August 23rd

[Panzram]

2002
» Cleveland's rookie C Josh Bard hits a game–winning 2–run home run in the bottom of the 9th inning against Seattle in his 1st ML appearance. He has two hits and three RBIs as the Tribe wins, 4–2.

The Padres score nine runs in the 5th inning on their way to an 18–2 win over the Marlins. Bubba Trammell, who has two homers in the game, starts the scoring in the 5th with a homer.7 players have RBIs in the 5th, and the last 11 hitters come up with the bases loaded. Jake Peavy is the easy winner.

Bobby Abreu hits a solo homer in the 14th to give the Phillies a 5–4 win over the Cards in five hrs: 13 minutes. Scott Rolen is 4–for–5 in his 1st appearance against his old team.

The Orioles spot the Blue Jays six runs and then roar back with four homers to win, 11–7. The win puts Baltimore (63–63) at .500. From here on it'll be all downhill.

2001
» The Pirates defeated the Diamondbacks, 5–1, despite a 16–strikeout performance in seven innings of work by Randy Johnson. In doing so, Johnson became the first pitcher in history to fan 300 in four straight seasons.

Barry Bonds and Shawon Dunston of the San Francisco Giants became just the 12th pair of teammates to hit back-to-back homers as pinch hitters when they go deep in the top of the ninth. Bonds pinch homer is his first since 1989 and snaps a 5–5 tie. It is also his 549th home run, moving him ahead of Mike Schmidt into 8th place. The Giants win, 10-5.

In a 6–2 loss to the Blue Jays, it is a busy night for Twins CF Torii Hunter. Hunter throws out consecutive runners at Darrin Fletcher and Homer Bush, both trying to stretch singles. Later in the inning he bobbles a ball for an error. Roy Halladay is the winning pitcher.

1999
» The Padres defeat the Phillies, 7-6. Philadelphia 3B Scott Rolen strikes out five times in the game.

The Yankees score six runs in the 1st inning on their way to a 21-3 victory over the Rangers. 3B Scott Brosius (6) and C Joe Girardi (7)—the 8th and 9th batters in the NY lineup—drive in 13 of the Yankee runs. Jeter scores his 100th run of the year, the 1st Yank to string together four straight seasons of 100+ runs since Mickey Mantle did it in nine straight seasons (1953-61).

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig announces that Pete Rose will be invited to the World Series if he is elected to the All-Century Team. Rose has been banned from baseball since 1989.

1998
» Giants OF Barry Bonds hits his 26th homer, and 400th career home run, off Kirt Ojala of the Marlins in the Giants' 10–5 victory. He thus becomes the 1st player in major league history with more than 400 career home runs and 400 career steals.

Leadoff man Craig Biggio's double, two home runs, and six RBIs pace the Astros to a 13–3 victory over the Cubs. C Brad Ausmus also contributes to the cause with four hits and five ribbies for Houston. OF Sammy Sosa hits a pair of homers for Chicago, giving him 51 on the year.

The Pirates defeat the Cardinals, 4–3, despite five hits, including a home run, by St. Louis 3B Fernando Tatis. Mark McGwire also hits his 53rd homer for the Cards.

1997
» For the 2nd day in a row, Rangers' LF Rusty Greer hits a pair of home runs and posts six ribbies, doing so in today's 13-8 win over Chicago.

1996
» The Yankees obtain P Graeme Lloyd and former Rookie of the Year Pat Listach from the Brewers in exchange for OF Gerald Williams and knuckler Bob Wickman. Lloyd is put to work and provides late inning relief as the first-place Yankees beat the A's, 5–3. The Yanks will officially complain to the American League that the Brewers sent damaged goods in the two players, but the complaint is ignored. However, the Brewers will take back Listach and send Ricky Bones to the Yanks on the 29th. The Yanks will file a grievance over Lloyd's injury next month.

1994
» The Butte Copper Kings ended Billings' 15-game winning streak in a Pioneer League game by a score of 22-21. The game sees a total of 43 runs, 53 hits, and seven errors recorded.

