NLCS game 2: Quick postgame hits

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The Cardinals’ 1-0 win in game 2 of the NLCS was the eighth postseason win by a team getting no more than 2 hits.
The prior seven:

Rk	Date	Series	Gm#	Tm	Opp	Rslt	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	SH	SF	ROE	GDP	SB	CS
1	1974-10-09	ALCS	4	OAK	BAL	W 2-1	39	28	2	1	1	0	0	2	11	2	4	0	0	0	1	1	0	0
2	1947-10-03	WS	4	BRO	NYY	W 3-2	37	26	3	1	1	0	0	3	10	1	5	0	1	0	0	0	2	0

3	2001-10-13	ALDS	3	NYY	OAK	W 1-0	32	29	1	2	1	0	1	1	1	0	7	2	0	0	1	1	0	0
4	1997-09-30	NLDS	1	ATL	HOU	W 2-1	28	25	2	2	1	0	1	2	2	0	6	0	0	1	1	0	0	1
5	1963-10-06	WS	4	LAD	NYY	W 2-1	26	24	2	2	0	0	1	2	1	0	4	0	0	1	1	1	0	0
6	1948-10-06	WS	1	BSN	CLE	W 1-0	29	24	1	2	0	0	0	1	3	1	2	0	2	0	0	0	1	0
7	1944-10-04	WS	1	SLB	STL	W 2-1	32	29	2	2	0	0	1	2	3	0	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used / Generated 10/12/2013.

It’s the third 1-0 postseason win with a sacrifice fly. The other two:

Rk	Date	Series	Gm#	Tm	Opp	Rslt	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	SH	SF	ROE	GDP	SB	CS
1	1987-10-13	NLCS	6	STL	SFG	W 1-0	29	28	1	5	0	1	0	1	0	0	9	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
2	1980-10-10	NLCS	3	HOU	PHI	W 1-0	42	31	1	6	1	2	0	1	8	5	3	0	2	1	0	2	0	1

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used / Generated 10/12/2013.

Out of 23 postseason losses by starting pitchers allowing just 1 run with pitch counts known, Clayton Kershaw’s 72 pitches are tied for 2nd-fewest. Phil Hughes was given a very short least in 2012 ALCS game 3, pulled after 59 pitches when he gave up a HR and a walk to start the 4th inning. Dave Mlicki also left after 72 pitches in the 2001 NLDS game 2, lifted for a pinch-hitter in the home 5th with the tying run on 3rd and 1 out.

By my count, through seven postseason games, the Cards with runners in scoring position are 7 for 35, plus a sac fly. A breakdown:

Carlos Beltran with RISP is 4 for 5 with 8 RBI, a HR and a double.
All other Cards with RISP are 3 for 30 (all singles), with 5 RBI.

Trevor Rosenthal is the first to save a 1-0 postseason game by striking out all of at least three batters faced. There were five other such saves regardless of score; all (including Rosenthal’s) began with the bases empty:

Rk	Player	Date	Series	Gm#	Tm	Opp	Rslt	App,Dec	IP	SO	Pit	Str	BF
1	Kenley Jansen	2013-10-07	NLDS	4	LAD	ATL	W 4-3	9-9f ,S	1.0	3	14	10	3
2	Sergio Romo	2012-10-28	WS	4	SFG	DET	W 4-3	10-10f,S	1.0	3	15	10	3
3	Kazuhiro Sasaki	2000-10-04	ALDS	2	SEA	CHW	W 5-2	9-9f ,S	1.0	3	12	9	3
4	Trevor Hoffman	1998-10-03	NLDS	3	SDP	HOU	W 2-1	9-9f ,S	1.0	3	14	10	3
5	Randy Myers	1990-10-08	NLCS	3	CIN	PIT	W 6-3	9-9f ,S	1.0	3	11	9	3

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used / Generated 10/12/2013.

Rosenthal logged the 14th save in a 1-0 postseason game. The others, ranked by Win Probability Added:

