Pitcher hit two slams in same game

DENVER, N.C. — Former major league pitcher Tony Cloninger, perhaps best known for hitting two grand slams in a game, has died. He was 77.

Cloninger died Tuesday. He had worked as a consultant for the Red Sox since 2002 and the team announced his death Saturday.

Cloninger was a high school star in the North Carolina community of Denver, then went 113-97 during 12 seasons in the big leagues, mostly with the Braves.

The right-hander was 24-11 for the Braves in 1965, the club’s last season before moving to Atlanta.

On April 12, 1966, Cloninger threw the first pitch for the new Atlanta franchise. Pitching at what was then called Atlanta Stadium, he started on opening day and tossed all 13 innings in a 3-2 loss to the Pirates — a home run by Willie Stargell broke the tie.

It was later that season, with a bat, that Cloninger put himself into the record book.

Playing at Candlestick Park, Cloninger became the only pitcher to hit two grand slams in the same game. He drove in nine runs that day, in fact, getting three hits as the Braves routed the Giants 17-3.

Cloninger hit five of his 11 career home runs in 1966.

Traded to the Reds during the 1968 season, he went to the World Series with the Reds in 1970. Cloninger started and took the loss at Baltimore in Game 3.

Cloninger finished up as a reliever with the Cardinals in 1972.

Cloninger returned to pro ball as the longtime bullpen coach for the Yankees during their championship run. He became pitching coach for the Red Sox in 2002 and took a medical leave in 2003 because of bladder cancer.