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8/31/1993 – In the bottom of the first inning, the Rockies reversed the third and fourth hitters in the lineup. Andres Galarraga batted instead of Dante Bichette and grounded out to end the inning. Bichette then led off the second with an infield single and eventually scored the first Rockies run. The Expos did not protest and eventually won the game 14-3. Bichette had four hits in four at bats in the game while Galarraga went zero for four.

ByThis Day in Baseball

8/31/1993 – In the bottom of the first inning, the Rockies reversed the third and fourth hitters in the lineup. Andres Galarraga batted instead of Dante Bichette and grounded out to end the inning. Bichette then led off the second with an infield single and eventually scored the first Rockies run. The Expos did not protest and eventually won the game 14-3. Bichette had four hits in four at bats in the game while Galarraga went zero for four.

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9/23/1989 – The Blue Jays skipped a batter in the middle of this game in Milwaukee. After going through the order twice, Ernie Whitt’s third plate appearance was a ground out to end the fifth inning. Tony Fernandez should have led off the sixth but Kelly Gruber batted instead of his partner on the left side of the infield. After Gruber flew out no protest was raised. Fernandez never came to the plate in that turn through the lineup and finished the game with three plate appearances as Toronto lost, 4-1.

ByTom

9/23/1989 – The Blue Jays skipped a batter in the middle of this game in Milwaukee. After going through the order twice, Ernie Whitt’s third plate appearance was a ground out to end the fifth inning. Tony Fernandez should have led off the sixth but Kelly Gruber batted instead of his partner on the left side of the infield. After Gruber flew out no protest was raised. Fernandez never came to the plate in that turn through the lineup and finished the game with three plate appearances as Toronto lost, 4-1.

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8/27/1989 – Astros manager Art Howe attempted to change his lineup a couple of hours before the game. He wanted Alex Trevino in the second spot and Rafael Ramirez in the eighth spot. Howe told coach Matt Galante to make the switch. Galante changed the lineup card for the dugout but Howe failed to change the lineup card given to the umpires. In the bottom of the first, Trevino singled with one out in the number two spot. Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog then pointed out that Trevino batted out of turn according to the official lineup. This resulted in the second out of the inning. According to the rules, Ramirez (the proper batter) was out. However, the umpires then allowed Ramirez to bat. He flied out, apparently ending the inning. Then Herzog talked with the umpires again about an incorrect batter, this time Ramirez. After a few minutes of discussion, the umpires put the Cardinals back on the field and made Kevin Bass, the number three hitter, bat. He struck out to end the inning. The Astros had lost the previous five games but beat the Redbirds, 6-3. Ken Caminiti said: “Everybody in the dugout was laughing’We knew we had hit rock bottom when we couldn’t even bat in the right order.”

ByTom

8/27/1989 – Astros manager Art Howe attempted to change his lineup a couple of hours before the game. He wanted Alex Trevino in the second spot and Rafael Ramirez in the eighth spot. Howe told coach Matt Galante to make the switch. Galante changed the lineup card for the dugout but Howe failed to change the lineup card given to the umpires. In the bottom of the first, Trevino singled with one out in the number two spot. Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog then pointed out that Trevino batted out of turn according to the official lineup. This resulted in the second out of the inning. According to the rules, Ramirez (the proper batter) was out. However, the umpires then allowed Ramirez to bat. He flied out, apparently ending the inning. Then Herzog talked with the umpires again about an incorrect batter, this time Ramirez. After a few minutes of discussion, the umpires put the Cardinals back on the field and made Kevin Bass, the number three hitter, bat. He struck out to end the inning. The Astros had lost the previous five games but beat the Redbirds, 6-3. Ken Caminiti said: “Everybody in the dugout was laughing’We knew we had hit rock bottom when we couldn’t even bat in the right order.”

