Baseball – 1986

Baseball in 1986

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January

January 8Willie McCovey is the only player elected this year to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA‚ and becomes the 16th player elected in his first year of eligibility. Billy Williams falls 4 votes shy of the 319 needed for election.
January 14Picking second in the January draft‚ the Pirates go for blood lines‚ selecting Moises Alou. The Indians‚ selecting first‚ take pitcher Jeff Shaw.
January 16The Twins trade 2B Tim Teufel and minor leaguer Pat Crosby to the Mets for minor leaguers Billy Beane‚ Bill Latham‚ and Joe Klink. They also trade C Dave Engle to the Tigers for IF Chris Pittaro and minor leaguer Alex Sanchez.
January 28Free-agent C Darrell Porter signs a one-year contract with Texas.

February

February 6Free-agent P Al Holland‚ who saved just 5 games for 3 teams last season‚ signs with the Yankees.
February 13Keep the uniforms? Two months after being traded from the Yankees to the White Sox‚ C Ron Hassey is traded back to the Yankees along with 3 minor leaguers in exchange for P Neil Allen‚ C Scott Bradley‚ and minor leaguer Glen Braxton. But Hassey will again go back to the White Sox on July 30th.
February 21Rollie Fingers loses a chance to continue his career with the Cincinnati Reds when he refuses to shave his trademark handlebar mustache to comply with the club’s policy. Says Fingers: “I’m not about to shave it off just to play baseball.”
February 23Despite losing his arbitration case‚ Boston’s Wade Boggs receives the largest salary ever awarded through that process‚ $1.35 million.
February 24High-tension Dick Williams resigns as manager of the Padres. He will be replaced by low-key Steve Boros.
February 27Nine days after being arrested on drug possession charges for the 2nd time in a month‚ LaMarr Hoyt checks into a drug rehabilitation program and will miss most of the Padres’ spring training. Hoyt was 16-8 with a 3.47 ERA last season.
February 28In baseball’s sternest disciplinary move since the Black Sox were banished for life‚ Commissioner Ueberroth gives 7 players who were admitted drug users a choice of a year’s suspension without pay or heavy fines and career-long drug testing‚ along with 100 hours of drug-related community service. Joaquin Andujar‚ Jeffrey Leonard‚ Enos Cabell‚ Keith Hernandez‚ Dave Parker‚ Dale Berra‚ and Lonnie Smith will be fined 10 percent of their annual salaries‚ while 14 other players will receive lesser penalties for their involvement with illegal drugs. Most of the suspensions are a result of testimony at the Pittsburgh trial.

March

March 5The Braves trade C Rick Cerone and a pair of minor leaguers to the Brewers for C Ted Simmons.
March 10Ernie Lombardi‚ the NL MVP in 1938‚ and Bobby Doerr‚ a 9-time AL All-Star‚ are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee.
March 21Pittsburgh Associates‚ a coalition of 13 public and private investors‚ purchases the Pirates from the Galbreath family for $21.8 million.

The Yankees announce that their most celebrated off-season acquisition‚ 26-year-old pitcher Britt Burns‚ will not pitch at all this season because of a chronic deteriorating hip condition.
March 27Major league baseball’s Rules Committee votes to change the DH rule for the WS‚ allowing a DH to be used in all games played in the AL club’s home park. Since 1976‚ the DH had been used in all games in alternating years.
March 28The Yankees and Red Sox swap designated hitters: Mike Easler goes to New York for Don Baylor.

Four days before his 47th birthday‚ the Yankees waive pitcher Phil Niekro. He will be signed by the Indians on April 3rd.
March 30Danny Cox‚ who was 18-9 for the NL champion Cardinals last season‚ injures his ankle jumping off a sea wall while fishing and will be placed on the disabled list. He’ll be on the DL till April 29th.
March 31The Reds trade Wayne Krenchicki to the Expos for a pair of minor leaguers-Norm Charlton and Tim Barker.

