In his major league debut, A’s Joe Keough hits a home run in his first at-bat. The rookie goes deep off Lindy McDaniel as a pinch-hitter in the eighth, tying the score at 3-to-3 in Oakland’s eventual 4-3 extra inning victory at Yankee Stadium.

Lee Bales gets off to a shaky major league start, striking out four times, as the Braves beat the Phillies, 3 – 0. Bales equals the National League record first set by Billy Sunday (May 22, 1883) for most initial-game K’s.

The 10th-place Mets send 1B Frank Thomas to the National League-leading Phils (1 1/2 games ahead of the Giants) for P Gary Kroll, OF Wayne Graham, and cash. Thomas, seemingly the answer to the Phils’ first base problem, rides the Mets’ team bus to Philadelphia, then finds out he has been traded. He then drives in two runs as the Phils top the Mets, 9 – 4. The Phils will take the next two games with Thomas collecting five RBIs in the sweep.

Steve Barber and Harvey Haddix beat the Yankees, 2 – 0, to boost the Orioles back into first place.

At Chicago, Sandy Koufax locks horns for the second time this year with Dick Ellsworth, a battle that ends in a 1 – 1 draw. Koufax is removed with one out in the 10th inning, while Ellsworth is replaced after the 10th. The Dodgers go on to win, 3 – 1, over the Cubs with neither starter getting a decision.

At the Polo Grounds, Jim Hickman becomes the first Met in franchise history to hit for the cycle, accomplishing the feat in the very rare natural order. The New York leadoff batter’s single in the first inning, double in the second, fourth-frame triple, and a sixth-inning solo shot all contribute to the Amazins’ 7-3 victory over St. Louis.

 Yankees SS Tony Kubek, in his first at-bat after returning from military service, homers in a 14 – 1 Yankee win over the Twins.

The 29-81 Mets are mathematically eliminated from finishing in first place with their 7-5 loss to Los Angeles in Chavez Ravine. After the game, New York manager Casey Stengel calls a meeting and jokes with his players that they can loosen up and relax now that they are out of the pennant race, which they promptly do, winning just eleven more games during the last two months of the season.

The White Sox win a pair from the Senators, with reliever Gerry Staley picking up two victories. Staley will be 13-8, all in relief, with both wins and losses topping American League relievers.