With his win on Sunday against the Washington Nationals by a 2-1 score, St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright became the first 16-game winner in Major League Baseball this season.
In addition to strengthening his 2009 National League Cy Young Award candidacy, Wainwright extended a Cardinals-best season streak that he began three starts ago.
Starting with Adam’s August 19th outing in Dodger Stadium, Cardinals starting pitchers have now allowed three or fewer runs in 11 consecutive games and counting. It is not surprising that the team has gone 9-2 during this stretch.
The starters themselves are 7-1 with three no-decisions as six different starters have contributed to the streak. They include Wainwright (three), Chris Carpenter (two), Joel Pineiro (two), John Smoltz (two), Kyle Lohse (one) and Mitchell Boggs (one).
Starting pitcher allowing three or fewer runs, consecutive games, longest streak, 2009 Cardinals
| Gm | Pitcher | Date | Opp | G | StL | Opp | App | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| 11 | Adam Wainwright | 8/30/2009 | WSN | W | 2 | 1 | GS-6 | W | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 10 | Mitchell Boggs | 8/29/2009 | WSN | W | 9 | 4 | GS-6 | W | 6 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | John Smoltz | 8/28/2009 | WSN | W | 3 | 2 | GS-6 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| 8 | Chris Carpenter | 8/27/2009 | HOU | L | 3 | 4 | GS-6 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| 7 | Joel Pineiro | 8/26/2009 | HOU | W | 3 | 2 | GS-8 | W | 8 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 6 | Adam Wainwright | 8/25/2009 | HOU | W | 1 | 0 | GS-8 | W | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | John Smoltz | 8/23/2009 | @SDP | W | 5 | 2 | GS-5 | W | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 4 | Chris Carpenter | 8/22/2009 | @SDP | W | 7 | 0 | GS-7 | W | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 3 | Kyle Lohse | 8/21/2009 | @SDP | L | 0 | 4 | GS-4 | L | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 2 | Joel Pineiro | 8/20/2009 | @SDP | W | 5 | 1 | GS-8 | W | 7.2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 1 | Adam Wainwright | 8/19/2009 | @LAD | W | 3 | 2 | GS-7 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
The previous longest streak by the Cardinals staff this season was nine games, started exactly three months earlier on May 19, running through May 27.
Starting pitcher allowing three or fewer runs, consecutive games, previous longest streak, 2009 Cardinals
| Gm | Pitcher | Date | Opp | G | StL | Opp | App | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| 9 | Todd Wellemeyer | 5/27/2009 | @MIL | W | 3 | 2 | GS-6 | W | 5.1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 8 | Adam Wainwright | 5/26/2009 | @MIL | W | 8 | 1 | GS-7 | W | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| 7 | Chris Carpenter | 5/25/2009 | @MIL | L | 0 | 1 | GS-8 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |
| 6 | Joel Pineiro | 5/24/2009 | KCR | L | 2 | 3 | GS-7 | L | 7 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Kyle Lohse | 5/23/2009 | KCR | W | 5 | 0 | GS-8 | W | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | Todd Wellemeyer | 5/22/2009 | KCR | W | 5 | 0 | GS-6 | W | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | Adam Wainwright | 5/21/2009 | CHC | W | 3 | 1 | GS-9 | W | 8.2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 2 | Chris Carpenter | 5/20/2009 | CHC | W | 2 | 1 | GS-5 | W | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 1 | Joel Pineiro | 5/19/2009 | CHC | W | 3 | 0 | SHO9 | W | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
A tip of the cap to Tom Orf for his research.
The streak is especially remarkable when you consider that it has been achieved despite the conspicuous feature of anemic offensive support! While the Brewers lose with the combination of tremendous fire power and weak pitching, we win with the combination of strong pitching and an impotent line-up. Our frightening “murderers row” has been sound asleep! If our powerful line-up never fires on all cylinders, what our elite starters need most is a Middle Relief Stud!
