Who am I? March 20

[dukecrunchybagel]

A native of West Virginia, I pitched for the Reds for three years during some of the worst Reds teams, and was mostly a reliever, after a very brief cup of coffee for the White Sox. I did make an appearance in left field with no chances.

I was not a very well regarded pitcher, but I hold a pretty unique and quirky record -- the only pitcher to get a win and retire the side on a single pitch. Ripley's Believe-it-or-Not found it so quirky, they gave it a mention in their comic strip.
The other highlight of my career was to strike out 3 future HOFers for the pennant winning Cubs as part of four consecutive strikeouts.


Who am I?

[dukecrunchybagel]

I guess we need some hints on this one.

I played for Jack Hendricks and Dan Howley, having my best season under Howley -- I had the lowest ERA of any pitcher in double digit games for the Reds.

I kicked around in the minors for many years after the Reds cut me loose, but never again pitched in the Show.

I was the first pitcher to win a night game in the minors, pitching for Columbus.

[dukecrunchybagel]

RHP Ken Ash won his very last game in relief On July 27, 1930 against the Cubs. Reds starter Larry Benton had entered the game with a 2-1 lead but opened the sixth by giving up a triple to 3B Woody English, who then scored on a single to RF by Kiki Cuyler(RF). Hack Wilson (CF) plates Cuyler with an RBI double, and Benton proceeds to give up a wild pitch before walking LF Danny Taylor.

Ash then enters the game and delivers a single pitch to 1B Charlie Grimm who grounds the ball to 2B Hod Ford. Wilson hangs out too far from third so, Ford rifles the ball to third baseman Tony Cucinello who then throw to C Clyde Sukeforth who eventually tags out Wilson. During this Grimm rounds towards second (where Taylor is currently standing) so Sukeforth throws over to 1B Joe Stripp has headed over to second base during the Wilson rundown. Of course, now Taylor has to hotfoot it to third, Stripp tags Grimm and throws the ball back to Tony Cucinello who finishes the triple play by tagging Taylor. A not-so-classic 4-5-2-3-5 triple play.

The Reds rally in bottom of the sixth, RF Harry Heilman batting fifth leads off with single and scores on a triple by Hod Ford. Following an ineffective groundout by SS Leo Durocher, Clyde Sukeforth raps a single to right scoring Ford and giving the Reds a lead. Ash is lifted for a pitch hitter (P Red Lucas who is then lifted for Ewar Swanson when the Cubs change pitchers) and becomes the record holder for fewest balls pitched in a win.

The three Cubbie hall-of-famers struck out in order happened in 1929 when Cuyler, Rogers Hornsby, and Hack Wilson where three of four consecutive strike outs by Ash.

sabr.org/bioproj/person/d729ffce

[Lark11]

Good trivia. Sadly I'd never heard of him.