April

April 1In a purge of its pitching staff‚ Atlanta releases veterans Pascual Perez‚ Len Barker‚ Terry Forster‚ and Rick Camp.
April 3Pedro Guerrero‚ the Dodgers most productive hitter‚ ruptures a tendon in his left knee while sliding into 3B in an exhibition game. He will be sidelined for at least 3 months and not have his first hit until September.
April 5Major League Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth proposes a drug testing program in which ML players would be tested for drugs no more than 4 times a year from March to October. Cocaine‚ marijuana‚ heroin‚ and morphine would be included‚ but not amphetamines. There would be no penalty for first-time positive testing.
April 7On Opening Day at Tiger Stadium‚ Boston’s Dwight Evans achieves a ML first by hitting a home run off Jack Morris on the first pitch of the season. But Detroit’s Kirk Gibson later hits 2 homers‚ adds two singles and drives in 5 runs to lead the Tigers to a 6-5 victory.
April 8After hitting a 2-run home run to tie the score in the bottom of the 9th‚ Seattle’s Jim Presley belts a grand slam with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th to give the Mariners an 8-4 season-opening win over the Angels.

Rookie Will Clark thrills the crowd by hitting a HR in his first at bat‚ and off no less than Nolan Ryan. The Giants beat the Astros 8-3.

The Kansas City Royals are the first defending champions-besides the New York Yankees-in 61 years to open at Yankee Stadium‚ and they start the season on the wrong foot by losing‚ 4-2. New York scores all 4 runs off starter Bud Black‚ who gives up a three-run homer to Butch Wynegar in the 2nd. Hal McRae accounts for both KC runs with a two-run homer off starter Ron Guidry‚ one of two hits Guidry gives up in 5 innings. Guidry wins his first Opener with relief help from Rod Scurry and Dave Righetti.

At Chicago‚ Tom Seaver makes his ML record 16th Opening Day start‚ but the White Sox vet loses to the Brewers‚ 5-3.
April 12Making his first start in nearly 3 years‚ Kansas City’s Dennis Leonard shuts out Toronto 1-0 on 3 hits. Leonard‚ a 3-time 20-game winner‚ had undergone 4 knee operations since tearing a tendon during the 1983 season.
April 18Despite allowing no hits-and only 3 fair balls hit-and striking out 10 in 5 innings‚ Texas rookie Bobby Witt is lifted in a game in Milwaukee. Why? Witt also walks 8‚ and throws 4 wild pitches‚ allowing 2 runs. Texas rallies for 3 runs in the 9th to win 7-5.
April 19Oakland’s Jose Rijo sets a club record with 16 strikeouts in 8 innings as the A’s beat Seattle 7-2. The 2 clubs combine for 30 strikeouts overall‚ setting the modern ML record for a 9-inning game.
April 20San Francisco’s Vida Blue wins his 200th career game‚ combining with Jeff Robinson to shut out the Padres 4-0.

At Wrigley‚ the Pirates and Cubs go 13 innings and end 8-8 as darkness calls the game. It will be finished August 11.
April 22Detroit’s Kirk Gibson sprains his ankle when his foot slips off the bag at Fenway. He’ll be out till June 3. The Red Sox will win today‚ 6-4‚ behind Clemens (3-0)‚ but be 10 games behind when Gibson returns.
April 25One out after Graig Nettles ties the score with a solo home run in the bottom of the 12th inning‚ Padres reliever Craig Lefferts belts his first ML home run to beat the Giants‚ 9-8.
April 26The game between the Angels and Twins is delayed for 9 minutes when strong winds tear a hole in the Metrodome roof‚ causing suspended lights and speakers to sag toward the field. The roof is reinflated and California rallies for 6 runs in the 9th to win 7-6.
April 27The Mets win their 9th consecutive game 5-3 at St. Louis‚ and in the process end John Tudor‘s 18-game winning streak at Busch Stadium. Kevin Mitchell hits his first ML home run for the Mets.
April 29Twenty-three-year-old Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens strikes out 20 batters in a 3-1 win over Seattle‚ breaking the ML record of 19 shared by Nolan Ryan‚ Steve Carlton‚ and Tom Seaver. Clemens doesn’t walk a batter‚ allows just 3 hits‚ and ties the AL record (Ryan and Davis) with 8 consecutive strikeouts in the middle innings.

Reds pitcher Mario Soto ties the ML record by surrendering home runs to Andre Dawson‚ Hubie Brooks‚ Tim Wallach‚ and Mike Fitzgerald in the 4th inning of a 7-4 loss to the Expos.
April 30The Mariners strike out 16 more times in a 9-4 loss to the Red Sox‚ setting a ML record of 36 strikeouts in 2 consecutive games.

May

May 1Zane Smith strikes out 12 batters as the Braves beat the Mets 7-2‚ ending New York’s club-record-tying 11-game winning streak.

