Go Go All the Way in '59: May 1, Hop on the bus with gutsy Gus

By Phil Ellenbecker
  Trading popular, effervescent outfielder Minnie Minoso to Cleveland in December 1957 wasn't too popular with Chicago White Sox fans.
  But they couldn't' complain too much about what they got in return — a bona fide bulldog of an ace pitcher in Early Wynn, of whom it was said he'd knock down his grandma if she crowded the plate.
  And ChiSox fans had to have been happy with the yeoman effort "Gus" turned in Friday, May 1, 1959, as he pitched a one-hit shutout.
  And not only that, when his teammates didn't back him with any scoring, Wynn took matters into his own hands with a solo home run leading off the bottom of the eighth inning, giving Chicago a 1-0 win before 13,022 at Comiskey Park.
  Wynn struck out 14 Red Sox in outdueling Tom Brewer but didn't exactly dominate. In fact, he needed those strikeouts and his tenacity, because Boston had runners in scoring position in all but three innings. With a runner at second base in both the second and third, Wynn fanned two batters to wiggle out. With runners at first and second in the fifth he got Don Buddin looking to close out the inning. He struck out Gene Stephens and Ted Lepcio back-to-back with a man at second in the eighth.
  Gus finished with a gust by striking out two in a 1-2-3  ninth, including Bill Renna to end the game.
  Pete Runnels got Boston's only hit with a single to center with one out in the first, but he was caught stealing by Sherm Lollar to end the inning.
  Lollar, who would win a Gold Glove this year, otherwise had kind of a rough night as the Red Sox stole two bases and he was assessed a passed ball. And he had his hands full handling Wynn, who issued seven walks and threw a wild pitch.

Early Wynn pitched a one-hitter and provided all the game's scoring with an eighth-inning homer as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Boston Red Sox 1-0 in May 1, 1959. Wynn went on to win the Cy Young Award that year.

  But this was a typical Wynn outing. He led the league in walks in 1959 and in one other year, finished second three other years and was fourth all time. He had a way of making it tough on himself but finding a way, right to the end. In his final season, 1963, he was stuck at 299 career victories through four outings and three starts before finally getting the magic No. 300 (the first to reach that figure since Lefty  Grove in 1941) in his fourth start of the season. And that's where Wynn stayed, ending his career that year with no more wins.
  So how much help did Wynn get from his hitters on May 1, 1959? Not much. In fact Chicago didn't get a runner into scoring position until Wynn himself doubled leading off the sixth, but after a walk to Luis Aparicio, Brewer got out of the threat and carried a shutout into the eighth before Early unloaded.
  Brewer, in fact, had a tidier outing than Wynn, allowing one fewer base runner as he held the White Sox to five  hits while walking only one.
  It must be noted that Wynn didn't have to face Ted Williams this game, although Ted might have had problems anyway. Plagued by a stiff neck in spring training, Williams didn't see any game action until May 12 en route to by far his worst season ever — a .254 average with 10 homers and 43 RBIs in 103 games in his next-to-last season.
  Wynn improved to 3-1 with his second straight win on his way to his best stretch of the season — four wins in five starts with four-hit and five-hit complete game efforts on top of his May 1 gem. The May 1 win kept the  White Sox one game behind Cleveland in quest of their first American League pennant in 40 years, which they would eventually attain.
  As for Wynn himself, he went on to a 22-10 record with a 3.17 ERA in winning the Cy Young Award (only one award between the two leagues back then). He led the league in wins, innings (255.7) and starts (37). He was third in the MVP voting. Teammate Nellie Fox won the award.
  Boston finished the season fifth at 75-59, 19 games back.