On April 9, 1970, diminutive Baltimore Orioles outfielder Don Buford slams home runs from both sides of the plate in a 13-1 rout of the Cleveland Indians. Not known as a power hitter, Buford will go on to hit a career-high 17 home runs in 1970. His first came off Rich Hand is his MLB debut. 

[jetpack_subscription_form title=”Join the Community” subscribe_text=”We bring you cool stories about the game, players, ballparks and the people that shaped the game!”  subscribe_button=”Join us!” show_subscribers_total=”1″]

Subscribe to our Podcast

The Daily Rewind

on Apples Podcast | Spotify  | Google | Stitcher

And connect with us wherever else you listen to Podcast and hangout!

Game ticket & learn more about the players, teams, stadiums and dates in history

@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@

Baltimore Orioles 13, Cleveland Indians 1

Game Played on Thursday, April 9, 1970 (D) at Cleveland Stadium

BAL A    0  1  1    4  0  5    0  2  0  -  13 13  0
CLE A    0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   1  2  1

BOX+PBP
WP: Phoebus (1-0)
LP: Hand (0-1)
HR: Buford 2 (2), Powell (1), Johnson (1), Pinson (1)

Play by Play

ORIOLES 1ST: Buford grounded out (first unassisted); Debut
game for Rich Hand; Belanger was called out on strikes;
Crowley popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Orioles 0, Indians 0.

INDIANS 1ST: Uhlaender made an out to shortstop; Klimchock
walked; Phoebus threw a wild pitch [Klimchock to second]; Pinson
popped to catcher in foul territory; Sims grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles 0, Indians 0.

ORIOLES 2ND: Powell grounded out (second to first); Blair
doubled to left; B. Robinson doubled to right [Blair scored];
Johnson lined into a double play (right to second) [B. Robinson
out at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 1, Indians 0.

INDIANS 2ND: Nagelson flied out to left; Nettles walked; Nettles
stole second; Leon grounded out (pitcher to first) [Nettles to
third]; Heidemann was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Orioles 1, Indians 0.

ORIOLES 3RD: Hendricks flied out to left; Phoebus struck out;
Buford homered; Belanger struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Orioles 2, Indians 0.

INDIANS 3RD: Hand grounded out (third to first); Uhlaender
grounded out (first unassisted); Klimchock grounded out (second
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 2, Indians 0.

ORIOLES 4TH: Crowley walked; Powell homered [Crowley scored];
Blair walked; Blair stole second; Blair was picked off second
but was safe on an error by Hand [Blair to third]; B. Robinson
hit a sacrifice fly to right [Blair scored]; Johnson homered;
ELLSWORTH REPLACED HAND (PITCHING); Hendricks struck out;
Phoebus grounded out (first unassisted); 4 R, 2 H, 1 E, 0 LOB. 
Orioles 6, Indians 0.

INDIANS 4TH: Pinson singled to right; Sims struck out; Nagelson
forced Pinson (shortstop to second); Nettles flied out to
center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles 6, Indians 0.

ORIOLES 5TH: Buford grounded out (pitcher to first); Belanger
flied out to right; RETTENMUND BATTED FOR CROWLEY; Rettenmund
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Orioles 6, Indians 0.

INDIANS 5TH: RETTENMUND STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Leon
grounded out (pitcher to first); Heidemann grounded out (third
to first); Ellsworth grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 6, Indians 0.

ORIOLES 6TH: Powell grounded out (second to first); Blair
singled to left; Blair stole second; B. Robinson flied out to
center; Johnson was walked intentionally; Hendricks walked
[Blair to third, Johnson to second]; Phoebus singled to right
[Blair scored, Johnson scored, Hendricks to third]; Buford
homered [Hendricks scored, Phoebus scored]; Belanger was called
out on strikes; 5 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 11, Indians 0.

INDIANS 6TH: Uhlaender flied out to center; Klimchock grounded
out (second to first); Pinson grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 11, Indians 0.

ORIOLES 7TH: Rettenmund grounded out (shortstop to first);
Powell grounded out (second to first); Blair grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 11, Indians
0.

INDIANS 7TH: Sims was called out on strikes; Nagelson struck out
(catcher to first); Nettles walked; Leon walked [Nettles to
second]; Heidemann forced Leon (shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Orioles 11, Indians 0.

ORIOLES 8TH: B. Robinson singled to third; Johnson doubled [B.
Robinson to third]; Hendricks reached on a fielder's choice [B.
Robinson out at home (pitcher to second to catcher)]; Phoebus
singled to center [Johnson scored, Hendricks to third]; Buford
hit a sacrifice fly to right [Hendricks scored]; Belanger
singled to left [Phoebus to second]; Rettenmund walked [Phoebus
to third, Belanger to second]; Powell grounded out (second to
first); 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Orioles 13, Indians 0.

INDIANS 8TH: FOSTER BATTED FOR ELLSWORTH; Foster flied out to
center; Uhlaender grounded out (third to first); Klimchock
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles
13, Indians 0.

ORIOLES 9TH: MILLER REPLACED FOSTER (PITCHING); Blair singled to
left; B. Robinson struck out; Johnson flied out to right;
Hendricks grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. 
Orioles 13, Indians 0.

INDIANS 9TH: Pinson homered; Sims grounded out (second to
first); Nagelson grounded out (shortstop to first); Nettles made
an out to shortstop; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 13, Indians
1.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
 Orioles         13  13   0    4
 Indians          1   2   1    5