Why no Tiger has ever surpassed the franchise-record Game Score of 97, set by a 26-year-old right-hander who dominated Ted Williams & Co.
Opening pitch
There’s a “you had to be there” masterpiece in every franchise. On July 20, 1958, the Detroit Tigers play the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Fenway. Zero hits, twelve strikeouts, and a 97-run game score.
Why Bunning’s gem stands alone
- Complete dominance: Only seven Red Sox balls escaped the infield, and none found grass.
- Star power subdued: Future MVP Jackie Jensen and Ted Williams combined to go 0-for-5 with three strikeouts.
- Pitch efficiency: 118 pitches (by beat-writer estimate) with his slider as the out-pitch.
- He even outhit Boston: Bunning singled in the third—so the Tigers won the box-score hit column.
Best Detroit Tigers Pitching Performance — key numbers
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | July 20, 1958 |
| Venue | Fenway Park |
| Line | 9 IP • 0 H • 0 R • 12 K • 2 BB • 1 HBP |
| Game Score | 97 |
| Final | Tigers 3, Red Sox 0 |
Other gems that nudged the throne
| Rank | Game | GS | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Justin Verlander 6/12/07 vs Brewers | 95 | First Comerica no-no; heater touched 101 mph. MLB.com |
| 3 | Armando Galarraga 6/2/10 vs CLE* | 88* | The “imperfect” perfect game—missed by one blown call. MLB.com |
| 4 | Justin Verlander 5/7/11 at Blue Jays | 93 | One walk shy of perfection. MLB.com |
| 5 | Aníbal Sánchez 4/26/13 vs Braves | 101 (8 IP) | Franchise-record 17 K, but fell two outs shy of a CG. Bless You Boys |
*Galarraga’s official Game Score is 88, but in Tiger lore it’s untouchable.
The Bottom Line
The 1958 Fenway no-no is still the benchmark for the greatest Detroit Tigers pitching performance until a Detroit pitcher has a perfect game or surpasses Bunning’s 97 over nine innings. The fact that Motor City brilliance was producing hitters long before Verlander’s triple-digit heaters is live evidence of that.
