TODAY IN BASEBALL courtesy of National Pastime
1957 – Vic Power becomes the first modern major leaguer to hit both a leadoff and walkoff home run in the same game. The A’s first baseman, who went deep off Hal Brown leading off the game, ends the contest in the 10th frame with a round-tripper off the right-hander, giving Kansas City a 3-2 victory over Baltimore.
1999 – Yankees right-hander Hideki Irabu opposes Mariner Matt Suzuki, also a righty, in the first match up of Japanese starters in major league history. The Bronx Bomber hurler bests his fellow countryman, giving up four hits and a run in New York’s 10-1 victory over Seattle.
2010 – Starlin Castro, the first major leaguer to be born in the 1990’s, becomes the sixth Cub in franchise history to hit a home run in his first big league at bat, going deep off Homer Bailey in Chicago’s 14-7 win over Cincinnati at Great American Ball Park. The 20 year-old rookie shortstop also becomes the first player to compile six RBIs in his first game in the majors when he delivers a bases-loaded triple in addition to his second inning three-run blast to deep right field.
And finally…in 2014, Adrian Beltre becomes the fifth player in major league history to hit 100 home runs for three different teams when he goes deep in the Rangers’ 9-2 loss to Colorado at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The 35 year-old third baseman, who joins Alex Rodriguez, Jim Thome, Darrell Johnson, and Reggie Jackson in accomplishing the feat, hit 147 homers for the Dodgers (1998-2004) and 103 with the Mariners (2005-09).
PLAYERS BORN TODAY
Tom Zachary (1896), Dick Williams (1929), Claude Raymond (1937) and Brook Fordyce (1970)
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