MLB Notebook: LA approaching record streak

On May 9, 1916, the New York Giants -- at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh -- defeated the Pirates, 13-5, with Christy Mathewson coming on in relief to hurl the final 3 2/3 innings. Three weeks later, the Giants were still on the road, and they were still winning. After sweeping a Saturday doubleheader against the Braves on May 27, the Giants got a respite with a day off Sunday before their conflict with Boston, in Boston, on Monday. They had not played a home game since Monday, May 8. They still had to travel to Philadelphia before the road trip would conclude. But they still had Mathewson in their corner.

And on that Monday, on May 29, the road-weary Giants witnessed a vintage performance from Mathewson, seeing their iconic right-hander go the distance for a four-hit shutout, issue no walks and strike out two. It was to be the final victory in New York's record-setting 17-game road winning streak, and would mark the last time Matty would start and win a game as a member of the Giants.

The Dodgers beat the Cubs, 1-0, this past Sunday, extending their franchise-best winning streak on the road to 14 games.

The last team to win as many as 14 in a row on the road in one season was the 1984 Tigers, who posted a 17-game streak to match the MLB record set by the 1916 Giants. The longest single-season road winning streaks since the Giants set that 17-game mark:

• 17 games: 1916 Giants, '84 Tigers
• 15 games: 1939 Red Sox, '51 White Sox, '53 Yankees, '57 Redlegs (Reds)
• 14 games: 1931 Athletics; 2013 Dodgers

During these 14 road games, the Dodgers' team ERA stands at 2.44 (the club has not allowed any unearned runs), and they have averaged 6.14 runs scored per game.

Before this victory, the Dodgers had last won a 1-0 road game on Aug. 2, 2011. They had last won a 1-0 game at Wrigley Field on May 29, 1992.

Braves remain red hot
Atlanta defeated Philadelphia, 4-1, recording its 10th straight victory. The Braves now have a pair of 10-game winning streaks this season, the first time they have been able to make that claim since 1954. The '54 club had three 10-game runs.

Kazmir resurgent for Indians
Scott Kazmir (two hits in six innings) and three relievers combined on a four-hit shutout as the Indians topped the Marlins, 2-0.

The Indians' 15 team shutouts lead the Majors. Their 15 through 111 games is tied for the fourth most in franchise history. The 1948 and '68 clubs each had 18, the '06 team had 17 and the '17 and '46 teams also had 15.

After not making a Major League appearance in 2012 (and having only one in 2011), Kazmir opened the 2013 season with a 3-4 record and a 5.89 ERA through his first 11 appearances. In his past nine games, the left-hander is 4-0 (and the team is 6-3) with a 1.93 ERA in 56 innings.

Cardinals' runs coming in bunches
The Cardinals collected 19 hits and set a season high in runs, defeating the Reds, 15-2.

In its past four games, the club has scored 44 runs and has put up a .996 OPS, winning three of the four; in the Cards' previous seven games, they scored 10 runs, posted a .467 OPS and lost all seven.

St. Louis has scored at least 10 runs in 16 games this season -- the most in the Majors (the Cardinals also lead the National League in runs per game). Four of those 16 have come against the Reds, St. Louis' most against Cincinnati in one season since 1980, when it also had four.

Pedroia getting on base
In the Red Sox's win, Dustin Pedroia reached safely three times, drawing two walks and collecting his 26th double. Pedroia has reached safely 188 times this season -- third most in the American League. With those 188 coming through 113 team games, Pedroia is slightly behind his 2011 average of times on base per team game, when he reached 282 times -- the most ever for a Red Sox second baseman.

Myers racking up RBIs
Wil Myers was 1-for-2 with a two-run home run and two walks, and the Rays defeated the Giants, 4-3.

Myers has 30 RBIs in his first 39 games -- the most for any Rays player in the team's short history.

Myers has reached safely in 35 of his first 39 games, tying Rocco Baldelli and Akinori Iwamura for the most in franchise history.

The Rays are 27-12 when Myers starts.

Of the 187 players with at least 50 plate appearances since the All-Star break, Myers owns the highest OPS, at 1.283.

Youth not slowing Trout
Mike Trout doubled, homered and drew two walks in the Angels' loss to the Blue Jays.

After a fairly slow start in April (.766 OPS), Trout has posted a .352/.448/.616/1.064 line since May 1. Overall, he has a .988 OPS, which translates into a 178 OPS+. In the modern era, no player has ever been as old or younger than Trout, age-21 season, and finished the year with an OPS+ of at least 178, with the highest mark -- 173 -- achieved by Jimmie Foxx in 1929. Looking at wRC+, Trout's 175 would be the second highest for the age group, with only Foxx's 177 in '29 being higher.

With the double and home run, Trout now has 134 extra-base hits in his career, tying Frank Robinson for the 14th most for any player through his age-21 season. Only eight players have reached 150: Mel Ott, Alex Rodriguez, Tony Conigliaro, Ted Williams, Ken Griffey, Jr., Cesar Cedeno, Al Kaline and Vada Pinson.

Encarnacion expanding on successful 2012
Edwin Encarnacion had two singles and drove in two runs in the Blue Jays' win over the Angels. Since the beginning of the 2012 season, Encarnacion is in the top 10 in the Majors in total bases (eighth), extra-base hits (tied for seventh), times on base (tied for 10th), home runs (third), RBIs (second), slugging (fifth) and OPS (fifth).

There are 20 players with a slugging percentage of at least .500 since the beginning of last year (minimum 800 plate appearances); among this group, Encarnacion has the second-best BB:K ratio, behind Joey Votto.

Holland limiting teams' power
Derek Holland gave the Rangers eight innings of four-hit, 10-strikeout ball, and Texas shut out Oakland, 4-0, to take two of three and move to within 2 1/2 games of the Athletics for first in the AL West. Holland has dropped his ERA from 4.67 in 2012 to 3.02 this season. This dramatic drop has been accompanied by an equally notable drop in home run rate; in 2012, Holland owned the second-highest HR percentage among qualifying AL pitchers, behind only Ervin Santana. This season, Holland is tied for the fourth-lowest percentage in the league.