Lexurgy, score \$11111111111111111\$, 121 bytes
Both programs use the following method:
- Output a string of 26 digits
- Make 16 copies of those digits and append them to the end.
Program 1:
Outputs 9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999988888888888888888 (425 9s then 17 8s).
a:
*=>\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\8
b:
[]$1=>$1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1
a:
*=>\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\8
b:
[]$1=>$1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1
Program 2:
Outputs
9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 (442 9s).
a:
*=>\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9
b:
[]$1=>$1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1
a:
*=>\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9\9
b:
[]$1=>$1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 $1
Minimal answer: score \$9-8=1\$, 8 bytes
# program 1
a:
*=>\8
# program 2
a:
*=>\9