For years now, I have been tracking Clayton Kershaw’s year-by-year progressive career earned run average – meaning his career ERA at the end of a given season or after his most recent start during a current season.

Often times, I receive rather outlandish requests on twitter – requests that I would need a hefty paycheck to undertake, but in the case of this one, I decided to make an exception, because my own curiosity had piqued, and because I consider Bryn Swartz to be a friend.

Below you will find a chart containing Clayton Kershaw’s progressive career earned run average, to thousandths place, on a game-by-game basis.

Kershaw has pitched in 353 career games, three of which were relief appearances, his career earned run average increased after 132of them and decreased after 224 of them (with the remaining game being the first start of his career).

This was a fun and a relatively quick and easy project, but, with apologies to Bryn, someone is going to have to pay me if you want to see this inning-by-inning or pitch-by-pitch.

San Francisco Giants’ Alex Dickerson tied a major league record with five extra-base hits in the 23-5 rout of the Rockies this evening. Below you will find the complete list of those with whom he shares the record.

Sept. 2, 2020 – Giants’ Alex Dickerson
July 20, 2018 – Cardinals’ Matt Carpenter
Sept. 3, 2017 – Indians’ Jose Ramirez

Stats aside: Jose Ramirez stands alone as the only player to do so with extra-base hits from both sides of the plate. He could have had an opportunity to become the only player with six extra-base hits in a game, but Gio Urshela pinch ran for him after his fifth extra-base hit, an eighth inning double, Urshela would come to the plate and walk in the ninth inning.

June 27, 2016 – Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant
Aug. 15, 2015 – Boston Red Sox’ Jackie Bradley Jr.
May 8, 2012 – Texas Rangers’ Josh Hamilton
July 30, 2008 – Cleveland Indians’ Kelly Shoppach
May 23, 2002 – Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shawn Green
Aug. 28, 1977 – Los Angeles Dodgers’ Steve Garvey
Aug. 1, 1970 – Pittsburgh Pirates’ Willie Stargell
July 31, 1954 – Milwaukee Braves’ Joe Adcock
July 14, 1946 – Cleveland Indians’ Lou Boudreau (Game One of a doubleheader; Player-Manager)
Aug. 15, 1889 – Cleveland Spiders’ Larry Twitchell
July 9, 1885 – Chicago White Stockings’ George Gore
June 25, 1885 – Philadelphia Athletics’ George Strief (American Association)

Tonight, Jose Abreu became the first player in White Sox franchise history to hit five home runs over a two-game span… a tweet that I had sent earlier this evening, to which I received the response “I’d imagine that hasn’t happened too many times.”

Initially, I responded with the most recent times that it had happened, saying “Ever? More than you’d think, I’d bet. I don’t feel like putting the effort to figure it out, but here are the most recent cases…”

Alas, I am cursed, and after about four minutes, I just had to know, I had to figure it out.

My curse is your entertainment…

Players to hit five home runs over a two-game span:

Aug. 22-23, 2020 – White Sox’ Jose Abreu
Sept. 14-15, 2019 – Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig
Sept. 2-4, 2018 – Diamondbacks’ J.D. Martinez (DNP on Sept. 3rd; four-homer game on Sept. 4th)
May 31-June 1, 2016 – Red Sox’ Mookie Betts
May 6-8, 2015 – Nationals’ Bryce Harper (no game on May 7th)
Aug. 9-10, 2013 – Athletics’ Josh Reddick
May 7-8, 2012 – Rangers’ Josh Hamilton (four-homer game on May 8th)
July 19-20, 2004 – Indians’ Travis Hafner
Aug. 17-18, 2002 – Rangers’ Alex Rodriguez
July 21-23, 2002 – Red Sox’ Nomar Garciaparra (no game on July 22nd)
May 23-24, 2002 – Dodgers’ Shawn Green (four-homer game on May 23rd)

Stats aside: Green is one of the more remarkable cases here, as he hit four homers on May 23, 2002, one the next game, and two the game after that. He was held homerless the game prior to his four-homer performance, but had a two-homer game just before that. In all, he hit seven home runs over a three-game span and nine home runs over a five-game span. His five-game slugging percentage was 2.095; his three-game slugging percentage was 2.538.

May 19-20, 2001 – Giants’ Barry Bonds
April 28-29, 2001 – Brewers’ Geoff Jenkins
May 17-18, 1999 – Mariners’ Edgar Martinez
Sept. 15-16, 1998 – Indians’ Manny Ramirez
April 25-26, 1997 – Indians’ Matt Williams
Sept. 18-19, 1995 – Indians’ Albert Belle
June 10-11, 1995 – Athletics’ Mark McGwire
Sept. 3-4, 1985 – Mets’ Gary Carter
July 27-28, 1979 – Cubs’ Dave Kingman
May 19-20, 1976 – Red Sox’ Carl Yastrzemski
April 17-18, 1976 – Phillies’ Mike Schmidt (four-homer game on April 17th)
Aug. 1, 1972 – Padres’ Nate Colbert (doubleheader)
Sept. 8-10, 1968 – Cubs’ Billy Williams (no game on Sept. 9th)
July 30-31, 1954 – Braves’ Joe Adcock (four-homer game on July 31st)
May 2, 1954 – Cardinals’ Stan Musial (doubleheader)
Sept. 1-2, 1951 – Giants’ Don Mueller
Sept. 11-12, 1947 – Pirates’ Ralph Kiner
Aug. 15-16, 1947 – Pirates’ Ralph Kiner
May 23-24, 1947 – Yankees’ Tony Lazzeri
May 5-6, 1925 – Tigers’ Ty Cobb
Aug. 5-6, 1884 – White Stockings’ Cap Anson

Stats aside: The White Stockings played their home games at Lakefront Park in 1884, that season, it had dimensions that would make a modern day little leaguer salivate: 180 feet to the left field foul pole, 280 feet to the left-center, 300 feet to center field, 252 feet to right-center, and 196 feet to the right field foul pole. Previously, balls hit over the fence were automatic doubles, but not in 1884. Anson hit all but one of his 21 home runs that season at home. 

