Orel Hershiser’s remarkable run of dominance officially came to an end, as his record-setting streak of 59 consecutive scoreless innings was snapped
On April 5, 1989, Orel Hershiser’s remarkable run of dominance officially came to an end, as his record-setting streak of 59 consecutive scoreless innings was snapped. The feat, achieved late in the 1988 season, remains one of the most impressive stretches of pitching excellence in baseball history.
Hershiser, who emerged as the ace of the Los Angeles Dodgers, had carried an almost surreal level of control and composure on the mound. During the streak, he baffled hitters with precision, movement, and an unshakable calm, stringing together shutout after shutout.
The run broke the long-standing Major League record of 58 innings set by Don Drysdale in 1968—another Dodger great—adding a layer of franchise lore to the achievement.
Even as he was accomplishing this herculean milestone, the pitcher himself doubted he could accomplish the feat.
“I doubt it can be done,” Hershiser told the L.A. Times in the midst of it all. “I really do. I’ve always said that that might be the one record that would never be broken. I’m not just trying to jinx myself or anything. But it’s true.”
Though the streak ended early in the 1989 season, its legacy was already cemented. Hershiser’s dominance extended into October of 1988, when he led Los Angeles to a World Series title and earned both NLCS and World Series MVP honors. His performance that year wasn’t just historic—it was emblematic of a pitcher at the absolute peak of his powers.
Even in the end, the streak only underscored what Hershiser had accomplished: a sustained run of near-perfection that still echoes through baseball history.
The Sidearmer 