Pitcher Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies just broke a franchise record that stood more than a century, and he’s within striking distance of an MLB mark as well. The 29-year-old lefty ran his scoreless streak to 44 2/3 innings Wednesday in San Diego, breaking the franchise mark Grover Cleveland Alexander set in 1911, reports CBS Sports. Sanchez locked in the record when he completed the fourth inning against the Padres, then kept going, finishing with seven shutout frames in a 3-0 win. “I never imagined something like this,” he said afterward.
The streak includes a flawless May, notes the Athletic: five starts, at least seven innings each, zero runs allowed. His run now ranks among the longest in MLB history and trails only Carl Hubbell’s 45 1/3 frames for a left-hander. Overall, only six pitchers have longer streaks, with the top three belonging to Orel Hershiser (59 innings), Don Drysdale (58), and Bob Gibson (57). Sanchez has a 1.47 ERA and a majors-leading 79 1/3 innings through 12 starts, validating the six-year, $107 million extension he signed in March.
