Phillies' Luzardo shelled for 12 ER during dismal start vs. Brewers p5u5n
Philadelphia Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo made the wrong kind of history during a woeful start against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. 3o1d2s
Luzardo, who entered the day with the highest fWAR (2.4) among qualified National League pitchers, was tagged for 12 earned runs on 12 hits over just 3 1/3 innings. Eight of the runs he allowed came in the fourth inning before he was mercifully removed.
He struck out four during the brief outing but also walked three and made a throwing error that allowed a run to score. Former Phillies slugger Rhys Hoskins crushed two homers off the left-hander.
The 12 earned runs allowed are the most surrendered in one game by a Phillies pitcher since Al Jurisich gave up a franchise record-tying 14 to the New York Giants on June 28, 1947 at the Polo Grounds, per Stathead.
He's also just the 20th pitcher of the modern era (since 1901), and only the ninth starter, to allow 12 ER in an outing of four innings or less. Luzardo repeated a dubious feat accomplished by Colorado's Bradley Blalock earlier this month in a 21-0 Rockies loss.
The dismal outing raised Luzardo's ERA by over a full run, from 2.15 - which ranked second in the NL entering Saturday - to 3.45, while his WHIP spiked from 1.18 to 1.34. He had not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his 11 previous starts this season. Luzardo's previous career high for runs allowed in a start was nine, set last year while he was with the Miami Marlins.
The Brewers added five more runs off Philadelphia's bullpen in the sixth inning to cruise to their sixth straight win with a 17-7 rout.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, has lost four of six and suddenly finds itself tied with the Mets atop the NL East after New York defeated Colorado.