Folks seemed to enjoy the last look at fewest runs allowed by the St. Louis Cardinals pitchers over three games, so here are the numbers over five through nine games, covering the last fifty years.
Of course, the current run is included, with two runs yielded over the last five games. It is the fourth such streak over the last half-century and ties the best single-season record. Prior to 2009, the most recent stretch was in 1973.
It is not the record however, as the club spun five consecutive shutouts over the end of the 1962 season and into the start of 1963. (Yes, streaks are allowed to run over season boundaries.)
| Game | Date | Opponent | StL R | Opp R | StL | Winning pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| 39 | 5/19/2009 | vs Chicago Cubs | 3 | 0 | W | Piniero | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 40 | 5/20/2009 | vs Chicago Cubs | 2 | 1 | W | Carpenter | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 41 | 5/21/2009 | vs Chicago Cubs | 3 | 1 | W | Wainwright | 8 2/3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 42 | 5/22/2009 | vs Kansas City Royals | 5 | 0 | W | Wellemeyer | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 43 | 5/23/2009 | vs Kansas City Royals | 5 | 0 | W | Lohse | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 158 | 9/26/1973 | vs Chicago Cubs | 1 | 0 | W | Wise | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 159 | 9/27/1973 | vs Chicago Cubs | 2 | 0 | W | Cleveland | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 160 | 9/28/1973 | vs Philadelphia Phillies | 3 | 0 | W | Segui (RP) | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Thompson, M.(SP-ND) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | ||||||
| 161 | 9/29/1973 | vs Philadelphia Phillies | 7 | 1 | W | Gibson | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 162 | 9/30/1973 | vs Philadelphia Phillies | 3 | 1 | W | Wise (RP) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Foster, A. (SP-ND) | 4 1/3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||
| 62 | 6/15/1968 | vs Cincinnati Reds | 2 | 0 | W | Gibson | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| 63 | 6/16/1968 | vs Cincinnati Reds | 4 | 2 | W | Washburn | 7 1/3 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| 64 | 6/18/1968 | vs Chicago Cubs | 1 | 0 | W | Briles | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 65 | 6/19/1968 | vs Chicago Cubs | 4 | 0 | W | Carlton | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 66 | 6/20/1968 | vs Chicago Cubs | 1 | 0 | W | Gibson | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Over 2 Years | ||||||||||||
| 161 | 9/28/1962 | at Los Angeles Dodgers | 3 | 2 | W | Jackson, L. | 10 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 162 | 9/29/1962 | at Los Angeles Dodgers | 2 | 0 | W | Broglio | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| 163 | 9/30/1962 | at Los Angeles Dodgers | 1 | 0 | W | Simmons | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 1 | 4/9/1963 | at New York Mets | 7 | 0 | W | Broglio | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| 2 | 4/10/1963 | at New York Mets | 4 | 0 | W | Washburn | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | 4/13/1963 | vs Philadelphia Phillies | 7 | 0 | W | Simmons | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
That same 1962-1963 stretch can also be extended to two runs over six games. The current Cards would need another shutout to close the Royals series on Sunday to match that as the lowest opponent scoring six-game stretch over the last 50 years.
As long as we’re looking ahead, here are all the best six-game stretches, with the record low in a single season at five runs. That occurred five times in total, three during a single season, most recently in 1982. Beating that remains possible Sunday.
