Tag: August 17

2018 – The Cubs tie a major league record by turning seven double plays in a 1 – 0 win over the Pirates. Fittingly, the game ends when David Freese hits a grounder to 3B David Bote who starts the record-tying twin killing. They are the third team to achieve the feat in a 9-inning game.

The Commissioner’s office issues an indefinite suspension against Astros minor league outfielder Danry Vasquez, one day after the release of a tape from a surveillance camera showing him assaulting his girlfriend in a stairwell at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, TX. The Astros immediately announce that he has been handed his unconditional release, as teams no longer show any tolerance for serious incidents of family violence.

Down 3 games to 1 in the 2016 Italian Series, defending champion Rimini trails Game 5 by a 2 – 1 margin after 5 1/2. In the bottom of the 6th, Daniel Mayora takes Luca Panerati of Bologna deep to tie it. Then, in the 7th, Mayora hits a grand slam off Riccardo De Santis to put Rimini in charge, forcing a Game 6 and keeping their hopes alive.

2014 – Michael Cuddyer returns to the Rockies’ line-up after missing 60 days because of a fractured shoulder and hits for the cycle on his first day back as the Rockies sweep the Reds, 10 – 9 and 10 – 5, in a doubleheader. Cuddyer goes 1-for-5 in the opener before collecting his second career cycle in the nitecap; he is only the third player to have one in both leagues, after Bob Watson and John Olerud. Before the games, the Rockies retire uniform number 17 in honor of long-time 1B Todd Helton, who retired after last season.

Michael Cuddyer is the 30th player to hit for multiple cycles, but becomes only the third player to accomplish the feat in both the American and National League, joining Bob Watson (Astros, 1977, and Red Sox, 1979) and John Olerud (Mets, 1997, and Mariners, 2001). The rare baseball occurrence is completed with an eighth inning double off Reds reliever Manny Parra, who yielded three of the hits in the outfielder’s first cycle in 2009, pitching for the Brewers in a game against the Twins.

Michael Cuddyer is the 30th player to hit for multiple cycles, but becomes only the third player to accomplish the feat in both the American and National League, joining Bob Watson (Astros, 1977, and Red Sox, 1979) and John Olerud (Mets, 1997, and Mariners, 2001). The rare baseball occurrence is completed with an eighth inning double off Reds reliever Manny Parra, who yielded three of the hits in the outfielder’s first cycle in 2009, pitching for the Brewers in a game against the Twins.

2013 – The Royals’ Miguel Tejada is handed a 105-game suspension for testing positive for amphetamines. In the game that follows, Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers hits a walk-off homer against Aaron Crow in the 9th inning for a 6 – 5 win over the Royals.

Clayton Kershaw blanks the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, 5-0, giving the Dodgers their first double-digit winning streak since 2006. The team’s 42 victories in their last fifty games, including a 25-3 mark since the All-Star break, equals the 1941 Yankees and 1942 Cardinals for the best record for that span of games since 1900.

Miguel Tejada is suspended for 105 games, one of the longest in baseball history, after he reportedly tested positive on multiple occasions this season for Adderall, an amphetamine used to treat attention-deficit disorder. The 39 year-old Royals infielder, a six-time All-Star, apologizes to the organization, his teammates, and the Kansas City fans, explaining his medical condition requires medication, but that he was wrong to take it while re-applying for a Therapeutic Use Exemption.

Clayton Kershaw blanks the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, 5-0, giving the Dodgers their first double-digit winning streak since 2006. The team’s 42 victories in their last fifty games, including a 25-3 mark since the All-Star break, equals the 1941 Yankees and 1942 Cardinals for the best record for that span of games since 1900.

In the last day of first-round action at the 2012 Women’s Baseball World Cup, host Canada loses for the first time, dropping a 9 – 7 decision to Japan as Ayako Rokkaku scores 3, Yukiko Kon hits a three-run triple and Yui Shingu gets the win. Also, Venezuela stuns the USA by a 5 – 1 margin and Australia clinches the 4th spot in the semifinals by beating Taiwan, 11 – 4, behind the arm of Brittany Hepburn and the bat of Bronwyn Gell.

In his 1,000th major league game, Prince Fielder, with his two homers off Josh Beckett in the Tigers’ 10-0 rout of Boston at Comerica Park, ends the day with 232 career round-trippers. The Detroit first baseman’s dad, Cecil, also had the same total of big league home runs after playing in the same amount of games.

