In an effort to honor local military personnel, the Twins give away a G.I. Joe action figure to the first 5,000 children attending a game against the Royals. The team, in an effort to appease protesting peace groups, who see the promotion as glorifying war, asks Hasbro, the toy’s maker, to remove the customary gun from G.I. Joe’s side, but the hand grenades remain visible.

ByBaseball

In an effort to honor local military personnel, the Twins give away a G.I. Joe action figure to the first 5,000 children attending a game against the Royals. The team, in an effort to appease protesting peace groups, who see the promotion as glorifying war, asks Hasbro, the toy’s maker, to remove the customary gun from G.I. Joe’s side, but the hand grenades remain visible.

The selection of Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., and Sammy Sosa as starters in the NL All-Stars lineup marks the first time in baseball history in which three players with 500 career home runs have appeared on the same team. The trio will appear in the starting outfield in the 75th All-Star Game in Houston’s Minute Maid Park.

ByTom

The selection of Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., and Sammy Sosa as starters in the NL All-Stars lineup marks the first time in baseball history in which three players with 500 career home runs have appeared on the same team. The trio will appear in the starting outfield in the 75th All-Star Game in Houston’s Minute Maid Park.

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2004 – Morgan Ensberg, who had smacked 25 homers the year before, belts his first homer – 213 at-bats into the season . The blast is a dramatic two-run bomb over the railroad tracks in left field in the eighth to give Houston a 7-5 comeback victory over the Texas Rangers. Ensberg swats a grand slam the next night in a 10-8 win that overcomes a five-run deficit. 

ByTom

2004 – Morgan Ensberg, who had smacked 25 homers the year before, belts his first homer – 213 at-bats into the season . The blast is a dramatic two-run bomb over the railroad tracks in left field in the eighth to give Houston a 7-5 comeback victory over the Texas Rangers. Ensberg swats a grand slam the next night in a 10-8 win that overcomes a five-run deficit. 

Suffering through their worst season since their inception in 1998, the Diamondbacks replace manager Bob Brenly with third-base coach Al Pedrique. The former skipper of Arizona’s Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders becomes the second Venezuelan to manage in the big leagues.

ByTom

Suffering through their worst season since their inception in 1998, the Diamondbacks replace manager Bob Brenly with third-base coach Al Pedrique. The former skipper of Arizona’s Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders becomes the second Venezuelan to manage in the big leagues.

In the game of the year, the Yankees beat the Red Sox, 5 – 4, in 13 innings. The score is tied 3 – 3 after 9 innings and both teams have to wiggle their way out of many jams to keep it that way. In the 12th inning, the Red Sox place runners on second and third with two outs when Trot Nixon lifts a fly ball to shallow left field. Yankees SS Derek Jeter races out and catches the ball before diving headfirst into the stands and bloodying his face, forcing him to leave the game. In the top of the 13th inning, Manny Ramirez homers to give the Red Sox the lead, but the Yankees stage a two-out rally in the bottom half of the inning. Ruben Sierra singles, then comes around to score on Miguel Cairo’s game-tying RBI double. Pinch hitter John Flaherty, the last man off the Yankees’ bench, follows with a game-winning single to score Cairo.

ByTom

In the game of the year, the Yankees beat the Red Sox, 5 – 4, in 13 innings. The score is tied 3 – 3 after 9 innings and both teams have to wiggle their way out of many jams to keep it that way. In the 12th inning, the Red Sox place runners on second and third with two outs when Trot Nixon lifts a fly ball to shallow left field. Yankees SS Derek Jeter races out and catches the ball before diving headfirst into the stands and bloodying his face, forcing him to leave the game. In the top of the 13th inning, Manny Ramirez homers to give the Red Sox the lead, but the Yankees stage a two-out rally in the bottom half of the inning. Ruben Sierra singles, then comes around to score on Miguel Cairo’s game-tying RBI double. Pinch hitter John Flaherty, the last man off the Yankees’ bench, follows with a game-winning single to score Cairo.

For the third straight game, the Tigers win thanks to walk-off home run. Following the lead of teammates Eric Munson and Carlos Pena in the two previous games, Dmitri Young hits a two-run dinger in the 11th inning to beat the Indians, 9 – 7.

ByTom

For the third straight game, the Tigers win thanks to walk-off home run. Following the lead of teammates Eric Munson and Carlos Pena in the two previous games, Dmitri Young hits a two-run dinger in the 11th inning to beat the Indians, 9 – 7.

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At Bank One Ballpark, the Diamondbacks’ 40-year old fireballer Randy Johnson records his 4,000th career strikeout whiffing Padres third baseman Jeff Cirillo, a fellow USC Trojan, to become the fourth player in major league history to reach the plateau. The “Big Unit” needs fewer innings (3,237 1/3) than Nolan Ryan (3,844 2/3), Roger Clemens (4,151) or Steve Carlton (4,991 1/3) to accomplish the feat.

ByThis Day in Baseball

At Bank One Ballpark, the Diamondbacks’ 40-year old fireballer Randy Johnson records his 4,000th career strikeout whiffing Padres third baseman Jeff Cirillo, a fellow USC Trojan, to become the fourth player in major league history to reach the plateau. The “Big Unit” needs fewer innings (3,237 1/3) than Nolan Ryan (3,844 2/3), Roger Clemens (4,151) or Steve Carlton (4,991 1/3) to accomplish the feat.

In a 14 – 6 win over the Expos at Citizens Bank Park, David Bell becomes the seventh player in Phillies history to hit for the cycle. The Philadelphia third baseman joins his grandfather Gus Bell (1951) as the only grandson and grandfather combination to accomplish the feat.

ByBaseball

In a 14 – 6 win over the Expos at Citizens Bank Park, David Bell becomes the seventh player in Phillies history to hit for the cycle. The Philadelphia third baseman joins his grandfather Gus Bell (1951) as the only grandson and grandfather combination to accomplish the feat.

Larry Walker’s tenth inning home run, his third of the game, proves to be the difference in the Rockies’ 10-8 victory over Cleveland at Jacobs Field. The Colorado right fielder also hit homers off Jason Davis in the second and sixth frames.

ByThis Day in Baseball

On June 25, 2004 Larry Walker’s tenth inning home run, his third of the game, proves to be the difference in the Rockies’ 10-8 victory over Cleveland at Jacobs Field. The Colorado right fielder also hit homers off Jason Davis in the second and sixth frames.   Source National Pastime June 25

In a slugfest at the Skydome, Julio Lugo goes 5-for-5 to set a club record for hits in a game. The Toronto shortstop’s effort isn’t enough to stop the Devil Rays when they pound out 24 hits en route to a 19-13 rout of the Blue Jays.

ByNational

In a slugfest at the Skydome, Julio Lugo goes 5-for-5 to set a club record for hits in a game. The Toronto shortstop’s effort isn’t enough to stop the Devil Rays when they pound out 24 hits en route to a 19-13 rout of the Blue Jays.