp. Hershiser retired the final 13 batters in a row. Based on the rules in place on September 20, Hershiser would have ended up inning shy of Drysdale's record even with two nine-inning shutouts in his final two starts. Jackson also won his 22nd game that night. Hershiser's ERA in the seven consecutive complete games had fallen to 0.57. Houston's strongest scoring opportunities came about because of Dodger errors: Kevin Bass recorded a two-out single followed by a stolen base. Then a Griffin error on a Glenn Davis ground ball moved the runner to third base and dangerously close to home plate. Also, in the fifth inning Stubbs' error put runners on first and second with no outs. The game marked Hershiser's sixth (and fourth consecutive) shutout of the season, making him the first Dodger since Drysdale in 1968 to record four in a row. This performance of September 19 was the middle of three consecutive shutouts posted by the Dodgers. Tudor posted one on September 18 with relief from Alejandro Peña;
Tim Belcher Timothy Wayne Belcher (born October 19, 1961) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1987 to 2000 for seven different teams. He was named ''The Sporting News'' Rookie Pitcher of the Year ...
pitched a shutout on September 20. On September 19, Hershiser's four-day-old son Jordan was suffering from fluid buildup in his lungs in a Pasadena hospital. Hershiser, by winning that day, reduced the Dodgers' magic number to five over the Reds. Publications such as ''
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'', the ''Chicago Tribune'' and the ''
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'' began to take note of the streak length and the nearer horizon of the record as Hershiser reached 40 consecutive innings with this win. Several Canadian newspapers even used the word chasing to note Hershiser's progress—e.g., ''
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'' ran a story titled "Hershiser chasing record."