Clay Buchholz strikes out Adam Jones (looking), Matt Wieters (looking), and Chris Davis (swinging) on nine pitches in the bottom of the sixth inning of the Red Sox’s 6-3 victory over Baltimore at Camden Yards. The immaculate inning thrown by the Red Sox right-hander marks the 47th time the feat has been accomplished in major league history, and the first for a Boston hurler since Pedro Martinez turned the trick in 2002.

In his 1,000th major league game, Prince Fielder, with his two homers off Josh Beckett in the Tigers’ 10-0 rout of Boston at Comerica Park, ends the day with 232 career round-trippers. The Detroit first baseman’s dad, Cecil, also had the same total of big league home runs after playing in the same amount of games.

Lugazi, Uganda becomes the first team from Africa to appear in the 66-year history of the Little League World Series when they are defeated by Aguadulce, Panama, 9-3. None of the African youths, who have become the darlings of the tournament, have been playing baseball for more than two years.

Clay Buchholz strikes out Adam Jones (looking), Matt Wieters (looking), and Chris Davis (swinging) on nine pitches in the bottom of the sixth inning of the Red Sox’s 6-3 victory over Baltimore at Camden Yards. The immaculate inning thrown by the Red Sox right-hander marks the 47th time the feat has been accomplished in major league history, and the first for a Boston hurler since Pedro Martinez turned the trick in 2002.

The Angels’ Jered Weaver gets roughed up, giving up 9 earned runs 3 innings in the worst start of his career as Tampa Bay cruises to a 12 – 3 win at Angels Stadium. Weaver’s ERA shoots up from 2.22 to 2.74 as a result of the outing, and he faces seven batters without recording an out in the 4th before manager Mike Scioscia mercifully removes him from the game. James Shields is the winner while B.J. Upton goes 4 for 5 with a homer and 3 RBI.

Prince Fielder hits a pair of two-run homers to lead Detroit to a 5 – 3 win over the Orioles; the second shot, off J.C. Romero in the 8th, breaks a 3 – 3 tie; the Bengals’ other run is the result of a 1st-inning homer by their other big bopper, Miguel Cabrera.

The injury-ravaged Giants, missing their top two relievers, closer Brian Wilson and set-up man Sergio Romo, build an early 7 – 1 lead over the Braves behind the pitching of Matt Cain. Things get more difficult when the bullpen takes over in the 9th and gives up four runs until Jeremy Affeldt manages to strike out Brian McCann, representing the tying run, for the last out in a 7 – 5 win. The slumping Giants manage to pick up a game on the Diamondbacks in the NL West race.

The Rays get their third straight stellar performance by a starting pitcher as David Price throws eight scoreless innings, giving up only three hits, in a 4 – 0 win over the Red Sox. Price’s gem follows a complete game three-hitter by James Shields, and a three-hit shutout by Jeff Niemann in the first two games of the series at Fenway Park. The Sox still manage to save something, winning the opener, 3 – 1, in spite of Shields’s great effort. It is the first time in Red Sox history they have been held to three hits or less in three straight games at home.

The Mets place closer Francisco Rodriguez on the disqualified list and will not pay him until he is able to pitch again. He suffered a season-ending thumb injury punching his father-in-law last week, an action for which he faces criminal assault charges. The Mets may still try to void the last year of his contract as well, worth $11.5 million, although such a decision would be certain to be contested by the Players union.

Hyun-jin Ryu of the Hanwha Eagles throws his 23rd straight quality start, dating back over a year. The Korea Times states that this is a world record, as Chris Carpenter and Bob Gibson each had 22 in a row.

Jim Thome ties the major league record for career walk-off home runs with his 12th, as the Twins beat the White Sox, 7 – 6. Thome catches Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Frank Robinson and Babe Ruth.

Stephen Strasburg, the first overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft, signs a record-breaking deal with the Washington Nationals, at “11:58 and 43 seconds”, according to team president Stan Kasten. The deadline for signing was midnight. The four-year deal will pay the right-handed pitcher $15.1 million over four years.

The Tigers obtain slugging 1B Aubrey Huff from the Orioles in a trade for Brett Jacobson. Huff is hitting .253 with 13 homers and 72 RBI.

