David Price becomes first pitcher since 1989 to give up nine consecutive hits
By Mike Marteny
David Price had a bad night on Wednesday. Surely this is not what the Tigers had in mind when they sent Austin Jackson to Seattle and Drew Smyly and Willy Adames to Tampa to get him. Price became the first pitcher since Bob Forsch in 1989. The kicker? Forsch did it in relief for the Houston Astros. That’s right. Price, who has two career no hitters, gave up nine straight hits in relief in his final season.
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Forsch relieved starter Jim Clancy in the first inning after Clancy allowed seven runs on six hits and a walk without recording an out. Forsch came in and allowed a hit before inducing a groundout. He then allowed nine straight hits. When the carnage ended, the Cincinnati Reds had put up 14 runs on 16 hits in the first inning! Forsch would go on to pitch six more innings in the game, allowing eight more hits.
Price got through two innings, giving up three hits but no runs against the New York Yankees before the wheels fell off. A Jacoby Ellsbury single led off the third inning. Then the next nine batters got a hit. Luckily for Price, all but one of those (a Derek Jeter double) were singles. After the ninth straight hit and trailing 6-0, Price was finally lifted from the game. A GIF of all the hits can be found here.
Blaine Hardy came on in relief and gave up two sacrifice flies with the bases loaded before ending the inning. When it was all said and done, Price went 2+ innings, gave up 12 hits and eight runs. This was easily the worst start of his career.