1988 – Nolan Ryan wins his 100th game as an Astro, dropping the New York Mets, 6-3. Only Cy Young before him had won 100 games for two teams in two separate leagues. A four-run fifth inning is the difference as RBI singles by Glenn Davis, Buddy Bell and Billy Hatcher surround four walks.
Chris Speier hits for the cycle and Ernest Riles hits the 10,000th home run in Giants history to lead San Francisco to a 21 – 2 rout of the Cardinals. The 21 runs are a San Francisco record. Speier also cycled as an Expo in 1978, just the 4th major leaguer to do so for two teams. He joins Joe Cronin (Washington, 1929; Red Sox, 1940), Babe Herman (Dodgers, 1931; Cubs, 1933) and Bob Watson (Astros, 1977; Boston, 1979).
On July 8, 1988, Bud Black of the Cleveland Indians epitomizes the phrase “wild left-hander” when he hits three California Angels batters with pitches in one inning, tying a major league record. Black hits Jack Howell, Devon White, and Johnny Ray in the fourth inning of a 10-6 loss to the Angels. Bert Blyleven will match…
Kansas City releases pitcher Dan Quisenberry, whose 238 saves are the 4th most in major league history. He will sign with St. Louis next week.
National League umpire Lee Weyer, 51, dies of a heart attack after working the Cubs’ 3 – 2 win over San Francisco.
As he did yesterday, Mark McGwire belts a 16th-inning homer to give the A’s a 4 – 2 win over Cleveland. Doug Jones pitches three shutout innings for Cleveland, but gets no decision, ending his major league-record streak of 15 consecutive saves.
Rangers P Charlie Hough strikes out four batters in the 1st inning of a 13 – 2 loss to the Yankees.
On July 3, 1988 Oakland P Gene Nelson steals a base while pinch running for Don Baylor in a 9 – 8, 16-inning win over Toronto, becoming the first American League pitcher to steal a base since John “Blue Moon” Odom in 1973. Jose Canseco’s three home runs are not quite enough, and the game is not decided until Mark McGwire connects in the 16th inning to end it. McGwire will…
7/1/1988: Rich Gedman on the Red Sox homered off Gene Garber in Kansas City in the eighth inning with 1 man on base. And Boston behind 8-7. First base umpire Dale Scott (part of a three man crew) ruled the fly foul although it hit off the right field pole. Gedman then hit into a double play and the score remained 8-7.
Alarmed by the White Sox’s threatened move to St. Petersburg, Florida, Illinois lawmakers grant state subsidies for a new stadium to replace venerable but decaying Comiskey Park.
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