This Weekend in Baseball History
September 17th, 2020: For the first time ever, the Yankees hit five home runs in an INNING! Brett Gardner, DJ LeMahieu and Luke Voit clear the fences on consecutive pitches in the 4th inning off Toronto’s Chase Anderson -- Voit’s home run was his major league-leading 20th. Aaron Hicks then strikes out, before Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres follow with home runs giving the Yankees a 9-2 lead, ending Anderson's night.
Their 10-7 win over the Blue Jays capped a three-game sweep in which they crushed 19 home runs -- and became the first team ever with at least six homers in three straight games.
September 17th, 1993: Nolan Ryan strikes out Greg Myers for his 5714th and final strikeout. But the Angels outlast Ryan's Rangers 2-1.
September 17th, 1984: Reggie Jackson hits his 500th career home run off KC's Bud Black in the Angels/Royals game at Anaheim -- on the 17th anniversary of his very first roundtripper, which took place in the same stadium, while playing for the Athletics.
September 17th, 1967: Reggie Jackson's first major league homer comes in a Kansas City A's uniform, as he connects off the Angels' Jim Weaver in a game California wins 3-2.
September 17th, 1967: Jerry Koosman makes his first major league start for the Mets. He takes a no-decision, working the first seven innings, allowing two runs, six hits and walking three. The Minnesota native is denied a victory when the Astros rally for two in the bottom of the 9th off Ron Taylor, with Hal King's walk off single bringing home Bob Lillis for a 4-3 Houston win.
September 17th, 1961: Roger Maris's 58th home run (off Terry Fox) gives the Yankees their winning margin in a 6-4 win over the Tigers in Detroit.
This is interesting... three future Hall of Famers all played in their first major league games on the 17th of September.
- 1955: Brooks Robinson makes his big league debut for the Orioles. The rookie 3rd baseman gets two hits in a 3-1 victory over the Washington Senators.
- 1941: Stan Musial breaks in with the Cardinals and goes 2-for-4 in a 3-2 win over the Boston Braves at Sportsman's Park. Stan's first hit was a two-RBI double in the 2nd Inning against Jim Tobin – the first of his 3630 career hits.
- 1912: Casey Stengel has an impressive debut as a Dodgers outfielder -- four singles, a walk, two stolen bases, and two RBIs in a 7–3 win over Pittsburgh at Washington Park in Brooklyn. Of course, Casey's enduring fame would come decades later as Yankee manager.
September 18th, 2019: The Giants beat the Red Sox 11-3 at Fenway Park as Bruce Bochy, finishing up his 25th and final season as a manager, becomes the 11th with 2000 victories.
September 18th, 2010: CC Sabathia works the first seven innings and becomes a 20-game winner for the first time as the Yankees beat the Orioles 11-3.
September 18th, 2007: Mike Mussina becomes the first American League pitcher to win at least 10 games in 16 consecutive seasons. He works the first seven innings as the Yankees shut out the Orioles 12-0 in the Bronx.
September 18th, 2007: Greg Maddux also makes history, posting his 13th win for the 20th consecutive season, snapping the mark long held by Cy Young. The future Hall of Famer works the first five innings of the Padres 5-3 victory over the Pirates at Petco Park.
September 18th, 2006: Jose Valentin belts a pair of home runs, while Steve Trachsel teams with three relievers on a four-hit shutout, as the Mets clinch their first division title since 1988, beating the Marlins 4-0.
September 18th, 2006: Jim Thome homers off Fernando Rodney and becomes the second player to hit 40 home runs for three different teams. After reaching it with the Indians and Phillies, the White Sox DH matches the achievement previous posted by Alex Rodriguez with the Mariners, Rangers and Yankees.
September 18th, 1996: Roger Clemens ties his own major league record with 20 strikeouts in the Red Sox 4-0 win over the Tigers in Detroit. The rightander didn't just have power but great control on this night -- he didn't walk a single batter! Travis Fryman was his final victim as he tied the record. Ironically, it was Clemens' final win in a Boston uniform. After general manager Dan Duquette showed little interest in bringing Roger back to the Sox, he would sign with Toronto as a free agent over the winter.
September 18th, 1988: Vince Coleman's steals 2nd base (against the Cubs in Chicago) to begin a record 50 consecutive stolen bases without being caught. It continues thru July of the following season when Coleman is thrown out by the Expos' Nelson Santovenia.
