PHOENIX — Orel Hershiser was getting ready to grab dinner before broadcasting the Los Angeles Dodgers’ game Wednesday night when he got the news that Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez’s bid to break his all-time scoreless innings streak had ended.
Hershiser says he was privately rooting for Sanchez, but concedes that his family and friends were quite relieved his record 59-inning scoreless streak remains the standard. Sanchez’s streak was snapped at 50.2 innings on San Diego Padres center fielder Jack Merrill’s two-out single, scoring Ty France from second base.
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“It’s a great accomplishment, it really is,’’ Hershiser told USA TODAY Sports. “It’s tremendous. I really believe you’re going to see more streaks this year. You’ve got guys like Shohei (Ohtani of the Dodgers). Miz (Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers). I think with the way hitting is now, you’re going to see more of these streaks.
“Someone will break the record.’’
Just not now, with Hershiser’s 1988 record still standing after 38 years and counting.
“I was rooting for him because I know how special it is in your life,’’ Hershiser said. “He’s having a great year. He’s got to be the front-runner for the Cy Young. He’s got ridiculous stuff. And he’s a strikeout pitcher, much more of a strikeout pitcher than I was.’’
One day, maybe Sanchez will make another run.
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Maybe it will be someone else.
But Hershiser is convinced that his record will be broken. It took 20 years for him to break Don Drysdale’s 58-inning streak, and 55 years for Drysdale to break Walter Johnson’s 55.2-inning streak from 1913.
“Really, when you think about it,’’ Hershiser said, “it’s a team record. Even though it gets attributed to individuals, somebody has to pick up the groundball and throw it to first. Somebody’s got to catch the fly ball in the gap. Somebody’s got to turn a double play for you when there’s first and third with one out. But it is special.
“When I think about it, it changed my life, but the bigger thing that changed my life was winning that (1988) world championship. To this day when I get together with my teammates, we celebrate that championship, and I thank them for picking that ball up and doing the things needed for 59 scoreless.’’
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Orel Hershiser loved Cristopher Sanchez scoreless innings streak
