On Wednesday, the Boston Crimson Sox and Cleveland Guardians performed Main League Baseball’s shortest recreation in practically 14 years, according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs. The Crimson Sox and Guardians clocked in at one hour and 49 minutes because of a masterful efficiency from Boston righty Tanner Houck. The one faster recreation in latest reminiscence occurred on June 2, 2010 when Detroit Tigers right-hander Armando Galarraga recorded what ought to have been an ideal recreation towards — who else? — these Guardians. 

Galarraga, for many who do not bear in mind, was an out away from stated excellent recreation. Sadly, a blown name at first price him that honor. 

Houck, 27, served as a buzzsaw on Wednesday night time. He surrendered three hits and no walks throughout 9 innings. He struck out 9 batters and did it on simply 94 pitches. That serves because the fewest pitches thrown by a Crimson Sox hurler in a nine-inning shutout since Aaron Cook dinner required solely 81 again in June 2012.

Houck entered Wednesday with a 2.04 ERA (211 ERA+) and a 9.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his first three begins. The Crimson Sox will want Houck to stay sturdy heading ahead: they’re now with out Lucas Giolito, Nick Pivetta, and Garrett Whitlock attributable to harm.

MLB has taken steps to shorten the size of video games in recent times. Final season noticed the introduction of the pitch clock. This yr noticed a discount in clock time. The common nine-inning recreation lasted two hours and 39 minutes in 2023; that common had dropped a full minute, to 2 hours and 38 minutes coming into Wednesday, in accordance with Baseball-Reference.

It’s, maybe, value noting {that a} better proportion of video games had lasted fewer than two hours and half-hour: 34.7% coming into Wednesday, versus final yr’s mark of 30.5%. That proportion had reliably been below 5% over the earlier seasons main into the pitch clock’s set up.