The 2006 Fall Classic saw twelve different pitchers post and ERA of 0.00. That's a World Series record. It was a short series, but both teams had hurlers who made short work of the opposing hitters. St. Louis and Detroit had the arms they needed.
Game one didn't have either starter do that. By the top of the second, both of them had surrendered an earned run. But they were both rookies, so what do you expect? Fireman time, says I! Yep, it was up to the bullpen to be "Lights out!" It all started out that way in St. Louis...But it was the bullpen that did it!
The Tigers were behind 5-1 in the top of the sixth when Justin Verlander was yanked. There were runners on second and third and not a man out. Jason Grilli replaced him, but two runs did score. Both were not charged to Grilli, and they were unearned anyways as Brandon Inge made a throwing error. Grilli got the next three batters out, and St. Louis did not score another run in the game. But it was 7-1, Cards, so it was too little, too late.
Fernando Ledezma pitched a 1-2-3 top of the seventh for Detroit, but he would ultimately finish the 2006 Fall Classic with an ERA of 4.50. In the top of the eight, it was Wil Ledezma gave the Cards a leadoff single, then settled down to get the next three batters. This was the first of two scoreless outings for him.
Todd Jones got two of the three batters to face him in the top of the ninth out, then parted for Jamie Walker. Walker threw a wild pitch, but got pinch hitter Preston Wilson out to end the Cardinals' night at the plate. So actually, four pitchers for Detroit (Who lost the game 7-2) finished game one with an ERA of 0.00. Both St. Louis pitchers gave up a single run. But somehow, I don't think they cared.
The Tigers got the scoreless innings from their starter in game two. And they needed to win this one before they "Meet Me In St. Louis, Louie!" Indeed, it was Kenny Rogers who went eight innings and gave up just two hits. He was picked up by Todd Jones, who allowed an unearned run in the ninth inning, but that was the only St. Louis scoring of the game.
Jeff Weaver left after five, but Detroit did not score again, either. Tyler Johnson got the first two batters out in the bottom of the sixth, and then the Cards brought in Josh Kinney. Kinney prolonged the agony by walking a batter and then hitting a batter. He retired Magglio Ordonez to end that danger.
Randy Flores pitched the bottom of the seventh and gave up a leadoff single. But a double play and a fly ball ended that. Brad Thompson needed no double plays the next inning. He fanned the first batter to face him, then got Ramon Santiago on a grounder. That, however, was the end of the night for Thompson, who would not pitch again in this Fall Classic. Adam Wainwright came in and got the final out of the inning. The bullpen had done the job for both teams on this night. With the 3-1 win, Detroit had tied this thing.
Chris Carpenter started for the home team as this thing moved to St. Louis, and he almost did as good as Rogers. When he departed after eight, he had allowed just three hits and no runs. Braden Looper again came in, and again pitched a scoreless inning. The Cardinals ended up with a comfortable 5-0 win. Nate Robertson did not pitch bad, but left after five down 2-0. Ledezma gave up a hit and retired a batter, managing to keep his ERA at zero. Grilli later came in and allowed a walk but no runs in 2/3 of an inning. Zack Miner made his only Fall Classic appearance and allowed no runs in 2/3 innings of his own. It would prove to be his only appearance of the 2006 Fall Classic. St. Louis, up 2-1 in the Fall Classic now, looked for more superior pitching!
Game four was close again. St. Louis won, 5-4, and neither starter progressed beyond the sixth inning. St. Louis fought back from 3-0 down and even took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh. Detroit tied it in the top of the eight off Looper, but ended up giving up the winning run in the bottom of the frame.
Adam Wainwright finished the game with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. Detroit had all sorts of problems in this game, as all three of their pitchers gave up at least one run. But of the five runs scored, only three were earned. Kinney pitched another scoreless appearance for the Cardinals. Tyler Johnson retired the only batter to face him. The only negative, in addition to Jeff Suppan going only six and giving up eight hits and three runs, was Wainwright giving up a double in the top of the eighth to allow the tying run to score. That was the first batter he faced. But then, he turned on god-mode and got the next five batters out. Three of them (in a row) were retired on strikeouts. This got him the win, and put the Cardinals up, three games to one. Time to seal the deal!
Justin Verlander tried to keep the Tigers in the hunt in game five, but he left after six trailing 3-2. More bad news came when Fernando Rodney gave up a run in relief to make it a 4-2 game. Jeff Weaver went eight strong innings, gave up just four hits and two earned runs for St. Louis.
Wainwright came in to nail it down and had trouble. A double, a wild pitch, and a walk put runners on the corners with two down. But when he fanned Inge, the 2006 Fall Classic belonged to the St. Louis Cardinals, four games to one!
St. Louis had needed a good group effort on the hill. Wainwright, as it turned out, got the only save for them. Four different pitchers won games. But none of them, despite Carpenter, Weaver and Anthony Reyes' (game one winner) fine efforts, went the distance. The middle relief and Wainwright were needed more than you would have expected. And they came through. Detroit may have lost, but they kept two of their losses (and game three was close until the bottom of the seventh) and their one win, competitive. It seemed unlikely that both the winning and losing teams in a five-game Fall Classic would have six pitchers each with ERAs of 0.00, but it happened. And that happens to make the 2006 World Series another memorable St. Louis / Detroit affair!