1993
» Toronto OF Joe Carter slugs three home runs in the Blue Jays' 9-8 loss to the Indians. It is the 5th time in his career that he has homered three times in a game, setting an American League record.

1992
» In his last outing as a Met, David Cone (13-7) gives up four runs in seven innings in losing to the Padres, 4-3. Cone gives up just three hits. Mets Bobby Bonilla homers in his fourth consecutive game, tying the club mark.

In a Class A Florida State League game, Andy Carter of the Clearwater Phillies defeats Scott Bakkum of the Winter Haven Red Sox, 1-0. Neither team gets a hit in what is believed to be the first double no-hitter in the minors in 40 years.

1991
» The Rangers 6-1 win over the Royals is marked by an unusual play in the 8th inning. KC's 2B Terry Shumpert is charged with a 4-base error when he collides with RF Danny Tartabull while going back on a short fly hit by Juan Gonzalez. Gonzalez and the two runners in front of him score as the ball rolls all the way to the warning track.

1989
» Rick Dempsey homers off Dennis Martinez in the top of the 22nd inning to break up a scoreless tie and give the Dodgers a 1–0 win over the Expos. The game features one thumbing -- the umps toss the Expos mascot Youppi in the 11th for annoying Tommy Lasorda -- and he then returns in the 13th wearing pajamas. He carries a pillow and sleeps on the home dugout roof, where the umps have restricted him. In the 16th, Larry Walker apparently scores the game-winner, but the Dodgers appeal -- with two umps in the tunnel -- and get it. Eddie Murray in the 18th moves the 2B ump and slams a drive that Walker makes a phantom catch off the padding in RF. Fans stand for three "seventh-inning stretches" during the major-league record (in time, and for a 1–0 game) six hours: 14 minute game. Other club records are set and several ML records are noted: most innings (22) without a walk by the Expos tops the Pirates (who used one pitcher) against the Giants, July 17, 1914.

1985
» Joaquin Andujar becomes baseball's first 20-game winner this season, beating Atlanta 6–2 for the Cardinals. Andujar is the first National League pitcher to post consecutive 20-win seasons since Joe Niekro in 1979-80.

1983
» Kansas City's Amos Otis notches his 2,000th career hit, a single in a 10–2 win over the White Sox.

At Wrigley, Reds rookie Jeff Russell beats Fergie Jenkins and the Cubs, 4–2. Russell adds his only career home run. Dave Concepcion is called out on a steal attempt, and then is tossed out for arguing with ump Dave Pallone. He also gets suspended for three days for allegedly spitting on Pallone during the argument.

1982
» Seattle pitcher Gaylord Perry is ejected in the 7th inning of a 4–3 loss to the Red Sox for doctoring the baseball. It is the first time in his 20 ML seasons that the self-proclaimed spitball king has been bounced for that offense.

After days after challenging the Reds "no facial hair" policy, P Jim Kern finds himself a member of the Chicago White Sox. The Reds receive Wade Rowdon and OF Leo Garcia.

1980
» A's owner Charlie Finley sells the club for $12.7 million to the Haas family of San Francisco, owners of the Levi Strauss clothing empire, thus keeping the team in Oakland.

[Panzram]

1979
» At Cleveland, the A's Rick Langford gives up six hits and six runs in the 1st inning, including a grand slam to Andre Thornton and a solo by Ron Hassey. He then allows just one hit over the next eight innings, and the A's come back to win, 8–6.

Commissioner Kuhn slaps Padres owner Ray Kroc with a $100,000 fine for tampering, following remarks Kroc made about potential free agents Joe Morgan and Graig Nettles.

1977
» Behind Mickey Rivers' 5-for-5 and Torrez's 7th straight CG contributing to an 8–3 whipping of the White Sox, the Yanks take over first place in the American League East. With the Red Sox losing, the Yankees go ahead by a half game and will stay in first place to the end.

Dave Goltz one-hits the Red Sox to give the Twins a 7–0 win. Jim Rice hits a single in the 4th for the only safety.

