Rolling with Reuss

Longtime major leaguer Jerry Reuss finds himself winning two games in one afternoon for the Los Angeles Dodgers 41 years ago today.

First, Reuss pitches the final four innings of the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory over the Cubs in a 21-inning game suspended after 17 innings the day before at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

The win coms with the depleted Dodgers using Fernando Valenzuela and Bob Welch – two of their starting pitchers – in the outfield, alternating between left and right field over the final two innings with Valenzuela actually catching a fly ball in right off the bat of Chicago’s Larry Bowa for the second out of the 20th inning.

Welch replaces Valenzuela for the bottom of the 21st inning and – depending on the batter – flip flops with Dusty Baker between playing in left and right.

A short time after retiring Steve Henderson on a groundout to end the 21st and final inning of the suspended game, Reuss turns around and starts the regularly scheduled game.

He works the first five innings, allowing just two runs on four hits in earning the win in the Dodgers’ 7-4 decision over the Cubs.

As for Welch and Valenzuela, the completion of the suspended game marks the only time in either of their 17-year careers in the majors that they will play in the outfield other than, of course, shagging flies during batting practice.

Valenzuela, though, comes back in 1989 to play the final two innings at first base in the Dodgers’ 5-4 loss to Houston in 22 innings at the Astrodome.