Max Scherzer didn't just dominate the Mets in his no-hitter Saturday night, he tossed one of the single greatest pitching performances in baseball history.
At least that's what his Game Score tells us.
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The Nationals right-hander struck out 17 batters and walked none in a complete game Saturday night, giving him a Game Score of 104, which is good for the second-highest total in baseball history and the highest ever score in a no-hitter. Scherzer's mark is second all time to Kerry Wood's Game Score of 105 on May 6, 1998.
At this point you might be asking yourself, "What is Game Score?"
Game Score is a rather obscure stat invented by Bill James meant to measure a pitcher's overall performance in a single game. It's broken down into eight simple steps.
1. Start with 50 points.
2. Add one point for each out recorded.
3. Add two points for each completed inning after the fourth.
4. Add one point for each strikeout.
5. Subtract two points for each hit.
6. Subtract four points for each earned run.
7. Subtract two points for each unearned run.
8. Subtract one point for each walk.
So yes, a 104 Game Score is very, very good.
Saturday marked just the 13th time a pitcher has achieved a Game Score of 100 or better in a nine-inning game. Scherzer has actually reached that mark twice ... this season. He scored a 100 on June 14 when he punched out 16 and gave up a hit and a walk against the Brewers.
Only four times has a pitcher achieved a Game Score of 100 or better and not thrown a no-hitter.
Game Score is certainly not the be-all and end-all of single-game pitching performances. There have been 23 perfect games thrown in major league history, and only three of those games have scored 100 or better. However, Game Score is a nice way to determine just how good a pitcher was on a given night, especially on a night like Scherzer's.