Putting St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter’s nine consecutive wins against the Cincinnati Reds into historical context.
For St. Louis Cardinals fans, the main accomplishment this week was for the club to sweep the Cincinnati Reds on the road while recapturing first place in the National League Central Division.
The sideshow of words and brawls may have been positive as a motivator for the Cardinals, but it drew attention away from some strong pitching and hitting performances during the three-game set at Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark.
The first example was in game one on Monday night as starting pitcher Chris Carpenter really set the tone for the series with his intensity on the mound and off. He blanked Cincinnati for six innings right out of the chute before tiring in the seventh. Carp did not allow a runner in scoring position until the sixth and finished with two earned runs allowed on five hits over seven innings.
This was Carpenter’s ninth consecutive start against the Reds in which he was the winning pitcher, a streak that is now four years long.
Putting that current run into historical context provides some interesting points. Cardinals pitchers have compiled the two longest individual consecutive-start winning streaks in team history against the Reds.
Carp’s streak is tied for the third-longest against Cincinnati with the renowned Dizzy Dean. Hall of Famer Jesse “Pop” Haines is tops at 16 starts won against Cincy from 1927 until 1933. During that same time, “Wild” Bill Hallahan took 12 in a row against the Reds. Note that besides Carpenter, the other three longest streaks were compiled in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
The longest streaks against the other 14 NL franchises are also included, listed in order of consecutive starts and wins. (Any no-decision start would eliminate a pitcher from this list.)
Most consecutive starts by pitcher with wins vs. one team, St. Louis Cardinals, since 1920
| Strk Start | End | G | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | GF | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | ||
| CIN | Jesse Haines | 9/26/1927 | 7/25/1933 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 141 | 125 | 41 | 33 | 36 | 44 | 3 | 2.11 |
| CIN | Bill Hallahan | 9/24/1929 | 6/28/1932 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 101 | 78 | 28 | 26 | 52 | 58 | 2 | 2.31 |
| CIN | Chris Carpenter | 8/15/2006 | 8/9/2010* | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 65 | 39 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 50 | 3 | 1.25 |
| CIN | Dizzy Dean | 8/1/1935 | 7/4/1937 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 80 | 76 | 23 | 19 | 10 | 62 | 2 | 2.14 |
| ATL | Bill Sherdel | 7/7/1927 | 6/14/1929 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 84 | 72 | 22 | 20 | 14 | 19 | 1 | 2.14 |
| LAD | Dizzy Dean | 5/2/1933 | 9/21/1934 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 90 | 59 | 20 | 15 | 17 | 53 | 2 | 1.50 |
| PHI | Lon Warneke | 6/16/1940 | 6/28/1942 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 90.1 | 52 | 11 | 11 | 19 | 37 | 5 | 1.10 |
| NYM | Bob Gibson | 5/11/1965 | 8/13/1966 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 69.1 | 44 | 23 | 19 | 19 | 68 | 9 | 2.47 |
| SFG | Larry Jackson | 4/26/1960 | 8/27/1961 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 67 | 57 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 36 | 3 | 2.01 |
| CHC | Ernie Broglio | 7/20/1959 | 7/17/1961 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 58.2 | 34 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 52 | 0 | 1.53 |
| SD | Bob Gibson | 7/30/1969 | 4/16/1971 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 66 | 45 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 71 | 1 | 1.77 |
| PIT | Chris Carpenter | 4/19/2006 | 8/7/2009 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 26 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 41 | 3 | 1.40 |
| PIT | Bob Gibson | 9/2/1963 | 5/16/1965 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 49 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 51 | 4 | 2.04 |
| PIT | Murry Dickson | 7/31/1956 | 7/20/1957 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 51 | 41 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 20 | 2 | 1.59 |
| PIT | Dizzy Dean | 9/2/1935 | 8/16/1936 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 38 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 1 | 1.94 |
| HOU | Steve Carlton | 7/31/1970 | 8/25/1971 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 38.1 | 39 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 29 | 2 | 2.58 |
| HOU | Steve Carlton | 8/18/1967 | 9/15/1968 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 36 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 44 | 3 | 3.14 |
| HOU | Bob Gibson | 6/28/1963 | 4/19/1964 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 31 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 50 | 0 | 1.80 |
| MIL | Woody Williams | 6/26/2002 | 9/23/2003 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33.1 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 28 | 2 | 0.81 |
| WAS | Bob Forsch | 6/30/1978 | 5/31/1980 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 36 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 2 | 2.31 |
| COL | Matt Morris | 4/11/2001 | 6/1/2005 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 26 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 17 | 3 | 3.67 |
| FLA | Matt Morris | 5/1/1997 | 9/1/1998 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 1 | 2.17 |
| ARZ | Joel Pineiro | 9/25/2008 | 7/19/2009 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 17 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 13 | 2 | 4.26 |
| ARZ | Matt Morris | 4/17/2002 | 7/4/2005 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 2.74 |
| ARZ | Darryl Kile | 7/26/2000 | 4/18/2001 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 3 | 2.57 |
Note that Carpenter’s 1.25 ERA vs. the Reds is the third lowest of any of the pitchers on the above list. Carpenter also shares the top winning streak against the Pirates at six with Murry Dickson, Dizzy Dean and Bob Gibson. Not surprisingly, Gibson owns outright or has a part of the team lead for the longest streaks against four different franchises – the Mets, Padres, Astros and Pirates.