September 23, 1988

In order that Hershiser and the rest of the staff could have their normal number of days of rest heading into the playoff series that could start as early as October 3, Hershiser pitched on only three days' rest rather than making his regular start on September 24. The Dodgers entered the game with an 89–63 record and an eight-game lead in the NL West over the Cincinnati Reds, while the San Francisco Giants were 10.5 games back in fourth place in the division with a 79–74 record entering the game. With the September 23 win, the Dodgers retained an eight-game lead over the Reds. The victory reduced the Dodgers' magic number to two. The game marked Hershiser's eighth consecutive complete game and fifteenth of the season and Hershiser's fifth consecutive complete game shutout, which stretched his consecutive scoreless inning streak to 49. Following the game, Hershiser was quoted as saying, "I want to keep putting zeroes up there — not because of the streak, but for the team.... I want to stay hot right up through the playoffs." Prior to the start,
Seymour Siwoff Seymour Siwoff (November 9, 1920 – November 29, 2019) was an American statistician and businessman who was the president and chief executive of the Elias Sports Bureau from 1952 to 2019. He was named a finalist for the 2020 class of the Pro Fo ...
, the Elias Sports Bureau chief and official
statistician A statistician is a person who works with theoretical or applied statistics. The profession exists in both the private and public sectors. It is common to combine statistical knowledge with expertise in other subjects, and statisticians may wor ...
for MLB, determined that the official method of accounting for consecutive scoreless innings would count only whole innings for starting pitchers and that if the streak extended into 1989 it would bear an asterisk. Previously there had been division among various sources on whether to include fractional innings. According to some sources, official statisticians such as Siwoff had a long history of counting only complete scoreless innings by starting pitchers. Hershiser's September 23 shutout lifted him to third on the all-time consecutive scoreless innings list, behind Johnson and Drysdale. He also passed
Carl Hubbell Carl Owen Hubbell (June 22, 1903 – November 21, 1988), nicknamed "the Meal Ticket" and "King Carl", was an American Major League Baseball player. He was a pitcher for the New York Giants of the National League from 1928 to 1943, and remained o ...
and G. Harris "Doc" White, each of whom had streaks of 45 innings on the newly redefined record's list, and
Bob Gibson Robert Gibson (born Pack Robert Gibson; November 9, 1935October 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975). Nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot" ( ...
, who had a streak of 47 before the record was redefined. Hershiser also became one of three pitchers to throw five consecutive shutouts, joining Drysdale, who did it in 1968, and White, who did it in 1904. His 23 wins were the most by a Dodger since Sandy Koufax had won 27 games in 1966. During the third inning of the September 23 game, according to articles written by ESPN and the ''Los Angeles Times'', after José Uribe and Atlee Hammaker got on base with consecutive singles, Brett Butler grounded into a
force out In baseball, a force is a situation when a baserunner is compelled (or ''forced'') to vacate their starting base (time-of-pitch base) and try to advance to the next base. When a runner is forced to advance to a base, they are forced out if an op ...
at second base to leave Uribe on third and Butler on first. When Ernie Riles hit a groundball, Butler interfered with Dodger shortstop Alfredo Griffin causing a bad throw and breaking up the double play. A run was posted on the scoreboard after Uribe crossed home plate. However,
Bob Engel Robert Allen Engel (October 11, 1933 – March 5, 2018) was an American professional baseball umpire who worked in the National League from 1965 to 1990. Engel wore uniform number 5 for most of his career. A former president of the umpires union ...
ruled that the double play had been broken up by
interference Interference is the act of interfering, invading, or poaching. Interference may also refer to: Communications * Interference (communication), anything which alters, modifies, or disrupts a message * Adjacent-channel interference, caused by extra ...
, making the play a double play. This allowed the streak to continue beyond 42 innings. Contemporaneous sources such as ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' and ''Los Angeles Times'' noted that, when Butler swiped at Griffin's leg, Griffin threw over the head of
Tracy Woodson Tracy Michael Woodson (born October 5, 1962) is an American former professional baseball player and college coach. He played all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1987 to 1989 and 1992 to 1993, primarily as a third base ...
. Other contemporaneous sources such as ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' and ''USA Today'' said that Paul Runge ruled that Butler had interfered with second baseman Steve Sax's relay throw to Griffin. Several sources noted that, late in Drysdale's streak, Drysdale benefited similarly when Harry Wendelstedt nullified Dick Dietz's bases-loaded
hit by pitch In baseball, hit by pitch (HBP) is an event in which a batter or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher; the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provided ...
for failing to attempt to avoid the pitch. Hershiser retired the side in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. In the game, Giants manager Roger Craig made what some describe as a questionable pinch hitting substitution. In order to contest Hershiser with a left-handed batter, with runners on first and second and one out, he substituted rookie
Francisco Meléndez Francisco Javier Meléndez Villegas (born January 25, 1964) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player. A first baseman and outfielder, Melendez played parts of five seasons in the Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies ...
(batting .190) for
Robby Thompson Robert Randall Thompson (born May 10, 1962) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball (1986–1996) as the second baseman for the San Francisco Giants. During the Giants' ...
(batting .266), which resulted in an inning-ending double play. That day, ''USA Today'' claimed that Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda had determined his postseason pitching rotation with Hershiser slated for Game 1 of the NLCS, but Lasorda denied having any plan in place for a playoff appearance that had not yet been clinched. The Dodgers' runs came on
Mickey Hatcher Michael Vaughn Hatcher (born March 15, 1955) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder, third baseman and first baseman from through , most notably as a member of the Los ...
's first home run of the season in the eighth inning.


