Cincinnati starting pitcher Don Newcombe needed a little help as the Reds were able to hang on for a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the Strat-O-Matic 1959 Tournament presented by Press Room Pass.
Newcombe left the mound with two outs in the ninth after Gail Harris drove in a pair of runs with a triple. Willard Schmidt came on to earn a save as he retired Frank Bolling on a fly ball to left to end the contest.
The Reds got started early against Detroit starter Jim Bunning as Ed Bailey had a RBI single in the top of the second inning.
In the sixth, Frank Robinson made it 2-0 as his run-scoring single brought home Vada Pinson, who had doubled.
Bunning was sent to the showers after allowing three runs in the seventh. Willie Jones and Johnny Temple highlighted the rally with a pair of run-scoring singles.
Gus Bell led the Reds with three hits, while Pinson, Temple, Robinson and Jerry Lynch all had two hits.
Al Kaline knocked in Detroit’s first run in the eighth on a fielder’s choice. Harvey Kuenn topped the Tigers with three hits.
1959 TOURNAMENT RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
(Top Bracket Opening Round)
(A1) Chicago White Sox 7, (N8) Philadelphia Phillies 1
(N5) Cincinnati Reds 5, (A4) Detroit Tigers 3
(A6) Baltimore Orioles at (N3) San Francisco Giants
(A7) Kansas City A’s at (N2) Milwaukee Braves
(Top Bracket Second Round)
(N5) Cincinnati Reds at (A1) Chicago White Sox
(Bottom Bracket Opening Round)
(A8) Washington Senators at (N1) Los Angeles Dodgers
(A5) Boston Red Sox at (N4) Pittsburgh Pirates
(N6) Chicago Cubs at (A3) New York Yankees
(N7) St. Louis Cardinals at (A2) Cleveland Indians
IN REAL LIFE:
Don Newcombe was traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Cincinnati Reds midway through the 1958 season.
In 1959, Newcombe led the Reds with a 13-8 record as he had his best season in three years. He recorded two shutouts the first an 8-0 in Chicago in June followed by a 7-0 win at home over San Francisco in August. He also tossed a three-hitter against the Giants at Crosley Field in a 7-2 win.
Newcombe in one of only two pitchers to win the Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player and Cy Award in his career. Newcombe won the top rookie in 1949 and the National League MVP and the first Cy Young winner in 1956.
Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers was the second to accomplish the feat as he was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2006, while winning the others in 2011.
In 1949, Newcombe helped the Dodgers win the NL pennant with a 17-8 record. He was 19-11 the following year and 20-9 with a league-high 164 strikeouts in 1951.
After two complete years away due to military service, Newcombe returned to the Dodgers and was 9-8 in 1954.
The Dodgers finally won the World Series in 1955 as Newcombe helped the cause with a 20-5 mark as he made his fourth a final all-star game.
Leading the NL in wins, Newcombe was 27-7 in 1956 with a 3.06 ERA to become the top player in baseball.
The following season in Brooklyn was a down year for the right-hander as he posted an 11-12 record. The next season he was 0-6 when he was sent to Cincinnati.
The 1960 season was Newcombe’s last. He was 4-6 when he was sold to the Cleveland where he finished the year with a 2-3 mark for the Indians.
In his 10-year major league career, he was 149-90 overall. He pitched in five post-season contests and had a 0-4 record.