Phillies’ Christopher Sanchez Sets Franchise Record For Scoreless Innings Streak

Christopher Sanchez went the entire month of May without allowing a run, breaking a 115-year-old franchise record.

Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Sanchez extended his scoreless innings streak to 44 last week, setting a franchise record by passing Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander in a 3-0 win against the San Diego Padres. The Phillies’ seventh shutout in May is their most in a month since July 1951, when they had eight.

Sanchez reached the milestone by pitching the four innings needed to pass Alexander, who had a 41-inning scoreless streak in 1911. The Phillies are second in the National League East with a 29-27 record.

Philadelphia is still looking for its first World Series appearance since 2022, when the Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in six games.

Sanchez is dealing with the start of the year. He said he didn’t believe he had his best stuff against the Padres, but he dominated the lineup, and striking out 32 batters is impressive.

Sanchez was an inning away from the team record. There was a heart-stopping moment when Edmundo Sosa caught a fly ball just in front of the wall leading off the fourth inning. Sanchez then struck out Xander Bogaerts, allowed a double to left, and got Jackson Merrill to ground out to second base to set the record.

The Padres stranded runners in scoring position in the first and second innings, but Sanchez still had a great game. He now has the longest single-season scoreless inning streak by a left-hander in the expansion era, passing Clayton Kershaw’s 41-inning streak in 2014.

Sanchez is pitching at an elite level and will look to maintain his momentum.

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