Will Wainwright’s home pitching feats continue?

At Busch Stadium, Adam Wainwright has posted among the most impressive results of any pitcher in St. Louis Cardinals history.

Adam Wainwright (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright is on a roll, but it isn’t just a recent phenomenon. He tossed six scoreless innings to earn his 14th win of the season in the Cardinals’ 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday at Busch Stadium.

Wainwright extended his 2010 record to 14-5 while lowering his ERA to 2.02. The right-hander has just one no-decision in his 20 starts this season and is averaging seven innings per start and 8.2 strikeouts against just 2.3 walks per nine innings.

In his Saturday win, Wainwright became the first Cardinals pitcher since at least 1920 to win his first 10 decisions at home. In his ten starts at Busch this season, Wainwright is 10-0 with a 1.31 ERA, the lowest home ERA of any starter in the National League.

In an amazing measure of consistency, Wainwright extended his streak of home quality starts to 25. Those are games in which he yielded three earned runs or less and pitched six or more innings.

The last time the 28-year-old did not toss a quality start at Busch Stadium was on May 5, 2009, when he allowed seven runs in six innings pitched. The opponent was none other than the Philadelphia Phillies, his opposition again this Thursday.

In his only outing against the Phils since, Wainwright took a no-decision at Citizens Bank Park this May 4 despite yielding just one run over eight innings. Due to the unbalanced schedule used by MLB, the two clubs generally only have one home and one away series each season.

The May 5, 2009 home defeat was Wainwright’s only career loss to Philadelphia in seven appearances, including five starts. He has a 2-1 record with a 2.68 ERA when facing the Phillies. His career ERA at home against all clubs is even lower at 2.46.

As Waino faces off against the Phillies and Cole Hamels at Busch Stadium on Thursday afternoon’s finale of the four-game set, it will be his 58th career start at home. Through 57, that 2.46 ERA is the second-lowest by any St. Louis starter of those with at least 50 home starts since at least 1920. Only the “Cranky Yankee”, John Tudor, had a lower career home ERA. Wainwright’s teammate, Chris Carpenter, is fifth.

St. Louis Cardinals pitchers, lowest home ERA, 50 starts or more since 1920

Player W L ERA GS CG SHO IP H ER HR BB SO WHIP
John Tudor 35 8 2.26 66 15 8 478 411 120 28 93 244 1.05
Adam Wainwright 31 16 2.46 57 5 1 394.1 346 108 26 100 308 1.13
Mort Cooper 54 18 2.47 89 54 12 692 592 190 24 195 358 1.14
Max Lanier 46 27 2.57 87 41 12 623 571 178 15 189 354 1.22
Chris Carpenter 38 15 2.57 72 10 6 505 438 144 33 109 412 1.08
Al Brazle 31 17 2.74 59 31 4 429.2 410 131 12 127 177 1.25
Steve Carlton 31 37 2.89 84 28 7 607.2 561 195 35 212 424 1.27
Harry Brecheen 62 29 2.91 112 61 13 820 739 265 41 210 408 1.16
Howie Pollet 41 31 2.93 88 45 10 620.2 609 202 25 212 291 1.32
Dizzy Dean 63 29 2.97 102 70 11 840.2 822 277 44 174 532 1.18
Danny Cox 33 23 2.99 81 12 3 562.1 542 187 41 140 265 1.21
Bob Gibson 112 85 3.04 237 110 21 1865 1659 630 132 593 1529 1.21
Lynn McGlothen 23 20 3.04 50 17 7 358.1 328 121 22 116 190 1.24
Nelson Briles 28 17 3.06 60 13 6 405.1 374 138 27 109 230 1.19
Joe Magrane 22 26 3.09 68 8 4 457.2 433 157 16 140 221 1.25
Curt Simmons 38 25 3.10 91 28 11 635.1 658 219 54 142 298 1.26
Ray Washburn 31 28 3.16 83 15 6 540.2 531 190 43 120 303 1.20
John Denny 32 18 3.16 68 18 7 467.1 455 164 25 150 202 1.29
Bill Doak 33 19 3.19 69 27 7 468.2 501 166 11 124 168 1.33
Matt Morris 57 28 3.22 115 11 7 757.2 714 271 62 203 563 1.21
Bob Tewksbury 34 21 3.23 71 8 1 490.1 493 176 36 57 203 1.12
Reggie Cleveland 22 14 3.25 50 17 5 351.2 334 127 22 83 216 1.19
Ernie Broglio 34 15 3.35 77 25 9 534.2 467 199 53 202 358 1.25
Joaquin Andujar 30 33 3.35 74 21 7 537.1 504 200 31 149 269 1.22
Red Munger 38 17 3.36 74 32 10 498.1 480 186 19 198 262 1.36
Bob Forsch 89 57 3.42 205 34 12 1349 1283 512 79 373 560 1.23
Jose DeLeon 23 28 3.47 76 7 3 471.2 390 182 34 168 377 1.18
Vinegar Bend Mizell 38 32 3.48 95 28 6 640.2 581 248 51 288 405 1.36
Donovan Osborne 28 16 3.48 68 2 2 429 403 166 41 106 276 1.19
Murry Dickson 26 22 3.55 67 25 4 461 458 182 45 155 223 1.33
Harvey Haddix 28 17 3.58 56 25 9 407 368 162 40 115 298 1.19
Jesse Haines 93 67 3.65 193 103 10 1422 1520 576 82 371 476 1.33
Bill Hallahan 51 28 3.73 101 44 9 712.2 720 295 33 268 417 1.39
Jeff Suppan 20 16 3.74 53 0 0 315.1 345 131 35 101 193 1.41
Bill Sherdel 56 46 3.76 113 69 3 870.1 1009 364 58 183 254 1.37
Gerry Staley 43 22 3.77 81 31 5 556.2 598 233 41 145 199 1.33
Andy Benes 27 13 3.88 59 2 0 373.2 341 161 47 144 297 1.30
Larry Jackson 51 28 3.93 110 41 6 760.2 818 332 76 206 432 1.35
Flint Rhem 37 29 3.95 80 36 4 553 613 243 35 170 191 1.42
Lon Warneke 36 26 4.13 84 33 4 584 626 268 60 169 254 1.36
Syl Johnson 20 19 4.34 51 20 3 346.1 372 167 25 84 156 1.32
Ray Sadecki 32 29 4.49 81 18 1 499 521 249 63 200 317 1.44
Jason Marquis 23 20 5.07 51 0 0 314.1 349 177 48 113 183 1.47

Special thanks to Tom Orf for the data table above.

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