Eventual NL Cy Young Award winner Gaylord Perry becomes the third major league pitcher, joining Walter Johnson (1923) and Bob Gibson (1974), to record 3,000 career strikeouts. The 40 year-old future Hall of Fame right-hander fans Joe Simpson, who will later become better known as a Braves’ broadcaster, in the eighth inning to reach the milestone, and will strike out the LA left fielder again in the tenth to finish the season with 3001.
On the last day of the season at Qualcomm Stadium, Ozzie Smith does his signature flip for the first time. The Padres shortstop, asked by the club to do it for Fans Appreciation Day, will continue his gymnastic prowess as a member of the Cardinals, with the somersault becoming an Opening Day tradition at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
On the last day of the season, Expo left-hander Ross Grimsley becomes the first 20-game winner in franchise history when he throws a five-hitter, beating St. Louis at Busch Stadium, 5-1. The 28 year-old southpaw, who finishes 20-11 for the fourth-place club, will compile a 124-99 (.556) record pitching for the Reds, Orioles, and Montreal during his 11-year major league career.
On October 1, 1978, the Boston Red Sox win their eighth consecutive game to force a playoff game that will decide the American League East. Luis Tiant turned in one of the greatest clutch pitching performances in Red Sox history — shutting out Toronto, 5-0, on the final day of the regular season. The…
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