Game Notes – 06/03/2025

The 1950 Red Sox scored runs at a volume almost unsurpassed in the World Series era, touching the plate 1,027 times (only three Yankees clubs from the 1930s made it home more often).  The pinnacle of that season at the midpoint of the 20th century came on June 8, when Boston put up crooked numbers in six of the eight frames they batted in to total 29 runs.  If that single number isn’t enough to produce a gasp or nod or high five, a roll call of some of the individual performances might do the trick.  Right fielder Al Zarilla doubled four times … shortstop Vern Stephens fell a homer shy of the cycle … third baseman Johnny Pesky produced two doubles and three singles.  

And then there were the boppers.  Second sacker Bobby Doerr circled the bases from one swing three different times while driving in eight runs and reaching safely five times.  First baseman Walt Dropo was just a step behind Doerr in the first two categories, hitting only two homers and driving in only seven while reaching safely five times.  As for the guy in left, Ted Williams – he homered twice, drove in five and drew two walks.  In terms of home run power, on-base acumen and run-producing proclivity, this trio has a very special place in single-game superlatives.  

Batting 1-2 in the Diamondbacks’ lineup, Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte combined to go 6-for-7 with five runs scored, four homers, seven RBI and three walks.  Each homered twice, reached safely four (or more) times and drove in three (or more) runs.  In the modern era, there are now 46* examples of teammates producing lines that featured two-plus round-trippers, three-plus RBI and four-or-more times safely on base.  There’s even one previous Diamondbacks duo – Steve Finley and Matt Williams on September 28, 2002.  Carroll and Marte are one of two combos to make this list as a team’s first two batters in the order.  The other came from the Braves lineup on August 22, 2010 when Omar Infante and Jason Heyward did this.

*Only one of the 46 saw three teammates do this.  On June 8, 1950, Red Sox Ted Williams, Walt Dropo and Bobby Doerr all hit the requirements.

Hunter Goodman launched his team-leading 10th home run of the year to help the visiting Rockies defeat the Marlins, 3-2.  Goodman has hit eight of his 10 longballs away from Coors Field this year, kind of a reverse of what is the more common balance.  The Rockies have had nearly 100 players hit 20 homers in a season; the highest percentage of homers to come on the road among this collection is Brad Hawpe’s 72.7 in 2006 – only one other batter is even at 68%.  In contrast, there are 21 players who had more than 68% of their total home runs come at home, with Dante Bichette’s 77.5 in 1995 the highest percentage.

Paul Skenes allowed a run over eight innings but it was enough to saddle him with a loss as his Pirates dropped a 3-0 decision to the Astros.  Skenes owns a .400 winning percentage (4-6) despite holding a 2.05 ERA (203 ERA+).  For qualified NL/AL pitchers since 1893, there are 69 who finished a year with an ERA+ of at least 190 – the five worst winning percentages among them look like this:

.421    Ed Siever in 1902 (195 ERA+)

.526    Jacob deGrom in 2018 (218 ERA+)

.556    Trevor Bauer in 2020 (284 ERA+)

.563    Ed Reulbach in 1905 (209 ERA+)

.588    Walter Johnson in 1919 (215 ERA+)

Nico Hoerner contributed a run-scoring single to the Cubs’ 8-3 win over the Nationals, lifting his season average with RISP to .433 (26-for-60).  In the previous 50 seasons, there are four Cubs who finished a year with a .400 or better average in the split (with a minimum of 100 plate appearances):  Aramis Ramírez in 2009 (.425), Bill Madlock in 1976 (.422), Bill Bucker in 1981 (.420), Larry Biittner in 1979 (.404).  Among players this season with at least 50 plate appearances in the split, Hoerner’s .433 average is third best, behind Aaron Judge’s .450 and Will Smith’s .440.

Carlos Rodón (7.0 IP, 1 R) came away with his eighth win of the year as the Yankees slipped past the Guardians, 3-2.  The southpaw, who has won seven straight decisions, is one of 11 Yankees left-handers in the liveball era to have at least eight wins and an ERA below 2.50 (his is at 2.49) through 59 team games.  Tommy John (1979) had been the last to do all of this.  The others:  Lefty Gomez (1934 and 1937); Whitey Ford (1953, 1956, 1958, 1964); Bobby Shantz (1957); Fritz Peterson (1969); Ron Guidry (1978).

Trea Turner went 3-for-5 with a pair of homers and a single to pace the Phillies toward an 8-3 win over the Blue Jays.  The shortstop is leading the NL with 73 hits; this shortstop has paced the league in hits twice before, in 2020 and 2021.  There’s been no shortstop in the modern era to lead the NL in hits three times, with only Honus Wagner (1908, 1910) having even two belts.

