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Since George Sherrill has donned his number 52 Dodger uniform -- a number he acquired at the cost of a laptop computer to James McDonald, per Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times -- he has done his job. Nine times he has entered a game, and he has yet to allow a run. He did allow an inherited run to score last night, charged to James McDonald's ledger, but that was the first inherited runner Sherrill allowed to touch home plate in six opportunities.
Opposing batters are hitting .206/.289/.294 against Sherrill as a Dodger, and his stinginess is approaching a Dodger record. Since moving to Los Angeles in 1958, the Dodgers have only had four other pitchers start their Dodger career with as many as nine straight appearances without allowing a run:
Pitcher | Year(s) | Gms | IP | H | R | BB | K | WHIP |
Steve Wilson | 1991-92 | 15 | 10.2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0.844 |
Dave Stewart | 1978-81 | 11 | 17.1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 0.923 |
Brad Clontz | 1998 | 9 | 11.2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0.257 |
Chin-hui Tsao | 2007 | 9 | 10.2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0.281 |
George Sherrill | 2009 | 9 | 9.2 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1.138 |
There will be a point when George Sherrill gives up a run. That is to be expected. But as someone who has been death to lefties over his entire career -- opposing left-handed batters have hit .163/.225/.266 against Sherill -- Sherrill figures to be a valuable piece of the Dodger bullpen for some time.