According to ELIAS – Ervin Santana

Santana’s 3rd shutout in 13 starts

Ervin Santana

Ervin Santana, for the third straight month, threw a complete-game shutout, limiting the Giants to four hits in the Twins’ 4-0 victory in San Francisco. Santana had thrown a one-hitter against the White Sox on April 15 and a two-hitter at Baltimore on May 23; no other major-leaguer has thrown as many as two shutouts this season. Santana’s total of 91 pitches against the Giants was the lowest in any of the 22 nine-inning complete games in the majors this season, and it was the lowest in a complete-game shutout since Jeff Samardzija used 88 pitches in a one-hit shutout for the White Sox at Detroit on Sept. 21, 2015. 

Rich Robertson

It has been more than 20 years since the last time that a Twins pitcher threw as many as three shutouts in an entire season. Rich Robertson was the last three-timer, back in  in 1996. And to find the last Minnesota pitcher who shut out three opponents within his first 13 starts of a season—which is what Santana has done—you have to go back to 1971, when Bert Blyleven blanked three opponents in his first eight starts.

BONUS: Here is what todays’ Twins Game Notes had to say:

Ervin Santana tossed his third complete game shutout of the season last night against the Giants. He is the first Twin to toss three complete games in a single season since Carl Pavano had seven in 2011 and he is also the first Twin to toss three shutouts
in a single season since Rich Robertson had three in 1996. 

The shutout in Interleague play was the ninth in Twins history (last: Pavano in 2010). Ervin also had a career night at the plate, doubling his career RBI total with three RBI (bases loaded double). He is the first Twins pitcher with three-plus RBI in a single game since Luis Tiant had three on May 28, 1970 vs. Milwaukee, in fact, his three RBI on the season are the most by a Twins pitcher since Jim Kaat (4) and Bert Blyleven (7) in 1972.

German born Navy vet 65-68 and served aboard the Shangri La CVA-38. I run https://Twinstrivia.com, best MN Twins historical web site there is. Stop by daily and check out OTD in Twins history and much more. Live in Minnesota and Florida depending on what time of the year it is.