please settle a bet

[west coast orange and black]

i got 20 bucks on this, guys.

i say that the fewest number of batters a pitcher has faced to earn a complete game is 13.
my friend says no way.

please make him pay. thanx.

[gregvanv]

Dick Drago - Royals vs. Orioles?

[west coast orange and black]

care to explain what happened so i can collect, man?

[KCGHOST]

The trick to your question is that you have to think about it from the point of view of a visiting team losing pitcher. Hurl four perfect innings, then give up a lead-off home run in the bottom of the fifth. That's thirteen batters and twelve outs. All you need now is rain and voila! you have a complete gain with only 13 batters involved.

Here is the entry from baseballlibrary.com on this happening to Dick Drago who pitched a complete game 14 batter affair.

"» July 30, 1971: Frank Robinson's home run spoils a no-hit bid by the Royals Dick Drago, who loses, 1–0, in a rain-shortened game. Play is stopped with one out in the 5th. Robby's homer is the 493rd, tying him with Lou Gehrig for 11th place on the homer list."

[gregvanv]

While your scenario works, you don't even have to go into the bottom of the fifth.

And I believe (contrary to baseballlibrary.com), that is what happened here -- Frank Robinson's homer was in the first inning -- the game was called before the Orioles had any batter in the bottom of the fifth. A 48 minute game!

[west coast orange and black]

good work, greg!

[gregvanv]

Do I get a cut of the 20?

[west coast orange and black]

what can you do about the last post in this thread (http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=38085)?

[gregvanv]

1. A player gets replaced with 2 strikes and his replacement gets the 3rd strike after the 1st guy goes to the great beyond:radio
2. Courtesy runners

[west coast orange and black]

i did the askin', now you do the tellin'.

[gregvanv]

and I'm stickin' to 'em. (I took the "?"'s off.):gt

[RuthMayBond]

2. Courtesy runnershttp://www.retrosheet.org/courtesy.htm

[west coast orange and black]

without question, nice work, greg!