Chris Davis and the 10 Greatest Position-Player Strikeout Pitchers of All-Time

Sunday afternoon's game between the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles was a marathon affair, lasting 17 innings and six hours and seven minutes. The game was decided when both managers were forced to use their designated hitters as pitchers, and for the Orioles, Chris Davis shined in the spotlight.

Davis threw two scoreless innings, pitching for the first time since his days at Navarro (Texas) Junior College in 2006. Davis struck out Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Adrian Gonzalez, at one point hitting 91 MPH on the radar gun.

Position players have had their chance to show off their pitching skills in the past, either in situations where a team was getting blown out and managers were looking to save their bullpens, or in cases just like Sunday's affair at Fenway Park, when no one else was available.

Here is a look at 10 position players who were able to "mow down" opponents in their golden opportunities on the bump. Notice that the mow down part is used in a very loose sense.

Wilson Valdez: Philadelphia Phillies

On May 25, 2011, the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds were locked in an epic battle, with the score still tied at 4-4 entering the 19th inning.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel had already used eight pitchers and decided to use utility player Wilson Valdez to try and extend the game.

The move worked, as Valdez wrapped three fly-ball outs around a hit batsman to record a scoreless inning. The Phillies squeaked across a run in the bottom of the inning against Carlos Fisher, who was working his sixth inning in relief.

Valdez became the first non-pitcher to record a victory since Brent Mayne in 2000 for the Colorado Rockies. While he did not record a strikeout, any time a non-pitcher records a win is newsworthy.

Gene Michael: New York Yankees

On Aug. 26, 1968, in the second game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, the New York Yankees were down 5-1 after six innings in their game against the California Angels.

Yankees manager Ralph Houk removed starter Al Downing from the game and inserted shortstop Gene Michael.

Michael gave up five unearned runs in the top of the eighth inning. However, he registered three strikeouts in his three innings as well.

Nick Swisher: New York Yankees

On April 13, 2009, the New York Yankees were getting blown out by the Tampa Bay Rays when manager Joe Girardi called on first baseman Nick Swisher to take over on the mound in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Swisher did himself proud, giving up a walk and a single, putting runners on first and second with no one out. However, Swisher struck out Gabe Kaplar and induced two fly-ball outs to keep it a 10-run game.

Wade Boggs: New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Hall-of-Fame third baseman Wade Boggs must of looked so good on the mound his first time there, he got a second chance as well.

Boggs' first appearance as a pitcher came for the New York Yankees on Aug. 19, 1997. With the Yankees down 12-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning against the Anaheim Angels, manager Joe Torre inserted Boggs, who promptly issued a walk to Luis Alicea before inducing two groundball outs and ending the inning by striking out catcher Todd Greene.

On Aug. 10, 1999, Boggs again got his chance to show off his pitching prowess, this time for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays against the Baltimore Orioles.

With the Orioles holding a 16-1 lead in the top of the eighth inning, Boggs replaced Mike Duvall on the mound and recorded the last out of the inning on a flyball. In the ninth, Boggs struck out Delino Deshields looking, but would give up a run, giving Boggs a lifetime 3.86 ERA with two strikeouts.

Honus Wagner: Pittsburgh Pirates

For 21 seasons, Honus Wagner shined on the diamond as one of the great shortstops in the history of the game, recording 3,420 hits and lifetime .328 batting average during his stellar career.

However, it turned out that Wagner was no slouch on the mound, either.

On two separate occasions, Wagner toiled on the bump for the Pittsburgh Pirates, registering a lifetime 0.00 ERA.

Well, it's a bit misleading. Wagner did give up five runs, but all of them were unearned. The Flying Dutchman walked six and struck out six in his 8.1 innings of work.

Matty Alou: San Francisco Giants

The Alou brothers, Felipe, Jesus and Matty, made baseball history when they appeared at the same time together in the outfield for the San Francisco Giants in 1963. However, Matty did his older brothers one better.

On Aug. 26, 1965, in a blowout loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Alou took the mound in the bottom of the seventh inning. Alou promptly struck out the great Willie Stargell. Alou would register another strikeout, also against Stargell, pitching two scoreless innings.

I'm guessing that Pops was the subject of some not-so-good natured ribbing in the Pirates clubhouse after the game.

Dave McCarty: Boston Red Sox

Dave McCarty was the prototypical utility player in every sense during his 12-year career, and that was certainly evident in the 2004 season with the Boston Red Sox.

McCarty's versatility was put to the test by new manager Terry Francona, being called to the mound on three separate occasions.

McCarty proved up to the task, giving up just one run on two hits in 3.2 innings, including two innings of scoreless relief in the final game of the regular season against the Baltimore Orioles, striking out All-Star slugger Rafael Palmeiro in the process.

Skip Schumaker: St. Louis Cardinals

On Aug. 23, 2011, with the St. Louis Cardinals getting blown out by the Los Angeles Dodgers, manager Tony LaRussa sent second baseman Skip Schumaker to the mound in the top of the ninth inning.

Schumaker promptly recorded a strikeout against Trent Oltjean; however, he would later give up a two-run homer to Aaron Miles.

Still, bragging rights were established with the punchout.

Dave Kingman: San Francisco Giants

Slugger Dave Kingman was widely known for his prodigious home runs throughout his career, and for his hit-or-miss style at the plate, registering 1,816 whiffs during his career, good for 13th all-time. However, Kingman can at least say he registered a little whiffing of his own.

In 1973, while playing for the San Francisco Giants, Kingman was twice called upon by manager Charlie Fox to take one for the team in blowout losses.

On both occasions, Kingman pitched two innings and gave up two runs. However, while he walked six batters, he also struck out four.

Kingman got a taste of what it was like on the other side of whiffs for a change.

Jose Canseco: Texas Rangers

What collection of position player-turned-pitcher lists would be complete without Jose Canseco?

On May 29, 1993, three days after Canseco had already made blooper news with his "help" of a Carlos Martinez home run, he convinced Texas Rangers manager Kevin Kennedy to use him on the mound in the bottom of the eighth inning of a blowout loss to the Boston Red Sox.

No doubt Kennedy still rues that decision to this day. Canseco's efforts landed him on the disabled list with a blown-out elbow, requiring Tommy John surgery and ending his season.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.

Follow @Sports_A_Holic