By drawing 27,549 fans, the Yankees break the New York City season attendance record with a total of 3,072,009. The Mets had previously held the record when 3,047,724 turned the turnstiles in 1988.
In a 12-4 Orioles victory over the A’s at Camden Yards, Albert Belle becomes only the third player in baseball history to hit four doubles in one game twice during his career, and the first one to do so in one season. Along with the Baltimore designated hitter, Gavvy Cravath and Bill Werber are the two other major leaguers to accomplish the feat.
1999 – The Red Sox defeat the Blue Jays, 3 – 0, as Pedro Martinez fans 12 for his 22nd win. He joins Randy Johnson as the only pitchers to strike out at least 300 in both leagues, and breaks Roger Clemens’ club mark of 291 strikeouts.
1999 – Jeff Bagwell slugs a two-run bomb off Rick Croushore to nip the Cardinals, 4-3. Chris Holt holds St. Louis in check except for Mark McGwire, who drills his 57th and 58th homers of the season. Billy Wagner earns his 37th save, breaking the club record set by Doug Jones in 1992.
The Rangers defeat the Devil Rays, 6 – 1. Tampa Bay P Jim Morris makes his major league debut by fanning Royce Clayton in the 8th inning. At 36, he becomes the oldest rookie pitcher since Diomedes Olivo (age 40) with Pittsburgh in 1960. Morris was a high school baseball coach and science teacher just four months ago when he tried out at the urging of his players. His life story will be turned into a movie.
Slammin’ Sammy Sosa becomes the first player in major league history to hit 60 homers in a season twice when hits a sixth-inning solo shot off right-hander Jason Bere in the Cubs’ 7-4 loss to the Brewers at Wrigley Field. The 30 year-old Dominican outfielder hit 66 home runs in last season’s historic home run race with Mark McGwire.
An incident that will help speed the firing of Orioles gemeral manager Frank Wren occurs today. Cal Ripken Jr. is delayed in traffic and calls the team’s traveling secretary to assure him that he’d be arriving at the airport within the next 10 minutes. At Wren’s order, however, the plane takes off without Cal, who arrives at the gate a few minutes later and has to make his own travel arrangements. When Wren is fired after the season, Orioles management blames him for operating in “such an unreasonable, authoritarian manner”. The O’s defeat the Twins, 8 – 3, as Jesse Orosco preserves Mike Mussina’s 15th win. For Orosco, it is major-league record 1,072 appearance. He had been tied with Dennis Eckersley.
In a 9 – 3 win over Oakland, Kansas City’s prize rookie, Carlos Beltran, passes the 100 RBI and 100 runs scored mark, the first rookie to do so since Fred Lynn in 1975.
Seattle general manager Woody Woodward announces his retirement.
The Cardinals score nine runs in the 4th inning on their way to an 11 – 8 win over the Astros. Mark McGwire hits home run #56 on the season, and the 513th of his career. Big Mac passes Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews on the all-time list.