Perhaps what was most surprising for me in putting together this list was that only four of the 18 players to hit four home runs in a single game managed to hit even just one in the game before or the game after… though Bobby Lowe came close in 1894, when he homered off Charlie Petty on May 28, 1894, then hit four-homers off Elton Chamberlain on the day of his Beaneaters’ very next game, May 30, 1894; however, he did so in the second game of a twin bill, being held homerless in the first game.

And for the record, no player has ever hit six home runs over a two-game span, yet…

The Padres became the first team in baseball history to hit a grand slam in four straight games, here is a complete list of their total grand slams by season… with a few fun tidbits along the way.

2020 – 6

Stats aside: Fernando Tatis’s grand slam, swinging on a 3-0 count with the Padres holding seven runs, on Aug. 17, 2020, is the largest lead a player has hit a grand slam while swinging 3-0 since pinch count data has become readily available (1988)… and it was awesome.

2019 – 4
2018 – 4
2017 – 1
2016 – 3
2015 – 5
2014 – 3
2013 – 2
2012 – 4
2011 – 3
2010 – 5
2009 – 1
2008 – 1
2007 – 4
2006 – 2
2005 – 4
2004 – 1

Stats aside: With the Padres leading the Dodgers, 1-0, and the bases loaded in the top of the 5th inning, Phil Nevin hit a 1-1 pitch from Hideo Nomo out for his seventh career grand slam – he remains the franchise’s all-time leader.

2003 – 3

Stats aside: On June 20, 2003, Rondell White was facing Jeff Nelson with the bases loaded, two outs, two strikes, and the Padres trailing the Mariners, 3-1. He hit a deep flyball to left field to score Mark Kotsay, Mark Loretta, and Ryan Klesko – the only time in franchise history that a player hit a walk-off grand slam with the Padres down to their last strike.

2002 – 5
2001 – 10 (franchise record)

Oct. 6 – Phil Nevin
Sept. 27 – Phil Nevin
Sept. 1 – Ray Lankford
Aug. 25 – Bubba Trammell
Aug. 2 – Ryan Klesko
July 28 – Phil Nevin
July 14 – Damian Jackson
July 4 – Bubba Trammell
June 14 – Phil Nevin
May 1 – Ben Davis

2000 – 4
1999 – 1

Stats aside: all three of Tony Gwynn’s career grand slams were go-ahead grand slams with the Padres either trailing or tied – Mr. Padre made them count. Aug. 22, 1995, off Tommy Greene with the Padres trailing the Phillies, 3-0, in the top of the 5th inning; June 26, 1997, off Mark Guthrie with the Padres and the Dodgers tied, 4-4, in the top of the 7th inning; Aug. 4, 1999, off Ken Mercker with the Padres trailing the Cardinals, 3-2, in the top of the 5th inning.

1998 – 4
1997 – 3

Stats aside: The Friars first grand slam of 1997 was a go-ahead, inside-the-park grand slam by Tony Gwynn, scoring on the play was a roll call of stars – Greg Vaughn, Rickey Henderson, and Steve Finley… but here is where it gets fun: this was Tony Gwynn’s second career inside-the-park homer, he would finish his career with more inside-the-park home runs than the Man of Steal, who had just one. And just to continue down the wormhole, unrelated to slams, Gwynn stole a career-high five bases on Sept. 20, 1986. At that point he had higher single-game stolen base total than Rickey, as he is wont to do, would be outdone by no one when it came to thefts, not even Mr. Padre, and he stole five of his own in a game on July 29, 1989, a game in which he went 0-for-0 with four walks and five stolen bases, but stole each base while the Athletics were trailing at least eight runs and as many as 12 runs at the time of his five swipes.

1996 – 6
1995 – 9

Stats aside: Bip Roberts hit the first ever walk-off grand slam in franchise history on May 20, 1995 – with the Padres trailing the Pirates, 6-5, with two out in the bottom of the 9th inning, he took Dan Miceli’s first pitch deep, scoring Andujar Cedeno, Ray Holbert, and Melvin Nieves, earning Fernando Valenzuela his first career win as a member of the Padres.

1994 – 4
1993 – 2
1992 – 4
1991 – 4
1990 – 4
1989 – 5
1988 – 3
1987 – 0
1986 – 1
1985 – 4
1984 – 2
1983 – 4
1982 – 0
1981 – 1
1980 – 1
1979 – 0
1978 – 1
1977 – 4
1976 – 3
1975 – 2

Stats aside: San Diego tallied just four grand slams between 1974 and 1975, half of them were hit by Willie McCovey… he hit 18 career grand slams, and in 121 career games against the Padres, he hit none.

1974 – 2
1973 – 0
1972 – 3
1971 – 2
1970 – 3

Stats aside: Mike Corkins became the first, and remains the only, pitcher in franchise history to hit a grand slam, taking Jim Merritt of the Reds deep to put San Diego ahead 7-0. Corkins and the Padres would hold on to beat the Reds narrowly, 15-2.

1969 – 4

Stats aside: First ever grand slam in franchise history came on May 2, 1969, by pinch-hitter Al Ferrera against Cincinnati’s George Culver at Crosley Field.

This list made easy by stathead, the most powerful research tool in sports.