THIS DATE IN BASEBALL

AUG. 22

1886: Cincinnati outfielder Abner Powell was literally brought down by the dog days of summer. Chicken Wolf of the Louisville Colonels hit a deep drive and Powell took off after it, joined by a dog that had been sleeping by the fence. The dog bit Powell’s leg before the outfielder could get to the ball and wouldn’t let go as Wolf scored on a game-winning inside-the-park homer.

1934: Pitcher Wes Ferrell hit two home runs to give the Boston Red Sox a 3-2 triumph over the Chicago White Sox in 12 innings. Trailing 2-1, Ferrell hit a home run in the eighth inning to tie the score and with two out in the 12th, Ferrell connected again for the game-winner.

1959: Cincinnati’s Frank Robinson hit three consecutive homers and drove in six runs in an 11-4 win over St. Louis.

1961: Roger Maris, en route to his 61-home run season, became the first player to hit his 50th homer in August. He connected off California pitcher Ken McBride in a 4-3 loss to the Angels.

1971: The Oakland Athletics opened and closed the game with solo homers to beat the Boston Red Sox 2-1. Boston pitcher Sonny Siebert gave up both, Bert Campaneris lead off the game and Reggie Jackson ended it with two out in the ninth inning.

1984: New York Mets right-hander Dwight Gooden, at 19, fanned nine San Diego Padres to become the 11th rookie to strike out 200 batters in one season.

1989: Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers became the first pitcher to strike out 5,000 batters. Ryan struck out 13, walked two and allowed only five hits in a 2-0 loss to Oakland.

1999: Mark McGwire became the first player to hit 50 homers in each of four consecutive seasons, hitting Nos. 49 and 50 in the first game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets.