Walk the Walk

The Phillies scored a team-record 13 runs today in the fourth inning against the Reds and won 13-1. This is 4 short of the record, but amazingly the thirteen runs came from just six hits and 11 of them came with two out (ESPN erroneously said 10).

The six hits were aided by 7 walks from different Cinicinnati pitchers and none were left on. The inning is very similar to a game the Yankees won 20-5 against Washington on September 11, 1949 in the first game of a double header. The Yanks got eleven free passes from four different Senators pitchers in the third en route to 12 runs. In both cases the inning was ended by the pitcher.

Here's the account from BaseballLibrary.com:

Four Washington pitchers issued an inexplicable 11 walks in a single inning, though not consecutively. Such a display was not out of character for the Washington staff, which averaged 4.99 free passes per game, second-most in the league. On this Sunday afternoon, September 11, 1949, they were at their wildest. Cliff Mapes, Charlie Keller, Joe Collins, and Jerry Coleman all drew two walks apiece in the record-setting third inning, which saw the Yanks score 12 runs. After forcing in the final run of the stanza with yet another walk, Buzz Dozier finally ended the carnage by getting Allie Reynolds to pop out to first.

Now check out today's fourth-inning game log from ESPN:

PHILADELPHIA 4TH
-Top of the 4th inning, Score 0-0
-B Abreu walked.
-J Thome singled to right, B Abreu to second.
-P Burrell doubled to deep left, B Abreu scored, J Thome to third. (1-0)
-D Bell grounded out to second, J Thome scored, P Burrell to third. (2-0)
-M Lieberthal popped out to second.
-R Ledee intentionally walked.
-R Wolf singled to right, P Burrell scored, R Ledee to second.(3-0)
-J Rollins walked, R Ledee to third, R Wolf to second.
-P Polanco walked, R Ledee scored, R Wolf to third, J Rollins to second.(4-0)
-B Abreu walked, R Wolf scored, J Rollins to third, P Polanco to second.(5-0)
-J Thome singled to center, J Rollins and P Polanco scored, B Abreu to second.(7-0)
-S Sullivan relieved R Dempster.
-P Burrell walked, B Abreu to third, J Thome to second.
-D Bell walked, B Abreu scored, J Thome to third, P Burrell to second.(8-0)
-M Lieberthal singled to center, J Thome and P Burrell scored, D Bell to second.(10-0)
-R Ledee homered to right, D Bell and M Lieberthal scored.(13-0)
-R Wolf struck out swinging.

13 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors
Philadelphia 13, Cincinnati 0

It was the biggest Phillies offensive inning in 80 years and the biggest Cincinnati inning given up in 40 years. Oh, the humanity!