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8/10/1989 – Oakland’s Tony Phillips had a fun day at the plate even though he did not get a hit in this game at Comiskey Park. Phillips was listed in the eighth spot in the batting order. In the top of the second inning, he batted in the seventh place instead of Ron Hassey and grounded out to end the inning. Evidently the Athletics realized this mistake and tried to take corrective action to start the third inning. Instead of properly continuing on with the ninth-place hitter, Mike Gallego, Oakland sent up the eighth-place hitter (Phillips again!) thinking that was the correct action after the “seventh” batter had ended the previous inning. This time he walked. The White Sox did not protest the action but Phillips was left stranded at third base when the inning ended. When that part of the lineup came around again in the fourth inning, the Athletics batted in the proper order and scored two runs. They won the game, 4-1.

ByTom

8/10/1989 – Oakland’s Tony Phillips had a fun day at the plate even though he did not get a hit in this game at Comiskey Park. Phillips was listed in the eighth spot in the batting order. In the top of the second inning, he batted in the seventh place instead of Ron Hassey and grounded out to end the inning. Evidently the Athletics realized this mistake and tried to take corrective action to start the third inning. Instead of properly continuing on with the ninth-place hitter, Mike Gallego, Oakland sent up the eighth-place hitter (Phillips again!) thinking that was the correct action after the “seventh” batter had ended the previous inning. This time he walked. The White Sox did not protest the action but Phillips was left stranded at third base when the inning ended. When that part of the lineup came around again in the fourth inning, the Athletics batted in the proper order and scored two runs. They won the game, 4-1.

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6/27/1988 – Cincinnati manager Pete Rose turned in a different lineup to the umpires than he was using in the dugout. The official lineup had Kal Daniels in left field batting third. However, when the team took the field to start the game, Dave Collins trotted out to left field thereby becoming a substitute in the lineup. Daniels was now out of the game. In the bottom of the first, Barry Larkin walked and then Collins, who was in the third slot, batted instead of the second hitter, Chris Sabo. When Collins popped out, the Padres said nothing. Now the next batter should have been the fourth-place hitter, Eric Davis, but Sabo came to the plate. When he reached on an error, the Padres noted the lineup problem and Davis was called out . The Reds lost the game, 9-2.

ByTom

6/27/1988 – Cincinnati manager Pete Rose turned in a different lineup to the umpires than he was using in the dugout. The official lineup had Kal Daniels in left field batting third. However, when the team took the field to start the game, Dave Collins trotted out to left field thereby becoming a substitute in the lineup. Daniels was now out of the game. In the bottom of the first, Barry Larkin walked and then Collins, who was in the third slot, batted instead of the second hitter, Chris Sabo. When Collins popped out, the Padres said nothing. Now the next batter should have been the fourth-place hitter, Eric Davis, but Sabo came to the plate. When he reached on an error, the Padres noted the lineup problem and Davis was called out . The Reds lost the game, 9-2.

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6/27/1983 – The Mariners got away with one in this game in the Kingdome against the White Sox. After sixth-place batter Al Cowens flew out to start the second inning, Dave Henderson, who was listed in the eighth spot, also flew out. Then the player listed seventh in the lineup, Jamie Allen, came to the plate and walked. Tony LaRussa said nothing and no runs were scored in the inning. However, the second time through the lineup the Mariners’ hitters batted in the correct order and every one made an out. It was the third time through the lineup in the sixth inning that LaRussa complained. Cowens and Allen both made outs and then Henderson, hitting in the correct spot, singled to center. The protest was now made unsuccessfully since the Mariners were following the lineup card order. Seattle scored two runs in the inning to tie the game at 4-4 but eventually lost, 7-4.

ByTom

6/27/1983 – The Mariners got away with one in this game in the Kingdome against the White Sox. After sixth-place batter Al Cowens flew out to start the second inning, Dave Henderson, who was listed in the eighth spot, also flew out. Then the player listed seventh in the lineup, Jamie Allen, came to the plate and walked. Tony LaRussa said nothing and no runs were scored in the inning. However, the second time through the lineup the Mariners’ hitters batted in the correct order and every one made an out. It was the third time through the lineup in the sixth inning that LaRussa complained. Cowens and Allen both made outs and then Henderson, hitting in the correct spot, singled to center. The protest was now made unsuccessfully since the Mariners were following the lineup card order. Seattle scored two runs in the inning to tie the game at 4-4 but eventually lost, 7-4.

