1982 – Bob Lillis replaces Bill Virdon as manager of the Houston Astros. Virdon was the senior manager in the National League, having managed the Astros since 1975.
1982 – Joe Niekro gives up homers to Omar Moreno and Johnny Ray to start the game, then settles in for a 6-4 complete-game victory in rainy Pittsburgh. Jose Cruz and Phil Garner bail Niekro out with a home run and three RBIs apiece.
1979 – In the World Series, Baltimore scores five runs off Bruce Kison in the 1st inning of Game 1, then hangs on to defeat the Pirates, 5 – 4.
Phil Garner hits his 2nd grand slam in two days as the Pirates beat the Expos 6 – 1. Garner is the first National League player to have slams in consecutive games since Jimmy Sheckard (September 23-24, 1901) and the first major leaguer since Brooks Robinson, in 1962. Garner will end the season with 12 dingers.
In a nine-player spring training swap with Pittsburgh, the A’s send Phil Garner, Chris Batton, and Tommy Helms to the Pirates for Tony Armas, Mitchell Page, and four pitchers, including Doc Medich and Dave Giusti. Pittsburgh’s acquisition of infielder Phil Garner, the key player in the deal, will move a very disappointed Bill Robinson back into a utility role after he worked all winter to get ready to be the team’s everyday third baseman.
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