2001 – The American League celebrates its 100th anniversary as a major league.
2001 – The American League celebrates its 100th anniversary as a major league.
2001 – The American League celebrates its 100th anniversary as a major league.
After a 4-10 start, former Royals’ skipper Hal McRae replaces Larry Rothschild as new manager of the Devil Rays. Rothschild, the only pilot in the team’s four-year history, finished in last place three consecutive years, compiling a 205-294 record.
Barry Bonds becomes the 17th major leaguer, as well as the fourth Giant, to join the 500 home run club. Bonds’ two-run, 8th-inning homer off Terry Adams goes into San Francisco Bay to lead the Giants over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3 – 2. Bonds is joined at home plate by two other members of the elite fraternity, Willie Mays (660) and Willie McCovey (521), for a brief ceremony.
A swarm of bees nesting in the Coors Field’s right field auxiliary scoreboard makes their presence known when Todd Hollandsworth steps into the batter’s box to start the bottom of the fourth frame. After a nine-minute delay, the game continues without incident to the players, fans or bees, but the Rockies’ outfielder gets the crowd buzzing by hitting three home runs following the incident, including a three-run walk-off round-tripper in the tenth inning of Colorado’s 10-7 victory over Arizona.
A total eleven one-run games (six in American League and five in National League) breaks a record set on May 30, 1967 when there were a combined 10 one-run contests in the major leagues.
By scoring in their 175th consecutive game, the Cincinnati Reds set a modern National League record for not being shut out by an opponent. Coincidentally, to break the record, Cincinnati beats Al Leiter and the New York Mets, 1 – 0, the last pitcher and team to shut out the franchise.
The Blue Jays postpone the game against the Royals when SkyDome’s retractable dome gets jammed during a routine test opening, sending chunks of the roof, some as big as eight feet by six feet, crashing onto the field below. The gaping hole in the dome is clearly visible from the outside of the ballpark, making the damage easy to spot by the city’s commuters on a nearby expressway.
The combat-ready Padres, wearing camouflage jerseys and green caps, finally win the battle against the Giants, after five consecutive losses to the black and orange, 8-3. San Diego donned the uniforms to honor the area’s significant military population.
2001 – Greg Maddux of the Atlanta Braves is almost flawless for seven innings, combining with a pair of relievers to pitch a one-hitter in a 2 – 0 victory over the New York Mets. The Mets wind up with only one runner against Maddux, Mike Remlinger and John Rocker, when Todd Zeile lines a single about a foot beyond second baseman Quilvio Veras’s glove with one out in the 2nd inning.
Pittsburgh’s PNC Park makes its major league debut as hometown product Sean Casey leads the visiting Reds past the Pirates, 8 – 2. The Reds first baseman, who hit the first home run ever at Miller Park three days ago, goes 4 for 4 and again has the honor of hitting the first home run in a major league park’s history. The bat which was used to hit both historic homers is sent to the Hall of Fame.
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