Motte putting together historic streak

ST. LOUIS - In the midst of one of the most impressive scoreless streaks in Cardinals history, reliever Jason Motte would rather talk about keeping his teammate's runs from scoring. Motte, who hasn't allowed an earned run in his past 24 appearances, has allowed just three of the 24 runners on base when he entered to score during the span. The right-hander has kept his last 14 inherited runners from scoring and hasn't allowed any run to score with him on the mound since July 20. It's been almost two months since Motte last allowed an earned run but the stat he's more concerned with is his inherited runners. The right-hander has been given an MLB-high 53 inherited runners this season and only 32 percent of them have scored with him on the mound. "I think if you come in with guys on, that's the one thing you're trying to do, not let those guys score," Motte said. "You don't want the runs to score, regardless of whether it's a close game or what. Your job is to get the guy out. You have to come in and try not to do too much and try to pitch and get the guy out. "Whether it's a starter or reliever, it's your job to stop those guys from scoring. You always want to go out there and pick up your guy. You want to do anything you can to keep them from scoring." To this point, Motte's third full season in the big leagues has been his best. The flame thrower has a 1.86 ERA in 57 games heading into Friday's series opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Motte has only allowed 10 earned runs in 48 13 innings this season and has 44 strikeouts to just 12 walks. He's faced 192 batters and only one has hit a home run. His 57 appearances lead the team. The 29-year-old Motte hasn't allowed an earned run since June 23 against Philadelphia and has allowed just 11 hits and two walks in 17 23 innings. He's allowed just one unearned run during the stretch, coming on July 24 in the tenth inning against Pittsburgh. He's had 12-straight consecutive scoreless outings, allowing just one hit, a hit-by-pitch and two walks in 9 23 innings. But try asking Motte about his recent stretch and you won't get much. He'd rather talk about the last 14 inherited runners that he has stranded on base and the earned runs he is saving for his teammates "I get more upset if I go out there and let up somebody else's runs," Motte said. "I don't want to let up my own runs but it's one of those things where it annoys me probably more letting up somebody else's than letting up your own. You are brought into a situation to get those guys out and not let them score so when they do score, I didn't do the job I was supposed to. "It's not my earned run but it still matters. A starter could have a good day and throw six or seven innings and maybe a guy or two get on and that can be a spot where as a bullpen, we take pride in that and not letting those runs score. I think as a whole, you go out there and I know for me, it annoys me more, letting those guys score than letting my own guys." Motte is just the fourth Cardinals pitcher since 1946 to have at least 24 consecutive outings without allowing an earned run. He trails only Ray King and Steve Kline, who both had streaks of 30-straight game. In research done by FOX Sports Midwest producer Tim Trokey, Motte is the first Cardinals right-handed pitcher to go at least 21 straight games without allowing an earned run since at least 1919. He has the second longest active scoreless streak in baseball, trailing only Braves closer Craig Kimbrel and his 29 consecutive games without an earned run. Of the streak, Motte said only, "I don't even know what it is. I'm just going out there and doing my thing." Lately, he's been doing it very well.