Addison Barger went yard for Toronto, his fourth straight game with a tater.   Barger is one of 24 Blue Jays to author a streak of four games, with the Teoscar Hernández in August of 2021 having been the most recent.  Three have gone beyond:  Kendrys Morales (7 straight games in 2018); José Cruz (6 in 2001); José Bautista (5 in 2014).

Jarren Duran doubled twice as his Red Sox dropped one to the Angels, 4-3.  Duran has posted multiple doubles in two straight games, a feat previously accomplished by 49 other Red Sox, including Duran himself in 2024.  This entire collection is chasing Earl Webb, who had a run of three straight in 1931.

Drew Rasmussen allowed a hit over five scoreless innings and improved to 5-4 as the Rays took down the Rangers, 5-1.  The right-hander hasn’t allowed a run in four straight starts and overall, has worked 23.0 straight scoreless innings.  

~Rasmussen is the first Rays pitcher to string together four straight outings in a season featuring at least five innings and no runs.  

~The longest scoreless streak for a Rays pitcher in a season comes in at 27.1 innings, by reliever J.P. Howell in 2012.  The longest by a starting pitcher belongs to Alex Cobb, who had a streak of 24.2 innings in 2014.

~Rasmussen’s 2.14 ERA is the fourth lowest for any Tampa Bay pitcher through 60 team games (minimum of 60.0 IP).  

1.84    Chris Archer (2015)

1.87    Shane McClanahan (2022)

2.07    Shane McClanahan (2023)

2.14    Drew Rasmussen (2025)

2.23    David Price (2010)

Shane Smith posted five-and-a-third scoreless innings for the White Sox as Chicago defeated Detroit, 8-1.  Smith has a 2.45 ERA through his first 12 career outings (all starts).  There are only a few Pale Hose pitchers in the liveball era who opened their careers with an ERA lower than Smith’s:

White Sox From 1920-2025:  Lowest ERA Through First 12 Games (min. 60.0 IP)

1.23    Cisco Carlos (1967-1968)

1.89    Jerry Nyman (1968-1969)

2.30    Jose Quintana (2012)

2.45    Shane Smith (2025)

2.48    Fred Talbot (1963-1964)

2.98    Eddie Lopat (1944)

The Royals positively erupted in their win on Tuesday, springing for 10 runs to defeat the Cardinals.  Kansas City remains last in the AL (and third from the bottom in the Majors) in runs scored, with 204.  They also own a .525 winning percentage, at 32-29.  They are one of two AL teams in the DH-era to have – through 61 games – so few runs scored and a winning record.  In 1978, the Athletics had scored 195 runs and owned a 32-29 mark.  

Tomoyuki Sugano allowed a run over seven innings and recorded a win as the Orioles took care of the Mariners, 5-1.  The righty owns a 123 ERA+ (3.04 ERA) despite fanning only 14.2% of the batters he’s faced.  This is an unusual relationship in today’s environment.  Over the previous 15 seasons (removing the abbreviated 2020 campaign), there are five pitchers who qualified for the ERA title and finished their seasons with an ERA+ of at least 120 while owning a K% no higher than 14.5:

2009    Kevin Millwood owns a 127 ERA+ and a 14.5 K%

2009    Mark Buehrle owns a 122 and 12.0

2011    Mark Buehrle owns a 121 and 12.7

2014    Henderson Alvarez III owns a 140 and a 14.4

2017    Andrew Cashner owns a 142 and a 12.2

Manny Machado  added four singles to his career tally as his Padres defeated the Giants in 10 innings (Machado had a game-tying, two-run single in the ninth).  With 1,969 career knocks and 747 of them going for extra bases, San Diego’s third baseman is one of 19 players ever to get to those two totals through an age-32 season.  There are six others who made their debuts since the arrival of the 1980s:  Ken Griffey, Jr., Álex Rodríguez, Vladimir Guerrero, Adrian Beltré, Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera.

Freddie Freeman doubled in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th to give his Dodgers a 6-5 win over the Mets.  

~Freeman has 14 career walk-off hits, the most among active players and tied for 29th among all players in the divisional era.  Since 1969, Dusty Baker wears the crown with 21.  Andre Dawson, David Ortiz and Albert Pujols are tied for second, with 20.

~In the game, Freeman doubled twice and now has a share of the NL lead in the category, with 19 two-baggers.  The active leader in two-base hits, Freeman already has four league belts to his credit, pacing the Senior Circuit in 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2023.  There are six players who can boast of having led the AL or NL in doubles at least five times.  

8    Stan Musial, Tris Speaker

7    Honus Wagner

5    Ed Delahanty, Nap Lajoie, Pete Rose

In the Mets’ loss to the Dodgers, Juan Soto homered – the fifth straight game the outfielder has produced an extra-base hit.   Yoenis Céspedes owns the longest streak for the Mets franchise, with long hits in nine straight games in 2016.

Thanks to Baseball Reference and its extraordinary research database, Stathead, for help in assembling this piece.