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Braves 29, Marlins 9.
Had to do a double take this morning, because it seemed like an error. Twenty-nine runs? It looked like a football score that accidentally was added to the baseball ticker.
But no, that’s exactly what happened last night. The Braves hung 29 on the Miami Marlins, getting nine RBI from Adam Duvall and six from Freddie Freeman. They had 23 hits in the game and improved to 25-18 in the division, two games ahead of the Phillies.
According to ESPN, 29 runs was actually tied for the second most runs scored by one team in a game (since 1900). The Texas Rangers put 30 on the Baltimore Orioles back in 2007, and the 1955 White Sox and 1950 Red Sox also reached 29 in a game.
How about the highest scoring game ever?
That actually involved the Phillies, and it took place in 1922 against the Chicago Cubs, who beat the Phils 26-23, for a total of 49 runs.
SABR.org has an interesting writeup on that game:
“Philadelphia batters had 26 hits, while the Cubs hitters mustered 25. (The 51 hits in the game also smashed the existing record, set on June 9, 1901, when the New York Giants and Cincinnati Reds collected 49 hits as the New Yorkers beat the Reds, 25-13. The Phillies and Cubs pitchers faced a total of 125 batters and walked 21 of them.
…
A few other records were tied in this hitfest. Chicago right fielder Marty Callaghan tied a record for most times facing a pitcher in one inning. In the top of the fourth, he led off with a single to right. The Cubs sent 19 batters to the plate, and the second time up, Callaghan stroked a second single to center, driving in two runs. He made the last out of the inning, striking out. As if this weren’t enough, the Cubs pushed 14 runs across the plate (12 earned) in the fourth inning. This tied a record set on July 6, 1920, when the New York Yankees scored 14 runs in the fifth inning of a 17-0 shutout against the Washington Senators. Kaiser Wilhelm, the Philadelphia manager, finally pulled Ring when Heathcote singled with the bases loaded and only one out, driving in the second and third runs of the inning.”
Can’t say I remember too much about the 1922 Phillies, but those are some crazy stats.
There was another game between the Phillies and Cubs, played in 1979, which the Phils won 23-22, and that one apparently is the second-highest scoring game of all time.
On that matchup, from Bleacher Report:
“Cubs first baseman Bill Buckner went 4-for-7 with a homer and seven RBI—seven years before his infamous World Series blunder. Batting behind him in the cleanup role, left fielder Dave Kingman cleared the bases with three deep flies.
Pete Rose, Larry Bowa and Garry Maddox each sprayed two doubles for the Phillies, combining to score 11 runs on a dozen hits. Mike Schmidt, meanwhile, refused to settle for two bases.
The star third baseman instead socked a pair of dingers. His second homer broke the 22-22 stalemate in the 10th, and Rawly Eastwick mercifully maintained the new-earned lead.”
Randy Lerch was on the mound for the Phils and recorded just one out. Imagine scoring 22 runs and then having to play extra innings. Would have loved to see that game in person, but it’s immortalized on Youtube: