Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke finished his spectacular first half Thursday night with eight shutout innings against the Phillies, heading into the All-Star break with an MLB-best 1.39 ERA and 35.2 consecutive scoreless innings.
Last season Greinke’s rotation-mate Clayton Kershaw threw 41 straight scoreless innings, so he can try to match or surpass that feat in his first start of the second half. He hasn’t allowed a run since June 13.
Overall this season Greinke is 8-2 with a 106/20 K/BB ratio in 123 innings, holding opponents to a .191 batting average in 18 starts. And his 1.39 ERA is the lowest mark any starting pitcher has posted in the first half since 1968--also known as “The Year Of The Pitcher"--when Bob Gibson, Luis Tiant, and Don Drysdale all went into the All-Star break with sub-1.40 ERAs.
Gibson finished 1968 with a 1.12 ERA, which stands as the modern record. Orel Hershiser holds the record for consecutive scoreless innings with 59.