September 28, 1988

As his turn in the rotation approached, Hershiser joked that he would skip a start and rest for the playoffs rather than pursue the record. The Dodgers had clinched the NL West on September 26. Thus, the focus of the game on the 28th was on Hershiser's need to get nine scoreless innings to tie Drysdale, which was Hershiser's hope. On September 27, Lasorda announced the Dodger starting pitchers for Game 1 (Hershiser) and Game 2 (Tudor) of the NL Championship series, which would begin the following Tuesday, October 4. The Dodgers entered the game with a 92–65 record and a seven-game lead in the NL West over the Cincinnati Reds, while the San Diego Padres were 13 games back in fifth place in the division with a 79–78 record entering the game. With the September 28 loss, the Dodgers retained a seven-game lead over the Reds. In the off days leading up to Hershiser's last start, Frank Viola had tied Jackson and Hershiser at 23 wins for the MLB lead. Hershiser had ended Padres catcher Benito Santiago's 34-game hitting streak the year before and the Padres were eager to snap Hershiser's streak. Santiago's streak was an MLB record for a catcher, an MLB record for a rookie and a team record for the Padres. No one who has started a hitting streak at age 22 or younger has matched the streak since. According to Tony Gwynn, "We wanted so badly to put a run on the board.... Maybe, we tried a little too hard. You have to give the man credit. He didn't give me one decent pitch to hit all night. He put everything right where he wanted it to go." Prior to the game Hershiser explained why he wanted to win a World Series more than break the scoreless innings streak: "You can break a record or win a Cy Young and go home and celebrate with your wife and friends, but after it's over there's only a few people that really care about it. But if you win a team thing, you've got 24 guys and all their families, all their friends, a whole city celebrating." Hershiser picked Roberto Alomar off at first base to end the eighth inning. When the game went into extra innings, Hershiser did not want to continue: "I really didn't want to break it," Hershiser said. "I wanted to stop at 58. I wanted me and Don to be together at the top. But the higher sources (Lasorda and Perranoski) told me they weren't taking me out of the game, so I figured, what the heck, I might as well get the guy out." Through the first nine innings, no Padre had reached second base. Lasorda, Perranoski and Ben Hines all believed that he owed it to the game and to himself to continue. Hershiser made it through the 10th inning, with the record-setting out being a Keith Moreland flyball caught by
right fielder A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the ...
José González. However, he had some close calls in a couple of innings. Marvell Wynne struck out swinging to open the inning, but reached first base after a
wild pitch In baseball, a wild pitch (WP) is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, or the batter (on an uncaught third stri ...
evaded catcher
Mike Scioscia Michael Lorri Scioscia (, ; born November 27, 1958), nicknamed "Sosh" and "El Jefe", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He managed the Anaheim / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim / Los Ange ...
. The following two hitters, Santiago and Randy Ready, moved Wynne over to third with two outs. Then, Garry Templeton was given an intentional base on balls. Templeton advanced to second base before the final out was recorded. Even after achieving the record, Hershiser expressed regret: "Because of respect for Don and respect for the record, I don't think I should have walked to the mound in a situation where I'm supposed to be resting for the playoffs, just to beat a record. That would have tarnished the whole thing." According to some sources, Drysdale was the person who convinced Hershiser to take the mound for the 10th inning, saying, "I gave him a kick in the pants and told him to get out there and go as far as he can." However, other sources state that Drysdale merely said that, if he had known about Hershiser's hesitance to break the record, he would have reassured him, saying, "I'd have kicked him right in the rear if I had known that.... I'd have told him to get his buns out there and get them." When the 10th inning ended, giving Hershiser the record, he "stood bent with his hands on his knees for a long moment after the final out and then was inundated by teammates pouring out of the dugout to congratulate him." Drysdale served as the Dodger radio broadcast announcer with Vin Scully that year. As Hershiser left the mound with the record in hand, he was searching for Drysdale and saying, "Where is Drysdale? I've got to find Drysdale." Drysdale was on hand to congratulate Hershiser after the game. In fact, when Hershiser returned to the dugout, Drysdale was waiting with his microphone for an interview. During Hershiser's streak he posted 59 IP, 0 runs, 31 hits, 38 strikeouts, 10 walks, and three extra-base hits, while Drysdale had posted 58 IP, 0 runs, 28 hits, 45 strikeouts, 10 walks, and three extra-base hits. Drysdale maintained the record for consecutive shutouts (six) because Hershiser did not pitch beyond the first 10 innings of his September 28 start because it lasted 16 innings. Hershiser's record was overshadowed because the
1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...
and the start of the
1988 National Football League season The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division. The playoff ra ...
occurred at the same time. Los Angeles had two NFL teams at the time (
Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...
and
Los Angeles Raiders The Los Angeles Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Los Angeles from 1982 to 1994 before relocating back to Oakland, California, where the team played from its inaugural 1960 season to the 1981 season and then agai ...
). Additionally, baseball fans were more concerned with pennant races. Furthermore, four of the final five games in the streak were played in the
Pacific Time Zone The Pacific Time Zone (PT) is a time zone encompassing parts of western Canada, the western United States, and western Mexico. Places in this zone observe standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC−08:00) ...
, limiting the games' visibility to the rest of the country. Controversially, KTTV did not broadcast either the September 26 game in which the Dodgers clinched the NL West or the September 28 game in which Hershiser set the record. Instead, it showed ''
Friday the 13th Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year. ...
'' and '' The Funhouse'' on September 26 and 28, respectively. The record-setting game drew an attendance of 22,596.


