Category Archives: Baseball Reminiscences & History

Oct 07

ALDS Games One, 2021

Posted on by

The first game today is White Sox at Astros, 1:07 PM PDT, TV: FS1

Each starting pitcher is named Lance; how about that, as Curt Gowdy would say. It’ll be RHP Lance Lynn (11-6, 2.69 ERA) for the Sox and RHP Lance McCullers (13-5, 3.16 ERA) for the Astros in Minute Maid Park.

I don’t know much at all about the White Sox; I know more than I’d like about the Astros.

The second game is Red Sox at Rays, 5:07 PM PDT, TV: FS1

LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (13-8, 4.74 ERA) takes the mound for the Red Sox at Tropicana Field while LHP Shane McClanahan (10-6, 3.43 ERA) does the same for the Rays.

The Sox are somewhat familiar, as are the Rays after last year’s World Series.

On this date in baseball history in 1950 rookie Whitey Ford got his first World Series win (he’d end up with a 10-8 W-L record in the postseason), Curt Flood was traded to the Phillies, precipitating his challenge to the reserve clause, the Dodgers came from behind to win Game Three of the 1977 NLCS against the Phillies, the Dodgers beat the Phillies in Game Four of the 1978 NLCS to win the pennant, and Benny Agbayani hits a homer in the 13th inning of Game Three of the 2000 NLDS to end the longest game in divisional playoff history.

Lineups:
White Sox:

Astros:

Red Sox and Rays:

Oct 06

NL Wild Card Game, 2021

Posted on by

The Washington Post asks, “why is the World Series favorite in a play-in game?” and proceeds to tell its readers why the Dodgers are favored to win the whole schmeer.

The other NL contenders simply cannot match the depth on the mound or at the plate that Los Angeles brings to the table. While the Dodgers’ road appears harder than those of other teams, the hardest road of all is for any team with the Dodgers standing in front of them.

Cardinals at Dodgers , 5:10 PM PDT, TV: TBS

Grizzled veterans face one another as the Cards send 40-year-old RHP Adam Wainwright (17-7, 3.05 ERA) to the Dodger Stadium mound to face the Dodgers’ 37-year-old RHP Max Scherzer (15-4, 2.46 ERA).

Much has happened on this day in baseball history: Sandy Koufax took Yom Kippur off in 1965, Mudcat Grant became the first black World Series game-winner for an American League team when the Twins took Game 1 from the Dodgers at Metropolitan Stadium in 1965, Willie Davis made three errors in the fifth inning of Game Two of the 1966 World Series, Jim Palmer beat Koufax in the same game, Phil Niekro won his 300th game in 1985, and Lenny Harris surpassed Manny Mota’s career pinch-hit record in 2001.

Cardinals lineup:

Dodgers lineup:

Oct 05

AL Wild Card Game, 2021

Posted on by

Yankees at Red Sox, 5:10 PM PDT, TV: ESPN

RHP Gerrit Cole (16-8, 3.23 ERA) goes for the Yankees and RHP Nathan Eovaldi (11-9, 3.75 ERA) takes the ball for the Red Sox.

October 5 has been an eventful day in baseball history. Among other things, Mickey Owens let Tommy Heinrich’s ball get past him in 1941, Al Gionfriddo caught Joe DiMaggio’s fly ball in 1947, Don Newcombe made the first World Series start by a black pitcher memorable but lost 1-0 on a walk-off HR by Tommy Heinrich (him again!) in 1949, Mickey Mantle tore up his right knee in 1951 when DiMaggio called him off a fly ball, and Glenn Burke high-fived Dusty Baker in 1977, the first time that gesture was seen in MLB.

Yankees’ lineup:

Red Sox lineup:

Sep 23

Game 153, 2021

Posted on by

Dodgers at Rockies, 12:10 PM PDT, TV: ATTSportsNet RM,SPNLA

RHP Max Scherzer (15-4, 2.28 ERA) versus LHP Kyle Freeland (6-8, 4.50 ERA).

(Doctor’s appointment. Will try to fill in details afterwards.)