For the second day in a row‚ the Dodgers beat the Cubs‚ 4-0. Yesterday’ winner was Bob Welch with a CG win; today the W goes to Rick Honeycutt.
May 3Minnesota’s Kirby Puckett hits a home run on the game’s first pitch (from Walt Terrell) for the 2nd consecutive night‚ but the Twins lose to the Tigers 7-4. The night before Puckett hit Jack Morris‘s first pitch for a home run to spark the Twins to a 10-1 victory.

Cubs 3B Ron Cey hits his 300th and 301st home runs and Chicago scores 4 times in the top of the 9th to beat San Francisco 6-5.

Don Mattingly ties the ML record with 3 sacrifice flies in the Yankees 9-4 win over the Rangers.

It’s not the baseball that stinks today. A skunk wanders onto the field in the 7th inning at Jack Murphy Stadium and holds up the Padres-Pirates game for 7 minutes. The incident gives life to the rumor that a group of skunks live under the stadium‚ existing on peanuts and other food dropped by fans. The Bucs score 3 in the 8th and 1 in the 9th to beat the Padres‚ 7-6.
May 4Veteran manager and executive Paul Richards dies. The innovative Richards is probably best known for designing the oversized catcher’s glove used to catch knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm.
May 7Thirty-six-year-old Phillies OF Garry Maddox‚ an 8-time Gold Glove winner‚ retires. Only Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays have won more Gold Gloves in the outfield.
May 8Chuck Cottier is fired as manager of the Mariners. He will be replaced tomorrow by Dick Williams‚ who resigned as manager of the Padres in February.
May 12Texas routs Cleveland 19-2‚ handing the Indians their 4th straight loss after they had won 10 in a row to move into a first-place tie in the AL East. Tom Paciorek goes 5-for-6 to lead the Rangers’ 22-hit attack.
May 13Helped by an unusual 3-6-1-2-4 triple play in the first inning‚ Seattle goes on to defeat Milwaukee 8-5. After Randy Ready and Ernest Riles walk to open the game‚ Cecil Cooper hits a bouncer to 1B Alvin Davis‚ who throws to 2B to force Riles. Cooper beats the return throw to 1B‚ but Ready is thrown out trying to score‚ and Cooper is thrown out at 2B trying to advance during the play at the plate.
May 14Reggie Jackson of the Angels homers off Boston’s Roger Clemens to move past Mickey Mantle on the all-time list with 537‚ but Boston scores 3 runs in the top of the 9th to win 8-5.
May 16A’s infielder Tony Phillips (5-for-5) hits for the cycle and drives in 4 runs as Oakland beats Baltimore 8-4.
May 20Milwaukee falls behind 8-0 in the top of the first inning. But they storm back to defeat Cleveland 12-9.
May 21At Atlanta‚ the Braves outlast the Cubs to win 9-8 in 13 innings. Andre Thomas‚ who entered the game as a pinch runner‚ walks the bases load in the 13th. Ken Oberkfell has 5 hits and Rafael Ramirrez collects a record-tying 4 doubles.
May 23The Phoenix Firebirds (PCL) get doused by Hawaii‚ 31-5.
May 25George Brett collects his 2‚000th hit‚ off Bryan Clark in the 4th inning of Kansas City’s 2-1‚ 17-inning victory over the White Sox. Brett finishes the day 1-for-7‚ while Scott Bankhead picks up his first ML win.

Roger Clemens no-hits the Rangers for 7 2?3 innings before Oddibe McDowell singles and Clemens settles for a 2-hit 7-1 victory that improves his record to 8-0.

At Cleveland‚ Pat Tabler is at bat for Toronto when pitcher John Cerutti picks Joe Carter off 1B unassisted. Cerutti beats Carter back to the bag. This same play occurred last month in an A’s-Twins game.
May 26Houston’s Jim Deshaies records his first ML win‚ striking out 10 Cardinals in 7 innings in the Astros’ 4-1 victory.
May 27At Cleveland, the Boston Red Sox are leading the Cleveland Indians, 2–0, in the 6th inning when the game is delayed then called on account of fog. Mike Brown is the winning pitcher but Oil Can Boyd comes up with the winning quote: “What do you expect when they build a ball park on the ocean?”

