This Weekend in Baseball History
July 16th, 2013: The Mets host the All Star Game for the first time in 49 years, with their rising star Matt Harvey pitching the first two scoreless innings. But it's crosstown rival Mariano Rivera of the Yankees -- set to retire at season's end -- named game MVP when he works a 1-2-3 8th inning, in the AL's 3-0 victory.
July 16th, 2010: Benji Molina of the Rangers becomes the first catcher ever to hit for the cycle -- with the home run being a grand slam! Texas defeated the Red Sox at Fenway Park 8-4.
July 16th, 2006: Mariano Rivera gets the last six outs of the game to nail down his 400th career save. The Yankees defeat the White Sox 6-4 in the Bronx.
July 16th, 2006: The Mets have their highest scoring inning in team history -- 11 runs in the top of the 6th inning, including grand slams by Cliff Floyd and Carlos Beltran and and two-run shot by David Wright -- as the put up a football score: Mets 13 - Cubs 7.
July 16th, 2005: Al Leiter's career comes full circle, as the Marlins trade him to the Yankees, where he made his major league debut in 1987. The 39 year old would go 4-5 the rest of the season and earn a victory over the Angels in four ALDS relief appearances.
July 16th, 2000: Down 6-1 going into the bottom of the 9th inning, the Yankees rally for five runs to tie the score (on Jose Vizcaino's infield single). After Mariano Rivera gives up a two-run homer to the Phillies' Brian Hunter in the top of the 10th, the Yankees stage a second rally. Chuck Knoblauch walks, Derek Jeter is hit by a pitch thown by Philadelphia's Jeff Brantley -- who then gives up three straight singles - the last by David Justice scores the winning run in a 9-8 victory.
July 16th, 1994: Mike Lieberthal hits his first major league home run in the Phillies 10-6 Veterans Stadium victory over the Dodgers.
July 16th, 1970: The Pirates play their first game at Three Rivers Stadium (seen above), but the Reds steal the show on opening night with a 3-2 victory. Among the ballpark's famous firsts: Richie Hebner's infield single was the first hit, and Tony Perez smacked the first home run (off Dock Ellis), while Lee May's RBI single in the top of the 9th off Ellis was the difference in the game. Cincinnati reliever Clay Carroll kept the Pirates over the final two innings to earn the win.
July 16th, 1966: Horace Clarke's 10th inning grand slam (off Jack Aker) lifts the Yankees to a 9-5 win over the A's in Kansas City. The second year infielder was playing shortstop that day and leading off for the Yanks.
July 16th, 1961: Mickey Mantle's 32nd home run of the season gets the Yankees on the board, while Bud Daley pitches a complete game, holding the Orioles to a run and four hits -- while striking out seven -- in a 2-1 victory at Memorial Stadium.
July 16th, 1941: Joe DiMaggio's consecutive game hitting streak reaches 56, when goes three-for-four in the Yankees 5-4 win in Cleveland. The three hits raise Joe's batting average to .375.
July 16th, 1897: Cap Anson of the Cubs becomes the first big leaguer to reach 3000 career hits with single off Baltimore Orioles pitcher George Blackburn. It's a game the O's won 2-1 at Chicago’s West Side Grounds.
July 17th, 2000: Chris Richard of the Cardinals homers on the first pitch he ever sees in the majors -- connecting off Mike Lincoln during St. Louis' 8-3 win over the Twins at the Metrodome.
July 17th, 1993: Frank Tanana joins Rick Reuschel as the only pitchers to give up home runs to both Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds -- as the Giants' left fielder plates the only run in a 3-1 loss to the Mets at Candlestick Park. (Hank Aaron connected off Tanana for career home run number 748 back in 1976, when Frank was with the Angels and Hank, the Brewers.)
July 17th, 1990: Bo Jackson crushes three home runs off the Yankees' Andy Hawkins -- in the first, third, and fifth innings of the Royals' 10-7 victory at Yankee Stadium. But there could have been even more -- Jackson leaves the game after dislocating his shoulder trying catch a 6th inning fly ball by Deion Sanders -- who also played in both MLB and the NFL.
July 17th, 1990: The Twins become the first team ever to pull off two triple plays in the same game. That's still not enough, as the Red Sox win 1-0 at Fenway. Tim Naehring singles in Mike Greenwell in the 6th inning for the only run.
