Dylan Bundy's Fast Start

The Orioles (5-11, -35 run differential) have been lousy. Dylan Bundy, though, has been outstanding. After four starts, he's thrown nearly 26 innings while posting an ERA of 1.40 and a FIP of 1.97. In each start, he's gone at least 5.2 innings, allowed two earned runs or fewer, and struck out at least six batters. That puts him in rare company in Orioles team history.

In the Expansion Era (since 1961), Bundy tops the list of Orioles starting pitchers with consecutive starts of at least 5.2 IP, 2 ER or fewer, and at least 6 strikeouts to begin a season (via Baseball-Reference's Play Index):

Results

Rk	Name	Strk Start	End	Games	IP	ER	BB	SO
1	Dylan Bundy	2018-03-29	2018-04-15	4	25.2	4	7	31
2	Steve Johnson	2012-08-08	2012-08-25	2	12.0	4	4	16
3	Rich Hill	2009-05-16	2009-05-22	2	11.1	4	6	12
4	Garrett Olson	2008-04-29	2008-05-05	2	13.0	3	6	13
5	Dave Schmidt	1987-06-09	1987-06-14	2	13.1	1	2	12
6	Ken Dixon	1985-04-20	1985-04-25	2	15.2	2	5	13
7	Dave McNally	1968-04-17	1968-04-22	2	18.0	2	2	13
8	Tom Phoebus	1966-09-15	1966-09-20	2	18.0	0	5	15
9	Dave McNally	1963-04-20	1963-04-27	2	17.0	3	3	15
10	Dylan Bundy	2017-04-05	2017-04-05	1	7.0	1	0	8
11	Ubaldo Jimenez	2016-04-07	2016-04-07	1	7.0	1	0	9
12	Mike Wright	2015-05-17	2015-05-17	1	7.1	0	0	6
13	Ubaldo Jimenez	2015-04-11	2015-04-11	1	7.0	0	1	8
14	Bud Norris	2013-08-01	2013-08-01	1	6.0	2	2	8
15	Scott Feldman	2013-07-03	2013-07-03	1	6.0	2	0	6
16	Miguel Gonzalez	2012-07-06	2012-07-06	1	7.0	1	2	6
17	Chris Tillman	2012-07-04	2012-07-04	1	8.1	0	2	7
18	Wei-Yin Chen	2012-04-10	2012-04-10	1	5.2	2	1	6
19	Zach Britton	2011-04-03	2011-04-03	1	6.0	1	3	6
20	Jeremy Guthrie	2011-04-01	2011-04-01	1	8.0	0	1	6
21	Bruce Chen	2005-04-09	2005-04-09	1	6.0	2	0	6
22	Rick Bauer	2004-09-29	2004-09-29	1	6.0	0	1	7
23	Dave Borkowski	2004-07-05	2004-07-05	1	8.1	2	1	6
24	Jason Johnson	2002-04-03	2002-04-03	1	7.2	1	1	6
25	Jason Johnson	2001-04-05	2001-04-05	1	8.1	1	1	6
Rk	Name	Strk Start	End	Games	IP	ER	BB	SO
26	Sidney Ponson	2001-04-04	2001-04-04	1	7.1	2	1	10
27	Pat Hentgen	2001-04-02	2001-04-02	1	8.2	1	1	6
28	David Wells	1996-04-03	1996-04-03	1	7.0	1	3	6
29	Rick Krivda	1995-07-07	1995-07-07	1	5.2	2	2	7
30	Mike Mussina	1993-04-07	1993-04-07	1	8.0	1	1	9
31	Ben McDonald	1992-04-09	1992-04-09	1	9.0	0	1	9
32	Rick Sutcliffe	1992-04-06	1992-04-06	1	9.0	0	1	6
33	Eric Bell	1987-04-12	1987-04-12	1	6.1	1	2	7
34	Mike Boddicker	1985-04-10	1985-04-10	1	6.0	1	4	6
35	Mike Boddicker	1983-05-17	1983-05-17	1	9.0	0	1	8
36	Jim Palmer	1978-04-15	1978-04-15	1	9.0	0	1	7
37	Mike Flanagan	1977-04-19	1977-04-19	1	9.0	2	2	6
38	Rudy May	1976-06-18	1976-06-18	1	8.1	2	3	6
39	Grant Jackson	1971-06-22	1971-06-22	1	6.2	0	1	7
40	Dave McNally	1971-04-07	1971-04-07	1	9.0	2	1	6
41	Dave McNally	1970-04-07	1970-04-07	1	9.0	2	3	13
42	Jim Palmer	1969-04-13	1969-04-13	1	9.0	0	3	8
43	Mike Cuellar	1969-04-10	1969-04-10	1	10.0	0	3	6
44	Tom Phoebus	1968-04-10	1968-04-10	1	7.1	1	2	6
45	Pete Richert	1967-06-03	1967-06-03	1	8.0	2	2	6
46	Frank Bertaina	1967-05-18	1967-05-18	1	6.0	1	4	6
47	Moe Drabowsky	1966-08-12	1966-08-12	1	8.2	0	3	7
48	John Miller	1966-05-10	1966-05-10	1	6.1	2	1	7
49	Jim Palmer	1966-04-13	1966-04-13	1	9.0	1	8	6
50	Steve Barber	1964-04-17	1964-04-17	1	5.2	2	4	7
Rk	Name	Strk Start	End	Games	IP	ER	BB	SO
51	Dick Hall	1962-07-28	1962-07-28	1	9.0	1	0	12
52	Steve Barber	1962-04-15	1962-04-15	1	9.0	1	6	7
53	Jack Fisher	1961-04-14	1961-04-14	1	6.2	2	0	7

