September 22, 1972: Don Sutton throws 11-inning shutout against the Giants

Both teams had made trades to strengthen their starting rotations. Los Angeles sent third baseman-outfielder-first baseman Dick Allen to the Chicago White Sox for pitcher Tommy John and infielder Steve Huntz. Not only was Allen versatile in the field, but he was the offensive leader of the Dodgers in 1971. He batted .295 and led the team in home runs (23), RBIs (90), and walks (93). Although the loss of Allen was sure to leave a void in the Dodgers’ lineup, Tommy John would prove to be a reliable pitcher for years to come.

The Giants also gambled, sending pitcher Gaylord Perry and shortstop Frank Duffy to Cleveland for Sam McDowell. While Sudden Sam was one of the great pitchers in the American League during the 1960s, his career had then taken a downturn, and the trend continued while he hurled for San Francisco.

The Dodgers were a team in transition. Steve Garvey, Bill Russell, Ron Cey, and Steve Yeager were ready to take over as everyday players, while Maury Wills, Jim Lefebvre, and Wes Parker were playing their last seasons in the big leagues. One new player making his major-league debut on this day was Dodgers second baseman Davey Lopes. The newest keystone man batted .317 at Triple-A Albuquerque to earn his first shot at big-league pitching. Together with Garvey, Cey, and Russell, the quartet formed one of the greatest infields in major-league history for the next nine seasons.

The Giants were not without young talent themselves. Center fielder Garry Maddox, shortstop Chris Speier, and third baseman-first baseman-outfielder Dave Kingman provided some excitement for the San Francisco fans. Outfielder Gary Matthews, who had made his big-league debut earlier that month, would be a fixture in left field at Candlestick Park for several years.

The pitching matchup for game one of the series was San Francisco’s Jim Willoughby (6-2, 2.l5 ERA) vs LA’s Don Sutton (16-9, 2.22 ERA), who entered the game with 99 career wins. Willoughby, a rookie, was attempting to end the Giants’ five-game losing streak. Sutton began the year with eight straight victories and had established himself as one of the best hurlers in the NL.

San Francisco threatened to score in the top of the first inning. Speier reached first base on a fielding error by shortstop Russell. Sutton then walked Willie McCovey and Kingman, but Dave Rader grounded out to end the inning.

Lopes led off the bottom of the first inning and in his first official at-bat grounded out to short. Bill Buckner followed with a walk and Willie Davis singled to right field. Willoughby uncorked a wild pitch and the runners moved up a base. But the Giants’ starting pitcher gave in no further, striking out Tom Paciorek and getting Cey to fly out to right field.

With one down in the top of the second, Maddox reached on an error by Dodgers’ third baseman Cey and stole second. On a single to left field by Bobby Bonds, Maddox tried to score. But a perfect relay throw from Paciorek to Cey to Yeager cut him down to keep the game scoreless.

After the Giants got their first two players on base to start the third inning, Sutton got McCovey to ground out, struck out Kingman, and retired Rader on a liner to right field. Sutton, known for having one of the game’s best curveballs, set the Giants down in order over the next five innings.

Los Angeles was not having much better luck against Willoughby. The Giants starter retired the Dodgers in the third, fourth, and fifth innings before giving up a one-out single to Buckner in the top of the sixth.

The game progressed through nine innings with the score knotted at 0-0. Both Willoughby and Sutton remained on the mound. Both teams went down in order in the 10th inning. The Giants continued that trend in the top of the 11th frame.

With two down in the home half of the 11th, Paciorek beat out a high hopper to shortstop for an infield single. Hetook third base on Cey’s single to right. Willoughby, after throwing two wide ones to LA pinch-hitter Manny Mota, put him on intentionally to load the bases. Dodgers manager Walter Alston called for Wes Parker to bat for Russell. On an 0-and-2 count, Willoughby plunked Parker in the back. The hit-by-pitch forced Paciorek home with the winning run. The Dodgers won 1-0.

It was the first time Parker had been hit all season. “I think that pitch was the hardest ball Willoughby threw all night,” said Dodgers coach Danny Ozark.1

“He ducked into it,” said Willoughby.2

The victory raised Sutton’s season record to 17-9. He struck out 11, walked four, and gave up three hits. It was his eighth shutout of the year and the 100th victory of his career. “I just made up my mind to go out and challenge the Giants,” said Sutton. “They’ve been batting me around pretty good lately. I just tried to have good control and hit the spots. Against the Giants, I figured ‘What do I have to lose.’”3

Willoughby struck out seven, walked three, and surrendered seven hits, all singles. His record now stood at 6-3.

The Dodgers swept the three-game series. LA (85-70) and Houston (84-69) finished in a virtual tie for second place in the NL West, 10½ games, behind Cincinnati. San Francisco (69-86) was a distant fifth, 26½ games behind.4

The game had historical significance. For the first time in National League history, an African American was the home-plate umpire. Art Williams called balls and strikes. “I can’t remember him missing a pitch,” said Willoughby.5 “He was great,” said Rader, the Giants backstop.6

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted Baseball-Reference.com and Retrosheet.org.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN197209220.shtml

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1972/B09220LAN1972.htm

Notes

1 “First for Parker Makes 100 for Sutton,” The Sporting News, October 7, 1972: 26.

2 Bucky Walter, “Giants Bow in 11th, 1-0,” San Francisco Examiner, September 23, 1972: 29.

3 “First for Parker Makes 100 for Sutton.”

4 The start of the 1972 season was delayed by a player strike that lasted from April 1 to April 13. After the strike ended, the major leagues decided not to reschedule the games that were missed, and some teams’ game totals differed.

5 Walter, “Giants Bow in 11th, 1-0.”

6 “Giants Bow in 11th, 1-0.”