TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY courtesy of National Pastime
1981 – Fernandomania continues to explode at Chavez Ravine when Dodger rookie sensation Fernando Valenzuela pitches his fourth shutout in five starts. The 20 year-old Mexican southpaw, who is batting over .400, beats the Giants, 5-0 and lowers his ERA to a microscopic 0.20.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3EDcI9Kb5c]1996 – Barry Bonds joins his father and godfather, becoming only the fourth major leaguer to hit 300 homers and swipe 300 bases as he homers for the Giants in a 6-3 victory over the Marlins. Bobby Bonds, Willie Mays and Andre Dawson are the only other 300-300 players.
2002 – Derek Lowe becomes the first pitcher to throw a no-hit game at Boston’s Fenway Park since Dave Morehead accomplished the feat against the Indians in September of 1965. Facing 28 batters, the former closer of the team throws only 97 pitches in the 10-0 rout of the Devil Rays.
And finally…in 2004, at Dodger Stadium, Mike Piazza ties Carlton Fisk for the most career homers by a catcher as he hits Hideo Nomo’s sixth inning pitch into the stands for his 351st round tripper as a backstop. The homer, which was his 362nd overall, moves the Mets’ star past Yankees’ Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio on the all-time list.
STAT OF THE DAY provided by @HighHeatStats
90 years ago today, Mel Ott made his MLB debut for the Giants at the age of just 17 years and 56 days. Nobody younger has debuted for the team since, and Ott went on to hit 511 homers playing exclusively for the Giants in his Hall of Fame career.
PLAYERS BORN TODAY
Rogers Hornsby (1896), Enos Slaughter (1916), Frank Catalanotto (1974), Chris Carpenter (1975) and Corey Seager (1994)
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