Elias Sosa
Elias Sosa Martinez (born
June 10,
1950 in
La Vega, Dominican Republic), is a former right-handed
relief pitcher in
Major League Baseball. He was signed by the
San Francisco Giants as an amateur free agent on
March 4,
1968. He played for the
Giants (1972-1974),
St. Louis Cardinals (1975),
Atlanta Braves (1975-1976),
Los Angeles Dodgers (1976-1977),
Oakland Athletics (1978),
Montreal Expos (1979-1981),
Detroit Tigers (1982), and
San Diego Padres (1983).
Sosa was used almost exclusively in relief during his 12-year
MLB career. He appeared in 601 games, just three as a starter, and performed as both a
closer and a long man.
He had several excellent seasons in the big leagues. He twice had an
earned run average below 2.00 (1977 and 1979), and in his rookie year, 1973, he won 10 games, saved 18, and pitched in 71 games, all of which would become career highs.
Also of note in 1973, he saved nine of teammate
Ron Bryant's
major league-leading 24 wins, including # 20.
He finished in the
American League or
National League TOP TEN four times for
games pitched and
games finished, three times for
saves, and once for
winning percentage.
Other career highlights include:
*3 scoreless innings to earn a
save against the
Philadelphia Phillies ((June 2, 1973)
*won games on two consecutive days vs. the
Atlanta Braves, pitching a combined 4 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts, no walks, and giving up just one hit (September 1 and 2, 1973)
*4 scoreless innings to earn a
save against the
Cincinnati Reds ((July 26, 1974)
*4 innings, allowing just one run (unearned), to earn a
save against the
San Francisco Giants (May 23, 1976)
*4.1 scoreless innings, with a career-high 6 strikeouts, for a no decision vs. the
San Diego Padres (July 10, 1977)
*3 perfect innings to earn a
save against the
Toronto Blue Jays (May 2, 1978)
*4 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, to earn a
save against the
San Diego Padres (July 15, 1979)
*held
Hall of Famers Hank Aaron,
Johnny Bench,
Lou Brock,
Rod Carew,
Reggie Jackson,
Willie McCovey, and
Eddie Murray to a .114 collective
batting average (8-for-70)
Sosa did not get taken deep too often, giving up just 64
home runs, or one every 14.34 innings. But one of those home runs became quite famous, for it was the second home run of three hit by
Reggie Jackson of the
New York Yankees in Game 6 of the
1977 World Series. For his career, he finished with 59 wins, 51 losses, 83
saves, 330
games finished, and an
ERA of 3.32.