October 4, 1988

The New York Mets concluded the regular season with a record of 100–60 while the Dodgers had a 94–67 record. The Mets had won 10 of the 11 head-to-head regular season contests and were the favorite in the series. On October 4, 1988, Hershiser posted eight scoreless innings in Game 1 of the 1988 NL Championship Series (bringing his unofficial total of consecutive scoreless innings to 67) before surrendering runs in the ninth inning. In both the third and sixth innings the Mets got two runners on base only to have the third out recorded on infield grounders to Hershiser. In the ninth inning,
Gregg Jefferies Gregory Scott Jefferies (born August 1, 1967) is a retired infielder/outfielder in Major League Baseball who had a 14-year career from 1987 to 2000. He was a highly touted prospect who became the first two-time winner of the ''Baseball America ...
led off with a single on a sinker down the middle and reached second base on a ground out in a hit and run play with Keith Hernandez. Jefferies, a rookie, recorded his third hit in four at bats in his first ever appearance against Hershiser. With Jefferies on second,
Darryl Strawberry Darryl Eugene Strawberry (born March 12, 1962) is an American former professional baseball right fielder and author who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Throughout his career, Strawberry was one of the most feared sluggers in th ...
posted an RBI double on a pitch he described as up in the strike zone. Strawberry had fouled off four fastballs before getting what Lasorda called a hanging curveball. After Hershiser gave up a run in the ninth inning 100 pitches into his performance, pitching coach Perranoski removed him from the game by signaling for a double switch before getting to the mound to talk to Hershiser. The Dodgers' bullpen had led the league in saves that year. Howell had recorded 18 consecutive scoreless innings in relief. Howell's scoreless streak was longer in calendar days, his last runs allowed occurring on August 11. It had been 35 days since anyone had scored a run against Hershiser. Controversially, Mets pitcher
David Cone David Brian Cone (born January 2, 1963) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, and current color commentator for the New York Yankees on the YES Network and WPIX as well as for ESPN on Sunday Night Baseball.Gary Carter Gary Edmund Carter (April 8, 1954 – February 16, 2012) was an American professional baseball catcher whose 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career was spent primarily with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. Nicknamed "the Kid" for his y ...
's shallow fly ball that center fielder
John Shelby John T. Shelby (born February 23, 1958) is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played from 1981 to 1991. He began his career as a member of the Baltimore Orioles before later playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroi ...
could not secure until it first hit the ground. The ball bounced out of his glove as he lunged for the catch, yielding the tying and winning runs. Despite the results, Hershiser's scoreless inning streak in the regular season was still intact at 59 consecutive innings, as the runs scored against him on October 4 were in the postseason.


