Dennis Lamp
Dennis Patrick Lamp is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1977 through 1992, the breaking ball specialist played for the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Career
Lamp was born in Los Angeles, California. After graduating in 1971 from St. [John Bosco High School] in Bellflower, California, Lamp was selected in the third round by the Cubs in 1971 [Major League Baseball Draft|that year's MLB draft].Lamp began his career as a Cub, but was traded to the crosstown Chicago White Sox for pitcher Ken Kravec. His seven wins and 15 saves helped the White Sox win their division by a whopping 20 games and reach the 1983 [American League Championship Series|ALCS]. A month later, he was granted free agency and signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.
In a 14-season career, Lamp posted a 96-96 record with a 3.93 ERA and 35 saves in 639 games pitched. His best season was 1985 when he went 11-0 with a 3.32 ERA in 105 innings pitched. In 1984 with the Blue Jays, Lamp came up just one win short of Luis Arroyo's 1961 record for most consecutive wins by a reliever.
He continued to pitch while approaching his 40th birthday, coming out of the bullpen in 21 games for the 1992 Pittsburgh Pirates, who won their division and advanced to the 1992 [National League Championship Series|NLCS], but he was released in June of that season.
Lamp was involved in two individual career milestones involving a pair of future National [Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Famers]. On August 13, 1979, he gave up Lou Brock's 3,000th hit. He also surrendered Cal Ripken Jr.'s first major-league hit, a third-inning infield single in the White Sox's 8-7 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Memorial Stadium on August 16, 1981.