September 18th, 1976: Frank Robinson's pinch hit single (off Baltimore's Rudy May) in the 8th inning drives in Joe Lis and is the last at-bat of the Indians' player-manager's Cooperstown-bound career.
September 18th, 1975: Rusty Staub becomes the first Mets player to drive in 100 runs in a season. His two-run homer is a highlight of a 7-5 win over the Cubs at Shea Stadium.
September 18th, 1968: A night after being no-hit by the Giants' Gaylord Perry, Ray Washburn of the Cardinals turns the tables on San Francisco, holding them without a hit in a 2-0 St. Louis victory. Mike Shannon put the Cards ahead with a 7th inning RBI double, and Curt Flood singles in an insurance run an inning later.
September 18th, 1967: Bob Gibson returns to the mound for the Cardinals after missing two months with a broken leg. He fires a three-hitter as St. Louis clinches its second pennant of the decade, with a 5-1 victory over the Phillies.
September 18th, 1963: The Mets play their last game at the Polo Grounds: Before a slim Wednesday afternoon crowd of just 1752, the Phillies beat the Mets 5-1. New York's Jim Hickman connected off the Phillies' Chris Short for the legendary ballpark's final home run. Mets shortstop Chico Fernandez's single in the bottom of the 9th is the final base hit. The next batter, Ted Schreiber, ends the game when he grounds into a double play.
September 18th, 1955: Carl Furillo homers and MVP-to-be Roy Campanella adds three hits, including the go-ahead RBI double, as the Dodgers beat the Giants 7-5 at Ebbets Field.
September 18th, 1930: The Yankees top the Browns at Sportsman's Park 7-6 in 10 innings, as starting pitcher Red Ruffing homers twice in his seven innings of work. The future Hall of Fame right-hander, will homer 37 times over his 22 year career.
September 19th, 2011: Mariano Rivera becomes baseball's all-time leader in saves. He gets Chris Parmalee of the Twins on a called third strike for the 602nd save of his career in the Yankees 6-4 victory.
It was a makeup game for an early season rainout. Played on a Monday afternoon, there were plenty of good seats at reasonable prices, and my pal Dennis and I were lucky enough to get the day off, score a pair of good seats and be on hand to witness history!
September 19th, 2001: Roger Clemens becomes the first pitcher in baseball history to start a season 20 - 1. He goes 6-1/3 effective innings, and with relief help from Mike Stanton, Jay Witasik and Mariano Rivera, the Yankees defeat the White Sox 6-3 at (new) Comiskey Park. Derek Jeter is the Yankees batting star, with a pair of home runs.
September 19th, 2001: Albert Pujols drives in three runs to break the NL rookie RBI record long held by Wally Berger of the Boston Bruins. The Cardinals beat the Brewers 8-2 at Busch Stadium (II). Pujols will finish his first big league season with an amazing130 RBI.
September 19th, 1997: Mark McGwire -- who came to the Cardinals in a July 31st deadline deal -- homers twice to become the first major leaguer to hit 20 or more home runs for two different teams in the same season. St. Louis holds off the Pirates 6-5 at Three Rivers Stadium.
September 19th, 1983: Joe Morgan celebrates his 40th birthday at Veterans Stadium, by going 4-for-5 with a pair of home runs, as the playoff-bound Phillies edge the Cubs 7-6.
September 19th, 1970: Tony and Billy Conigliaro of the Red Sox each hit home runs in the Red Sox 11 – 3 win over the Washington Senators at Fenway Park.
September 19th, 1962: Jim Fregosi hits the first inside-the-park home run in both Angels -- and Dodger Stadium -- history, as he connects in the bottom of the 6th off Steve Barber of the Orioles in a 9-2 Angels victory.
September 19th, 1961: Moose Skowron belts his 27th homer and Bud Daley tosses a complete game five-hitter as the Yankees beat the Orioles 3-1 at Memorial Stadium.
September 19th, 1949: Ralph Kiner becomes the first National League player to reach 50 or more home runs in multiple seasons. But Davey Williams' home run in the top of the 10th pushes the Giants past the Pirates 6-4.
September 19th, 1937: Hank Greenberg becomes the first player to hit a home run into the dead center field bleachers in Yankee Stadium, connecting off Bump Hadley in the Tigers 8-1 victory in the Bronx.
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