Chicago Cubs History: Zip Zabel Throws 18.1 Innings in Relief
There are some records that will never be broken. One of those was set on this day in 1915, when Chicago Cubs pitcher Zip Zabel pitched 18.1 innings in relief.
Some days, a starting pitcher just does not have anything in the tank, leaving the bullpen to pick up the slack. Often times, there is one pitcher who does most of the heavy lifting, firing three or four innings to relieve the stress on the bullpen. When Chicago Cubs starter Bert Humpries faltered in the first inning on this day in 1915, recording only two outs, it was up to Zip Zabel to take on that long relief role.
Zabel did far more than his expected job. He ended the top of the first, retiring Casey Stengel to end the threat. Then, Zabel kept right on pitching, firing the final 18.1 innings of the contest to set a record for the most innings pitched in a game by a relief pitcher in the Cubs eventual 4-3 19 inning victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Although Zabel allowed a run in the eighth and again in the 15th innings, he was quite effective. During those 18.1 innings, he allowed just the two runs on nine hits. He walked one batter while striking out six, displaying outstanding command as he fired the equivalent of over two complete games in relief.
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Meanwhile, on the Dodgers side, Jeff Pfeffer was equally solid. After allowing two first inning runs, Pfeffer kept the Cubs off the board until the bottom of the 15th. He threw a complete game, lasting 18.2 innings before the winning run came home on an error by second baseman George Cutshaw. Overall, Pfeffer allowed four runs, two earned, on 15 hits and eight walks. Pfeffer did manage six strikeouts, but ended up taking the tough loss.
For Zabel, this would be one of the highlights of his final major league season. He ended up pitching 163 innings, appearing in 36 games with 17 starts. Overall, he had a 7-10 record with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.276 WHiP, issuing 84 walks while striking out just 60 batters. However, Zabel was quite adept at keeping hitters from making contact, as he allowed just 124 hits.
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Zip Zabel holds a record that is unlikely to ever be equaled. On this day in in 1915, the Chicago Cubs pitcher fired 18.1 innings in relief to earn a victory.