Tuesday, May 6, 2014

2014: COMPLETE GAMES #17, 18

The lull in complete games was broken last night, with two more occurring during the contests of May 6.

First, another complete game shutout from the Marlins' Henderson Alvarez. The random circumstances behind the CG in its age of extreme scarcity creates the irony that it's Alvarez, who is almost certainly only the third best starter on the Miami roster, is the only one with any complete games this season.

Alvarez allowed six hits and struck out seven as Miami defeated the Mets, 3-0.

Elsewhere, the ageless Tim Hudson had another fine outing for his new team (Giants). On this night, however, he was matched pitch-for-pitch by the Pirates' Charlie Morton, who allowed just three hits and an unearned run over eight innings.

Hudson remained on the mound into the bottom of the ninth at Pittsburgh's PNC Park, and wound up with a loss as an overturned call on a play at the plate (Starling Marte scoring on a throwing error after hitting a two-out triple). Hudson's complete game was an afterthought in the midst of a play that, prior to this year, could never have happened. Final score: Pirates 2, Giants 1.

Starting pitchers now have a 13-5 record in complete games thus far in '14.

[UPDATE: The current projection for total number of CGs in 2014 is now 91.]