April 5, 1989

The Dodgers entered the game with a 0–1 record, having lost to the Reds, who were 1–0 the day before. As Hershiser prepared for his first start, he said that the continuation of the streak via the asterisk did not mean much to him and that in his mind the streak was already over. His mound opponent was
Tom Browning Thomas Leo Browning (April 28, 1960 – December 19, 2022) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1984 to 1995, spending almost his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds. In his rookie season in 1985, Br ...
, who had pitched a
perfect game Perfect game may refer to: Sports * Perfect game (baseball), a complete-game win by a pitcher allowing no baserunners * Perfect game (bowling), a 300 game, 12 consecutive strikes in the same game * Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, New York ...
the last time he had faced the Dodgers (September 16, 1988).
Todd Benzinger Todd Eric Benzinger (born February 11, 1963) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and outfielder who played a nine-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career from 1987 to 1995. Biography Benzinger was born in Dayton, Kentucky, a ...
drove in Larkin to end Hershiser's streak in the first inning and Hershiser was tagged with his first loss since August 24. The Dodgers endured three errors and a
passed ball In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control, and, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a ru ...
in the game.
Leadoff hitter In baseball, a leadoff hitter is a batter who bats first in the lineup. It can also refer to any batter who bats first in any inning. Strategy Traditionally, the leadoff hitter has been utilized as a contact-oriented position. The leadoff hit ...
Larkin chopped a groundball over Hershiser into centerfield. Hershiser's
pick off In baseball, a pickoff is an act by a pitcher or catcher, throwing a live ball to a fielder so that the fielder can tag out a baserunner who is either leading off or about to begin stealing the next base. A pickoff attempt occurs when this thro ...
throw hit Larkin's armpit. After Hershiser retired Chris Sabo and Eric Davis via strikeout, he walked
Kal Daniels Kalvoski Daniels (born August 20, 1963) is an American former professional baseball left fielder. He played seven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 1992 for the Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs.Bowling Green State University team as a freshman and, after graduating, he struggled through two years in both Double A and Triple A baseball. Drysdale said that he enjoyed rooting for Hershiser because his jersey number, 55, like Drysdale's own number, 53, indicated that Hershiser had been a long shot to make the majors (lower numbers were generally assigned to better prospects). After the record was broken, Drysdale said that he was not surprised that his record was broken. Even though Hershiser had the second-best (behind
Dwight Gooden Dwight Eugene Gooden (born November 16, 1964), nicknamed "Dr. K" and "Doc", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Gooden pitched from 1984 to 1994 and from 1996 to 2000 for the N ...
) career ERA among active pitchers, he believed that someone would surpass the record because he did not think that he was that great a pitcher, saying, "I think someone's going to break it from me because I know I'm not any big deal." After his NLCS Game 1 performance, Hershiser went on to post a scoreless innings streak in the 1988 NL Championship Series and
1988 World Series The 1988 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1988 season. The 85th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Oakland Athletics and the Na ...
, winning both the NL Championship Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award and the World Series MVP Award. Hershiser also won the 1988 NL
Cy Young Award The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
. Hershiser's season was recognized outside of baseball as well. He earned the Sportsman of the Year from ''Sports Illustrated'' in December and Associated Press Athlete of the Year in January 1989, becoming the first non-Olympian to win the award in an Olympic year in 20 years. After seeking
arbitration Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that resolves disputes outside the judiciary courts. The dispute will be decided by one or more persons (the 'arbitrators', 'arbiters' or 'arbitral tribunal'), which renders the ' ...
in January, Hershiser signed a new three-year, $7.9 million contract on February 16. Hershiser's annual salary of $2,766,667 (equal to $ in dollars) moved him ahead of
Cal Ripken Calvin Edwin Ripken Jr. (born August 24, 1960), nicknamed " The Iron Man", is an American former baseball shortstop and third baseman who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles (1981–2001). One of his posit ...
as baseball's highest-paid player at the time. Following his success of the 1988 season, Hershiser realized that any future exploits would be seen comparatively as a failure, even as he began spring training in 1989 with the streak still active. Hershiser's combined single-season total of innings pitched including both the regular season and postseason has not been surpassed since 1988. Nonetheless, he would lead the NL in innings pitched for a third consecutive season in 1989. Hershiser's statistics in 1989 were nearly identical to 1988 except for his win–loss record. Two wins during the 1988 streak were against the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
. Hershiser would eventually win 12 consecutive decisions against the Braves (a post-1920 record for a pitcher against a single franchise). His 1–0 win on September 14 over the Braves and 1–0 win over the Astros on September 19 were the last of his three career 1–0 victories. After posting seven shutouts in his previous 11 starts, he was able to tally only six more in his remaining 319 career starts. Hershiser was selected to the 1989 MLB All-Star Game and also contributed to two
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
World Series runs (
1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
and
1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
), earning another League Championship Series MVP in 1995.


