ON THIS DATE
1911: Boston’s Smoky Joe Wood struck out three Chicago White Sox pinch hitters in the ninth to preserve a 5-4 win.
1915: Philadelphia’s Grover Cleveland Alexander lost his no-hitter when Artie Butler punched a single with two outs in the ninth. Alexander struck out Bob Bescher for the final out to beat St. Louis 3-0. Alexander went on to pitch three more one-hitters during the season.
1929: The Cincinnati Reds scored nine runs in the sixth inning, en route to a 21-4 win over the Chicago Cubs.
1935: Chicago White Sox rookie pitcher John Whitehead loses to St. Louis 2-0. It was his first loss after winning his first eight starts, an AL record for the start of a career.
1943: New York’s Carl Hubbell snaps the Giants losing streak of seven games by pitching a one-hitter against the Pittsburgh for a 5-1 win. The only hit for Pittsburgh was a solo homer by first baseman Elbie Fletcher.
1949: Commissioner Happy Chandler lifted the ban on all players who jumped to Mexico, starting in 1946.
1955: New York’s Mickey Mantle hit a home run off Chicago’s Billy Pierce that traveled an estimated 550 feet. The ball cleared the left-field upper deck at Comiskey Park.
1959: Pittsburgh’s Dick Stuart hit the longest home run at Forbes Field. Stuart hit a shot over the center-field wall off Chicago pitcher Glenn Hobbie.
1966: Leo Cardenas of the Reds hit four home runs in a doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs. Cardenas hit two home runs in each game as Cincinnati won the opener 8-3 but dropped the second game 9-5.
1974: Cleveland had nine baserunners against Texas and all nine score in a 9-3 victory. It was the last time this happened in the 20th century.
1986: San Diego’s Steve Garvey was ejected for the first time in his career when he argued a play at home plate. Garvey, the on-deck hitter, protested the last out of a triple play by the Atlanta Braves. Television replays showed that Bip Roberts was indeed safe. The Padres lost 4-2.
1997: Alex Rodriguez of the Mariners became the first Seattle player to hit for the cycle in a nine-inning game. He completed the cycle with a double in the ninth of a 14-6 win at Detroit.
2001: Colorado pitcher Mike Hampton had two homers, three RBIs and recorded his eighth win as Colorado defeated Houston 9-4.
2008: Atlanta’s Chipper Jones became the third switch-hitter in major league history to hit 400 career home runs. Jones’ homer off Ricky Nolasco was one of his four hits in the 7-5 comeback win over Florida. Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray were the first two reach the milestone.
2011: Albert Pujols hit a game-ending homer in extra innings for the second straight day, beating the Chicago Cubs with a leadoff shot in the 10th inning of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 3-2 victory.
2015: Oakland’s Pat Venditte became the first pitcher in 20 years to throw with both arms in the same game, but the Boston Red Sox beat the Athletics 4-2 on a night a fan sustained life-threatening injuries when she was struck by a broken bat.