Bob Gibson’s 1968 season was arguably the best ever for a pitcher, and the best stretch of the season came from the end of June through July.

To end May, Gibson recorded four straight losses to finish the month with a 1.27 era and a 2.14 FIP, which really speaks to the league wide issue with offense that Gibson dealt with on his own team. Gibson only gave up more than 2 earned runs once in these 4 starts, but got a total of 3 runs in support. Despite having the likes of Curt Flood, Lou Brock, and Orlando Cepeda, the offensive problem was universal for teams.

But after those four losses came a stretch of dominance. To end the month of June, Gibson threw five straight complete game shutouts with an average of 7 strikeouts per game lowering his season ERA from 1.66 to 1.14. And reaching the halfway point of the season, he somehow kept getting better.

In his first two starts of July he threw two straight complete games in LA and San Francisco, giving up just one run. That one run came on a wild pitch he threw in the 3rd, ending a 49 inning scoreless streak. And had he not given up that wild pitch, he would’ve had a scoreless innings streak of 71. 12 more innings than the record set by Orel Hershieser in 1988. And for even further proof that 1968 was the year of the pitcher, the record Hershieser broke was set by Don Drysdale in 1968 at 58.2 scoreless innings. 

Gibson would go on to win the Cy Young and MVP in 1968. Throwing 304.2 innings, pitching 34 games with 28 of these being complete games and 13 of those being complete game shutouts. He finished top in the league in ERA+, FIP, WHIP, WAR, hits per 9, and strikeouts. But the most memorable stat that he led the league in was ERA. He had an insane ERA of 1.12. The second lowest in MLB history behind Mordecai Brown’s 1.04 in 1912.

The Giants have the most wins in the Month of June at 2,006. The Yankees have the best winning percentage at .566.