1975
» Champ Summers and Rick Monday hit pinch home runs for the Cubs, but the Astros win the game, 14–12.

The Reds score eight times in the 5th inning to wipe out a 4–0 deficit and whip the Padres, 12–7.

1972
» Chicago's Dick Allen becomes the 4th ML player (Jimmie Foxx, Hank Greenberg, and Alex Johnson are the others) to hit one into the CF bleachers in Comiskey Park when he connects off New York's Lindy McDaniel. The 2-run homer in the 7th ices the 5–2 win for the Sox. In 1972, all the Chicago Wednesday games are in the afternoon, and Harry Caray announces them while sitting in the CF bleachers. Allen's drive misses Caray by just a few rows.

Kansas City's Roger Nelson shuts out the Red Sox, 3–0. Ben Oglivie's single in the 8th is the only hit off Nelson.

1970
» Roberto Clemente compiles his 2nd straight 5-hit game during an 11–0 pasting of Los Angeles. He is the first major leaguer this century to collect 10 hits in two consecutive games.

How do you spell relief? Don Gullett strikes out six straight batters and pitches four innings with no runners reaching base in beating the host Mets, 7–5. Gullett strikes out eight in the last four innings. The Reds win on Jimmy Stewart's 3-run pinch homer off Tom Seaver.

1968
» Stan Bahnsen outpitches Earl Wilson to give the host Yankees a 2–1 win over Detroit. The two teams then battle for 19 innings, before the 2nd game is suspended by curfew with the score 3–3. The game will be finished tomorrow. In the long tie, Lindy McDaniel retires 21 straight Tiger batters, six on strikeouts. In his last three relief appearances, he has retired 30 batters in a row.

1964
» Mets pitcher Willard Hunter picks up half his career wins (4) today as New York sweeps the Cubs, 2–1, in 10 innings, and 5–4 in the nitecap. No one has ever won a pair more efficiently as he totals one 2/3 innings of work. Bob Buhl and Don Elston pick up losses. The Cubs lose Ernie Broglio, who woke up with a locked elbow and will need surgery to repair the ulnar lateral ligament damage in his elbow. He'll be 1–6 in 1965.

New York tops host Boston, 4–3, as Mickey Mantle starts the scoring with a 2-run homer in the 3rd inning off Earl Wilson. New York will win 26 of their next 33 games.

1963
» 1B Lee Thomas of the Angels ties a major-league record by participating in six DPs in a 17–0 romp at Washington. 3B Felix Torres starts four of them to tie a ML record. Ken McBride is the recipient of the outburst while Steve Ridzik is the loser.

Warren Spahn's 601st start is a modern National League record. Grover Alexander had the previous record of 600. The Braves beat the Dodgers, 6–1.

1962
» Steve Boros matches the American League record for most errors in an inning by a 3B with 4, but Detroit beats Cleveland 8–5, as Al Kaline hits two home runs.

The Reds rack up 21 hits in routing the Cubs, 14–3.

1961
» Third-place San Francisco pulls within four games of first place with a 14–0 rout of the Reds, putting the game away with a record-tying salvo of five home runs in the 12-run 9th inning. home runs by six different Giants tie the major-league record for a 9-inning game. San Francisco's 27 total bases in the 9th inning are a modern ML record. Juan Marichal is the winner in the cakewalk, his 7th straight win.

1960
» Following up his no hitter, Lew Burdette fires his 3rd shutout in a row, pitching the Braves to a 7–0 win over the Dodgers. The Braves stroke five homers, including Aaron's 33rd and Mathews 29th.

1959
» The Pirates take a doubleheader form the Dodgers, beating Don Drysdale in both games. As a starter, Drysdale loses the opener, then relieves in game 2. In the 10th inning, with runners on 1st and 3rd and two out, Drysdale hands out an intentional pass to get to Dick Groat, who singles in the winning run. The win is Face's 16th of the year without a loss tying him with Hubbell's streak of 1936 and Blackwell's skein in 1947. The 4th place Pirates are now eight games in back of the 1st place Giants.