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1901 The Superbas establish a new franchise record for runs scored in a game when they rout the Reds, 25-6. Brooklyn tallies 11 times in the fifth inning during the League Park contest played in Cincinnati.
  • 1916 Allowing only just one walk during a twin bill with the Cincinnati Reds, Grover Alexander of the Phillies wins both ends of a doubleheader, 7-3 and 4-0,to establish a National League record. The future Hall of Famer will repeat the feat on September 3, 1917 against the Brooklyn Robins at Ebbets Field.
  • 1939 In the first game of a twin bill, Brooklyn’s third baseman Cookie Lavagetto reaches base seven consecutive times as the Dodgers rout the Phillies, 22-4. The 26-run Shibe Park contest takes only two hours and five minutes to complete.
  • 1947 Prior to a game against the Giants in a sold-out Ebbets Field, the Dodgers staged Jackie Robinson Day. The Brooklyn rookie, who endured much grief this season as the game’s first black player in modern times, is moved when his teammates crowd around home plate to take part of the ceremony.
  • 1956 Due to the enforcement of a curfew, the Sunday contest between the Dodgers and Pirates is postponed with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, sending the 44,932 fans, the largest crowd in Forbes Field’s history, home. The game will be completed tomorrow with Brooklyn maintaining their 8-3 advantage over Pittsburgh.
  • 1969 In his last major league at-bat, John Miller homers, making the Dodger the only player in history to have hit a home run in his first and last plate appearance in the major leagues. In 1966, as a Yankee, he went deep in the first of only 61 big league career at-bats in which he would collect only 10 hits, including the two memorable round-trippers to start and end his 32-game career.
  • 1986 Astros rookie starter Jim Deshaies sets a major league record by striking out the first eight batters he faces. The young left-hander will finish with a two-hitter and ten strikeouts, beating the Dodgers, 4-0.
  • 1992 Lead-off hitter Bip Roberts ties the National league record with his 10th consecutive hit, a first-inning single in the Reds’ 3-0 victory over Los Angeles at Chavez Ravine. The Cincinnati left fielder’s streak ends when he grounds out in the fifth inning, facing Dodger starter Pedro Astacio.
  • 2006 With one home game left on the schedule, the Dodgers break their single-season attendance record established in 1982 as the team sells 3,708,723 tickets to its games played in Chavez Ravine. The previous record of 3,608,881 was determined by former National League rules which counted fans by turnstile count.
  • 2009 Trailing 8-0 at Dodger Stadium, the Giants take the lead, scoring nine runs in the top of the seventh inning. Although L.A. will come back twice to tie the score with clutch two-out hits in the eighth and ninth, San Francisco tallies four runs in the top of the tenth frame for the 14-10 victory.

Also, in 1908 Fred Merkle’s failure to touch second after an apparent game-winning hit by Bridwell scoring McCormick from third costs the Giants a 2-1 win over the Cubs when the ump calls him out and rules the game a tie. Merkle’s ‘boner’ will eventually cost the Giants the flag.

Lineup:

Sep 14

Game 146, 2021

Posted on by

Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: Bally Sports Arizona, SPNLA

RHP Luke Weaver (3-4, 4.24 ERA) takes the hill for the D-Backs and RHP Tony Gonsolin (2-1, 2.79 ERA) does the same for the Dodgers.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1951 Preacher Roe wins his 20th game of the season when the Dodgers beat the Pirates at Forbes Field, 3-1. The 36 year-old southpaw will finish the season with a 22-3 record.
  • 2002 Chin-Feng Chen becomes the first Taiwan-born player to appear in the major leagues as he walks and scores as a pinch-hitter for the Dodgers against the Rockies. The 24 year-old first baseman-outfielder played for the 1990 Taiwan team which won the Little League World Series.
  • 2008 Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, with his eighth-inning thievery in a 7-4 loss to the Braves at Shea Stadium, becomes the first player to have four straight seasons of 50 or more stolen bases playing for a New York area team, which also includes Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants. The accomplishment extends the infielder’s own record, as he is also the only Gotham major leaguer to achieve the feat for three consecutive years.

Also, in 1990 Mariner Ken Griffey and his son, Junior, become the first father and son to hit homers in the same major league game. The back-to-back blasts are given up by Angel hurler Kirk McCaskill.

Lineup when available.

Sep 06

Game 138, 2021

Posted on by

Dodgers at Cardinals, 1:10 PM PDT, TV: Bally Sports Midwest, SPNLA

RHP Max Scherzer (12-4, 2.40 ERA) takes the mound for the Dodgers. He’ll face RHP Miles Mikolas (0-1, 4.41 ERA) of the Cardinals.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1924 In a game that features a total of only six hits, the Brooklyn Robins beat Boston, 1-0, behind the strong two-hit performance of right-hander Bill Doak. The Braves Field victory is the team’s 15th consecutive win, establishing the longest winning streak in franchise history.
  • 1953 With Giants manager Leo Durocher yelling “stick it in his ear”, Ruben Gomez hits Carl Furillo, the National League’s leading hitter, on the wrist with a pitch. After taking first base, the Dodgers right fielder bolts into the opposing dugout to choke ‘Leo the Lip’, but in the melee, the knuckle on his little finger is fractured, putting an end to his season.
  • 1981 Fernando Valenzuela ties the National League’s rookie record for shutouts, blanking St. Louis, 5-0, for his seventh whitewash of the season. The Dodger lefty shares the mark with Irv Young (1905 Beaneaters), Grover Alexander (1911 Phillies), and Jerry Koosman (1968 Mets).
  • 1985 In a matchup of aces that lives up to its advanced billing, Dwight Gooden and Fernando Valenzuela hook up in one of the best pitchers’ duels in recent memory. New York beats Los Angeles at Chavez Ravine, 2-0, thanks to Darryl Strawberry’s two-run double on a day that the 20 year-old Mets right-hander strikes out 10 batters, throwing nine shutout innings, while the Dodgers southpaw pitches 11 innings without allowing a run.
  • 1996 Brett Butler returns to the Dodger lineup four months after having surgery for throat cancer. The 39 year-old center fielder scores the decisive run in the team’s 3-2 victory over the Bucs.