Depending on how the rotation is aligned, Carpenter may very well get his next chance to secure win number ten when the Reds invade St. Louis from September 3-5.
Thanks to researcher Tom Orf for the data in the above table.
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Among the many other meaningful matters which emanate from the series sweep, was it also the first time that Tony had ever published the same lineup for three consecutive games? May it be that the same horror will be revisited upon the Reds, in our house, during the final series of the season with them, three weeks from today; September 3-5. Can there be any doubt that Chris will record his tenth consecutive win during that series against the Cincinnati Reds amidst his adoring fans at Busch Stadium?
The fact that we took the most important series of the season so far, without either Studwick or Jake, serves to underscore the truth that the controversial trade was not necessary. If anything, we would have given the Reds an even worse clobbering! The truth that the trade was not necessary was already seen in the fact that we did not win, even during the two games in which Jake had surprised us with pitching which dramatically contradicted his mediocre career and season record. Aye, we did it without either Studwick or Jake, without the “genius” of Tony, but solely by the combination of superior pitching and the continuity of our resurgent offense.
You have to love the following comment from the Discussion portion of Bernie Miklasz’ article; “Reds’ insults have unintended effect on Cardinals”:
Alton Leffield said on: August 12, 2010, 12:26 am
“The irony is the Reds and their fans moaned and booed many times this series…a lot of discontent. The Cards fleshed out Teddy Roosevelt’s adage, “Speak softly and carry a big stick”
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bernie-miklasz/article_9791743a-d98d-5e51-bd37-4482e2cac1ec.html?mode=comments
The nation, whose attention Brandon Phillips had piqued, observed that he had gone 2 for 14 in his failure to substantiate his vitriolic mouth.
In case folks didn’t hear:
MLB discipline announced: Cueto 7G + fine; TLR/Dusty 2G each + fine; Phillips, Springer, Molina, Carp fined only.
Phillips should have gotten at least a game, but I can live with that.
What did injured old man Springer do to his former teammates?
I was going to joke he hit the Cards batboy with his cane, but that would not be very nice. The real reason is that players on the DL are not allowed onto the field.
Huh. Interesting. Why are all of the other players and coaches allowed on to the field in this situation? They didn’t have a legitimate reason for being there either.
I’d give anything to be in the stands tomorrow night when Yadi comes up to bat.
There will be a lot of Cards fans at Wrigley, especially Saturday and Sunday. Its hard to say how Cubs fans will react, if at all.
I have seen some speculation that we may see Craig at third this weekend.
Hello. Sorry about that. Few too many, goodnight.
Don’t worry about it, bb. Craig might be a late-game replacement, but I would be very surprised to see him start at 3B.
Games are in St Louis aren’t they??????????
Yes Westy. BB realized that after his first post. It has been an exhausting last 3 days.
I meant to say this earlier. After Colby hit that GS he had the biggest smile on his face that I have ever seen him have. It warmed the cockles of my heart. That young man is a keeper.
Sorry again everyone. Shouldn’t have been here. I’m on vacation for a while after a brutal few weeks, 12 hrs 6 days a week. Man, getting old sucks. Good luck to the Cards this weekend. Maybe I’ll get a chance to check in, the comments will help fill in the blanks.
I couldn’t tell Colby’ expression from the news clip I saw, but Albert had a mighty big smile waiting for him to cross the plate. That got my attention.