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7/4/1982 – The Yankees were playing in Cleveland. In the first inning, they had the bases loaded and one run in when Roy Smalley batted in Graig Nettles’ place. Smalley flew out to end the inning and nothing was said by the Indians. New York won the game, 3-2.

ByThis Day in Baseball

7/4/1982 – The Yankees were playing in Cleveland. In the first inning, they had the bases loaded and one run in when Roy Smalley batted in Graig Nettles’ place. Smalley flew out to end the inning and nothing was said by the Indians. New York won the game, 3-2.

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5/4/1980 – The Dodgers were visiting Philadelphia and the top of the first inning was not Dallas Green’s best day on the way to the World Series championship. Davey Lopes singled and Rudy Law reached on an infield error. After Reggie Smith popped out, Law stole second base. Steve Garvey reached on an infield single, scoring the first run of the game. Dusty Baker then hit into a force out leaving runners on first and third but had batted out of turn. Green came out and pointed out the fact that the proper batter had not hit. Thus Ron Cey was called out, the runners restored to their previous bases and Baker batted again. This time he hit a three-run homer to left. Green now was very upset saying that Baker should not have batted believing according to newspaper accounts that Baker’s force out should count and Cey should be ruled out . He was ejected from the game and protested the game. The protest was denied as the rules were followed correctly. The incorrect decision was Green’s when he did not take the out on Baker’s first trip to the plate. The Dodgers eventually won the game 12-10.

ByThis Day in Baseball

5/4/1980 – The Dodgers were visiting Philadelphia and the top of the first inning was not Dallas Green’s best day on the way to the World Series championship. Davey Lopes singled and Rudy Law reached on an infield error. After Reggie Smith popped out, Law stole second base. Steve Garvey reached on an infield single, scoring the first run of the game. Dusty Baker then hit into a force out leaving runners on first and third but had batted out of turn. Green came out and pointed out the fact that the proper batter had not hit. Thus Ron Cey was called out, the runners restored to their previous bases and Baker batted again. This time he hit a three-run homer to left. Green now was very upset saying that Baker should not have batted believing according to newspaper accounts that Baker’s force out should count and Cey should be ruled out . He was ejected from the game and protested the game. The protest was denied as the rules were followed correctly. The incorrect decision was Green’s when he did not take the out on Baker’s first trip to the plate. The Dodgers eventually won the game 12-10.

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4/27/1980 – In the top of the first at Milwaukee’s County Stadium, there were two out and a runner on first when Roy Howell walked. However, Otto Velez had been the scheduled batter and when the Brewers objected, Velez was called out to end the inning. Toronto won the game, 8-2.

ByTom

4/27/1980 – In the top of the first at Milwaukee’s County Stadium, there were two out and a runner on first when Roy Howell walked. However, Otto Velez had been the scheduled batter and when the Brewers objected, Velez was called out to end the inning. Toronto won the game, 8-2.

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4/22/1980 – In the bottom of the second inning, the Mariners’ Bill Stein and Joe Simpson batted out of order, both reached base and yet nothing was said. With one out, Simpson doubled to left and then Stein was hit by a pitch. Larry Cox singled to right filling the bases but pinch hitter Leon Roberts grounded into a double play to end the inning and the threat. Seattle scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat Oakland, 5-4.

ByTom

4/22/1980 – In the bottom of the second inning, the Mariners’ Bill Stein and Joe Simpson batted out of order, both reached base and yet nothing was said. With one out, Simpson doubled to left and then Stein was hit by a pitch. Larry Cox singled to right filling the bases but pinch hitter Leon Roberts grounded into a double play to end the inning and the threat. Seattle scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat Oakland, 5-4.