... according to Bill James’ Game Score:
The Best Games Ever Pitched By Knuckleballers
4. Hoyt Wilhelm, September 20, 1958.
This start is all the more impressive when you consider it was a 1-0 win over the Yankees, who would go on to win the World Series against the Aaron/Mathews/Spahn Braves.
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3. Robert Allen Dickey, June 13, 2012.
The penultimate start in Dickey’s historic five-game streak, during which he surrendered just one unearned run while striking out 52 batters and walking only 5. This start was against Joe Maddon’s Rays.
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2. R.A. Dickey, June 18, 2012.
Five days later, Dickey pitched another gem, this time against the Miracle Orioles. Dickey’s average game score during The Streak was 86. I dare say we’ll never see its like again, not from a knuckler.
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1. Wilbur Wood, May 7, 1974.
This was certainly an impressive start by Wilbur Wood, one of the most underrated pitchers of his era, but I’m not sure it was the greatest game pitched by a knuckleballer. For one, I tend to think Dickey’s 13 K’s in 9 innings are more impressive than Wood’s 10 K’s in 11 innings (though reasonable people can disagree). Second, it was against the Tigers, who were the worst hitting team in the league.
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