During his playing career, Don Sutton never missed his turn in the rotation, taking the ball every time and typically pitching well. On this day in 1986, Sutton, pitching for the Los Angeles Angels, used that consistency to earn his 300th career victory.
While Gaylord Perry may have been notorious for throwing a spitball, Don Sutton was also well known for his tendencies to doctor a baseball. His ‘scuffball’ was a badly kept secret, as Sutton was even warned about throwing it during the Milwaukee Brewers victory against the Baltimore Orioles in 1982, sending the Brew Crew to the postseason.
Sutton managed to parlay that scuffball and durability into a very productive career, posting a .500 winning percentage or better in 17 of his 23 years. Given his success, it is not a surprise that Sutton won quite a few games, picking up his 300th victory on this day in 1986 while pitching for the Los Angeles Angels.
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Sutton, at 41 years old, had struggled heading into the contest, posting a 5.56 ERA in his first twelve outings of the season. However, on this day, he turned back the clock against the Texas Rangers in the Angels 5-1 victory. Pitching a complete game, Sutton allowed one run on three hits, striking out three without issuing a walk. If not for Pete Incaviglia‘s home run in the seventh, Sutton would have won his 300th game in style, using that scuffball to get a shutout. As it was, his three hitter was truly a special performance on a special day.
That game would end up turning Sutton’s season around. Starting with that outing, he posted a 2.85 ERA and a 1.072 WHiP in his final 22 starts. It would prove to be a bit of a last hurrah for Sutton, who struggled for the Angels in 1987 and ended his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers the following year.
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Don Sutton may have been considered a compiler when it came to his career numbers, and may have used a scuffball to great effect, but he was also a solid pitcher in his own right. On this day in 1986, the Angels hurler added his name to the short list of pitchers with 300 victories.