Most runs allowed by starting pitcher in single game

Cincinnati’s Ben Lively had a rough outing on Aug. 1 in a 20-9 loss to the Cubs, allowing 13 hits, four home runs and 13 runs (all earned) in four innings of work.

Lively became just the ninth pitcher in the Expansion Era (since 1961) to allow at least 13 runs in a single start.

Most runs allowed in single start, since 1961:

Mike Oquist, OAK -- 14 runs in 5 IP vs. NYY, Aug. 3, 1998
Bill Travers, MIL -- 14 runs in 7 2/3 IP vs. CLE, Aug. 14, 1977
Ben Lively, CIN -- 13 runs in 4 IP vs. CHC, Aug. 1, 2023
Colby Lewis, TEX -- 13 runs in 2 1/3 IP vs. LAA, July 10, 2014
Scott Kazmir, LAA -- 13 runs in 5 IP vs. OAK, July 10, 2010
Jason Marquis, STL -- 13 runs in 5 IP vs. CWS, June 21, 2006
Mike Busby, STL -- 13 runs in 4 IP vs. ATL, April 7, 1996
David Wells, TOR -- 13 runs in 4 1/3 IP vs. MIL, Aug. 20, 1992
Galen Cisco, BOS -- 13 runs in 5 1/3 IP vs. WSA, July 27, 1962

But believe it or not, it can get worse than that -- much worse.

While Lively did allow the most runs by a starting pitcher since the Rangers’ Colby Lewis allowed 13 on July 10, 2014, he didn’t even come close to some of the elevated run totals from the early days of the 20th century, when bullpens were short and starting pitchers were expected to go the distance regardless of how their day was going.

There are nine AL/NL pitchers on record dating back to 1901 who allowed at least 19 runs in a start. Here's a look at those ignominious outings.

1. Allan Travers, Detroit Tigers: 24 runs in 8 IP
May 18, 1912 (lost 24-2 to Philadelphia Athletics)

Travers’ first MLB start was also his last, which makes sense when one takes a glance at the box score. But his story goes far beyond a baseball player who simply had a tough day. In fact, Travers wasn’t a baseball player at all.

According to the Society of American Baseball Research, Detroit’s Ty Cobb had been suspended a few days earlier for assaulting a fan in New York, and after a May 17 game, the majority of the Tigers roster decided to refuse to play until Cobb was reinstated, as a protest. Not wanting to be fined by then-AL President Ban Johnson for forfeiting any games, Detroit’s ownership decided to scramble around Philadelphia to find “replacement players” to take the field the next day against Connie Mack’s two-time-defending World Series-champion Athletics.

Enter Travers. He was a student manager for St. Joseph’s University’s baseball team, a role through which he became acquainted with local journalist Joe Nolan. When Nolan received word that the Tigers were in town seeking volunteer players, he connected with Travers to help recruit, leading to an all-time “ragtag” team of men from Philadelphia with various levels of athletic experience. Hours later, Travers had finished perhaps the most improbable complete game in the history of the sport. The Tigers’ strike ended before their next game.

2. Jack Katoll, Baltimore Orioles: 23 runs in 8 IP
September 2, 1902 (lost 23-7 to Cleveland Bronchos)

Unlike Travers, Katoll was an actual MLB player, though not for long. In a true encapsulation of baseball in this era, Katoll pitched the entire game for the Orioles in this matchup against the Bronchos while allowing 23 hits and not striking out a single batter. Behind him, O’s defenders committed nine errors. He ended up allowing 23 runs in what would be one of the final games of his four-year career.

3-T. Jack Bracken, Cleveland Blues: 21 runs in 7 IP
September 15, 1901 (lost 21-0 to Detroit Tigers)

Bracken had a tall task when he was called upon late in the 1901 season. By SABR’s account, the Blues were in the midst of a rough season when they brought Bracken, then 20 years old, up to the Majors in what would be his only MLB season. Across 100 innings, Bracken allowed 94 total runs.

On this day against the Tigers, Bracken went the distance for the Blues, tossing seven innings while allowing 24 hits and 21 runs. The game was mercifully cut short, however, as the Blues allegedly had a train to catch.

3-T. Harley Parker, Cincinnati Reds: 21 runs in 8 IP
June 21, 1901 (lost 21-3 to Brooklyn Superbas)

Parker had plenty of rest ahead of this start against Brooklyn -- five years of rest, to be precise, as Parker had retired from professional baseball in order to pursue a medical career in Chicago, according to SABR. But with the Reds on an eight-game losing skid, and with Parker having impressed at various amateur levels since he last played with the Cubs in 1896, Cincinnati took a gamble on the 29-year-old.

Needless to say, the gamble didn’t work out. Parker allowed 26 hits in what ended up being his final MLB game, though he did proceed to have a successful career as a doctor, restaurant owner and semi-pro baseball manager.

3-T. Roy Patterson, Chicago White Sox: 21 runs in 9 IP
May 5, 1901 (lost 21-7 to Milwaukee Brewers)

Best remembered for throwing the first pitch and recording the first win in American League history, Patterson had a solid seven-year MLB career, but this was not his day. In a complete nine-inning effort against the Brewers, Patterson allowed 21 runs on 25 hits.

6-T. Bob Groom, Washington Senators: 20 runs in 8 IP
May 11, 1911 (lost 20-6 to Chicago White Sox)

In his third MLB season, Groom had established himself as one of the Senators’ top starters behind future Hall of Famer Walter Johnson, but he ran into trouble on this day against the White Sox in Chicago, allowing 21 hits and 20 runs over eight innings in a blowout loss.

6-T. Tom Sheehan, Philadelphia Athletics: 20 runs in 8 IP
Sept. 29, 1915 (lost 20-5 to Washington Senators)

After his A’s were swept by the Boston Braves in the 1914 World Series, owner/manager Connie Mack jettisoned a number of the team’s star players, including future Hall of Famers Eddie Collins, Eddie Plank and Chief Bender. The club was also missing star first baseman Home Run Baker, who sat out the entire 1915 season due to a contract dispute.

With a number of inexperienced players taking on key roles, the A’s ended up losing more than 100 games that year, including this late-season blowout in Game 2 of a doubleheader against the Senators in which Sheehan, a rookie, allowed 23 hits and 20 runs.

8-T. Al Orth, Washington Senators: 19 runs in 8 IP
May 7, 1903 (lost 19-5 to Philadelphia Athletics)

Known as “The Curveless Wonder” for his lack of a breaking ball, Orth won 204 games over 15 big league seasons, more victories than anyone else on this list, but the A’s had his number on this day in 1903, scoring 19 runs against him on 22 hits.

8-T. Bill Phillips, Cincinnati Reds: 19 runs in 8 IP
June 24, 1901 (lost 19-1 to Philadelphia Phillies)

The second pitcher on this list from the 1901 Reds, Phillips had his rough start a mere three days after Parker allowed 21 runs to Brooklyn. Facing Philadelphia in Game 2 of a doubleheader, Phillips gave up 22 hits and yielded 19 runs in the loss. The start was part of a 1901 campaign in which Phillips allowed a whopping 364 hits and 196 runs over 281 1/3 innings.