Today in Baseball History
August 28th
1884 New York Gotham pitcher Mickey Welch strikes out the first nine Cleveland Blues hitters he faces, establishing a major league record. The mark will last until 1970 when Mets right-hander Tom Seaver strikes out the last ten San Diego he faces in a Shea Stadium contest.
1921 John Michaelson becomes the first person born in Finland to play in a major league game. The 27 year-old White Sox right-hander from Taivalkoski, who will also pitch his last game in just two days, posts an ERA of 10.12, appearing in only two games for Chicago.
1926 Using the same lineup in both games, the Indians sweep a twin bill from Boston at Fenway Park, 6-1 and 5-1. The Tribe’s right-hander Emil ‘Dutch’ Levsen, who will become the last major league pitcher to win two complete game victories in one day, accomplishes the feat without striking out a batter in either game.
1932 Due to the anticipation of an eclipse, the Red Sox complete a game several days earlier than scheduled with the Indians and beat the Tribe in 11 innings, 4-3. Three days later, Fenway goes dark for twenty minutes during the solar event.
1945 A moment in American history takes place in Brooklyn as Branch Rickey meets with Jackie Robinson to share his plans to integrate the major leagues. During the three hour meeting, the Dodgers' president will shout racial epithets to ‘test' the 26 year-old ballplayer’s mettle to withstand the abuse which will come with being the first player to cross the color line this century.
1951 The Pirates end the Giants' 16-game winning streak, defeating New York, 2-0. Due to the consecutive victories, Leo Duroucher and his club were able to narrow the Dodgers lead from 13.5 to six games.
1967 Shutting out the Dodgers, 7-0, at Candlestick Park, Giants hurler Gaylord Perry begins the longest consecutive inning scoreless streak in franchise history. The right-hander will not give up another run over a span of 40 innings, a feat the son of a tenant farmer from North Carolina will also duplicate three seasons later.
1967 In the ninth inning of a Reds’ 3-2 loss to Philadelphia at Crosley Field, Chico Ruiz becomes the only major leaguer ever to pinch-hit for Johnny Bench. The 28 year-old Cuban infielder, with a runner on second, flies out to left field, standing in for the future Hall of Famer, who goes 0-for-3 in his first big league game.
1970 During the fifth inning of the second game of a doubleheader against California, Tony Horton unexpectedly takes himself out of the lineup. The game will prove to be his last in the major leagues as a deep slump and constant harassment from the Cleveland fans take a personal toll on the promising 25 year-old first baseman.
1971 Rick Wise hits two home runs, including a grand slam, en route to a complete-game victory in the Phillies' 7-3 defeat of the Giants. Five weeks earlier, the 25 year-old right-hander also hit two round-trippers and threw a no-hitter against the Reds on the same day.
1971 In his first at-bat in the Little League World Series finale, Lloyd McClendon blasts a three-run homer, prompting the Chinese Taipei manager to order his pitchers to intentionally walk the 12 year-old for the rest of the game. The Gary, Indiana Little Leaguer, the future manager of the Pirates and Mariners, hits five home runs in five at bats, all on the first pitch, and is walked in his other five plate appearances in the three games he plays in the tournament.
1971 The Cubs honor their longtime fan favorite with 'Ron Santo Day' at Wrigley Field. With 34‚988 there to honor the veteran third baseman, he goes 1-for-3 and scores a run, but it isn't enough when Atlanta spoils the special day, beating Ferguson Jenkins and the hometown team‚ 4-3.
1977 Steve Garvey collects five extra-base hits in one game when he bashes three doubles and two homers, including a grand slam, in the Dodgers’ 11-0 rout over St. Louis at Chavez Ravine. The LA first baseman becomes just the fourth major leaguer to accomplish the feat, joining Lou Boudreau (1946 Indians - HR, four 2B), Joe Adcock (1954 Braves - four HR, 2B), and Willie Stargell (1970 Pirates -two HR, three 2B).
1990 Ryne Sandberg becomes the first second baseman to hit 30 home runs in consecutive seasons when he homers to deep left field off Bill Gullickson leading off the fourth inning in the Cubs' 5-2 victory over Houston at the Astrodome. 'Ryno' will finish the season with 40 round-trippers, the most in the National League.
1990 Ellis Burks becomes only the second Red Sox player to hit two home runs in the same inning when he goes deep twice in Boston's eight-run fourth frame during the team's 12-4 rout of the Tribe at Cleveland Stadium. In 1928, second baseman Bill Regan became the first BoSox player to accomplish the feat when he homered twice, including an inside-the-park round-tripper, in the top of the fourth inning against Chicago at Comiskey Park.
1992 In a 22-2 rout, the Blue Jays pitching staff yields 31 hits, of which 22 are singles, to help the Brewers set an American League record. The 'Brew Crew' scores in every inning except the fifth inning in the SkyDome contest.