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 4/16/2018.

Coming out of the gate, Bundy has been wonderful. It's a shame the O's haven't taken advantage; after Sunday's loss in Boston, they're now 1-3 in his starts and have scored just seven runs in those four games.

If Bundy is going to catch the O's leader for most consecutive starts with 5.2 IP, 2 ER or fewer, and 6+ strikeouts (not just to start the season), he still has three more to go:

Results

Rk	Name	Strk Start	End	Games	IP	ER	BB	SO
1	Erik Bedard	2006-06-21	2006-07-28	7	50.0	6	11	54
2	Erik Bedard	2007-07-07	2007-07-31	5	35.0	4	12	47
3	Dave McNally	1966-07-03	1966-07-27	5	40.2	8	12	37
4	Dylan Bundy	2018-03-29	2018-04-15	4	25.2	4	7	31
5	Kevin Gausman	2017-07-19	2017-08-04	4	27.2	2	9	32
6	Mike Mussina	1995-07-23	1995-08-07	4	31.0	4	8	25
7	Ben McDonald	1993-09-01	1993-09-17	4	33.1	5	10	29
8	Steve Stone	1980-06-12	1980-06-26	4	36.0	4	13	33
9	Ubaldo Jimenez	2017-07-26	2017-08-06	3	18.2	4	7	21
10	Zach Britton	2012-08-24	2012-09-04	3	21.2	3	4	24
11	Jake Arrieta	2011-05-04	2011-05-15	3	19.0	5	8	21
12	Erik Bedard	2007-06-15	2007-06-27	3	20.0	4	1	26
13	Erik Bedard	2005-04-23	2005-05-04	3	23.0	1	3	25
14	Mike Mussina	2000-08-21	2000-08-31	3	21.0	1	2	21
15	Scott Kamieniecki	1997-07-30	1997-08-15	3	20.2	3	7	20
16	Mike Mussina	1995-09-21	1995-10-01	3	27.0	1	7	21
17	Ken Dixon	1986-07-02	1986-07-11	3	26.0	2	6	26
18	Mike Flanagan	1979-08-09	1979-08-20	3	30.0	2	5	29
19	Jim Palmer	1977-09-12	1977-09-20	3	26.0	3	5	20
20	Jim Palmer	1977-04-12	1977-04-24	3	27.0	1	4	20
21	Mike Cuellar	1973-07-11	1973-07-19	3	29.0	3	6	27
22	Jim Palmer	1972-08-19	1972-08-28	3	27.0	1	8	26
23	Jim Palmer	1972-05-05	1972-05-15	3	25.0	6	4	25
24	Jim Palmer	1971-04-29	1971-05-09	3	25.0	5	6	24
25	Dave McNally	1968-07-05	1968-07-15	3	24.2	4	7	21
Rk	Name	Strk Start	End	Games	IP	ER	BB	SO
26	Tom Phoebus	1968-07-03	1968-07-13	3	26.0	2	9	30
27	John Miller	1966-08-26	1966-09-05	3	22.0	5	13	22
28	Milt Pappas	1964-08-25	1964-09-02	3	25.0	2	2	26
29	Steve Barber	1963-04-17	1963-04-25	3	26.2	3	9	25
30	Chuck Estrada	1962-06-19	1962-06-29	3	24.0	3	7	21
