Complete game loss streaks |

Here’s a little more on team streaks of complete game losses. It demonstrates just how rare they’ve become.

Here are the longest streaks where a team suffered consecutive complete-game losses, broken down by chunks of years.

2001-2011

Rk		Strk Start	End	Games	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	Opp
1	SEA	2008-07-07	2008-07-08	2	16.0	14	6	6	0	10	1	OAK
2	ARI	2005-06-18	2005-06-19	2	16.0	14	6	5	5	10	1	CLE
3	OAK	2003-08-07	2003-08-08	2	16.0	16	6	3	1	5	2	DET,CHW
4	SEA	2002-05-19	2002-05-21	2	17.0	13	4	4	3	10	0	BOS,TBD
5	TEX	2001-10-05	2001-10-06	2	16.0	11	7	7	6	9	3	SEA

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 2/13/2012.

1950-1990:

Rk		Strk Start	End	Games	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	Opp
1	BAL	1978-08-06	1978-08-09	4	33.0	25	12	12	8	19	2	NYY,TOR,KCR
2	SLB	1951-08-05	1951-08-08	4	32.0	28	17	15	25	11	1	NYY,CLE

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 2/13/2012.

1919 to 1949:

Rk		Strk Start	End	Games	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	Opp
1	PHA	1940-09-11	1940-09-15	7	56.1	58	33	25	15	19	3	SLB,CHW,CLE

2	CIN	1937-09-29	1937-10-03	6	50.1	55	25	21	17	13	0	CHC,PIT
3	PHA	1920-06-11	1920-06-16	6	49.2	53	23	19	24	10	2	CLE,DET,SLB

4	PHA	1941-08-17	1941-08-20	5	40.2	34	20	14	18	11	2	NYY,CHW
5	PHI	1939-05-18	1939-05-22	5	44.2	41	23	18	14	16	3	PIT,CIN,STL
6	BRO	1930-08-20	1930-08-23	5	39.1	41	17	15	15	9	1	CIN
7	DET	1930-06-27	1930-07-01	5	37.1	54	31	31	14	10	3	WSH,PHA
8	PHI	1921-06-09	1921-06-15	5	40.0	56	38	26	6	10	4	CHC,PIT,CIN
9	WSH	1920-08-08	1920-08-10	5	41.1	50	26	25	13	9	2	SLB,CHW

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 2/13/2012.

Prior to 1950, it wasn’t unheard of for a team to have a long losing streak and have all the games be complete games. It’s unthinkable today.

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12 years ago

The Tigers streak in 1930 was preceded by a game in which the starter only lasted 1/3 of an inning and the relief pitcher came in and pitched the final 7 2/3 innings.

The streak itself includes the following complete game “gem” by Waite Hoyt: 8IP, 17 hits, 12 runs (all earned), 4 walks, 0 strikeouts.

Paul E

If anyone could break the “2 in a row” schneide in 2012, it would be the Phillies (Halladay, Lee, Hamels) or Giants (Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner). Both teams figure to have average offenses and their starters haven’t forgotten how to pitch

Evil Squirrel

The Rangers streak in 2001 is particularly odd because it happened during the final series of the year when rosters were expanded and it isn’t unusual to pitching changes akin to a Spring Training game…

Reply to Evil Squirrel

Guess we can’t edit here. That should be “it isn’t unusual to SEE pitching changes….”

apbadogs

There was something else odd about those last games of the Rangers seasons…think I saw it on the BR blog…someone help me remember!

Doug

Reply to apbadogs

What was memorable about that series was the Mariners were trying to beat the 1954 Indians for the best season winning perentage. The Mariners fell short when they lost to the Rangers by a run on the last day of the season.

Tmckelv

“Geographic trends”

1919-1949 (City of Philadelphia reigned the list with 5 of 9 entries)
1950-1990 (only the Orioles franchise on the list with 2 of 2 entries)
2001-2011 (AL West – the smallest division – has 4 of 5 entries)

Editor

John Autin

Random aside: That 1951 Browns streak ended 11 days before a game of some “small” historic significance.

Kerry W

Reply to John Autin

LOL, I looked at that box score for 5 minutes before figuring out what the big deal was about that game…

The all-time record 7-game streak by the 1940 As was accomplished by 7 different pitchers. The streak was preceded by 2 CG wins and followed by 4 of 5 games with a CG. So it was 9 straight games, and 13 of 14, using only one pitcher.

Oh, and those 14 games were part of an 11 day stretch (Sep 8-18) where the As played 16 times.

koma

The Years 1991-2000 are missing, but there are only 17 more 2-game streaks