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Earl Wynn, 5/1/1959

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Earl Wynn is another one of these pitchers with a decorated resume. Among all of his accomplishments – Hall of Fame, 9x All-Star, ML PoY (MVP), Cy Young, and ERA title – this one is particularly special for two reasons.

1. It was ONE of TWO home runs he hit in 1959
2. It was the game-winning home run.

With the game tied at 0 in the bottom of the 8th inning in a matchup between the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox, Wynn came up to bat against Tom Brewer and hit a home run that scored the games only run. In that game, Wynn outhit his entire team going 2-3 with a 2B and a HR.

Wynn finished the game with 9 IP, 0 ER, and 14 Ks

Warren Spahn, 6/14/1952

Despite missing three seasons to serve in the military during World War 2, Warren Spahn still managed to amass one of the most decorated careers in MLB history. In 21 big league seasons, Spahn won 20 or more games in 13 of them.

Ultimately, he would finish his career with 363 wins, the most of any pitcher in the modern era. He wouldn’t get a win on 6/14/1952, however, when he became only the 2nd pitcher ever to strike out 14 or more batters and hit a home run in a game.

In the bottom of the 6th inning of a scoreless game between the Chicago Cubs and Boston Braves, Spahn decided to drill a home run off of Willie Ramsdell to give the Braves the lead. The Cubs would tie the game in the 9th, however, forcing extra innings.

In the end, Spahn would squander the lead in the 15th, earning a loss despite pitching 15 IP, allowing 3 ER, and striking out 18.

Dazzy Vance, July 20, 1925

The first pitcher to strike out at least 14 while hitting a home run in the same game was Dazzy Vance on 7/20/1925. That day, Vance literally did it all.

First, Vance drilled a game-tying home run deep to left off of Duster Mails. Then, in the bottom of the 10th inning, with the game knotted at 3, Vance singled in the winning run.

In the end, Dazzy Vance finished the game with 10 IP, 3 ER, and 17 HR.