31	Kevin Gausman	2017-09-13	2017-09-19	2	15.0	1	2	13
32	Wade Miley	2017-04-20	2017-04-25	2	15.0	3	7	19
33	Kevin Gausman	2016-08-28	2016-09-03	2	13.0	0	2	17
34	Kevin Gausman	2016-08-03	2016-08-08	2	13.0	4	3	13
35	Dylan Bundy	2016-08-02	2016-08-07	2	13.0	2	2	16
36	Kevin Gausman	2016-07-18	2016-07-23	2	13.2	2	4	13
37	Chris Tillman	2016-06-08	2016-06-14	2	14.1	1	2	16
38	Chris Tillman	2016-05-13	2016-05-18	2	13.1	2	5	13
39	Chris Tillman	2016-04-27	2016-05-03	2	13.2	1	6	18
40	Wei-Yin Chen	2015-09-19	2015-09-26	2	12.2	3	2	14
41	Chris Tillman	2015-07-10	2015-07-18	2	14.0	2	2	14
42	Ubaldo Jimenez	2015-05-11	2015-05-16	2	14.0	4	2	15
43	Wei-Yin Chen	2015-05-09	2015-05-15	2	14.0	3	3	14
44	Chris Tillman	2014-09-14	2014-09-20	2	13.2	3	3	12
45	Kevin Gausman	2014-09-06	2014-09-12	2	14.0	2	6	14
46	Miguel Gonzalez	2014-08-29	2014-09-03	2	16.0	1	2	14
47	Chris Tillman	2014-08-03	2014-08-08	2	13.2	2	1	13
48	Miguel Gonzalez	2014-05-10	2014-05-20	2	13.0	4	2	13
49	Chris Tillman	2013-08-24	2013-08-29	2	15.0	3	2	17
50	Chris Tillman	2013-07-21	2013-07-26	2	15.0	2	6	15
Rk	Name	Strk Start	End	Games	IP	ER	BB	SO
51	Jason Hammel	2013-05-22	2013-05-27	2	14.2	4	2	14
52	Steve Johnson	2012-08-08	2012-08-25	2	12.0	4	4	16
53	Jason Hammel	2012-06-16	2012-06-22	2	17.0	0	2	18
54	Jason Hammel	2012-04-19	2012-04-25	2	13.0	2	4	17
55	Brian Matusz	2010-09-27	2010-10-02	2	13.0	1	4	17
56	Jeremy Guthrie	2010-07-17	2010-07-23	2	13.2	3	1	12
57	Rich Hill	2009-05-16	2009-05-22	2	11.1	4	6	12
58	Garrett Olson	2008-04-29	2008-05-05	2	13.0	3	6	13
59	Erik Bedard	2007-08-15	2007-08-21	2	14.0	2	2	19
60	Jeremy Guthrie	2007-06-20	2007-06-26	2	14.1	3	2	15
61	Erik Bedard	2007-05-20	2007-05-25	2	14.0	3	6	20
62	Daniel Cabrera	2006-08-19	2006-08-25	2	16.0	0	5	17
63	Daniel Cabrera	2006-04-28	2006-05-03	2	14.0	3	3	12
64	Daniel Cabrera	2005-09-06	2005-09-12	2	12.2	2	3	17
65	Erik Bedard	2005-05-21	2005-07-18	2	13.0	0	4	14
66	Daniel Cabrera	2005-05-03	2005-05-09	2	16.0	1	6	19
67	Rodrigo Lopez	2004-09-21	2004-09-26	2	16.0	1	4	14
68	Erik Bedard	2004-08-06	2004-08-11	2	12.0	2	8	13
69	Rodrigo Lopez	2003-07-01	2003-07-06	2	13.2	2	0	14
70	Sidney Ponson	2003-05-03	2003-05-09	2	15.0	2	3	15
