This week we look at Curt Flood going to Washington. Bean Balls that changed lives – Ray Chapman and Tony C, Power steals by Vic Power, and lost icon as Mickey Mantle Passes away, One incredible streak by Jack Taylor. Listen to our new section on Fan Stories – today we thank Ray Wilson. On…
2018 – After another great performance by Max Scherzer, the Nationals go into the bottom of the 9th with a 3 – 0 lead in a Sunday night game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, only to see rookie David Bote hit a two-out pinch-hit walk-off grand slam off Ryan Madson for a 4 – 3 win.
2017 – Chris Rowley becomes the first graduate of the United States Military Academy in almost a century to make his major league debut. He pitches 5 1/3 innings allowing only 1 run in a 7 – 2 Blue Jays win over the Pirates. Rowley had missed the 2014 and 2015 seasons while service as a first lieutenant on active duty in the United States Army.
2016 – As announced a week earlier, Alex Rodriguez plays his final game for the Yankees today, going 1 for 4 with a 1st-inning RBI double off Chris Archer of the Rays in a 6 – 3 Yankees win. The Yankees indulge him by letting him play at his old position, third base, in the 9th; he then leaves the game under the crowd’s applause after one out, ending his career only 4 homers short of 700, but done as a player at 41.
Hisashi Iwakuma of the Mariners throws a no-hitter in blanking the Orioles, 3 – 0. It is the first complete game and shutout of Iwakuma’s career, and he becomes the second Japanese pitcher to throw a no-hitter, after Hideo Nomo, who had two of them.
The Blue Jays overtake the Yankees for first place in the AL East after registering their 10th straight win, 10 – 3 over the A’s combined with the Yankees’ 2 – 1 loss to Cleveland, their fifth in a row. Toronto uses the home run once again, with three-run blasts from Chris Colabello and Justin Smoak in support of R.A. Dickey’s fourth straight winning start. The Jays have homered in 23 of 24 games since the All-Star break.
The Giants honored longtime fan and friend Robin Williams, a cultural icon who died suddenly yesterday at the age of 63. The team pays tribute to the legend of screen and stage by having a moment of silence prior to the game against the White Sox and playing a clip from the movie Mrs. Doubtfire on the AT&T Park scoreboard.
2014 – Joe Kelly becomes the first Red Sox pitcher to steal a base since Bill Landis in 1969. Ignored by pitcher Mat Latos, he steals third base in the 3rd inning of Boston’s 3 – 2 win over Cincinnati. The last major league pitcher to steal third base had been Ted Lilly, back in 2008.
Tim Pinkard, attending his first game at Minute Maid Park, catches two home runs balls, both off the bat of the Astros’ DH Chris Carter. In the third inning of Houston’s 10-4 victory over Minnesota, the Springfield (VA) resident gets his first souvenir of the night when the ball rebounds off a sign in left field, and then in the fifth frame, against astronomical odds, catches the second round-tripper stroked by the same batter, which is a laser shot hit directly to his seat.
Charlie Manuel, the winningest pilot in 130 years of Phillies baseball, became the 58th manager in baseball history to win 1,000 games. During his 12-year managerial career, the 69 year-old skipper, who will be replaced by Ryne Sandberg in six days, has compiled 780 wins with Philadelphia and had another 220 with the Indians to reach the plateau.