The Astros Are 1 Game Shy of the 1974 Orioles

[OFFNY]

o

Since the advent of the Designated Hitter in 1973, the 1974 Baltimore Orioles hold the American League record for most consecutive games of holding an opponent to 2 runs or less.

Those 1974 Orioles went 10-0 during that streak, from August 29th through September 7th.

They were 63-65 just prior to the streak, and 8 games behind the Red Sox in the A.L. East.

When the streak ended the Orioles were 73-65, and only one game behind the Yankees for the division lead.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/1974-schedule-scores.shtml

The Astros will attempt to tie that record tomorrow night against the Twins in Minneapolis.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2015-schedule-scores.shtml

Interestingly, 1974 was the one season between 1970 and 1978 in which Jim Palmer DID NOT pitch well at all. He had sustained arm trouble during the season which limited him to only 26 starts, and he finished with a 7-12 record and a 3.27 ERA. It was the only season in that span (1970-1978) in which Palmer failed to win 20 or more games, and failed to finish with an ERA under 3.00.

In the aforementioned 10-game streak, Palmer went 2-0 with 1 complete-game shutout.

[Can_of_corn]

o

Since the advent of the Designated Hitter in 1973, the 1974 Baltimore Orioles hold the American League record for most consecutive games of holding an opponent to 2 runs or less.

Those 1974 Orioles went 10-0 during that streak, from August 29th through September 7th.

They were 63-65 just prior to the streak, and 8 games behind the Red Sox in the A.L. East.

When the streak ended the Orioles were 73-65, and only one game behind the Yankees for the division lead.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/1974-schedule-scores.shtml

The Astros will attempt to tie that record tomorrow night against the Twins in Minneapolis.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2015-schedule-scores.shtml

Interestingly, 1974 was the one season between 1970 and 1978 in which Jim Palmer DID NOT pitch well at all. He had sustained arm trouble during the season which limited him to only 26 starts, and he finished with a 7-12 record and a 3.27 ERA. It was the only season in that span (1970-1979) in which Palmer failed to win 20 or more games, and failed to finish with an ERA under 3.00.

In the aforementioned 10-game streak, Palmer went 2-0 with 1 complete-game shutout.

The Astros won all those games right?

Because you can't win a game if you can't score more then three runs.

[DrungoHazewood]

The White Sox hold the Retrosheet era (currently 1913-present) record with 17 straight, from May 12, 1917 through June 4th. They went 15-1-1 during the run, and didn't allow a homer. They broke the record set the previous year by the Giants, who went 15-0-1 in their 16-game streak.

Of course the all-time record may be from the 1901-1912 era, which includes most of the lowest-scoring seasons of all time.

The '47 Tigers and '24 Senators had 11-game streaks, the only other streaks of more than 10 games currently known.

[DrungoHazewood]

Did you know that the 1995 Orioles are tied with the 1974 Orioles and the 1962 Cardinals as the only teams since 1913 to have five consecutive shutouts? The '95 Orioles ended the year with shutouts by Mussina, Erickson, Brown, McDonald/Haynes/Orosco, and again Mussina. Those '95 Orioles went 71-73, despite finishing 2nd in the league in fewest runs allowed and outscoring the opposition by 64 runs.

[Crabcakes]

I remember it well....a mere 41 years ago

Gawd, I'm gettin' old....

[HoustonOrioleFan]

I live in Houston and have been shocked and impressed with the Astros' turnaround. Houston fans have seen some terrible baseball (including 3 consecutive 100-loss seasons, 2011-2013) until this year....Kudos to the Astros' management/scouts...they have really hit big with their recent drafts.

Good reminder - if you're going to be bad, then be really bad...and if you're going to rebuild, then rebuild completely....

[DrungoHazewood]

I live in Houston and have been shocked and impressed with the Astros' turnaround. Houston fans have seen some terrible baseball (including 3 consecutive 100-loss seasons, 2011-2013) until this year....Kudos to the Astros' management/scouts...they have really hit big with their recent drafts.

Good reminder - if you're going to be bad, then be really bad...and if you're going to rebuild, then rebuild completely....

Of the likely playoff teams how many intentionally blew up and did a total rebuild? Not many.

[Going Underground]

From the Post:

When spring training convened, Dallas Keuchel was merely a candidate to be the Houston Astros’ opening day starter, Carlos Correa hadn’t played a game above Class A, Luke Gregerson hadn’t been a full-time closer and A.J. Hinch hadn’t managed a full major league season.

“But I said it on the first day of spring training,” Hinch said. “We have to play all 162. When you have that mindset, you don’t really obsess positively or negatively over any one of those 162. You just move forward.”

When spring training convened, there was no way to know how those 162 would play out for the Astros, whose marked improvement in 2014 meant they won 70 games, up from 51, 55 and 56 in the previous three years. There was talent on the roster and on the way. But was 2015 a realistic time for it to arrive? Could Houston move forward this season?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/08/26/astros-mets-cubs-and-twins-arrive-at-excellence-ahead-of-schedule-will-success-linger/

[OFFNY]

o

Since the advent of the Designated Hitter in 1973, the 1974 Baltimore Orioles hold the American League record for most consecutive games of holding an opponent to 2 runs or less.

Those 1974 Orioles went 10-0 during that streak, from August 29th through September 7th.

They were 63-65 just prior to the streak, and 8 games behind the Red Sox in the A.L. East.

When the streak ended the Orioles were 73-65, and only one game behind the Yankees for the division lead.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/1974-schedule-scores.shtml

The Astros will attempt to tie that record tomorrow night against the Twins in Minneapolis.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2015-schedule-scores.shtml

Interestingly, 1974 was the one season between 1970 and 1978 in which Jim Palmer DID NOT pitch well at all. He had sustained arm trouble during the season which limited him to only 26 starts, and he finished with a 7-12 record and a 3.27 ERA. It was the only season in that span (1970-1978) in which Palmer failed to win 20 or more games, and failed to finish with an ERA under 3.00.

In the aforementioned 10-game streak, Palmer went 2-0 with 1 complete-game shutout.

The Orioles' American League record (1973-Present) remains.

The Astros lost to the Twins last night by a score of 3-0.