At Cleveland, the Boston Red Sox are leading the Cleveland Indians, 2–0, in the 6th inning when the game is delayed then called on account of fog. Mike Brown is the winning pitcher but Oil Can Boyd comes up with the winning quote: “What do you expect when they build a ball park on the ocean?”
May 28In his 2nd start for the White Sox since being recalled from Triple A Buffalo‚ Joe Cowley ties a ML record by striking out the first 7 Rangers he faces‚ but still surrenders 6 runs in 41?3 innings and loses 6-3. He finishes with 8 strikeouts. Cowley’s K record will be broken by Jim Deshaies before the season’s end.
May 30Mike Fitzgerald’s homer and single are the Expos only hits in their 1-0 victory over Houston. Bryn Smith and Jeff Reardon combine on a 3-hitter for Montreal.

The Yanks and Sox complete a six-player swap with Ron Kittle‚ along with Wayne Tolleson and C Joel Skinner coming to New York. The White Sox receive-again-Ron Hassey‚ along with Carlos Martinez and a player to be named later (Bill Lindsey). Hassey was traded from the Cubs to the Yanks in December‚ 1984‚ back to Chicago (Sox) in December‚ 1985‚ back to the Bronx in February‚ and now to Chicago.
May 31Wade Boggs raises his average to .402 with a 5-for-5 game as Boston beats Minnesota 7-2. Boggs will hit .357 this year to win his 3rd AL batting title. Through June 6‚ Boggs will have hit .400 over his past 162 games beginning with June 9‚ 1985. Tony Gwynn will match this feat.

June

June 1George Brett hits his 200th career home run in the 8th inning off Rangers rookie Mitch Williams as Kansas City defeats Texas 5-3. Ruben Sierra collects his first ML hit for the Rangers‚ a 3-run homer.
June 2Oakland draws 7 walks in a 7-run first inning against Detroit and ultimately wins 7-1.
June 4Joe Niekro no-hits the Angels for 72?3 innings before Gary Pettis doubles‚ and Niekro combines with Al Holland for an easy 11-0 one-hitter. Dave Winfield homers twice for the Yankees.

Pirates OF Barry Bonds‚ the son of former ML star Bobby Bonds‚ goes 4-for-5 with his first ML home run (off Craig McMurtry) as Pittsburgh whips Atlanta 12-3.
June 6Hey‚ they’re just home videos! Padres manager Steve Boros gets tossed out of the game with the Braves even before it starts when he tries to give umpire Charlie Williams a videotape of a disputed play in last night’s 4-2 loss to Atlanta.
June 7University of Arkansas’s Jeff King‚ The Sporting News college player of the year‚ is the first choice in the June draft. The Pirates take the third baseman. U. of Texas P Gregg Swindell is the next pick by Cleveland. Neither will sign for 6 weeks but Swindell will be in the major leagues after going 2-1 in the minors. The Giants take UNLV’s Matt Williams with the 3rd pick; Texas‚ picking 4th‚ selects Kevin Brown‚ followed by high schooler Kent Mercker (Braves)‚ Gary Sheffield (Brewers) and Brad Brink (Phillies). The Mets take Lee May‚ Jr. with the #21 pick but the youngster will not perform like his dad and hit just 8 homers in 8 years in the minors. After being skipped over because scouts are convinced the Heisman Trophy winner is headed to the NFL‚ Bo Jackson is taken in the 4th round by the Royals. Another draftee‚ #10 Greg McMurtry by the Red Sox‚ will skip baseball and play in the NFL. College Pitcher of the Year Mike Loynd is taken by Texas in the 7th Round. A total of 331 high schoolers are drafted‚ the most since 1979‚ due mainly to the dissolution of the January draft.
June 8In the longest 9-inning game by time in AL history‚ Baltimore’s Lee Lacy goes 4-for-6 with 3 home runs and 6 RBI as the Orioles club the Yankees 18-9. The game features 9 pitchers‚ 36 hits‚ and 16 walks‚ and takes 4:16 to complete.

Floyd Youmans pitches a one-hitter and hits his first ML home run as the Expos rout the Phillies 12-0. Glenn Wilson’s infield single in the 2nd is the only hit off Youmans‚ who walks 7.

Milwaukee beats the Red Sox‚ 7-3‚ as Wade Boggs goes hitless. Over the past 162 Red Sox games‚ Boggs has played in 160 hitting an even .400. Tony Gwynn will almost match Wade from Jul 1‚ 1993 to July 1‚ 1994‚ hitting .398.
June 10At Shea‚ Tim Teufel hits a pinch grand slam in the 11th and the Mets beat the Phils‚ 8-4. Teufel had been 0-for-3 as a pinch hitter.

The Dodgers edge the Reds 1-0 when Mariano Duncan scores from 2nd base on Bill Madlock‘s grounder to 3B. There is a force at 2B but Madlock beats the throw to 1B on the attempted DP‚ and Duncan beats the throw home.

