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Reds phenom Johnny Cueto lived up to the hype in his first major league start this past Thursday, tossing 7 innings of 1-hit ball.
Using Bill James' "Game Score" calculation:
Start with 50 points. Add 1 point for each out recorded, (or 3 points per inning). Add 2 points for each inning completed after the 4th. Add 1 point for each strikeout. Subtract 2 points for each hit allowed. Subtract 4 points for each earned run allowed. Subtract 2 points for each unearned run allowed. Subtract 1 point for each walk.
We find that Cueto's 1-hit, no walk, 10 K, 1 ER performance translates to a game score of 81.
Here are the best game scores in a pitcher's debut (since 1956), for pitchers going seven innings or less (you'll note the lack of quality in the careers of these hurlers)
| Player | Date | Tm | Opp | Gm | Reslt | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | GmSc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Cueto | 4/3/2008 | CIN | ARI | W | 3-2 | W | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 81 |
| Carlos Hernandez | 8/18/2001 | HOU | PIT | W | 3-0 | W | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 79 |
| Aaron Harang | 5/25/2002 | OAK | TBD | W | 6-0 | W | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 78 |
| Mo Sanford | 8/9/1991 | CIN | @SDP | W | 5-1 | W | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 78 |
| Brian Tollberg | 6/20/2000 | SDP | @ARI | W | 3-1 | W | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 77 |
| Masato Yoshii | 4/5/1998 | NYM | PIT | W | 7-0 | W | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 77 |
| Amaury Telemaco | 5/16/1996 | CHC | HOU | W | 13-1 | W | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 77 |
| Sam Militello | 8/9/1992 | NYY | BOS | W | 6-0 | W | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 77 |
| Ricky Bones | 8/11/1991 | SDP | CIN | W | 13-0 | W | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 77 |
| Dan Smith | 6/8/1999 | MON | BOS | W | 5-1 | W | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 76 |
If we don't limit the starts to 7 innings or less, here are the top game scores (again, note the lack of career success for most of these pitchers):
| Player | Date | Tm | Opp | Gm | Result | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | GmSc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juan Marichal | 7/19/1960 | SFG | PHI | W | 2-0 | W | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 96 |
| Steve Woodard | 1997-07-28(1) | MIL | TOR | W | 1-0 | W | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 91 |
| Jimmy Jones | 9/21/1986 | SDP | @HOU | W | 5-0 | W | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 90 |
| Rudy May | 4/18/1965 | CAL | DET | L | 1-4 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 88 | |
| Pedro Astacio | 1992-07-03(2) | LAD | PHI | W | 2-0 | W | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 87 |
| Jim Cosman | 10/2/1966 | STL | CHC | W | 2-0 | W | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 86 |
| Luis Tiant | 1964-07-19(2) | CLE | @NYY | W | 3-0 | W | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 86 |
| Mark Brownson | 7/21/1998 | COL | @HOU | W | 5-0 | W | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 85 |
| Jeff Pico | 5/31/1988 | CHC | CIN | W | 4-0 | W | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 85 |
| Wayne Simpson | 4/9/1970 | CIN | @LAD | W | 3-0 | W | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 85 |
| Tom Phoebus | 1966-09-15(1) | BAL | CAL | W | 2-0 | W | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 85 |
| Danny Cox | 8/6/1983 | STL | PHI | L | 0-1 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 84 | |
| Dave McNally | 1962-09-26(1) | BAL | KCA | W | 3-0 | W | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 84 |
| Dave Morehead | 4/13/1963 | BOS | @WSA | W | 3-0 | W | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 83 |
| Mike Remlinger | 6/15/1991 | SFG | PIT | W | 4-0 | W | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 82 |
| Billy Rohr | 4/14/1967 | BOS | @NYY | W | 3-0 | W | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 82 |
| Dick Rusteck | 6/10/1966 | NYM | CIN | W | 5-0 | W | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 82 |
| Nick Willhite | 1963-06-16(2) | LAD | CHC | W | 2-0 | W | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 82 |
| Lew Krausse | 6/16/1961 | KCA | LAA | W | 4-0 | W | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 82 |
| Johnny Cueto | 4/3/2008 | CIN | ARI | W | 3-2 | W | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 81 |
| Jason Jennings | 8/23/2001 | COL | @NYM | W | 10-0 | W | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 81 |
| Kirk Rueter | 7/7/1993 | MON | SFG | W | 3-0 | W | 8.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 81 |
| Kevin Morton | 7/5/1991 | BOS | DET | W | 10-1 | W | 9 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 81 |
| Jeff Russell | 8/13/1983 | CIN | SDP | W | 3-1 | W | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 81 |
| Mike Norris | 4/10/1975 | OAK | CHW | W | 9-0 | W | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 81 |
| Charlie Beamon | 9/26/1956 | BAL | NYY | W | 1-0 | W | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 81 |
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