Also on this date in big league history, in 1995 Cal Ripken breaks Lou Gehrig’s consecutive game record, playing in his 2,131st straight game. When the game becomes official in the middle of the fifth inning, the new ‘Iron Man’ takes a victory lap around Camden Yards during the 22-minute standing ovation from the sellout crowd, including President Bill Clinton.

Lineup:

Aug 22

Game 125, 2021

Posted on by

Mets at Dodgers, 1:10 PM PDT, TV: SNY, SPNLA

RHP Marcus Stroman (8-12, 2.84 ERA) pitches for the Mets in the final game of the series. He’ll face the Dodgers’ David Price (4-1, 3.62 ERA).

On this day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1917 In a 22-inning contest against the Dodgers, Pirates’ outfielder Carson Bigbee sets a major-league record with 11 at-bats. The game was also the fourth straight extra-inning game played by Pittsburgh (total of 59 innings), which sets a National League record.
  • 1965 Juan Marichal thinks Johnny Roseboro throws too close to his head returning the ball to Sandy Koufax and attacks the Dodger catcher with his bat. The Los Angeles backstop suffers cuts on the head during the 14-minute brawl.
  • 2000 Hitting a solo blast and a three-run round-tripper during a nine-run sixth inning of a 14-6 victory over the Expos, Dodger first baseman Eric Karros becomes the first player in the 111-year franchise history to hit two homers in an inning.

In 1886 Louisville’s Chicken Wolf hits a game-winning inside-the-park home run, thanks to a stray dog impeding Abner Powell from fielding the ball. The canine, who had been sleeping by the fence, refuses to let go of the pant leg of the Reds center fielder, who watches in dismay as the Colonel batter races around the bases in the team’s 5-4 loss at Eclipse Park.

Lineup:

Aug 18

Game 121, 2021

Posted on by

Pirates at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: ATT SportsNet PIT, SPNLA

RHP JT Brubaker (4-12, 5.13 ERA) pitches for the Pirates. The Dodgers are using multiple members of their bullpen.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1959 Long time baseball executive Branch Rickey is named president of the newly formed Continental League. The 77 year-old former Dodger general manager is currently serving as an advisor with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
  • 1982 In the second longest game in franchise history, the Cubs lose to the Dodgers, 2-1. The Wrigley Field contest, which is played over two days, takes a Dusty Baker sacrifice fly and 21 innings to complete.

A sad note: On this day in 1967 Jack Hamilton of the Angels threw a fastball which shattered Tony Conigliaro’s left cheekbone. The 22 year-old Red Sox slugger missed the rest of 1967 and all of the following year and never came close to the Hall of Fame potential displayed during his first three seasons.

Lineup when available.

Aug 16

Game 119, 2021

Posted on by

Pirates at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: ATT SportsNet PIT, SPNLA

The Pirates send LHP Steven Brault (0-1, 3.00 ERA) to the mound to face one of the Dodgers’ bullpen residents, one who’s as yet unannounced. Update: It’ll be LHP Justin Bruihl (0-0, 4.91 ERA).

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1950 At the Polo Grounds, Hank Thompson’s two inside-the-park home runs off Don Bankhead and Carl Erskine contribute to the Giants’ 16-7 drubbing of the Dodgers. The 24 year-old third baseman will hit 129 round-trippers in his 9-year career, three of which will be of the IPHR variety.
  • 1964 St. Louis outfielder Curt Flood collects eight consecutive hits during a doubleheader against Dodgers pitching. The Cardinals split the twin bill in Los Angeles, losing the opener to Sandy Koufax, 3-0, but take the nightcap when Curt Simmons tosses a six hitter to give the Redbirds a 4-0 victory.

Babe Ruth died in New York City on this day in 1948.

Lineup when available.

Aug 12

Game 115, 2021

Posted on by

Dodgers at Phillies, 10:05 AM PDT, TV: NBCSP, SPNLA

Whodaguy starts for the Dodgers (we’ll know more at game time) and LHP Ranger Suárez (5-3, 0.98 ERA) goes for the Phillies. That’s one heck of an ERA.

This day in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1984 Former Dodgers Don Drysdale and Pee Wee Reese, along with Twins slugger Harmon Killebrew, American League hurler Rick Ferrell, and perennial All-Star shortstop Luis Aparicio are inducted into the Hall of Fame.

In 2006 the Portland Beavers honor Rodney McCray, the former Vancouver Canadian who gain everlasting notoriety in 1991 when he literally ran through the right field plywood fence trying to catch Chip Hale’s fly ball in Portland’s Civic Stadium. The PCL team commemorates the memorable play with a bobble head promotion which features the moment of impact and renames the right field area of their current ballpark “McCray Alley.”

In a great moment of fan history, in 2014 Tim Pinkard, attending his first game at Minute Maid Park, catches two home run balls, both off the bat of the Astros’ DH Chris Carter. In the third inning of Houston’s 10-4 victory over Minnesota, the Springfield (VA) resident gets his first souvenir of the night when the ball rebounds off a sign in left field, and then in the fifth frame, against astronomical odds, catches the second round-tripper stroked by the same batter, which is a laser shot hit directly to his seat.

Lineup when available.