The NL announces that Yale University president A. Bartlett Giamatti will be its next president‚ after Chub Feeney’s retirement in December.
June 12Juan Beniquez joins Lee Lacy as the 2nd unlikely Oriole to hit 3 home runs in a game this month‚ connecting for 3 solo shots in Baltimore’s 7-5 loss to the Yankees. Between them‚ Beniquez and Lacy will hit 17 home runs this season.

The 5th-place Cubs (23-33) fire manager Jim Frey and 3B coach Don Zimmer. John Vukovich will manage for two games before new manager Gene Michael takes over.
June 14The Blue Jays use the long ball to down the Tigers‚ 6-5. Rick Leach hits a 2-run pinch homer in the 7th to bring the Jays to a 5-3 deficit. Cliff Johnson’s 3rd hit in the game‚ a HR in the 9th off Tom Henke ties it‚ and the buck stops her when Martinez follows with a walkoff pinch homer to win it.
June 16Rangers knuckleballer Charlie Hough allows just one hit against the Angels but loses 2-1. With 2 outs to go for a no-hitter‚ George Wright drops Jack Howell‘s ?y ball for an error. A single by Wally Joyner ties the score‚ and passed ball by Orlando Mercado sends him to 2B. An intentional walk follows and the‚ with the runners moving on a 3-2 pitch‚ the batter strikes out‚ but the ball eludes Mercado. Hough fails to cover the plate as Joyner scores.

The Orioles trade Dennis Martinez‚ whose ERA had swelled to over 5.00 the last 3 seasons‚ to the Expos for player to be named later.
June 18California’s Don Sutton becomes the 19th pitcher in ML history to win 300 games‚ beating the Rangers 3-1 on a 3-hitter.

Padre reliever Tim Stoddard slugs a solo homer in the 3rd off the Giants Mike LaCoss‚ and then is lifted an inning later. The Giants win 6-3. For Stoddard‚ his first homer comes in his last major league at bat. He’ll appear in another 128 games but never swing a bat.
June 20After leading the club to a 26-38 record‚ Tony LaRussa is fired as manager of the White Sox and replaced by Jim Fregosi. LaRussa will be hired to manage the A’s early next month.
June 21Bo Jackson‚ college football’s Heisman Trophy winner in 1985 and the first pick (by Tampa Bay) in the NFL draft‚ stuns observers nationwide by signing with the Kansas City Royals instead.

The season ends for Phils C Daron Daulton when he tears the ACL in his left knee in a home plate collision with the Cards’ Mike Heath. St. Louis wins‚ 8-6.
June 22San Francisco sweeps a doubleheader from Houston 4-2 and 3-2 and leapfrogs past the Astros into first place in the NL West.
June 23The Phillies set a club record with 11 doubles‚ and Juan Samuel hits a pair of 3-run home runs in a 19-1 drubbing of the Cubs at Veterans Stadium.

Mike LaCoss pitches a 3-hitter and belts his first ML home run‚ off position player Dane Iorg‚ as the Giants pound the Padres 18-1. Tying a ML record‚ 14 Giants get hits and 13 come around to score in the game. In his next at bat‚ on June 29th‚ LaCoss will belt the 2nd and last homer of what will be a 14-year career. That homer will be served up by Tom Browning of the Reds. Iorg gives up 4 runs in his inning‚ but does strike out CF Randy Kutcher.

The Braves tie the NL record for a 9-inning game by leaving 18 runners on base in a 6-5 win over the Dodgers.
June 25Kirk McCaskill one-hits the Rangers 7-1‚ vaulting California past Texas into first place in the AL West. The Rangers’ only hit is Steve Buechele’s 3rd-inning home run.

Mark Langston sets a Mariners record with 15 strikeouts in a 6-1 three-hitter against the White Sox.

The Phillies give 41-year-old Steve Carlton his unconditional release and call up Bruce Ruffin to take his place in the starting rotation.
June 26The A’s fire manager Jackie Moore and name Jeff Newman his interim replacement. They will eventually hire recently ousted White Sox manager Tony LaRussa.
June 27Give him an A for effort. San Francisco 2B Robby Thompson is caught stealing 4 times in the Giants 7-6‚ 12-inning win over the Reds‚ establishing a new ML record. Thompson is thrown out by Bo Diaz in the 4th‚ 6th‚ 9th‚ and 11th innings.

