At Los Angeles, the Reds’ Dan Driessen hits a long drive to CF with two outs in the 9th that bounces off the glove off Derrel Thomas and over the wall for a home run. The Reds win it over the Dodgers, 2 – 1.
1979 – Cincinnati overtakes Houston for the N.L. West lead during a tense 9-8 loss at Riverfront Stadium. It is the Astros’ first true pennant-race showdown. Both aces, Tom Seaver and J.R. Richard, start. They are long gone by the time Dave Concepcion and George Foster homer off Joe Sambito for the decisive runs. Rafael Landestoy goes 5-for-5 to pace Houston.
The Expos beat the Cubs at Olympic Stadium, 8-6, for their 82nd win of the campaign. The victory ensures Montreal of a winning season for the first in the 11-year history of the franchise.
Graig Nettles hits an 8th-inning home run to help the Yankees and Ron Guidry beat Detroit, 5 – 4. It is Guidry’s 10th straight win.
In Oakland’s 2 – 1 win over the White Sox, A’s Rob Picciolo (.234 career) gets his only intentional walk as the Sox elect to pitch to rookie Rickey Henderson. Rickey walks in a run to beat the Sox. Picciolo will have just 25 career walks in nine seasons.
Carl Yastrzemski of the Red Sox gets three hits to pass Ted Williams on the all-time total base list. ‘Teddy Ballgame’ collected 2,654 hits during his 19 seasons with Boston.
1979 – The Giants fire manager Joe Altobelli‚ promoting coach Dave Bristol in his place.
Just one defeat shy of the American League record, A’s starting pitcher Matt Keough snaps his eighteen-game consecutive losing streak, which includes four losses at the end of last season. The 24 year-old right-hander tosses a 6-1 complete-game victory over the Brewers at the Oakland Coliseum to avoid the dubious distinction.
1979 – The Orioles win a pair from Toronto, 2 – 1 in 11 innings, and 5 – 1. Eddie Murray provides the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 11th. Tippy Martinez is the winner. Mike Flanagan is the winner in the nitecap, the major league’s first 20-game winner this year.
1979 – With his 145th career pinch-hit, Dodger Manny Mota sets a major league record.
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