THIS DATE IN BASEBALL

JUNE 20 1912: The New York Giants outslugged the Boston Braves 21-12 with the teams scoring a total of 17 runs in the ninth inning. The Giants scored seven runs to take a 21-2 lead and the Braves scored 10 runs in the ninth. 1932: Philadelphia’s Doc Cramer hit six singles in six atbats and Mickey Cochrane, Jimmie Foxx and Mule Haas each drove in four runs in the Athletics’ 18-11 win over the Chicago White Sox. Haas hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to put the A’s up 12-6. 1951: Bobby Avila hit three home runs, a double and single in the Cleveland Indians’ 14-8 victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. 1956: Mickey Mantle hit two home runs into the right centerfield bleachers at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium. Mantle hit both blasts off Billy Hoeft in the 7-4 win. He became the first player to reach the bleachers since they were were built in the late 1930s. 1973: San Francisco’s Bobby Bonds broke Lou Brock’s National League record for leadoff home runs. Bonds’ 22nd career leadoff home run came off Don Gullet in a 7-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. 1973: Chicago’s Cy Acosta becomes the first American League pitcher to bat since the designated hitter rule went into effect. Acosta strikes out in the eighth inning, but gets the win in the White Sox’ 8-3 win over California. 1980: Freddie Patek, one of baseball’s smallest players at 5-foot-5, hit three home runs and a double to lead the California Angels in a 20-2 rout of the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park. 1998: Sammy Sosa hit two home runs for the second straight day to set a major league record with 16 homers in June as the Chicago Cubs beat Philadelphia 9-4.