The Red Sox become the fourth team in big league history to sell out an entire 81-game home season. The Indians (1996-2000), Rockies (1996), and Giants (2000) are the other clubs that have accomplished the feat.
With the bases loaded in the fourth inning during an eventual 6-2 Expos victory at Dolphin Stadium, Mike Lowell tags Brian Schneider, taking a lead off third base. The Expos catcher becomes the victim of the hidden ball trick, not realizing the Marlins third baseman had not given the pitcher the ball after visiting the mound.
At Oakland’s Network Associates Coliseum, a female fan suffers a broken nose, facial lacerations, and a possible concussion as she is hit with a plastic chair thrown by Ranger reliever Frank Francisco. The altercation between fans and the several Rangers players, which takes place in the field box seats between the Texas dugout and bullpen, occurs with two outs in the ninth inning after Texas’ Alfonso Soriano’s second homer of the game ties the game 5-5.
2004 – As 36,887 Bank One Ballpark fans hope to see Barry Bonds hit his 699th and perhaps 700th career homer, they watch the Giant left fielder reach a different milestone. The San Francisco slugger receives three bases on balls from Diamondback pitchers to break his own record and becomes the first major leaguer to walk over 200 times in a single season.
Joe Randa becomes the first player in American League history to collect six hits and score six runs in the a nine-inning game. The Kansas City third baseman’s offensive output contributes to the Royals’ 26-5 rout over Tigers.
Lino Urdaneta’s first major league appearance results in an earned run average of infinity when the Tigers rookie does not retire a batter, giving up five hits, one walk, and six earned runs. Fortunately for the right-hander, the Mets will give him the opportunity to appear in two games in 2007, in which he allows one run in one inning of work, to bring down his ERA to a much more respectable 63.00.
2004 – Once down by seven games in the Wild Card standings and behind five other clubs, the Astros come all the way back on the wings of their 12th straight win, a 5-2 triumph over Cincinnati, clinching their third straight series sweep. Four homers in the first inning (by Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman and Mike Lamb) is all Roger Clemens needs to get his 16th win, the 326th of his career, passing Eddie Plank for 11th on the All-Time wins list. The Astros tie the club record for winning streaks, set in 1999. The victory, however, ends their streak of eleven straight games scoring six or more runs, not done since the Brooklyn Bridegrooms in 1895.
2004 – Keith Ramsey of the Kinston Indians throws a perfect game against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in the last game of the Carolina League regular season. It is the 4th 9-inning perfect game in league history and the first in 26 years.
2004 – Roger Clemens claims his 325th career victory, passing Nolan Ryan and Don Sutton, two former Astros, for 12th place on the all-time wins list. He does so in an 8-6 triumph over Pittsburgh. Home runs by Jose Vizcaino, Carlos Beltran, Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell stake Clemens to a 7-0 lead but he gives up six runs in the seventh before leaving. Lance Berkman adds an insurance tally while the bullpen quiets the Bucs. It is Clemens’ 15th win of the season and Houston’s seventh straight as they climb within 2-1/2 games of Chicago for the wild card playoff spot.
Minnesota’s Terry Mulholland goes 6 innings and allows 2 runs in the Twins’ 4 – 2 win over Baltimore. Mulholland and catcher Pat Borders‚ who was obtained the previous day from Seattle for B.J. Garbe‚ are the first pair of 40-something batterymates since Curt Davis and Clyde Sukeforth for the Dodgers in 1945.
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