Historical context

Some sports historians consider Hershiser's record to be among baseball's most outstanding records. In ''Baseball's Top 100: The Game's Greatest Records'' by Kerry Banks, Hershiser's streak is ranked as the seventh-greatest baseball record. One commentator, ESPN's Jeff Merron, named it the third-greatest individual streak in American sports history, behind
Joe DiMaggio Joseph Paul DiMaggio (November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe", "The Yankee Clipper" and "Joe D.", was an American baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career in Major League Baseball for the New York Yank ...
's 56-game hitting streak and Edwin Moses' 107 straight hurdles finals wins. The record that Hershiser broke was regarded as "one of the most unbreakable records in baseball". In 2013, the 25th anniversary of Hershiser's record-breaking season was widely heralded in the press. ESPN, ''
Los Angeles Daily News The ''Los Angeles Daily News'' is the second-largest-circulating paid daily newspaper of Los Angeles, California. It is the flagship of the Southern California News Group, a branch of Colorado-based Digital First Media. The offices of the ''Dai ...
'', and
SB Nation ''SB Nation'' (an abbreviation for their full name ''SportsBlogs Nation'') is a sports blogging network owned by Vox Media. It was co-founded by Tyler Bleszinski, Markos Moulitsas, and Jerome Armstrong in 2005. The blog from which the network ...
are among the media outlets that covered the anniversary. SB Nation ran stories on the 25th anniversary of each of Hershiser's starts during the streak. ''
Baseball Digest ''Baseball Digest'' is a baseball magazine resource, published in Orlando, Florida by Grandstand Publishing, LLC. It is the longest-running baseball magazine in the United States. History and profile It was created by Herbert F. Simons, a spor ...
'' celebrated the accomplishment with stories during the 10th, 15th and 20th anniversary seasons.


Subsequent challenges

In the first 25 years after Hershiser recorded his streak, the closest challenge came from
Brandon Webb Brandon Tyler Webb (born May 9, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Webb pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2003 through 2009, and, after multiple shoulder surgeries, signed with but ...
of the 2007 Arizona Diamondbacks, who pitched 42 consecutive scoreless innings.
Greg Maddux Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams. Maddux is best known for his accomplishments while playing for the Atlanta Braves ...
and
Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...
were the only other pitchers to have reached 39 innings during that time period. R. A. Dickey threw a streak of more than 32 consecutive scoreless innings that broke the Mets franchise record in
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
. The streak was snapped by baseball etiquette against " running up the score"; Mets manager
Terry Collins Terry Lee Collins (born May 27, 1949) is an American former professional baseball manager. He managed the Houston Astros, the Anaheim Angels and New York Mets in Major League Baseball and the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball. He c ...
opted not to position his infield in with a runner on third and one out with a 9–0 lead, allowing a routine ground ball hit to score a runner and end Dickey's streak. In 2014, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw pitched 41 consecutive scoreless innings, before giving up a solo home run to the Padres'
Chase Headley Chase Jordan Headley (born May 9, 1984) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. A switch-hitter, Headley made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the San Diego Padres in 2007, and also played for the New York Yankees. H ...
on July 10. In 2015 another Dodger, Zack Greinke, maintained a streak of 45 consecutive innings without allowing a run. It ended on July 26. Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen as of 9/6/22 is at 41 1/3 scoreless innings 3rd longest streak, and potentially will move into 2nd all time in his next start as he’s only 4 2/3 away from passing Greinke for second all time


References


External links


Hershiser's 1988 gamelog
at
Baseball-Reference.com Baseball-Reference is a website providing baseball statistics for every player in Major League Baseball history. The site is often used by major media organizations and baseball broadcasters as a source for statistics. It offers a variety of advan ...
{{Los Angeles Dodgers 1988 Major League Baseball season 1988 in sports in California Los Angeles Dodgers