Weird Outing for Liriano

Leave it to Francisco Liriano to produce one of the oddest lines I’ve seen in a while from a starting pitcher. The Boston Red Sox paid visit to Liriano and the Twins yesterday, and brought their offense with them. Liriano lasted only four innings, allowing no walks, 11 hits, and striking out seven. Usually you see a large number of strikeouts and fewer hits or a large number of hits and fewer strikeouts, in combination it presents a bit of a paradox.

Only seven times (now eight) had a starting pitcher went four and struck out at least seven without issuing any walks. Mike Witt in 1987 allowed eight hits to the Oakland Athletics; Don Sutton in 1986 also allowed eight hits, this time against Seattle, oddly both were members of the California Angels during the feat. John Smoltz and Juan Mateo were the last two pitchers to do it, with Smoltz’ turn coming in 2007 and Mateo’s almost a year prior in 2006. J.R. Richard in 1973 and Josh Beckett in 2002 share a common opponent in the Los Angeles Dodgers and neither allowed more than three hits.

Back to Liriano, here are his hit descriptions:
– Dustin Pedroia singles to left on a fly ball.
– Mike Lowell singles to left on a line drive.
– Rocco Baldelli doubles to right on a fly ball.
– Jacoby Ellsbury singles on a ground ball to shortstop.
– Dustin Pedroia singles to left on a fly ball.
– Kevin Youkilis doubles on a sharp ground ball to left.
– Jason Bay doubles on a ground ball to left.
– Mike Lowell singles to left on a sharp ground ball.
– Jacoby Ellsbury singles on a line drive to center.
– Dustin Pedroia singles on a ground ball to left.
– Kevin Youkilis doubles to left on a line drive.

Without seeing the game, it seems to me like Liriano had a few bloopers fall in, a slow roller to short, and a few down the line. I guess this was one of those games were everything that could go for a hit did, whether it was hit hardly or not. The BABIP gods are fickle, and apparently flexed their wrath all over Liriano yesterday.