1996 The Indians finish the season 12-0 against Detroit when they beat the hometown team at Tiger Stadium, 9-3. Cleveland, en route to a division title in the AL Central, becomes only the seventh team since 1900 to sweep a season series from an opponent.
1997 After a catcher's interference call extends the sixth inning, Javy Lopez hits Darryl Kile's next pitch for a three-run home run that proves to be the difference in the Braves' 4-2 victory over Astros at Turner Field. The frame appeared to be over when Ryan Klesco grounded out to short, but he was awarded first base when his bat hit backstop Tony Eusebio's glove.
2000 The players' association has exercised its option to extend the collective bargaining agreement, ensuring labor peace through October 31, 2001. The expected move comes as no surprise as the players appear to be happy with the November 1996 deal, but the owners have expressed concerns the present CBA has widened the talent gap between the high and low-revenue markets due to escalating salaries.
2001 Alex Rodriguez becomes the ninth player, and the second shortstop, in major league history to hit 40 home runs in four consecutive seasons. The first shortstop to reach the plateau was Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, who accomplished the feat from 1957-60 for the Cubs.
2003 Jose Reyes becomes the youngest player in major league history to hit a home run from each side of the plate. The 20 year-old shortstop accounts for all the Mets runs, hitting a solo shot from the right side of the dish off southpaw Mike Hampton in the fifth inning, and then, batting as left-handed hitter in the ninth, a two-run dinger off right-hander Trey Hodges in the team's 3-1 victory over Atlanta at Turner Field.
2003 Eric Gagne earns his 44th straight save in the Dodgers’ 6-3 victory over the Astros at Minute Maid Park. The Los Angeles reliever’s effort establishes a new major league record, surpassing Tom Gordon, who had saved 43 in a row to begin a season with the Red Sox in 1998.
2005 Down three runs in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Hawaii ties Curacao, 6-6, sending the Little League championship game into extra innings for the first time since 1971. The Ewa Beach bunch beats the Caribbean champs, 7-6, as Michael Memea hits a walk off homer in the bottom of the 7th inning.
2007 In a thirty-nine page decision, U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl upholds a New York City law passed in April which bans the use of metal bats in high school baseball games. After Mayor Bloomberg’s veto was overturned by the City Council, legal action was begun by a coalition of bat manufacturers, the USA Baseball organization, various coaches, as well as some of the parents of the scholastic ballplayers.
2007 Atop of his right-field foul pole perch at Yankee Stadium, a not-so-shy squirrel watches the Bronx Bombers beat the Red Sox, 5-3. The bushy-tailed good luck charm has become a fan favorite, receiving standing ovations and cheers as he is shown on the scoreboard video screen scampering up and down on the pole.
2008 The Cubs game against the Phillies at Wrigley Field becomes the first contest to be played with the use of video replay available to umpires to make calls in regards to fair or foul home runs, balls in or out of the ballpark, and fan interference determinations. The new technology, which doesn't need to be employed in any of the three ballparks going online today, will be used used by all major league clubs starting tomorrow.
2008 In the 11-2 victory over the Dodgers, Cristian Guzman becomes the second player in Nationals history to hit for the cycle, joining Brad Wilkerson, who accomplished the feat in 2005, the team's first year in Washington, D.C. The 30-year old shortstop completes his cycle with an eighth inning triple.
2008 The Red Sox' last regular season game at Yankee Stadium is a fitting finale for the two rivals at the 85-year old historic ballpark. Trailing 2-0, the Bronx Bombers rally late in the game, thanks to Jason Giambi's seventh-inning pinch-hit two-run homer and his walk-off single in the ninth, to beat Boston, 3-2, avoiding a sweep and keeping their wild card hopes alive.
2009 John Hester, appearing as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning, homers in his first major league at-bat in Arizona's 14-7 victory over Houston. The 25-year-old catcher becomes the 101st player to accomplish the feat, and the second Diamondback player this season, joining Gerardo Parra, who also went deep in his first big league plate appearance in May.
2012 Starlin Castro agrees to a seven-year contract extension with the Cubs, which includes a club option for an eighth season in 2020. The 22 year-old shortstop, already a two-time All-Star, became the youngest player in National League history to lead the circuit in hits when he collected 207 last season.
2014 Yusmeiro Petit, best known for losing his bid for a perfect game against Arizona with two outs and two strikes last September, sets a major league record when he retires his 46th consecutive batter by fanning Charlie Culberson in the third inning of San Francisco’s 4-1 victory over Colorado at AT&T Park. The Giants right-hander, both as a starter and reliever, breaks the 2009 mark established Mark Buehrle, who made 45 batters in row make an out while pitching for the White Sox.