The Blue Jays come from behind to beat the Yankees‚ 14-7‚ despite outhitting the Yanks just 19 to 18. Damasco Garcia has a record-tying 4 doubles for the Jays.
June 29Detroit beats Milwaukee 9-5 in the first game of a doubleheader split‚ making Tigers manager Sparky Anderson the first manager ever to win 600 games in each league. The Brewers win game 2‚ 3-1.
June 30Bo Jackson makes his professional baseball debut with the Memphis Chicks and goes 1-for-4 with 2 strikeouts.

The Yankees trade OF Ken Griffey to the Braves for OF Claudell Washington and SS Paul Zuvella.

As noted by historian Doug Lyons‚ Dale Holman‚ a career minor leaguer‚ hits a double for the Syracuse Chiefs (AAA International League) against Richmond in the game then suspended by rain. By the time the game is resumed on August 16‚ Holman is traded to Richmond and ends up playing for both teams in the same game.

July

July 2After 14 wins‚ Roger Clemens suffer his first loss as Toronto scores 3 times in the 8th inning to down Boston 4-2. Clemens was one game short of the AL record for consecutive wins at the start of a season.
July 4At Comiskey Park‚ with the score 1-1 in the bottom of the 8th‚ Sox OF John Cangelosi leads off with a drive to the RF corner. A fans leans out of the stands and appears to touch the ball as he tumbles onto the field. Anticipating an interference call‚ Yankee OF Claudell Washington slows down‚ while the speedy Cangelosi easily makes 3B. The umps don’t see any interference and Cangelosi remains on 3B‚ and scores on a sac fly. The Sox win 2-1.
July 6Bob Horner becomes the 11th player to hit 4 home runs in a game‚ but it isn’t enough as the Braves fall to the Expos 11-8. Horner is the 2nd to hit his 4 home runs in a losing cause. Ed Delahanty of the Fightin Phillies on July 13th 1896 was the first. On the winning side‚ Al Newman cracks his first ML HR‚ off Zane Smith; it’ll be his only homer‚ as Newman will go to the AL next year and set the junior circuit record by going to bat 1‚893 times without a 4-bagger.

In the A’s 6-3 win over Milwaukee‚ Tony Phillips of the A’s‚ ties the ML mark with 12 assists at 2B. It’ll be matched again next month.
July 7The first two Phillie hitters in the game-Gary Redus and Juan Samuel-hit home runs off Atlanta’s David Palmer. Redus adds another in the game‚ as does Russell‚ to give Shane Rawley (11-4) a 7-3 win.

Rookie Wally Joyner hits a 3-run homer in the top of the 16th to give California a 3-1 win over the Brewers. Dan Plesac takes the loss with Terry Forster winning.
July 9Atlanta’s Dale Murphy does not play in the Braves 7-3 win over the Phillies‚ ending his consecutive-game streak at 740. Murphy hadn’t missed a game since September 1981.

The Padres trade P Tim Stoddard to the Yankees for P Ed Whitson‚ who had become the target of such fan abuse in New York that manager Lou Piniella would no longer pitch him in Yankee Stadium.
July 10Oil Can Boyd (11-6) flies into a rage after learning that he has been left off the AL All-Star team and storms out of Fenway Park prior to Boston’s game against the Angels. He will be suspended indefinitely by the Red Sox and eventually scuffle with local police before checking into a hospital for psychiatric testing. The weirdness continues as the Angels score 3 in the 12th to take a 7-4 lead. Boston then scores 3 to tie and when Fischer replaces Cook‚ he balks in Dwight Evans with the winning run.
July 13Behind Juan Nieves‚ the Brewers snap a 7-game losing streak with a 5-0 win over the Mariners. Nieves strikes out 12 enroute to his 3rd shutout‚ tops in the AL.
July 15At the Houston Astrodome‚ the AL wins the All-Star Game 3-2 for its 2nd triumph in the last 15 years. AL starter Roger Clemens pitches 3 perfect innings to win the game’s MVP Award.
July 18The Royals announce that 50-year-old manager Dick Howser‚ who led the club to a World Championship last season‚ will miss the rest of the season to undergo treatment for a brain tumor that is later revealed to be malignant. 3B coach Mike Ferraro will manage the club in Howser’s absence.

Against Baltimore’s Scott McGregor‚ the Twins first two batters-Kirby Puckett and Gary Gaetti-hit homers Puckett adds another to help the Twins to a 7-3 win. Bert Blyleven is the winner.