Rk	Player	Date	Series	Gm#	Tm	Opp	Rslt	App,Dec	IP	H	BB	SO	IR	BF	SH	GDP	SB	WP	WPA
1	Dick Donovan	1959-10-06	WS	5	CHW	LAD	W 1-0	8-9f ,S	1.2	0	0	0	3	5	0	0	0	0	0.601
2	Al Holland	1983-10-04	NLCS	1	PHI	LAD	W 1-0	8-9f ,S	1.1	0	0	0	3	5	0	0	1	0	0.379
3	Mariano Rivera	2001-10-13	ALDS	3	NYY	OAK	W 1-0	8-9f ,S	2.0	2	0	1	0	8	0	0	0	0	0.360
4	Roger Mason	1991-10-14	NLCS	5	PIT	ATL	W 1-0	8-9f ,S	1.1	2	0	1	1	6	0	0	0	0	0.306
5	John Smoltz	2001-10-10	NLDS	2	ATL	HOU	W 1-0	9-9f ,S	1.0	1	0	0	0	3	0	1	0	0	0.219
6	John Rocker	1999-10-15	NLCS	3	ATL	NYM	W 1-0	9-9f ,S	1.0	0	0	1	0	4	0	0	0	0	0.213
7	Jose Mesa	1997-10-15	ALCS	6	CLE	BAL	W 1-0	11-11f,S	1.0	1	0	2	0	4	0	0	0	0	0.213
8	Bobby Jenks	2005-10-26	WS	4	CHW	HOU	W 1-0	9-9f ,S	1.0	1	0	0	0	4	1	0	0	0	0.204
9	Alejandro Pena	1991-10-16	NLCS	6	ATL	PIT	W 1-0	9-9f ,S	1.0	1	0	1	0	4	1	0	0	1	0.184
10	Calvin Schiraldi	1986-10-18	WS	1	BOS	NYM	W 1-0	9-9f ,S	1.0	0	1	1	0	4	0	0	0	0	0.184
11	Mark Wohlers	1995-10-28	WS	6	ATL	CLE	W 1-0	9-9f ,S	1.0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0.169
12	Willie Hernandez	1984-10-05	ALCS	3	DET	KCR	W 1-0	9-9f ,S	1.0	1	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	0.160
13	Clay Carroll	1972-10-18	WS	3	CIN	OAK	W 1-0	9-9f ,S	1.0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0.153

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used / Generated 10/12/2013.

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Editor

birtelcom

11 years ago

The Cards today became the first post-season winner supported by fewer than five times on base and no home runs. There are usually about three such games per season in the majors.

Author

John Autin

11 years ago

Meanwhile, Bill Bevens!

Author

John Autin

11 years ago

Reply to John Autin

Actually, I’m expecting more of a Mickey Owen here in the 6th.

Author

John Autin

11 years ago

Anibal Sanchez joins Walter Johnson as postseason starters with 6+ walks and 12+ strikeouts. Walter did it in the 1924 Series opener, a 12-inning, 4-3 loss:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192410040.shtml

(The 12-inning, 4-3 game 7 would go Barney’s way.)

Daniel Longmire

11 years ago

Reply to John Autin

Sanchez also joins Charles Nagy as the only two post-season starters with no more than 6 IP and at least 12 strikeouts.

Author

John Autin

11 years ago

A dollar says Al-Al walks the first batter.

Author

John Autin

11 years ago

Spectacular snow-cone grab by Stephen Drew. What a bizarre game. Why is Don Kelly in LF (and whiffing in a huge spot against Uehara), instead of Andy Dirks? Kelly’s a career .229 hitter. Dirks is at least respectable.

Daniel Longmire

11 years ago

Reply to John Autin

The bigger question is: why do they have Peralta playing LF to begin with? He’s only played five games there in his entire career, all this season (3 regular, 2 playoff). IMO, the post-season is not the time to start placing veterans in unfamiliar positions. Having Tuiasosopo on the roster or starting Dirks would at least give them someone who is familiar there.

Author

John Autin

11 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

Daniel, assuming that you mean Peralta should be playing SS, I agree. But just to play devil’s advocate for a moment — LF in Fenway is so small, and so different from any other LF, that it might well minimize the difference between a completely inexperienced outfielder and a regular outfielder who hasn’t played much in Fenway.

Daniel Longmire

11 years ago

Reply to John Autin

That’s a fair point, John. I myself think that Fenway’s idiosyncrasies would only serve to magnify Peralta’s inexperience and expose him out there. After all, a career shortstop never has to play a ball caroming off a service door or negotiate a line drive off a 37 foot wall made of hard plastic. Regardless, it all worked out for Leyland and company.

AlbaNate

11 years ago

Reply to Daniel Longmire

It’s almost the opposite of what the Tigers did with Mickey Stanley in 1968 (Outfielder moving to short stop.) That one worked out pretty well. Of course, Stanley had a bit more regular season playing time in his new position than Peralta, but he was playing the more difficult position.

Editor

birtelcom

11 years ago

Let’s see, no-nos by the visitors at Fenway:
Jim Bunning, 1958
Ted Lyons, 1926
Walter Johnson, 1920
George Mogridge, 1917
George Davis, 1914

Editor

birtelcom

11 years ago

Reply to birtelcom

Still the full list.

