Bartolo Colon Sets Record For Longest Scoreless Streak By Pitcher 42 Or Older
ATLANTA (CBSNewYork/AP) — Bartolo Colon is hardly feeling his age these days, particularly after pitching so many consecutive scoreless innings.
"I'm really proud and surprised myself because I didn't know, at this stage of my career, that I could still do that kind of stuff," he said. "So I'm really proud, but more than that, I'm helping the team."
Colon's scoreless streak ended at 31 innings while he won his fourth straight start, pitching the streaking New York Mets past the reeling Atlanta Braves 7-2 on Thursday night.
Colon's streak is the longest by a pitcher 42 or older.
In a game that started 2 hours, 20 minutes late because of rain, Colon (14-11) allowed seven hits, two runs, one walk and struck out two in 6 2/3 innings.
Colon, who added an RBI single in the fourth, led 4-0 before Jace Peterson's RBI triple and Andrelton Simmons' single in the seventh.
The Mets' record for consecutive scoreless innings is 32 2/3, set by R.A. Dickey in 2012. Jerry Koosman, in 1973, went 31 2/3 scoreless innings, and Colon tied Dwight Gooden, who went 31 innings in 1984, for third place on the franchise list.
The 2005 American League Cy Young Award winner stranded two runners in the first, one in the second and one in the third before retiring nine straight batters.
Since receiving a no decision in New York's 14-9 loss at Colorado on Aug. 21, Colon is 5-0 with four walks and 23 strikeouts in a stretch of 31 2/3 innings that includes four starts and one relief appearance. He is 13-1 with a 2.52 ERA in 14 starts against NL East opponents this year.
"Now his command is as good as I've seen it in two years," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "That's why you look up and he keeps going deep into games."
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