6+ Games In Postseason With 5+ IP & 1 ER Or Less
Posted by Steve Lombardi on December 1, 2010
How many teams had 6+ games in a postseason where their staring pitcher went at least 5 innings and allowed just one earned run or less?
Here's the list -
| Rk | Tm | Year | #Matching | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAD | 1981 | 10 | Ind. Games |
| 2 | ATL | 1996 | 10 | Ind. Games |
| 3 | SDP | 1998 | 8 | Ind. Games |
| 4 | CLE | 1995 | 8 | Ind. Games |
| 5 | ARI | 2001 | 8 | Ind. Games |
| 6 | SFG | 2010 | 7 | Ind. Games |
| 7 | OAK | 1972 | 7 | Ind. Games |
| 8 | NYY | 1999 | 7 | Ind. Games |
| 9 | NYY | 1998 | 7 | Ind. Games |
| 10 | NYY | 2001 | 7 | Ind. Games |
| 11 | NYY | 2009 | 7 | Ind. Games |
| 12 | NYY | 2003 | 7 | Ind. Games |
| 13 | ATL | 1991 | 7 | Ind. Games |
| 14 | TEX | 2010 | 6 | Ind. Games |
| 15 | STL | 2006 | 6 | Ind. Games |
| 16 | NYM | 1973 | 6 | Ind. Games |
| 17 | NYM | 1986 | 6 | Ind. Games |
| 18 | MON | 1981 | 6 | Ind. Games |
| 19 | BOS | 2007 | 6 | Ind. Games |
| 20 | BAL | 1983 | 6 | Ind. Games |
| 21 | ATL | 1995 | 6 | Ind. Games |
.
As expected, playing in a more modern playoff format helps here. And, it's sort of interesting that almost half the time a team did "this" they did not win the World Series that year.
Of course, the Dodgers/Expos in '81, the Braves/Indians in '95, Padres/Yankees in '98, Yankees/Dbacks in '01, and Giants/Rangers in '10 did work against each other, somewhat, in making that happen.
December 1st, 2010 at 6:45 am
I'd put the 1905 Giants up against any of these teams. True, they only had 5 games meeting the specs - but they only played 5 postseason games, and all had 8+ IP, with zero earned runs.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:07 am
An interesting thing on the list (numerically speaking) is that the Yankees did "this" 5 different postseasons and each time the number matching is 7.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:47 am
If my bifocals are working right, the '81 Expos are the only team on this list that didn't make the Series; as a matter of fact, this was the closest they ever got to bringing a title to Montreal. Somehow, that's a sad statement to me.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Random observations:
-- In the 10 such starts by the '96 Braves, the SP got the decision each time, with a record of 8-2.
-- 5 of the 8 by Arizona in 2001 came from Curt Schilling. The D'backs got a 3-hit shutout from either Schilling or Johnson in each round of that postseason.
-- 4 of the 8 by SD in '98 came from Sterling Hitchcock, though he totaled just 22 IP in the 4 starts. Hitchcock had a career 1.76 postseason ERA in 30.2 IP.
-- The '91 Braves and '72 A's are the only teams with 7 such games in just 2 series. Catfish Hunter & Blue Moon Odom did it thrice in succession in '72.
-- 1981 was the last year with 4 individual shutouts in the postseason: Mike Norris in the ALDS; Steve Rogers and Jerry Reuss, each in the deciding game 5 of their respective NLDS; and Ray Burriss in the NLCS. (Reuss had another NLDS start with 9 scoreless IP, but no decision. Pop quiz: Name the 2 pitchers since Reuss with 2 scoreless starts in a single postseason series.)
December 1st, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Steve Avery - Games 2 & 6 1992 NLCS
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT199110100.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT199110160.shtml
Mike Hampton - Games 1 & 5 2000 NLCS
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN200010110.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN200010160.shtml
Honorable Mention to Ron Darling's 1986 World Series. He was outdueled by Bruce Hurst in Game 1, losing 1-0 on an unearned run. In Game 4 he tossed 7 shutout innings.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN198610180.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS198610220.shtml
December 1st, 2010 at 1:45 pm
I am too late.
December 1st, 2010 at 2:53 pm
In terms of percentage of total postseason games played, the 83 Orioles are tops at 66.7% -- 6 times in 9 games. That 1983 O's team is really underappreciated. In the LCS and WS they had a scoring differential of 37-12. That's 1.33 runs per game, or, since they played one 10-inning game, a team RA of 1.32 for the postseason. Pretty dominant. That is the same team that missed the playoffs by one game the previous year despite having the second best record in baseball, and missed the playoffs in 1980 despite winning 100 and having the second best record in baseball. From 1979-83 they were one of the all-time great teams that no one ever thinks of.
December 1st, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Three teams have won the World Series without getting any 5+ IP, ≤1 ER performances from their starting pitchers: the Pirates of 1925 and 1960, who played seven postseason games, and the Yankees of 1977, who played eleven.
December 1st, 2010 at 4:54 pm
@7 Bill,
Good point about the O's 1979-83. I guess you need to win a couple of times or be regarded as a 1-yr superpower (84 Tigers, 86 Mets, etc.) to get real recognition.
The 66-83 Orioles should get as much attention as the Big Red Machine (who only won twice and should have won more). I think the 1970's Pirates fall into the same category with the Orioles (2 separated championships and many playoff appearances).
December 1st, 2010 at 9:08 pm
In terms of percentage of total postseason games played, the 83 Orioles are tops at 66.7% -- 6 times in 9 games.
Tops on Steve's truncated chart, I think you mean. Besides the 1905 Giants (five for five), both teams that played in the four-game 1966 World Series scored at 75%.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:12 pm
At #8, I think the 1960 Pirates were by far and away the worst team to win the WS (based on performance in the WS, not overall team for the year)
If the Yankees had won in 2001, I'd put them at 2nd worst, although currently I'm not sure who would be 2nd worst
As far as who was the worst team to win a WS, possibly the 06 Cardinals and 00 Yankees, at least in this era I think they were the worst.
Maybe the 87 Twins too.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:52 pm
Appreciation for the O's:
From 1960 through 1983, Baltimore:
-- Was at least 10 games over .500 21 out of 24 years;
-- Finished 1st (league or division) 8 times, 2nd 8 times, 3rd 4 times (including years of 97, 95 and 94 wins), 4th twice (90 and 86 wins), and 6th and 7th once each;
-- Was under .500 twice -- 9 and 8 games under;
-- Had a combined W% of 581, equivalent to a season record of 94-68; and
-- Averaged 92 wins per year, 4 more than any other team in the period. They won 84 more games than the Dodgers, 95 more than the Yankees, 103 more than the Reds and 145 more than the Pirates.
The Oriole Way, indeed.