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1982 – Nolan Ryan fans eleven Mets in 5-2/3rds innings during an 8-3 victory. Mike LaCoss and Dave Smith strike out three each to total 17 Ks, one short of Don Wilson’s club record. Dave Kingman whiffs five times, once with the bases loaded. Terry Puhl socks a home run and Phil Garner drives in three to pace the offense. 

ByThis Day in Baseball

1982 – Nolan Ryan fans eleven Mets in 5-2/3rds innings during an 8-3 victory. Mike LaCoss and Dave Smith strike out three each to total 17 Ks, one short of Don Wilson’s club record. Dave Kingman whiffs five times, once with the bases loaded. Terry Puhl socks a home run and Phil Garner drives in three to pace the offense. 

Alan Ashby slams a two-out two-run homer off Dave Stewart in the ninth to stun the Dodgers, 3-1
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Alan Ashby slams a two-out two-run homer off Dave Stewart in the ninth to stun the Dodgers, 3-1

ByThis Day in Baseball

1981 – Alan Ashby, as if waiting a year for revenge, slams a two-out two-run homer off Dave Stewart in the ninth to stun the Dodgers, 3-1, in Game One of their divisional playoff series . Tony Scott had driven in Terry Puhl earlier but Los Angeles ties it up on a solo shot from Steve Garvey, one of just two hits given up by Nolan Ryan. 

Nolan Ryan

Nolan Ryan becomes the first pitcher to throw five no-hitters when the Astros defeat the Dodgers at the Astrodome, 5-0. The Ryan Express, who will finish his 27-year major league career with a record seven no-hitters, previously has thrown hitless gems against the Royals (1973), Tigers (1973), Twins (1974), and Orioles (1975).

ByThis Day in Baseball

Nolan Ryan becomes the first pitcher to throw five no-hitters when the Astros defeat the Dodgers at the Astrodome, 5-0. The Ryan Express, who will finish his 27-year major league career with a record seven no-hitters, previously has thrown hitless gems against the Royals (1973), Tigers (1973), Twins (1974), and Orioles (1975).

Pete Rose of Philadelphia singles against Nolan Ryan to tie Stan Musial for the most hits in league history (3,630)

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1981 – Pete Rose of Philadelphia singles against Nolan Ryan to tie Stan Musial for the most hits in league history (3,630). Ryan would fan Rose in his final three at-bats before a two-month strike begins the next day. The strike is one day too late for Frank LaCortewho blows a 4-0 lead in a 5-4 Phillies verdict. 

Pete Rose of the Philadelphia Phillies ties Stan Musial for the most hits in National League history

Pete Rose of the Philadelphia Phillies ties Stan Musial for the most hits in National League history

ByThis Day in Baseball

  On June 10, 1981,  The Philadelphia Phillies’ Pete Rose hits a single in the 1st inning off Nolan Ryan that gives him 3,630 hits, tying Stan Musial’s National League mark. The Phillies beat the Houston Astros, 5 – 4, before more than 57,000 fans at Veterans Stadium.

Craig Reynolds ties a major-league mark with three triples during a 6-1 victory over Chicago
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Craig Reynolds ties a major-league mark with three triples during a 6-1 victory over Chicago

ByThis Day in Baseball

1981 – Craig Reynolds ties a major-league mark with three triples during a 6-1 victory over Chicago.  It is part of a four-hit night with four RBIs. His first triple sails to the gap in right-center. His other two hug the right field line. Nolan Ryan and Joe Sambito team up to tame the Cubs. 

ron davis

Ron Davis of the New York Yankees strikes out eight consecutive batters

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On May 4, 1981, Ron Davis of the New York Yankees strikes out eight consecutive batters in a 4 – 2 victory over the California Angels at Anaheim Stadium. Davis, a hard-throwing reliever, ties Nolan Ryan’s American League record for most consecutive strikeouts in a game.

Gary Maddox

Phillies beat the Astros to clinch World Series Apperance

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1980 – Houston has a 5-2 lead and needs six outs to reach the World Series. Nolan Ryan is on the mound. Philadelphia surges back to win in ten innings, 8-7, and take the National League pennant before a drained Astrodome crowd. Manny Trillo’s triple caps a five-run Phillie rally but the Astros tie it on hits from Rafael Landestoy and Jose Cruz . Garry Maddox’s sinking double breaks the tie then he snares Enos Cabell’s fly to break Houston hearts. The ten-inning game is the fourth consecutive extra-inning game of the series.

1980 NLCS Nolan Ryan scores in game 2
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Houston tastes their first post-season win, a 7-4 ten-inning victory in Philadelphia

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1980 – Houston tastes their first post-season win. It’s a 7-4 ten-inning victory in Philadelphia to even the N.L.C.S. at 1-1. Frank LaCorte pitches out of a jam to send the game into extras at 3-3. Jose Cruz and Cesar Cedeno drive in runs in the tenth before Dave Bergman lashes a two-run triple to put the game out of reach