May 3, 2017

Consecutive Games With 10+ Strikeouts: Pedro And Chris Sale

After striking out seven batters in his first start of the season - which was also his first start in a Red Sox uniform - Chris Sale has racked up 10, 12, 13, 10, and 11 strikeouts, respectively, in his five subsequent starts.

Only one other pitcher in Red Sox history has struck out 10+ batters in five consecutive starts: Pedro Martinez.

And Pedro did it four times! ... But even that doesn't properly convey Martinez's greatness, because two of those four streaks happened in 1999, when Pedro struck out 10+ batters in seven straight starts and then, later in the year, had an eight-start streak.

First, Sale's games:
2017 (5 straight starts)
April 10: 10 K
April 15: 12 K
April 20: 13 K
April 27: 10 K
May    2: 11 K
And Pedro's four streaks:
1999 (7 straight starts)
April 15: 10 K
April 20: 10 K
April 25: 10 K
May    1: 13 K
May    7: 15 K
May   12: 15 K
May   18: 11 K
1999 (8 straight starts)
August    19: 11 K
August    24: 15 K
August    30: 11 K
September  4: 15 K
September 10: 17 K
September 15: 14 K
September 21: 12 K
September 27: 12 K
2000 (5 straight starts)
June 25: 10 K
July 13: 10 K
July 18: 12 K
July 23: 15 K
July 28: 11 K
2001 (5 straight starts)
May 12: 12 K
May 18: 12 K
May 24: 12 K
May 30: 13 K
June 4: 10 K
Martinez's streak of eight straight 10+K starts is the major league record; he shares it with - how about this! - Sale, when he was with the White Sox (May 23-June 30, 2015).

Three pitchers have enjoyed a seven-start streak: Nolan Ryan (May 19-June 16, 1977), Martinez (April 15-May 18, 1999), and Randy Johnson (April 13-May 13, 2001). Johnson also has four six-game streaks.

No comments: