Showing Maturity in Enemy Territory
Last night John Lester threw a gem against the Yankees. His 5 hit shutout was all the more significant given his age, the opponent, and the location of the game. Since 1956 there have been 73 games started by young (24 or younger) Red Sox pitchers against the Yankees in NY. Lester’s game score of 83 ranks second only to a 3 hitter thrown by Dave Morehead in 1965.
Here are the leaders:
Cnt AgeY.D Player Date Tm Opp GmReslt App,Dec IP H R ER BB SO HR Pit Str **GmSc** IR IS BF AB 2B 3B IBB HBP SH SF GDP SB CS Pk BK WP ERA +—-+——+—————–+————-+—+—-+——-+———+—-+–+–+–+–+–+–+—+—+——–+–+–+–+–+–+–+—+—+–+–+—+–+–+–+–+–+——+ 1 22.364 Dave Morehead 1965-09-04(1) BOS @NYY W 1-0 SHO9 ,W 9 3 0 0 1 7 0 87 29 28 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.00 2 24.178 Jon Lester 2008-07-03 BOS @NYY W 7-0 SHO9 ,W 9 5 0 0 2 8 0 105 72 83 31 29 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 3 21.287 Billy Rohr 1967-04-14 BOS @NYY W 3-0 SHO9 ,W 9 1 0 0 5 2 0 82 33 28 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 4 23.269 Bob Ojeda 1981-09-12 BOS @NYY W 2-1 GS-9 ,W 8 2 1 1 1 7 0 80 27 26 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.12 5 23.316 Roger Clemens 1986-06-16 BOS @NYY W 10-1 CG 9 ,W 9 4 1 1 0 4 0 79 30 30 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1.00 6 23.234 Ted Bowsfield 1958-09-01(1) BOS @NYY W 4-2 CG 9 ,W 9 4 2 1 3 9 0 79 35 32 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.00 7 23.291 Roger Moret 1973-07-04(2) BOS @NYY W 1-0 SHO9 ,W 9 6 0 0 4 6 0 77 36 32 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0.00 8 23.033 Jim Lonborg 1965-05-19 BOS @NYY W 3-0 SHO9 ,W 9 4 0 0 3 0 0 76 32 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 9 24.299 Bob Stanley 1979-09-05 BOS @NYY W 5-0 SHO9 ,W 9 7 0 0 0 2 0 75 33 33 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 10 23.361 Roger Moret 1973-09-12 BOS @NYY W 7-1 CG 9 ,W 9 5 1 1 0 2 1 75 32 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.00
Thinking of young pitchers who might achieve high game scores, I took the search back one more year. Herb Score did not have great success against the Yankees in New York in 1955 and 1956, but he did throw a gem there on August 21, 1956: complete game win, 3-0, 2 hits, 3 walks, 11 K’s. That’s a pitching game score of 91, I believe.
Of course, he didn’t fare so well against the Yankees in Cleveland on May 7, 1957. . . .
Comment by David in Toledo — July 4, 2008 @ 5:51 pm
Herb Score was 23 years and 4 months old on August 21, 1956.
Comment by David in Toledo — July 4, 2008 @ 5:52 pm
Young Red Sox pitcher Babe Ruth beat the Yankees 1-0 on 22 June 1916. Not sure what his game score was.
Comment by gerry — July 7, 2008 @ 1:00 am