1978 – The Red Sox throw 22-year-old Bobby Sprowl at the Yankees and the lefty lasts just two-thirds of an inning, walking three and allowing one hit. The Yankees take the lead and top the Red Sox, 7 – 4, behind Ed Figueroaand Rich Gossage. Boston collects just five hits, including Fred Lynn’s 21st homer. The Yankees outhit the Red Sox 67-21, and outscored them 42-9, in a four-game sweep that will become known in lore as the “Boston Massacre”. It leaves the teams in a tie for first place, and caps a remarkable Yankee march to the top from 4th place and 14 games out.

White Sox knuckleballer Wilbur Wood hits three batters in the 1st inning on the way to a 6 – 1 loss to the Angels. All of Wilbur’s plunks are consecutive, tying a record set by Dock Ellis three years ago.

1976 – Nolan Ryan hurls a 3-hit, 3 – 2, victory for California, fanning 18 White Sox batsmen. Bart Johnson is the losing pitcher.

Cubs pinch hitters Carmen Fanzone and Jim Tyrone each clout homers against the Pirates, but the Bucs win, 12 – 4.

Former batting champion Alex Johnson, purchased by the Yankees from the Texas Rangers yesterday, arrives in Boston during the Red Sox-Yankee game. With the score tied 1 – 1 in the 12th, Johnson socks a pinch-homer to win it for New York, 2 – 1.

The Brewers reach 70 wins for the first time in franchise history, besting the Tigers. Jim Colborn goes all the way for his 19th win and Dave May hits his 25th home run of the year.

Against the Giants, Hank Aaron connects for his 37th homer (career #710) in the 3rd inning, and then is lifted in the 4th when he doesn’t feel well. Infielder Marty Perez pinch hits for Aaron. Davey Johnson adds his 40th homer of the year.

Atlanta’s Earl Williams, zeroing in on NL Rookie of the Year honors, makes his 31st home run one prodigious and almost perfectly symmetrical complement to its April 18th counterpart. Just as Williams’ third home run was the first ever to reach the upper deck in newly opened Veterans Stadium, his third-from-last is the fourth, and what will prove to be final, upper-decker in the history of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium (preceded, in order of appearance, by Willie Smith, Willie McCovey and Hank Aaron). The 6th-inning solo shot provides the first run, and Aaron’s 11th-inning walk-off the final two (bridged by Williams’ 8th-inning, game-tying sac fly), in Atlanta’slate/extra-inning, three-time-come-from-behind 7 – 5 win over the division-leading Giants.