1981 – Steve Carlton fans 12 Expos in 10 innings to break Bob Gibson’s National League strikeout record (Carlton now has 3,128), but the Phillies lose to the Expos, 1 – 0 in 17 innings. Montreal’s Bryn Smith retires just one batter, but picks up his first major league victory.
1980 – Vern Ruhle hurls 7-2/3rds innings of no-hit ball and claims a 5-1 win in San Francisco that retakes the division lead from Los Angeles. Jim Wohlford breaks up the bid and Ruhle finishes with a three-hitter. Art Howe homers and Gary Woods drives in a pair.
On September 21, 1980, Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies sets a National League record by fanning his 3,118th batter, surpassing Bob Gibson on the all-time list. Andre Dawson becomes Carlton’s record-breaking victim in the third inning of the Phillies’ 1-0 loss to the Montreal Expos.
1979 – Bruce Bochy singles home Craig Reynolds with the game-winner as Houston clips the Reds, 3-2, in 13 innings, closing within 1-1/2 games of Cincinnati in the N.L. West race. Terry Puhl plates the other two runs with singles off Tom Seaver. J.R. Richardfans 15 in eleven innings and shocks everyone with a bunt single in the tenth. Richard presses his luck by trying to steal second where Johnny Bench’s throw arrives well ahead of him.
In the Royals’ 13-4 rout of the A’s at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, U.L. Washington hits two three-run home runs, one left-handed, one right-handed. The pair of round-trippers will be the only ones the Kansas City shortstop hits in the 101 games he plays this season.
1978 – The Cubs tie a National League record by using 27 players during a 14-inning 3 – 2 loss to the Pirates. Pittsburgh’s margin comes when Rennie Stennett walks in the 14th and pinch runner Matt Alexander steals second. When C Dave Rader’s throw goes into CF, Alexander heads for 3rd where the center fielder’s throw hits him in the back, allowing him to score. The Pirates are now 1 1/2 games behind the Phils.
1976 – In Los Angeles, the Reds clinch the National League West title with a 9 – 1 pasting of the Dodgers.
Gaylord Perry, goes the distance, limiting Chicago to six hits in the team’s 8-2 win at White Sox Park. The victory gives the Ranger right-hander the identical career win-loss record (215-174) of his brother Jim, who was released by the A’s in August after getting his final major league decision earlier in the month.
Jim Rice suffers a broken bone in his hand after being hit by a Vern Ruhle pitch in the first inning of the team’s 6-5 victory over the Tigers in Detroit. The injury will cause the 22 year-old Red Sox rookie sensation to miss the remainder of the season, including the World Series.
On the day they get to .500, the Mets move into first place for the first time since May 27, a half a game ahead of Pittsburgh in the ‘NL Least’. Thanks to Tom Seaver’s complete-game five-hitter, New York evens its record at 77-77 with a 10-2 victory, the team’s 21st in the last 29 games.
Enjoy our free trial and start listening to games, interviews and shows! Ruth, Mantle, Aaron, and Seaver!