The Devil Rays announce the team will play their exhibition games in St. Petersburg, the city being vacated by the Cardinals, who have trained there since 1946. The American League expansion team becomes the first club in the ‘modern era’ to host spring training games in their major league home city.
The Colorado Rockies bang out 21 hits, including a pair of three-run home runs by Andres Galarraga, to hook the Florida Marlins, 17 – 5. The Rockies score seven runs in the 1st inning when they hit three of their five home runs. Galarraga collects seven RBI for the day.
The Texas Rangers become the first American League team in 79 years to pitch consecutive one-hitters as Roger Pavlik holds the Detroit Tigers to a 5th-inning home run in a 3 – 1 win. Ken Hill one-hit Detroit on May 3rd, retiring the last 26 batters he faced.
Texas starter Ken Hill yields a one-out first-inning infield single to Bobby Higginson before going on to retire the next 26 batters in the team’s 11-0 victory at Tiger Stadium. Tomorrow, the Ranger right-hander’s effort will be matched by teammate Roger Pavlik, who will also give up only one hit against Detroit, making it the first time in 79 years in the American League that a team has thrown consecutive one-hitters.
1996 – Jeff King of the Pittsburgh Pirates becomes the third major leaguer to hit two home runs in one inning twice in his career in the 10 – 7 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium. King first accomplished the feat a year earlier on August 8th. King joins Willie McCovey and Andre Dawson in the exclusive club.
New York Mets closer John Franco becomes the first left-hander in major league history to record 300 saves, exactly 12 years after he gained his first save with the Cincinnati Reds.
1996 – Barry Bonds becomes only the fourth player in major league history to amass 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases when he homers in the 3rd inning in the San Francisco Giants’ 6 – 3 victory over the Florida Marlins. His father, Bobby Bonds, along with godfather Willie Mays and Andre Dawson are the only other players to reach 300-300.
1996 – Greg Myers and Paul Molitor each have five RBI as the Minnesota Twins set a team record for runs and rout the Detroit Tigers, 24 – 11. It is the highest run total against the Tigers in 84 years, matching the mark set in a 24 – 2 loss to the Philadelphia Athletics on May 18, 1912, in a game in which Detroit did not have its regulars due to a players’ strike.
VINTAGE BASEBALL MEMORABILIA Vintage Baseball Memorabilia April 22, 1996 – Shawon Dunston makes 4 errors‚ but participates in 4 of the San Francisco Giants 5 double plays in an 11-8 loss to the Houston Astros. Dunston is mercifully lifted in the 8th‚ but his 4 errors is the most by a Giant since Bob…
The Mariners surpass the 1984 White Sox record for home runs hit by a team in April with their 39th round-tripper. Seattle will extend the mark to 44 homers by month’s end.
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