Am I the only one who’s worried that our starters are going to flame out. Crushed by the weight of carrying the Cardinal Nation’s hopes and dreams of a WS victory on their shoulders. Listen, Albert hit the wall at the all-star break and hasn’t been the same since.
I’m not afraid of missing the playoffs. Hell….cruise control will get us that, but losing a pitching “stud” for the playoffs could be disastrous. I don’t care if it means getting Mark McGwire over here to give pep talks to these under-achievers. Do something FO because McRae has lost their interest. Light a fire under these guys and give our pitchers a break before they break-down!!!
If our offense decides to score 1 or 2 runs for a few days we will be taken out in a 5 game series even with Carp, Wainy and Joel at their best. I get that far-away look in my eyes thinking about a starter flame out. No Anthony Reyes miracle starts this time. A flame out means its crying time.
Good points. I watched SF and Colorado play yesterday. They were raking good pitching. As good as Carp is, he is starting to show the wear. Joel has been hit. If we had some cushion on occasion, these guys would be a lot more effective. We usually score our 2 or 3 runs in one inning is the problem. Its the 5 or 6 innings of “hold” that is exhausting the pitchers and relievers. Even Waino had to throw way too many pitches protecting a 1 run lead. It will beat us against good offenses. We’ve got a tough month ahead. Lets wake up.
Starting pitchers exist solely to eat innings and win. Bernie M on stltoday.com talked about the Cy Young short list being Carp, Wainy, Lincicum and Herrin. Piniero compares favorably to those latter two worthies where it counts. He’s not in the running because of ERA and hits per inning, but who cares. Its all about results. ( Danny is handicapped by a losing team )
GS W Inn H ERA
Joel 25 13 170 169 3.11
Lincicum 27 13 193 146 2.33
Dan 27 13 188 147 2.78
Thank you for the revelation, blingboy! I had not realized that Joel compares so well with the likes of Lincicum and Haran! Whereas, according to your excellent sleuthing, both Lincicum and Haran have given-up 7.1 and 7.0 hits per start (respectively), our Joel has given up only 6.8!
I hate to rain on the Pineiro Parade, as I agree that Joel has enjoyed a very nice season. However, I will predict here and now that he will not receive a single vote, not even one, in the Cy Young Award balloting. We can refer back here in November to see who is closest to the pin.
I’ll take half your action if it gets to expensive Brian!! We will mortgage the farm Brian and BB will bribe a sports writer and leave us on the street.
Whether Cy Young winners or not, this is a mighty fine playoff rotation the Cardinals will be boasting, barring injury.
If I’m a voter you guys are screwed.:)
The rallying cry for our team this year should be “The Battle to Win This Year’s World Series War ends on DD Day: Win # 11.” If we do win it this year, Dave Duncan deserves most of the credit. Give him the game ball. Let him accept the WS trophy from bumbling Bud. Pour every damn bottle of champagne on him. Retire his number. Give him his own freakin’ parade.
Given everything he has done for the players, the organization and it’s fans, this is how he should go out, not bitter and angry. The sacrilege that is happening with DD, albeit somewhat self-inflicted, is just wrong and the irony of the whole thing is that this year just might be his best performance of his illustrious career. If he leaves St.Louis with anything other than a standing ovation from the masses, an injustice has been rendered.
Piniero is hyped in two great articles in today’s stltoday, Sports, Cards Update tab. See the feature article and also “Rule of Three”. Westy, Brian, still time to change your bet.
Axcion scooped the rag with the DD awesomeness angle which is in the feature article.
Also, there is once again a lot on the DD mess, as there has been the last few days, but the blog has been ahead of the curve on that, so its more or less a re-hash of what all you wise sages have already dissected.
TCN Blog is like a sneak preview!
Forgot to mention today’s Bernie’s Five Minutes piece “Don’t Forget Pineiro” with some great stats. The media frenzy is building.