July 18, 2023

Nick Pivetta Is Sixth Relief Pitcher (& First Red Sock) In History To Strikeout 13+ Batters

Nick Pivetta threw six no-hit innings out of the bullpen on Monday night, setting a Red Sox record with 13 strikeouts by a relief pitcher

Since 1900, only five other relief pitchers have recorded 13 or more strikeouts in a game. In those 124 years, Pivetta is the only one who also did not allow a hit.

Rube Marquard, May 13, 1911:     8.0-12-5-3-14
Walter Johnson, July 25, 1913: 11.1- 7-2-2-15
Billy O'Dell, July 4, 1961: 9.0- 2-1-1-13
Denny McLain, June 15, 1965: 6.2- 6-2-2-14
Randy Johnson, July 18, 2001: 7.0- 1-0-1-16 Nick Pivetta, July 17, 2023: 6.0- 0-0-2-13

Pivetta struck out 13 of the 20 batters he faced (65%), including seven in a row at one point. Only Randy Johnson, who fanned 16 of 23 batters (69.6%) had a higher K rate.

The old Red Sox record for strikeouts by a reliever was 12, by Diego Segui (7.2-9-4-3-12) on September 22, 1974. Dick Radatz struck out 11 in 8.2 innings on June 11, 1963Two days earlier, he had struck out 10 in six innings.

Sandwiching Pivetta were Brennan Bernardino and Chris Martin. The trio allowed only one hit to the Athletics  it came with one out in the first inning  and combined for 18 strikeouts. The Red Sox won 7-0, with Connor Wong racking up three hits and three RBIs.

Since June 30, the Red Sox have the best record (11-2), most runs scored (84), and best run differential (+33) in the majors. They have also had 10+ hits in 10 of their last 12 games, batting .312 as a team.

The Yankees are in last place in the AL East.



No. They cannot.

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