"He received a standing ovation from the crowd at Citizens Bank Park. During the ovation, umpire Hunter Wendelstedt cleaned home plate."
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sánchez's franchise-record scoreless streak ended at 50.2 innings during a game against the San Diego Padres on June 5, 2024. The streak is the longest by a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) since the 1961 expansion and the fifth-longest in MLB history.
The Streak
Sánchez's streak began in late April and concluded in the top of the seventh inning on June 5, when Padres first baseman Jackson Merrill singled, allowing Ty France to score from third base and tie the game at 1-1.
The 50.2-inning span included a 39-inning, 0.00 earned run average (ERA) month of May for Sánchez. He threw a 108-pitch complete game shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates during that month.
Historical Context
The streak surpassed the previous Phillies franchise record of 41 innings, set by Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1911. It is the seventh-longest scoreless streak in MLB since 1920 and the fifth-longest in MLB history, trailing only:
- Orel Hershiser (58 innings, 1988)
- Don Drysdale (58 innings, 1968)
- Walter Johnson (55.2 innings, 1913)
- Jack Coombs (53 innings, 1910)
Sánchez is the only pitcher to throw 50 or more consecutive scoreless innings in MLB since the start of the 21st century. He also holds the longest streak by a left-handed pitcher since the 1961 expansion, exceeding Clayton Kershaw's 41-inning streak in 2014.
Pitcher Profile
Sánchez, 29, is a ground-ball pitcher who relies on a sinker, changeup, and slider. His changeup has a whiff rate of nearly 50% and a strikeout rate of 43.6% in the 2024 season.
As of the end of the streak, Sánchez led MLB in innings pitched with 86.1. He pitched more innings in May (39) than Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski did in six starts (38.1).
Game Outcome
After the streak-ending hit, Sánchez threw two changeups, resulting in a lineout, and exited the game after 7.0 innings and 84 pitches. The Phillies won the game 3-2.