On this date in 2007, the Texas Rangers depantsed the Baltimore Orioles in the biggest rout in MLB history. Texas won the game 30-3 at Camden Yards. We'd never seen anything like that before or since.
Here is the box score of the 30-3 rout. And, for your baseball enjoyment, here are all 30 runs scored by the Rangers. The video is nearly six minutes long.
Here are 10 fun facts about the most lopsided game in MLB history on its 10th anniversary.
The Orioles actually led at one point
Yes, at one point the Orioles actually led that game. The O's scored one run in the first inning on a Corey Patterson single, and two runs in the third inning on a Nick Markakis double and a Miguel Tejada single for a 3-0 lead. Then they allowed 30 unanswered runs.
No other team has ever scored 30 runs in a game
That day the Rangers became the first and so far only team in MLB history to score 30 runs in a single game. They scored five runs in the fourth, nine in the sixth, 10 in the eighth, and six more in the ninth. Here are the five highest single-game run totals in MLB history:
- Rangers: 30-3 win over Orioles on Aug. 22, 2007
- White Sox: 29-6 win over Athletics on April 23, 1965
- Red Sox: 29-4 win over St. Louis Browns on June 8, 1950
- Cardinals: 28-6 win over Phillies on July 6, 1929
- Indians: 27-3 win over Red Sox on July 7, 1923
I watched it with my own eyes and I still have a hard time believing a team scored 30 runs in a single game.
This was the largest margin of victory ever
Not surprisingly, the 27-run margin of victory is the largest in MLB history. By two runs, too. Here are the six largest margins of victory:
- Rangers: 27 runs over Orioles on Aug. 22, 2007
- Red Sox: 25 runs over St. Louis Browns on June 8, 1950
- Indians: 24 runs over Red Sox on July 7, 1923
- Indians: 23 runs over St. Louis Browns on Aug. 12, 1948
- White Sox: 23 runs over Athletics on April 23, 1965
- Yankees: 23 runs over Athletics on May 24, 1936
That'll put a dent in the ol' run differential, eh?
The 8-9 hitters did something special
The Rangers had two players hit two home runs and drive in seven runs in the 30-3 win over the Orioles: Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez. They're one of only three sets of teammates in history to do the 2 HR, 7 RBI thing in the same game. Here are the three pairs:
- Rangers: Saltalamacchia and Vazquez vs, Orioles on August 22, 2007
- Red Sox: Walt Dropo and Bobby Doerr vs. St. Louis Browns on June 8, 1950
- Cardinals: Johnny Mokan and Cy Williams vs. Phillies on May 11, 1923
Amazingly, Saltalamacchia and Vazquez did that while hitting eighth and ninth in the lineup. Dropo and Doerr were hitting fifth and seventh, respectively. Mokan and Williams were hitting first and third, respectively.
The O's bullpen made dubious history
Daniel Cabrera allowed six runs in five innings for the Orioles was, by far, his team's most effective pitcher in the game. Check out Baltimore's bullpen:
That is four innings of pure bullpen pain. It is also the only time in baseball history one team had three relievers allow at least seven runs in the same game. Only 19 times has a team had two relievers allow at least seven runs. Prior to this game, it hadn't happened since Roy Halladay and Lance Painter did it for the Blue Jays in a 23-1 loss to the Orioles on Sept. 28, 2000.
Halladay, arguably the greatest pitcher of his generation, allowed seven runs in two-thirds of an inning in that game. All seven were unearned thanks to a Craig Grebeck error.
Yes, a pitcher recorded a save
You have to love the save rule, which says protecting a one-run lead against the middle of the order in the ninth inning is the same thing as protecting a three-run lead against the bottom of the order in the ninth. Also, pitch the final three innings of a win, and you get a save regardless of score.
That's how right-hander Wes Littleton picked up the save in the 30-3 rout of the Orioles. He threw the final three innings of the game for Texas. Littleton entered with a 14-3 lead, and by time his three innings were up, the score has swelled to 30-3. Not the most hard-earned save.
Four players from that game are still active
As you could imagine, both teams emptied their benches in that game. The regulars got to spend the last few innings on the bench relaxing. All told, 26 different players appeared in that game. Four are still active:
- Ian Kinsler, Rangers: Batted second and went 3 for 7 with 2 RBI and a walk. It was his second year in MLB
- Nelson Cruz, Rangers: Batted sixth and went 2 for 7. Somehow he did not have an RBI. Cruz was an up-and-down player at the time. His first full MLB season came at age 28 in 2009.
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Rangers: Batted eighth and had those two home runs and 7 RBI. This was his rookie season and 66th MLB game.
- Nick Markakis, Orioles: Batted third and went 1 for 3 with an RBI. He was removed from the game after seven innings. Markakis was in his second MLB season.
Kinsler is now with the Tigers, Cruz is with the Mariners, and Markakis is with the Braves. Saltalamacchia spent time with the Blue Jays earlier this year before getting released in June. He has not yet signed with another team, so he's not technically active right now, but Saltalamacchia did play in MLB in 2017.
The Rangers have scored 20 runs only once since
Scoring 20 runs in a game is a pretty big deal. Three teams have scored 20 runs this season (Twins, Marlins, Nationals) after only one team did it last year (Angels).
The Rangers have scored 20-plus five times in their history, and only once since that 30-3 blowout against the O's. They beat the Twins 20-6 on July 25, 2011. Since the 30-3 rout the Rangers have scored 20 runs once, 19 runs once, 18 runs once and 17 runs twice.
The O's haven't allowed 20 runs since
On the flip side, the Orioles have not allowed 20 runs in a game since getting dismantled by the Rangers on this date 10 years ago. That game is the only time they've allowed 20-plus runs a game in the last two decades, and the third time in the last half-century. Here are the last three times the O's allowed 20 runs in a game:
- Aug. 22, 2007: 30-3 loss to the Rangers
- April 4, 1996: 26-7 loss to Rangers
- June 26, 1978: 24-10 loss to the Blue Jays
So the two worst losses in Orioles history have come at the hands of the Rangers.
This was game one of a doubleheader
Oh, and by the way, the 30-3 rout was only the first game of a doubleheader that day. A few hours later the Rangers and Orioles had to suit back up for the second game. The Rangers won that game too, by the much more normal score of 9-7. Here's the box score.
