These players in this quiz have the distinction of being the only pitchers since 1916 with an unusual (and very unexpected) game accomplishment. What is it?
Rk | Player |
---|---|
1 | Tim Wakefield |
2 | Sloppy Thurston |
3 | Larry Benton |
4 | Mat Latos |
5 | Alex White |
6 | Jeff D’Amico |
7 | Mike Mussina |
8 | Willie Fraser |
9 | Don Mossi |
10 | Preacher Roe |
11 | Ralph Branca |
Hint: this feat has been accomplished only by starting pitchers. None of these players has done it twice.
No fooling quiz solver extraordinaire Richard Chester. He correctly identified these players as the only pitchers to be credited with a win when surrendering 5 or more home runs. More on winning when you shouldn’t after the jump.
Here are the games.
Rk | Player | Date | Tm | Opp | Rslt | App,Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | Pit | Str | GSc |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mat Latos | 2012-05-27 | CIN | COL | W 7-5 | GS-8 ,W | 7.1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 96 | 65 | 51 |
2 | Alex White | 2011-09-10 | COL | CIN | W 12-7 | GS-5 ,W | 5.0 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 87 | 55 | 25 |
3 | Tim Wakefield | 2004-08-08 | BOS | DET | W 11-9 | GS-5 ,W | 5.0 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 79 | 56 | 25 |
4 | Jeff D’Amico | 1996-09-21 | MIL | DET | W 13-6 | GS-6 ,W | 6.0 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 98 | 63 | 34 |
5 | Mike Mussina | 1994-07-01 | BAL | CAL | W 14-7 | GS-5 ,W | 5.0 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 19 | ||
6 | Willie Fraser | 1988-08-16 | CAL | NYY | W 15-6 | GS-7 ,W | 6.1 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 102 | 62 | 35 |
7 | Don Mossi | 1961-06-23 | DET | CLE | W 15-7 | GS-7 ,W | 7.0 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 37 | ||
8 | Preacher Roe | 1953-09-01 | BRO | STL | W 12-5 | CG 9 ,W | 9.0 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 117 | 78 | 51 |
9 | Ralph Branca | 1949-06-25 | BRO | PIT | W 17-10 | CG 9 ,W | 9.0 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 145 | 86 | 23 |
10 | Sloppy Thurston | 1932-08-13Â (1) | BRO | NYG | W 18-9 | CG 9 ,W | 9.0 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 29 | ||
11 | Larry Benton | 1930-05-12 | NYG | CHC | W 14-12 | GS-7 ,W | 6.2 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 23 |
Pitchers surrendering 5 or more home runs are 11-72 with 15 NDs. Included are four relievers (none of whom had a decision). Five pitchers (including 3 Red Sox) Â have twice allowed 5 homers, with all ten of those games coming in the past 20 seasons. Two of them (Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz) are active so may yet move ahead of the others. Tim Wakefield is undefeated in such games with a win and an ND.