71	Mike Mussina	2000-09-24	2000-09-30	2	13.1	1	1	22
72	Mike Mussina	2000-06-11	2000-06-16	2	14.2	4	3	12
73	Mike Mussina	1999-09-24	1999-09-30	2	13.0	0	2	18
74	Juan Guzman	1999-06-23	1999-06-29	2	12.2	3	7	15
75	Mike Mussina	1999-06-18	1999-06-24	2	18.0	4	1	19
Rk	Name	Strk Start	End	Games	IP	ER	BB	SO
76	Scott Erickson	1998-07-05	1998-07-11	2	16.2	2	5	15
77	Scott Erickson	1998-05-21	1998-05-26	2	15.2	3	5	17
78	Mike Mussina	1997-08-28	1997-09-02	2	14.0	4	1	19
79	Scott Erickson	1997-07-27	1997-08-01	2	17.0	0	2	15
80	Mike Mussina	1997-06-25	1997-06-30	2	17.0	2	2	21
81	Jimmy Key	1997-06-08	1997-06-13	2	13.2	2	4	15
82	Mike Mussina	1997-05-03	1997-05-08	2	13.1	3	3	15
83	Mike Mussina	1997-04-17	1997-04-22	2	15.0	2	1	13
84	Rocky Coppinger	1996-09-21	1996-09-26	2	15.1	2	4	13
85	Mike Mussina	1996-04-28	1996-05-04	2	14.2	3	5	15
86	Ben McDonald	1995-05-31	1995-06-05	2	17.0	4	2	15
87	Mike Mussina	1994-06-21	1994-06-26	2	16.0	1	2	14
88	Mike Mussina	1993-08-31	1993-09-05	2	16.2	4	4	14
89	Jamie Moyer	1993-08-18	1993-08-24	2	17.0	1	3	15
90	Ben McDonald	1992-09-29	1992-10-04	2	16.0	1	4	15
91	Arthur Rhodes	1992-09-15	1992-09-23	2	15.2	2	6	13
92	Mike Mussina	1992-09-05	1992-09-11	2	17.0	3	4	17
93	Arthur Rhodes	1992-07-24	1992-07-29	2	17.0	2	4	15
94	Ben McDonald	1991-09-08	1992-04-09	2	16.0	2	2	16
95	Ben McDonald	1990-09-07	1990-09-12	2	17.0	3	4	13
96	Bob Milacki	1989-05-28	1989-06-02	2	16.1	2	4	12
97	Oswaldo Peraza	1988-08-02	1988-08-06	2	16.0	2	5	16
98	Eric Bell	1987-07-17	1987-07-23	2	17.2	2	3	21
99	Dave Schmidt	1987-06-09	1987-06-14	2	13.1	1	2	12
100	Mike Boddicker	1986-09-21	1986-09-26	2	14.1	3	6	14

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 4/16/2018.

It's easy to take for granted just how good Erik Bedard was for a few years during the Orioles' Dark Ages, but he was superb in 2006 and 2007.

If you're curious, out of all teams, Randy Johnson had the most such starts to begin a season during the Expansion Era, with nine. And the longest run of such starts spanning multiple seasons was by Pedro Martinez, with 15 (1999-2000), and in any single season by Randy Johnson, with 14 (1999).