Joaquin Andujar (5-2) pitches Oakland to a 6-1 win over Juan Nieves (8-4) and the Brewers. Nieves pitched and won Milwaukee’s last game‚ before the break‚ to give him two consecutive starts in 2 games.
July 19Mets players Ron Darling‚ Tim Teufel‚ Bob Ojeda‚ and Rick Aguilera are arrested following an early-morning fight with off-duty police officers working as security guards outside a Houston bar‚ but are all released in time for their Astros game that evening. On January 26th Darling and Teufel will be fined $200 while charges against Ojeda and Aguilera will be dropped.
July 21Jose Canseco cranks a Walt Terrell pitch into the upper deck of the CF bleachers at Tiger Stadium. The A’s slugger has now hit a HR in every AL Park.
July 22Ken Griffey hits 3 solo home runs but Atlanta falls to Philadelphia 5-4 in 11 innings. Griffey is the 2nd Brave this month to hit 3 or more home runs in a losing cause.

The Cubs fire their ball girl Marla Collins when it is revealed that she posed nude for Playboy magazine. The photos will appear in the October issue and accompany shots of Marla in her Cubs uniform and one of Harry Caray pointing to a tattoo on her right thigh. The Cubs win today 6-4 behind Ed Lynch‚ who ties a NL record in the 1st inning by making 3 putouts. The record was set in 1975 by another Cub‚ Rick Reuschel.

Glenn Davis hits a game-ending homer in the 10th off Floyd Youmans to give Houston a 1-0 victory over Montreal.

The Mets win a crazy five-hour marathon with the Reds in 14 innings‚ winning 6-3. Setting the tone‚ Darryl Strawberry is ejected after arguing a called 3rd strike in the 5th. In the 9th‚ Howard Johnson inadvertently kicks the ball after Reds C Bo Diaz drops a third strike. Johnson runs out of the baseline and is hit in the back with the throw from pitcher Ron Robinson. Reds coach Billy DeMars is ejected for arguing the safe call. The Mets‚ down 3-1‚ with 2 out‚ tie the game when Dave Parker who drops a routine fly ball. In the 10th‚ Davey Johnson sends in pitcher Rick Aguilera to hit for pitcher Doug Sisk. Aguilera walks‚ but is stranded. In the Reds 10th‚ pinch-runner Eric Davis steals 2B and 3B‚ bumping into Ray Knight. Knight decks Davis and both benches empty. Knight‚ Davis‚ Kevin Mitchell and Mario Soto are ejected. Gary Carter moves to 3B‚ McDowell comes in to pitch‚ and Orosco moves from the mound to RF. With two out and a runner on 2B in the 11th‚ Orosco returns to pitch‚ McDowell moves to LF‚ and Mookie Wilson shifts to right. Rose protests when Orosco is permitted eight warm-up pitches. Orosco whiffs Max Venable to end the inning. In the 12th‚ The Mets are forced to lead off the inning with Orosco and McDowell‚ and go down in order. McDowell returns to pitch in the 13th and gets Tony Perez to fly to Orosco in right. Howard Johnson belts a three-run homer in the 14th‚ scoring Hearn and Orosco‚ and the latter won’t score another run until 2002. McDowell retires the side in order.
July 23In Toronto’s 6-2 win at Seattle‚ Tony Fernandez hits a single in the 7th with the play ending up five players touched the ball a total of eight times with the catcher getting the put out at second. Retrosheet’s John Jarvis calls this the longest putout string he’s recorded.
July 30C Ron Hassey is traded for the 3rd time in 8 months‚ this time going to Chicago in a deal that brings OF-DH Ron Kittle‚ SS Wayne Tolleson‚ and C Joel Skinner to New York.

An arbitrator rules against the ML owners for including clauses in the contracts of several hundred players that allow random drub testing without negotiating with the players union.
July 31Brian Downing and Bob Boone each hit grand slams off Oakland’s Eric Plunk to lead the Angels to an 8-5 victory.

August

August 1Minnesota’s Bert Blyleven fires a 2-hitter and strikes out a club-record 15 batters to become the 10th pitcher with 3‚000 career strikeouts. Kirby Puckett hits for the cycle to lead the Twins to a romp 10-1 over the A’s.
August 2Dodgers Alejandro Pena and Tom Niedenfuer combine to one-hit the Reds 7-1‚ allowing only Eddie Milner‘s leadoff home run off Pena in the 6th inning. It is the 5th time Milner has collected the only hit in a one-hitter‚ tying Cesar Tovar‘s ML record.
August 3Willie McCovey‚ Bobby Doerr‚ and Ernie Lombardi are inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown‚ New York.