July 17th, 1988: Ricky Jordan makes his major league debut for the Phillies: after walking his first time up, he belts a three-run homer (off Houston's Bob Knepper) in his first official at-bat. He's the fourth Phillies player to do so. On the scoreboard, it's a 10-4 win at Veterans Stadium.
July 17th, 1987: Don Mattingly becomes the first American League player ever to hit home runs in seven consecutive games, when he connects off Texas reliever Paul Kilgus in the Yankees 8-4 win over Texas.
July 17th, 1974: Bob Gibson's 3000th strikeout comes against the Reds' Cesar Geronimo at Busch Stadium. Gibson works the first seven innings, but didn't figure in the decision. The Reds win it in 12 innings, 6 - 4 at Busch Stadium. This comes the same day that fellow Cardinal icon Dizzy Dean dies suddenly at age 64.
July 17th, 1961: Whitey Ford raises his record to 17-2 as he fires a six-hit shutout and strikes out nine, as the Yankees blank the Orioles 5-0 at Memorial Stadium. Mickey Mantle homers for the second straight game giving him 33 on the season, while Moose Skowron adds his 19th.
July 17th, 1956: Ted Williams' 400th career home run, leading off the bottom of the 6th against the Kansas City Athletics' Tom Gorman, is the only scoring in the Red Sox 1-0 Fenway Park victory. Bob Porterfield takes care of the rest, firing a seven hit shutout.
July 17th, 1954: Monte Irvin's two-RBI double keys a seven-run top of the 3rd, while relievers Marv Grissom and Windy McCall halt a late rally, as the Giants hold on to beat the Cardinals 10-9 at Busch Stadium.
July 17th, 1941: Joe DiMaggio's 56-game batting streak ends at the hands of Indians pitchers Al Smith and Jim Bagby Junior as well as slick fielding 3rd baseman Ken Keltner. Before 67,000 people at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium, the Yankees still come away with a 4-3 win.
But the Yankee Clipper bounced back the next day, starting a 17-game streak, giving him hits in 73 of 74 games!
July 17th, 1936: Carl Hubbell shuts out the Pirates in a 6-0 win -- the first of a record 24 consecutive victories for the New York Giants legend.
July 17th, 1924: Cardinals ace Jesse "Pop" Haines throws a no-hitter against the Boston Braves. The Hall of Fame-bound righthander walks three, in a 5-0 victory at Sportsman's Park.
The day was already special: Yogi Berra was honored in a pre-game ceremony, capped by his receiving the ceremonial first pitch from Don Larsen -- who famously threw a perfect game with Berra behind the plate in the 1956 World Series.
July 18th, 1987: Don Mattingly extends his AL record home run streak to eight games, connecting off the Rangers' Jose Guzman in the top of the 4th at Arlington Stadium. He ties the MLB mark set by the Pirates Dale Long in 1956. But shaky relief by Charles Hudson helps Texas pull away for a 7-2 win.
July 18th, 1986: Jack Morris throws his third consecutive complete-game shutout, holding Texas to two hits in Detroit's 5-0 victory at Tiger Stadium.
July 18th, 1983: Pat Corrales, despite having his team in 1st place -- albeit barely over .500 at 43-42 -- is fired as Phillies manager. General manager Paul Owens takes over the club and leads them to an NL East title and the National League pennant.
July 18th, 1980: George Brett goes 4-for-5 against the Yankees, as he begins a 30-game hitting streak. The Royals pound the Yanks 13-1 in the Bronx.
July 18th, 1970: Willie Mays singles off of Expos right-hander Mike Wegener for his 3000th hit. It's a highlight of the Giants's 10-1 victory at Candlestick Park.
July 18th, 1964: Pete Rose hits the only grand slam homer of his career. It comes off Dallas Green, who'd be his manager on the Phillies 1980 World Series champions. The Reds, with Rose getting four hits on the day and driving in six, rout the Phils 14-4 at Crosley Field.
July 18th, 1964: The Cardinals blast three consecutive home runs -- a Ken Boyer grand slam, followed by solo shots from Bill White and Tim McCarver -- during an 11-run 8th rally to beat the Mets 15-7 at Busch Stadium.
July 18th, 1954: Willie Mays (his 33rd) and Monte Irvin (his 18th) each homer as the Giants beat the Reds 3-1 at Crosley Field.
July 18th, 1951: Chuck Connors hits the first home run of his big league career. The former Seton Hall star's 7th inning blast off Dave Koslo helps the Cubs beat the Giants 6-3 at the Polo Grounds. He adds a 9th inning single to raise his batting average to .310.
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