Orel Hershiser Breaks the Consecutive Scoreless Innings Record

On September 28, 1988, Orel Hershiser of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitched 10 shutout innings against the San Diego Padres at Jack Murphy Stadium, extending his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 59 and breaking Don Drysdale's major league record of 58 and two-thirds innings, set in 1968.

Hershiser had not intended to pitch beyond nine innings. With the score tied 0-0 after nine, he was prepared to leave the game with the record tied. Manager Tommy Lasorda walked to the mound and told him to go back out for the 10th. Hershiser pitched through it without allowing a run. The Dodgers eventually lost the game 2-1 in 16 innings when a reliever gave up the deciding runs, but the record belonged to Hershiser.

The streak had begun on August 30 in the sixth inning of a game against the Montreal Expos. Over the next month, Hershiser threw five consecutive complete-game shutouts and added the 10 shutout innings against San Diego to push past Drysdale.

Drysdale himself was in the broadcast booth calling the game for Dodgers radio as Hershiser broke his record. He had held the mark for 20 years.

Hershiser's dominance continued into October. He won the National League Championship Series MVP against the Mets, then won two games in the World Series as the Dodgers upset the heavily favored Oakland Athletics in five games. He was named World Series MVP and won the Cy Young Award. His stretch from late August through late October 1988 stands as one of the most sustained periods of pitching excellence in baseball history.