1958
» Dodgers P Don Drysdale hits two HRs in a 10-1 clipping of the Cards. Veteran Gil Hodges hits the 14th grand slam of his career, a new NL record. It is also the first slam in the history of the Dodgers on the West Coast.

1957
» Angel Macias, a 12-year-old righthander from Monterrey, Mexico, hurls a perfect 12-inning game over La Mesa, striking out 11 to win the Little League Championship in Williamsport, PA. In the tourney before Williamsport, Macias also pitched lefthanded.

1956
» Led by Nellie Fox's seven straight hits, the White Sox sweep the Yankees. Mickey Mantle has a bunt single, triple and HR in the 6-4 nightcap loss but trails Fox in season hits, 158 to 155. But the Mick still leads in the Triple Crown race.

1953
» Phil Paine, a former Boston Braves pitcher on military service with the U.S. Air Force in Japan, becomes the first ex-ML player to play in Japan. He pitches in nine games for the Nishitetsu Lions: four wins, three losses, ERA 1.77.

Chattanooga OF Don Grate betters his 1952 record by throwing a baseball 443 feet 31Ž2 inches. Glen Gorbous will beat it in 1957.

1951
» At Ebbets Field, the Cards finally beat the Dodgers, 4–2. Max Lanier allows seven hits, including Campanella's 27th homer, in beating Don Newcombe. Newk won't lose again to the Birds till 1957, winning 12 straight.

1942
» Seven of 16 games played today are shutouts. A near-miss is by White Sox veteran Ted Lyons. Taking a regular Sunday start, he wins his 256th career game, a 3-hitter 3–1 complete game victory over Cleveland.

Cub pitchers Claude Passeau and Lon Warneke each toss 3–0 shutouts against the Reds while Red Sox hurlers Tex Hughson and Joe Dobson whitewash the A's, winning 2–0 and 7–0.

Walter Johnson pitching to Babe Ruth is the pregame attraction that draws 69,000 for the New York-Washington game at Yankee Stadium that provides $80,000 for Army-Navy relief. Ruth hits the fifth pitch into the right-field stands, and then adds one more shot before circling the bases. Sixteen relief games contribute $523,000 during the season. In the doubleheader between the Senators and the Yankees, the Senators win the opener, 7–6 and New York cops the nitecap, 3–0, in five 1/2 innings.

At Ebbets Field, the Dodgers sweep two from their cross-town rivals. In the first game, the Giants took a 4–2 lead in the 10th on Johnny Mize's 2-run home run, only to see Dolf Camilli hit reliever Harry Feldman's 1st pitch for a grand slam and give Dem Bums a 6–4 win. The 2nd game, the Dodgers score two in the 5th to take a 7–5 lead in a game halted by darkness. The Dodgers now lead St. Louis by seven 1/2 games.

1940
» The Reds purchase Jimmy Ripple from the Dodgers.

[Panzram]

1936
» Seventeen-year-old Bob Feller makes his first start and strikes out 15, one less than the AL record, as Cleveland beats St. Louis 4-1.

1935
» NL President Ford Frick announces an undisclosed punishment of umpires Reardon and Sears for arguing with Cincinnati fans on July 11.

1932
» The Cubs have only one assist in a 5-1 win, sweeping the Phillies in four straight. The fielding mark equals the major-league record.

1931
» Lefty Grove is frustrated in his effort to win a record-breaking 17th game in a row, as Jimmy Moore misjudges a routine fly ball by Ski Melillo, turning it into a 2-out double, to allow the game's lone run. The volatile Grove is outraged and unforgiving, not at Moore, but that Al Simmons, the regular OF, missed the game. Dick Coffman of the Browns allows just three hits to win, 1–0. The A's win the nightcap, 10–0, behind Waite Hoyt's 6-hitter.

In St. Louis, the league-leading Cardinals go to 78–44 by sweeping the Braves. The Birds pound Boston 16–1 in the opener as Chick Hafey drives in eight runs on 5-for-5 hitting, including two home runs. One of the homers is a grand slam. St. Louis takes the nitecap, 1–0, in 11 innings, winning on Jim Bottomley's home run.

