Orel Hershiser's scoreless innings streak

During the 1988 Major League Baseball season, pitcher Orel Hershiser of the Los Angeles Dodgers set the MLB record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched.

The record-setting game was overshadowed by the 1988 Summer Olympics, football, and baseball pennant races; it was not broadcast on local television in Los Angeles.

[6] Despite an emergency appendectomy that delayed his spring training and shortened his time to get in shape for the season,[8] Hershiser had been named NL Baseball Pitcher of the Month in April and a participant in the 1988 All-Star Game, getting outs against all three batters.

[14] Previously, Walter Johnson of the 1913 Washington Senators had held the consecutive scoreless innings record, at 55+2⁄3,[7] with two relief appearances,[15] which gave him a fractional total.

[28] After Hershiser reached 49 consecutive innings because of what some sources describe as an umpire's favorable interference ruling on a double play, the sports media compared him to Drysdale, who had a similar incident occur during his streak.

[41] However, the press also noted that Hershiser needed another complete game shutout to tie Drysdale and pass Johnson on the all-time consecutive scoreless innings list.

[41] In addition to covering the record pursuit, some sportswriters perceived that Hershiser had taken a commanding lead in the Cy Young Award race.

As Hershiser's last remaining start approached,[44][45] the media mentioned that he needed one more complete game shutout to tie the all-time record.

[68] Lasorda and Perranoski moved Hershiser's start up one day because they wanted him to pitch the next week against the second-place Houston Astros.

[68] Although Drysdale's record was mentioned after he reached 31 consecutive innings, the focus of the media was on the Cy Young Award race with Jackson.

Hershiser responded by striking out opposing pitcher Rick Mahler and Ron Gant and then retiring Jeff Blauser on a flyball to left.

[73] Based on the rules in place on September 20, Hershiser would have ended up 2⁄3 inning shy of Drysdale's record even with two nine-inning shutouts in his final two starts.

[33] Houston's strongest scoring opportunities came about because of Dodger errors: Kevin Bass recorded a two-out single followed by a stolen base.

Then a Griffin error on a Glenn Davis ground ball moved the runner to third base and dangerously close to home plate.

[33] The game marked Hershiser's sixth (and fourth consecutive) shutout of the season,[33] making him the first Dodger since Drysdale in 1968 to record four in a row.

[77][81][86] According to some sources, official statisticians such as Siwoff had a long history of counting only complete scoreless innings by starting pitchers.

When Ernie Riles hit a groundball, Butler interfered with Dodger shortstop Alfredo Griffin causing a bad throw and breaking up the double play.

[43][81] Other contemporaneous sources such as Sports Illustrated and USA Today said that Paul Runge ruled that Butler had interfered with second baseman Steve Sax's relay throw to Griffin.

[102] Hershiser made it through the 10th inning, with the record-setting out being a Keith Moreland flyball caught by right fielder José González.

Marvell Wynne struck out swinging to open the inning, but reached first base after a wild pitch evaded catcher Mike Scioscia.

"[103] According to some sources, Drysdale was the person who convinced Hershiser to take the mound for the 10th inning, saying, "I gave him a kick in the pants and told him to get out there and go as far as he can.

[7] Hershiser's record was overshadowed because the 1988 Summer Olympics and the start of the 1988 National Football League season occurred at the same time.

[110] In the ninth inning, Gregg Jefferies led off with a single on a sinker down the middle[111] and reached second base on a ground out in a hit and run play with Keith Hernandez.

[113] The Mets went on to add two more runs on Gary Carter's shallow fly ball that center fielder John Shelby could not secure until it first hit the ground.

[115] His mound opponent was Tom Browning, who had pitched a perfect game the last time he had faced the Dodgers (September 16, 1988).

He failed to make the Bowling Green State University team as a freshman and, after graduating, he struggled through two years in both Double A and Triple A baseball.

[125] Hershiser's annual salary of $2,766,667 (equal to $6,800,430 in 2023 dollars[126]) moved him ahead of Cal Ripken as baseball's highest-paid player at the time.

[127] Following his success of the 1988 season, Hershiser realized that any future exploits would be seen comparatively as a failure, even as he began spring training in 1989 with the streak still active.

[24][96][136] In the first 25 years after Hershiser recorded his streak, the closest challenge came from Brandon Webb of the 2007 Arizona Diamondbacks, who pitched 42 consecutive scoreless innings.

[137] In 2014, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw pitched 41 consecutive scoreless innings, before giving up a solo home run to the Padres' Chase Headley on July 10.