References
http://www.baseball-reference.com
Game one didn't have either starter do that. By the top of the second, both of them had surrendered an earned run. But they were both rookies, so what do you expect? Fireman time, says I! Yep, it was up to the bullpen to be "Lights out!" It all started out that way in St. Louis...But it was the bullpen that did it!
The Tigers were behind 5-1 in the top of the sixth when Justin Verlander was yanked. There were runners on second and third and not a man out. Jason Grilli replaced him, but two runs did score. Both were not charged to Grilli, and they were unearned anyways as Brandon Inge made a throwing error. Grilli got the next three batters out, and St. Louis did not score another run in the game. But it was 7-1, Cards, so it was too little, too late.
Fernando Ledezma pitched a 1-2-3 top of the seventh for Detroit, but he would ultimately finish the 2006 Fall Classic with an ERA of 4.50. In the top of the eight, it was Wil Ledezma gave the Cards a leadoff single, then settled down to get the next three batters. This was the first of two scoreless outings for him.
Todd Jones got two of the three batters to face him in the top of the ninth out, then parted for Jamie Walker. Walker threw a wild pitch, but got pinch hitter Preston Wilson out to end the Cardinals' night at the plate. So actually, four pitchers for Detroit (Who lost the game 7-2) finished game one with an ERA of 0.00. Both St. Louis pitchers gave up a single run. But somehow, I don't think they cared.
The Tigers got the scoreless innings from their starter in game two. And they needed to win this one before they "Meet Me In St. Louis, Louie!" Indeed, it was Kenny Rogers who went eight innings and gave up just two hits. He was picked up by Todd Jones, who allowed an unearned run in the ninth inning, but that was the only St. Louis scoring of the game.
Jeff Weaver left after five, but Detroit did not score again, either. Tyler Johnson got the first two batters out in the bottom of the sixth, and then the Cards brought in Josh Kinney. Kinney prolonged the agony by walking a batter and then hitting a batter. He retired Magglio Ordonez to end that danger.
Randy Flores pitched the bottom of the seventh and gave up a leadoff single. But a double play and a fly ball ended that. Brad Thompson needed no double plays the next inning. He fanned the first batter to face him, then got Ramon Santiago on a grounder. That, however, was the end of the night for Thompson, who would not pitch again in this Fall Classic. Adam Wainwright came in and got the final out of the inning. The bullpen had done the job for both teams on this night. With the 3-1 win, Detroit had tied this thing.
Chris Carpenter started for the home team as this thing moved to St. Louis, and he almost did as good as Rogers. When he departed after eight, he had allowed just three hits and no runs. Braden Looper again came in, and again pitched a scoreless inning. The Cardinals ended up with a comfortable 5-0 win. Nate Robertson did not pitch bad, but left after five down 2-0. Ledezma gave up a hit and retired a batter, managing to keep his ERA at zero. Grilli later came in and allowed a walk but no runs in 2/3 of an inning. Zack Miner made his only Fall Classic appearance and allowed no runs in 2/3 innings of his own. It would prove to be his only appearance of the 2006 Fall Classic. St. Louis, up 2-1 in the Fall Classic now, looked for more superior pitching!
Game four was close again. St. Louis won, 5-4, and neither starter progressed beyond the sixth inning. St. Louis fought back from 3-0 down and even took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh. Detroit tied it in the top of the eight off Looper, but ended up giving up the winning run in the bottom of the frame.
Adam Wainwright finished the game with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. Detroit had all sorts of problems in this game, as all three of their pitchers gave up at least one run. But of the five runs scored, only three were earned. Kinney pitched another scoreless appearance for the Cardinals. Tyler Johnson retired the only batter to face him. The only negative, in addition to Jeff Suppan going only six and giving up eight hits and three runs, was Wainwright giving up a double in the top of the eighth to allow the tying run to score. That was the first batter he faced. But then, he turned on god-mode and got the next five batters out. Three of them (in a row) were retired on strikeouts. This got him the win, and put the Cardinals up, three games to one. Time to seal the deal!
Justin Verlander tried to keep the Tigers in the hunt in game five, but he left after six trailing 3-2. More bad news came when Fernando Rodney gave up a run in relief to make it a 4-2 game. Jeff Weaver went eight strong innings, gave up just four hits and two earned runs for St. Louis.
Wainwright came in to nail it down and had trouble. A double, a wild pitch, and a walk put runners on the corners with two down. But when he fanned Inge, the 2006 Fall Classic belonged to the St. Louis Cardinals, four games to one!
St. Louis had needed a good group effort on the hill. Wainwright, as it turned out, got the only save for them. Four different pitchers won games. But none of them, despite Carpenter, Weaver and Anthony Reyes' (game one winner) fine efforts, went the distance. The middle relief and Wainwright were needed more than you would have expected. And they came through. Detroit may have lost, but they kept two of their losses (and game three was close until the bottom of the seventh) and their one win, competitive. It seemed unlikely that both the winning and losing teams in a five-game Fall Classic would have six pitchers each with ERAs of 0.00, but it happened. And that happens to make the 2006 World Series another memorable St. Louis / Detroit affair!
References
http://www.baseball-reference.com
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