1930
» The Yankees buy Frank Crosetti from the San Francisco Seals but allow him to play another season in the PCL before reporting. The Yankees will make a similar arrangement for Joe DiMaggio, buying him from the Seals but waiting a year before acquiring him in 1936.

The Giants' Fred Lindstrom singles to extend his hitting streak to 24 games, but Pat Malone tops Carl Hubbell for a 4–2 Cubs win.

George Earnshaw give the A's a 2–0 win over Detroit.

1929
» The Cubs buy Lon Warneke, 20, from Alexandria (Cotton State League) for $100.

1928
» The Yankees pick up lefty Tom Zachary on waivers from Washington.

1923
» Reds 2B Sammy Bohne and OF Pat Duncan deny under oath that they have been approached to throw games with the Giants.

1916
» Ty Cobb goes from 1B to 3B on a teammate's single to LF, then swipes home when A's 3B Charlie Pick holds the ball. Detroit wins 10–3.

Babe Ruth picks up his only save of the season, relieving Dutch Leonard in the 8th with Boston leading the Indians, 6–3. Babe strikes out three in the 8th and doubles and scores in his trip to the plate. He shuts out Cleveland in the 9th as Boston completes a 4-game sweep of the Tribe.

1915
» At the Polo Grounds, the Cardinals sweep two from the Giants, winning 5–4 and 4–3. New York is in 7th place, eight 1/2 games in back of the leading Phillies.

1914
» The Giants lose their 5th straight, to Cincinnati 3–2, and the idle Braves move into a tie for first place. Herb Moran, playing his last game for Cincy before being sold to the Braves, doubles in the game-winner in the 9th. The 3rd place Reds will win all three games with the Giants at Redland Field, but will soon head in the other direction, losing 19 in a row in September to finish last.

1912
» The Tigers fall to Walter Johnson, 8–1, Big Train's 16th win in a row. He is now 29–7.

1910
» Chicago's Ed Walsh tops Walter Johnson, 1–0, the 3rd straight time Walsh has beaten the Big Train and Washington by that score.

Left fielder Fred Clarke makes a record-tying four OF assists for Pittsburgh against the Phils, as the Bucs win 6–2. The Pirates get one more for a NL record five outfield assists.

At St. Louis, Frank Corridon outpitches Christy Mathewson for a 4–1 Cardinals win. The Cards tag Matty for 11 hits. New York is three 1/2 games behind 2nd-place Pittsburgh.

1909
» With lefthander Jim Pastorius pitching, Brooklyn C Bill Bergen throws out six (erroneously listed as 7) of eight base-stealing Cardinals in a 9-1 St. Louis victory. Bergen's mark is a 20th century high, twice tied in 1915. In the first game of the doubleheader, it was Brooklyn's turn as they swiped six bases in a 7-0 win. The Cards steal two bases.

It's a day for thievery as the Cubs steal home three times in a game at Boston, tying a ML mark. They waste no time, as Johnny Evers and Del Howard do it in the first inning, and Solly Hofman in the 2nd. Chicago wins, 11-6.

1907
» The Pirates top the Giants 4-2 in 10 innings, then win the 2nd game, 1-0, when Howie Camnitz spins a 5-inning no-hitter. The Bucs score when Ed Abbaticchio singles home Honus Wagner, who had singled and stolen 2B. The Giants also lose Frank Bowerman, hit on the head by a Camnitz pitch. The doctors predict that the burly catcher will miss the season, but he is back in action in three days.

1906
» White Sox pitcher Roy Patterson beats Washington, 4-1, giving Chicago its 19th straight win. The streak will be tied by the 1947 Yankees, but never topped in the AL. Chicago now leads by five 1/2 games.

1903
» Before 21,400 in St. Louis the Pilgrims sweep St. Louis 5-3 and 4-2. Boston executes a triple play in the nitecap. Hughes and Young are the winners for 1st place Boston.