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September 18, 2017

Biggest Run Differential In Extra Innings

Eli in Connecticut read yesterday's post about the most innings pitched in a season and wrote:
I have a follow up question and am not sure how to find the answer. With the latest 15-inning win this past Friday (13-6), it made me wonder, "What is the largest run differential in an extra inning MLB game?" A home team, correct me if I'm wrong, can at maximum win by 4 runs, with a grand slam in the bottom of an extra inning. But away teams can pound away as we saw the other night! Any info is appreciated.
This is a great question because it gives me a chance to go find some cool-looking linescores. Once again, Baseball Reference's Play Index is the tool to use. Although BRef's data base goes back only to 1913, there is a good chance that the games listed below are the only ones in the modern era (since 1900). I searched for extra-inning games with a run differential of 10 or more runs:

12 runs
Rangers 16, A's 4 (15), July 3, 1983
Oakland tied the game 4-4 with two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but the Rangers exploded for 12 runs in the top of the fifteenth. Sixteen batters came to the plate and the Rangers scored their dozen runs without the benefit of a home run. The A's were retired in order in the bottom half: K, K, F8.

11 runs
Yankees 12, Tigers 1 (12), July 26, 1928 (Game 1)
A similar story to the game above. Detroit tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth. In the top of the eleventh, New York scored 11 runs. Losing pitcher Vic Sorrell threw a complete game for the Tigers. (Detroit won the second game 13-10.)

10 runs
Twins 14, A's 4 (10), June 21, 1969
Sixteen Twins came to the plate in the top of the tenth and 11 of them scored. Oakland scored one run in the bottom half.

10 runs
Reds 10, Dodgers 0 (13), May 15, 1919
This may not be the record, but it's easily my favourite linescore in this post. After twelve scoreless innings, Cincinnati went nuts, scoring 10 times in the top of the thirteenth. Brooklyn never went to the bullpen as Al Mamaux threw a complete game (13-13-10-10-4), facing 60 batters. Only one of the 10 runs was earned.

Number of extra-inning games (1913-2017) with run differential of 9 runs: 5.

Cubs 12, Pirates 3 (12), July 23, 1923
After seven innings, the score was 1-1. Both teams scored a run in the eighth. Both teams scored a run in the ninth. Both teams did not score in the tenth. Both teams did not score in the eleventh. And then ...

Cleveland 15, Tigers 6 (13), August 5, 1933 (G1)
Cleveland trailed 6-2 after six innings. They scored three runs in the top of the ninth to send the game into extra innings.

Reds 12, Phillies 3 (10), August 24, 1947 (G1)
The first out of the tenth inning was made by the 11th Reds batter to come to the plate.

Red Sox 11, White Sox 2 (10), July 8, 1973 (G2)
Red Sox back-up catcher Bob Montgomery hit a grand slam in the tenth inning, pushing the lead from 6-2 to 10-2.

Angels 17, Orioles 8 (13), August 16, 2009
Los Angeles reliever Jason Bulger pitched the bottom of the thirteenth and retired the Orioles in order, with all three batters striking out looking.

Number of extra-inning games (1913-2017) with run differential of 8 runs: 14.
Two of them had the same score of 18-10: July 16, 1937 and June 3, 1972.

Number of extra-inning games (1913-2017) with run differential of 7 runs: 37.
In addition to last Friday's game, the Red Sox are on the list with their 11-4 win over the Angels on June 4, 1982.

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