This day in Los Angeles Dodgers history saw Don Sutton break a tie with Don Drysdale to become the all-time franchise leader with 50 career shutouts.
Sutton achieved the feat on August 10, 1979, with a complete game in a 9-0 win against the San Francisco Giants. The right-hander didn’t allow a run but still pitched through some traffic as the Giants managed five hits and drew three walks.
San Francisco threatened in the fourth inning when Jack Clark doubled with one out, but Sutton retired the next two batters faced.
A single and walk put two on in the seventh inning, and a wild pitch allowed Mike Ivie to take third base before the Dodgers’ right-hander worked out of more trouble. Bill North led off the eighth with a double, only to be thrown out on his attempt to take third base on a ground ball.
The complete game shutout against the Giants was Sutton’s only of the 1979 season. Sutton finished his career with 52 shutouts, which remains a Dodgers franchise record.
Drysdale is second in Dodgers history with 49 career shutouts, followed by Sandy Koufax having 40. All three pitchers are among Dodgers in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Sutton additionally is the all-time Dodgers leader with 233 wins, 533 career starts and 3,816.1 innings pitched.
Up until April 2022, Sutton also was the Dodgers’ all-time strikeouts leader. He relinquished the crown to Clayton Kershaw in a moment that was celebrated during the game and by FOCO releasing a commemorative bobblehead.
Sutton made his MLB debut with the Dodgers as a 21-year-old in 1966 and spent 16 of 23 Major League seasons with the team. Sutton was a four-time All-Star who pitched in three World Series (1974, 1977 and 1978).
He passed away in January 2021 at the age of 75, and was survived by his wife, Mary, son Daron, and daughters Staci and Jacquie.
Don Sutton released by Dodgers
Coincidentally on this day in Dodgers history as well, Sutton was released by the team during the 1988 season. That marked the end of his Hall of Fame career at 43 years old.
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