Melvin Mora collects five hits, including two homers and a pair of doubles, in the Orioles’ 16-8 rout over Detroit. The Birds’ third baseman, who drives in a career-high six runs with his 12 total bases, leads Baltimore’s 22-hit attack at Comerica Park.

Melvin Mora collects five hits, including two homers and a pair of doubles, in the Orioles’ 16-8 rout over Detroit. The Birds’ third baseman, who drives in a career-high six runs with his 12 total bases, leads Baltimore’s 22-hit attack at Comerica Park.

In a pregame 55-minute ceremony at Minute Maid Park, Craig Biggio becomes the ninth Astro to have his jersey number retired. The Smithtown, N.Y. native, who wore number 7, is the team’s all-time leader in games (2,850) and seasons (20) played.

In a 2008 Olympics game continued from Thursday after a rain delay, South Korea surprisingly needs 11 innings to beat China. Seung-yeop Lee delivers the game-winning hit.

The Nationals play their longest game in team history in terms of time when it takes the team five hours and 29 minutes to beat Atlanta at Turner Field, 8-7. Adam LaRoche breaks the 7-7 tie when he leads off the top of the 15th inning with a home run over the right-field wall off right-hander Kris Medlen.

Josh Hamilton becomes only the sixth major leaguer to beintentionally walked with the bases loaded. Rays’ manager Joe Maddon’s decision to give the Rangers’ slugger a run-producing free pass in the ninth inning is successful when Tampa Bay goes on to win the game in Arlington, 7-4.

R.A. Dickey becomes the 5th major league pitcher to throw four wild pitches in one inning; two of them score runs in a 11 – 8 Mariners loss to the Twins. On another wild throw, Kenji Johjima is charged with a passed ball.

During the fifth inning of an 11-8 loss to the Twins at the Metrodome, Mariners’ right-hander R. A. Dickey throws four wild pitches, tying a major league record for WPs in one frame. Seattle backstop Kenji Johjima is also charged with a passed ball on another pitch thrown in the infamous inning.

The Blue Jays set a team record for two-baggers, slugging ten doubles in a 15-4 victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Alex Rios, with his 5-for-6 performance, ties a club mark, becoming the third player in franchise history to hit four doubles in one game.

In a pregame 55-minute ceremony at Minute Maid Park, Craig Biggio becomes the ninth Astro to have his jersey number retired. The Smithtown, N.Y. native, who wore number 7, is the team’s all-time leader in games (2,850) and seasons (20) played.

Josh Hamilton becomes only the sixth major leaguer to beintentionally walked with the bases loaded. Rays’ manager Joe Maddon’s decision to give the Rangers’ slugger a run-producing free pass in the ninth inning is successful when Tampa Bay goes on to win the game in Arlington, 7-4.

Brandon Webb shuts out the Braves, 4 – 0, for his third straight shutout. It has been nine years since another pitcher (Roger Clemens) threw three consecutive complete games. Webb has now pitched 42 straight scoreless innings, the first pitcher to top 40 since Orel Hershiser in 1988. He ties Rube Foster for 12th in major league history and ranks 5th since 1940, trailing Hershiser, Don Drysdale, Bob Gibson and Sal Maglie.

The 2007 Little League World Series begins. Maracaibo, Tokyo, Warner Robins and Walpole win their first games.

For the first time in big league history, both teams hit leadoff home runs in the first two innings of a game. In a 5-4 White Sox victory over Kansas City at U.S. Cellular Field, Royals batters David DeJesus and Emil Brown go deep leading off in the first and second inning, respectively, as do Pablo Ozuna and Jermaine Dye for Chicago.

For the first time in big league history, both teams hit leadoff home runs in the first two innings of a game. In a 5-4 White Sox victory over Kansas City at U.S. Cellular Field, Royals batters David DeJesus and Emil Brown go deep leading off in the first and second inning, respectively, as do Pablo Ozuna and Jermaine Dye for Chicago.

St. Louis announces the franchise has broken its single-season attendance record of 3.43 million set in 1989. The first-place Cardinals have sold 3.45 million tickets for the team’s farewell season at 40 year-old Busch Stadium.

2005 – St. Louis announces the franchise has broken its single-season attendance record of 3.43 million set in 1989. The first-place Cardinals have sold 3.45 million tickets for the team’s farewell season at 40-year-old Busch Stadium.