1996 – Juan Gonzalez hits a home run and drives in six runs as Texas beats Baltimore, 26 – 7. Texas scores 16 runs in the 8th inning – one short of the modern major league mark – and scores the most runs by an American League team in 41 years. Jesse Orosco’s ERA rises from an ugly 9.82 to an almost unfathomable 27.00. Orosco is relieved by infielder Manny Alexander, who gets the last two outs but walks off the mound with a 67.50 ERA.

Padres pitching prospect Matt LaChappa‚ 20‚ suffers a massive heart attack while warming up for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. He will remain severely disabled, but the Padres will keep re-signing him year after year so that he receives proper medical coverage.

Warming up in the outfield before the Indians’ game with Toronto‚ Albert Belle heaves a ball at photographer Tony Tomsic‚ hitting him. Belle contends that it wasn’t deliberate‚ even though it was his second throw near Tomsic‚ and even though he warned the photographer not to snap his picture. The league will open an investigation in two weeks and Tomsic will file a lawsuit on December 12th. The Indians win the game‚ defeating the Blue Jays‚ 5 – 3.

Terry Pendleton hits a game-ending homer leading off the 10th to give Florida a 1 – 0 win over the Giants. Mark Dewey‚ in relief of starter Mark Leiter who went 9 innings‚ serves up the gopher.

Tiger CF Melvin Nieves bangs two doubles‚ a triple and a homer as the Tigers top the A’s‚ 6 – 1. Nieves was acquired from the Padres in a spring training trade.

The Twins hand the Orioles their first loss of the year‚ topping the O’s‚ 8 – 3. Cal Ripken fumbles a grounder in the 5th inning stopping his errorless streak at 74 games.