Two Billy-Ball.com readers, Herm and Glenn, astutely pointed out that last night there were 12 games in which one team scored two or fewer runs (and one in which both teams scored less than a pair), the most since there were 13 on July 24, July 15, June 30, June 24, and the 14 games on June 17.
Was it good pitching, bad hitting, fatigue, the dog days of summer, or a combination of the four? Here are last night’s games for you to decide:
Here’s my take:
- Really strong pitching by Cardinals rookie right-hander Joe Kelly.
- I left out the option of “team dysfunctionality,” a category in which the Red Sox lead the league.
- If you were playing the Cubs or the Astros would you care about anything other than when the season will finally end?
- Okay, maybe the Marlins can give the Red Sox a run for their money for team dysfunctionality.
- The Mets are 24-38 since June 3 and 11–24 since July 3.
- Jeremy Guthrie, who struck out a season-high eight, ran his scoreless streak to 15 innings, the longest streak of his career. Maybe he’s found a home in KC.
- Chad Billingsley has a streak of five consecutive wins since July 23, and an ERA of 1.56.
- The Phils are having their best month of the season, 8-5 with a .615 winning percentage.
- Tim Hudson (12-4) allowed two hits and one walk in 6.2 innings and has won six straight decisions.
- Huge walkoff win for the Mariners scoring twice in the bottom of the 9th. Great starting pitching by both teams.
- Yankees manager Joe Girardi said about Hiroki Kuroda, “Probably our best pitching performance of the year.”
- Just like in Seattle, both the White Sox and the Jays exhibited great pitching.
- Madison Bumgarner pitched a five-hitter and the Giants scored four in the 8th to break this game open. These teams showed why they are division leaders.
Here are the the number of games in which a team has scored two or fewer runs over the last 20 seasons:
Games won by a shutout, from 1993 to 2012