| Game | Date | Opponent | StL R | Opp R | StL | Winning pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| 143 | 9/14/1982 | at Philadelphia Phillies | 2 | 0 | W | Stuper | 7 1/3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 144 | 9/15/1982 | at Philadelphia Phillies | 8 | 0 | W | Andujar | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 146 | 9/17/1982 | at New York Mets | 7 | 1 | W | Sutter (RP) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Rasmussen (SP-ND) | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | ||||||
| 145 | 9/17/1982 | at New York Mets | 3 | 2 | W | Mura | 5 2/3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| 147 | 9/18/1982 | at New York Mets | 2 | 0 | W | Forsch | 7 1/3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 148 | 9/18/1982 | at New York Mets | 6 | 2 | W | Lahti (RP) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Kaat (SP-ND) | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
| 149 | 9/19/1982 | at New York Mets | 3 | 1 | W | Stuper | 6 1/3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 150 | 9/20/1982 | vs Philadelphia Phillies | 4 | 1 | W | Andujar | 6 2/3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 62 | 6/15/1968 | vs Cincinnati Reds | 2 | 0 | W | Gibson | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| 63 | 6/16/1968 | vs Cincinnati Reds | 4 | 2 | W | Washburn | 7 1/3 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| 64 | 6/18/1968 | vs Chicago Cubs | 1 | 0 | W | Briles | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 65 | 6/19/1968 | vs Chicago Cubs | 4 | 0 | W | Carlton | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 66 | 6/20/1968 | vs Chicago Cubs | 1 | 0 | W | Gibson | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 67 | 6/21/1968 | vs Atlanta Braves | 4 | 3 | W | Granger | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaster (SP-ND) | 6 2/3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||||
| 68 | 6/22/1968 | vs Atlanta Braves | 6 | 1 | W | Washburn | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 144 | 9/8/1963 | at Pittsburgh Pirates | 3 | 2 | W | Broglio | 7 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 145 | 9/9/1963 | vs Chicago Cubs | 6 | 0 | W | Simmons | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 146 | 9/10/1963 | vs Chicago Cubs | 8 | 0 | W | Gibson | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 147 | 9/11/1963 | vs Chicago Cubs | 4 | 0 | W | Sadecki | 5 2/3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 148 | 9/12/1963 | vs Chicago Cubs | 8 | 3 | W | Broglio | 9 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| 149 | 9/13/1963 | vs Milwaukee Braves | 7 | 0 | W | Simmons | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| 150 | 9/14/1963 | vs Milwaukee Braves | 3 | 2 | W | Gibson | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 152 | 9/15/1963 | vs Milwaukee Braves | 5 | 0 | W | Burdette | 9 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 151 | 9/15/1963 | vs Milwaukee Braves | 3 | 2 | W | Sadecki | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Over 2 Years | ||||||||||||
| 158 | 9/28/1966 | vs Los Angeles Dodgers | 2 | 0 | W | Jaster | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 159 | 9/29/1966 | vs Los Angeles Dodgers | 1 | 2 | L | Jackson, A. | 6 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 160 | 9/30/1966 | vs Chicago Cubs | 2 | 0 | W | Hughes | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| 161 | 10/1/1966 | vs Chicago Cubs | 4 | 3 | W | Gibson | 8 1/3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| 162 | 10/2/1966 | vs Chicago Cubs | 2 | 0 | W | Cosman | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 1 | 4/11/1967 | vs San Francisco Giants | 6 | 0 | W | Gibson | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| 161 | 9/28/1962 | at Los Angeles Dodgers | 3 | 2 | W | Jackson, L. | 10 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 162 | 9/29/1962 | at Los Angeles Dodgers | 2 | 0 | W | Broglio | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| 163 | 9/30/1962 | at Los Angeles Dodgers | 1 | 0 | W | Simmons | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 1 | 4/9/1963 | at New York Mets | 7 | 0 | W | Broglio | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| 2 | 4/10/1963 | at New York Mets | 4 | 0 | W | Washburn | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | 4/13/1963 | vs Philadelphia Phillies | 7 | 0 | W | Simmons | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
Though it is clearly getting ahead of myself, the above data also covers the best seven-game period at six runs, again last accomplished in 1982. Over eight games, we see a best of seven runs scored in 1982 and for nine games, the 1962 Cards yielded just nine runs.
I won’t make any suggestions or predictions this time other than to note that Sunday’s starter, Joel Pineiro (pictured above), is the man who began the run, so he is quite capable.
Special thanks: Without researcher Tom Orf, I wouldn’t have been able to bring this to you.