Daniel Longmire

11 years ago

Reply to birtelcom

It wasn’t meant to be, but still qualifies as another rare event: this is the first time that the Red Sox have been shutout at home in the post-season since the Cubs did it in Game 6 of the 1918 World Series. Wow.

dannyc

11 years ago

That 1987 StL-S-F game pitcher Todd Worrell moved to right field as Ken Dayley retired the last 2 batters

Author

John Autin

11 years ago

Reply to dannyc

Good point, dannyc. I’d forgotten about that Worrell-to-RF ploy. I guess Whitey wanted him available in case the inning got to Bob Brenly, who was hitting 9th. Or was there something else going on?

dannyc

11 years ago

Reply to John Autin

If memory serves me right Herzog was saving him if needed. There were plenty of OFs on the bench. No mgr today would have the cajones to do that. Maybe because of the scrutiny of todays social media. Look at poor Mattingly he can’t burp without being questioned 1000 times til Sunday.

Evan

11 years ago

Rosenthal’s WPA of .151 slots in as lowest on the 1-0 list.
If Benoit records the save he’ll have a .205.

Author

John Autin

11 years ago

Great at-bat by Nava, who had fanned in his only 3 times up against Benoit.

Luis Gomez

11 years ago

Reply to John Autin

Ohhhhhh, so close!

11 years ago

Reply to John Autin

And with that, we can still say that no American League has ever thrown a postseason no-hitter and failed to win the World Series 🙂

Editor

birtelcom

11 years ago

A 1968 sort of day. Which would make a Cards/Tigers Series appropriate.

Author

John Autin

11 years ago

Reply to birtelcom

But no 1-0 games in ’68. Today was the first ever with two 1-0 postseason games. (And after looking up that fact sometime around the 6th inning, I immediately regretted it.)

Editor

birtelcom

11 years ago

Reply to John Autin

None in the post-season, but 164 during the 1968 regular season. That was an average of over one in every ten games (essentially one every day, on average) in the twenty-team MLB of that period. Compare that to 96 this season by thirty teams or about one every 25 games. Or compare to 1999, about one every 45 games.

Daniel Longmire

11 years ago

Other near-misses from the Sox-Tigers game:

-Zero no-hitters on the road in post-season history.
-Zero combined no-hitters in post-season history.
-Zero no-hitters in LCS history.

Author

John Autin

11 years ago

Seeing Sanchez and Miguel Cabrera embrace in the dugout reminded me that both come from Maracay, Venezuela, with Miggy one year older. When Sanchez made his MLB debut in 2006, for the Marlins in Yankee Stadium, Cabrera singled and scored the first run in the 1st inning, and also homered in the 3rd, helping Sanchez win his debut with 5.2 scoreless innings. Miggy also homered in Anibal’s no-hitter that September, a 2-0 win.

Author

John Autin

11 years ago

The regular members of Detroit’s bullpen have allowed 3 runs in 12.2 postseason innings. Counting Scherzer’s stint, it’s 4 runs in 14.2 IP.

11 years ago

Last year’s World Series featured a 2-0 game with the only runs coming on a sac fly and a double play. Was that a postseason first?

Richard Chester

11 years ago

Reply to RJ

It looks like it happened in the second game of last year’s WS. The Giants beat the Tigers 2-0. One run was scored on a DP hit into by Brandon Crawford and the scored on a SF by Hunter Pence. That’s the only such game I found. My, how quickly we forget.

Richard Chester

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Whoops, I read too quickly, sorry.

JA in post #30. I ran R = 2, RBI = 1, SF = 1 and GIDP equal to or greater than 1 and just that game came up in the PI run. Of course I had to check the box score to see if the run scored on the DP.

Author

John Autin

11 years ago

Reply to RJ

RJ — I searched postseason wins with RBI=1 and SF=1. Out of 5 results, the WS game you noted was the only one that also had a scoring GDP. Not knowing if the “no RBI on a scoring GDP” rule has been applied retroactively, I also checked postseason wins with RBI=2, SF=1 and at least one GDP. No additional results met your criteria of one sac fly and one scoring GDP accounting for all runs. P.S. Last year’s Giants also had a 2-1 NLDS win with a sac fly for the first run, and a Scott Rolen E-5 for the… Read more »

CursedClevelander

11 years ago

Scherzer is the 3rd straight Tigers starter to have a no-hitter through at least 5 IP. Which, if my perfunctory check was correct, has never happened before in the postseason.

robbs

11 years ago

Reply to CursedClevelander

All Tiger fans can blame me for the loss yesterday. I had been carefully avoiding watching the opposing team bat as it was working from game four of the ALDS after I got home for work (it REALLY worked for the starters, who basically pitched zero to 2-hit shutouts for six to eight innings). I broke down before bedtime (I was getting up very early) and decided to turn on the TV (all I knew was a 5-1 lead from the smart phone and that Scherzer pitched well)about 5 seconds before Big Papi went yard. I am the Billy Goat… Read more »