With that, the projected total for the 2014 season rose to 106. (Remember that the all-time low figure for CGs was set in 2007, with 112.)
This was the fourth time in '14 that three complete games occurred on the same day. It was the third time that two left-handed starters had thrown complete games on the same day.Mariner rookie Roenis Elias and White Sox ace Chris Sale were the two southpaws, and together they added back in the youthful component that had gone south in the month of May (only four of that month's nineteen CGs were turned in by pitchers aged 25 or younger, as opposed to seven of fifteen in April).
Elias limited the Tigers to three hits and struck out eight, as he finally took full advantage of the pitcher-friendly confines of his home park (Seattle's Safeco Field).
Sale allowed a homer to the Padres' Chase Headley in the fifth, but otherwise dominated.
It was just the eleventh HR allowed by a pitcher tossing a complete game. Twenty-eight of the thirty-seven CGs have been games in which the pitcher did not allow a HR. (Two lefties, David Price and Madison Bumgarner, allowed two HRs in their CGs; Bumgarner lost his game as a result.)The third CG was turned in by veteran Kyle Lohse (age 35), who took advantage of his matchup (the lowly Cubs). Kyle allowed only three hits as the Brewers turned the game into a 9-0 rout.
(It should be noted, though, that this is the first CG thrown against the Cubs all year. Whatever their problems, this is not one of them--at least not yet. Six teams--Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Seattle, and Texas--have had three CGs hurled against them thus far in '14.)
The winning streak in CGs is now up to 20; the overall record of pitchers in CGs in 2014 is 32-5.