At Comiskey Park‚ Russ Morman homers and singles in the 4th inning in his first ML game as the Sox beat the Tigers‚ 10-1. He ties Billy Martin‘s ML record debut with his 2 hits in one inning. Gibson homer is the only score for Detroit‚ while Baines and Fisk add homers for Chicago.

At Cleveland‚ the Yankees set a ML record by scoring 10 runs in the 5th inning. They have 5 walks‚ a HBP‚ and 6 hits including 2 homers to score. New York wins‚ 10-6.
August 4White Sox pitcher Jose DeLeon (2-0) beats Boston’s Roger Clemens (17-4) for the 2nd time in 5 days 1-0 at Fenway Park. DeLeon and the White Sox also won 7-2 on July 30th.
August 5The Reds pound the Giants’ new pitcher Steve Carlton for 7 runs in 31?3 innings to win 11-6. Carlton records his 4‚000th strikeout to join Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers to reach that plateau. The Giants will release Carlton on the 7th and he will join the White Sox.

After Detroit wins the opener‚ 6-5‚ game 2 starts off with Detroit’s first two hitters-Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell-belting homers off Cleveland’s Jose Roman. It is the 3rd time in a month this has occurred. Whitaker hits another as Detroit wins the shootout‚ 11-9.

The Orioles stake Storm Davis to a 8-0 lead after 4 innings and he coasts home‚ 9-2‚ for his 10th straight win over the Rangers.
August 6In a wild game that features a ML-record 3 grand slams‚ Texas scores 7 runs in the final 2 innings to beat Baltimore 13-11. Toby Harrah‘s grand slam in the 2nd gives the Rangers a 5-0 lead‚ but Baltimore rallies for 9 runs in the 4th‚ thanks to grand slams by Larry Sheets and Jim Dwyer‚ the 5th time in ML history a team has hit 2 grand slams in one inning. Bobby Witt and Jeff Russell serve up the gopher balls.

The Red Sox jump on Floyd Bannister for 7 runs in the 1st two innings and coast to a 9-0 whitewash of the White Sox. Bruce Hurst allows 3 hits in the win. It is the 11th consecutive loss for Bannister against the Bosox‚ a streak stretching back to 1982.

The Mets release outfielder George Foster‚ the last NL player to hit 50 HRs in one season. Foster will play 15 games for the White Sox before retiring for good.
August 10Pitcher Bob Forsch hits a grand slam to lead the Cardinals to a 5-4 win over the Pirates‚ and reliever Todd Worrell records his 24th save to break the ML rookie record set by Doug Corbett in 1980.
August 11The Cubs parade a record 10 pitchers in a 17-inning 10-8 loss to the Pirates. Pittsburgh uses 7 hurlers. The game is a continuation of a contest started on April 20‚ but was postponed because of darkness. Barry Jones‚ the winning pitcher who strikes out the side‚ and Barry Bonds‚ who hit the game winning RBI‚ were in the minors when the game started. Loser Frank DiPino started the season with Houston.

Pete Rose singles 4 times and doubles to set a NL-record with his 10th 5-hit game‚ breaking Max Carey‘s mark. Rose has 3 runs batted in as his Reds lose to the Giants‚ 13-4.
August 12Boston’s Don Baylor sets an AL record when he is hit by a pitch for the 25th time‚ breaking the season record he held with Bill Freehan (1968) and Kid Elberfeld (1911). The Royals Bud Black does the plunking in a 5-1 win. Baylor will end the season being hit 35 times: the ML record is 50 by Ron Hunt.
August 14Against the Giants‚ Reds player-manager Pete Rose is 3-for-4 as the Reds win‚ 2-0.
August 15Alvin Davis hits a game-ending homer in the 9th off reliever Keith Atherton to give Seattle a 1-0 win over the Twins.
August 16Dale Holman‚ of the Richmond Braves (International L) becomes the first professional player to ever play for two teams in one game. The game was suspended because of rain on June 16 when he was in the lineup for Syracuse. By the time the game is completed today‚ Holman had been traded to Richmond and is in the lineup (as noted by Doug Lyons).
August 17The Red Sox trade highly touted SS Rey Quinones‚ Mike Brown‚ and P Mike Trujillo to the Mariners for SS Spike Owen‚ OF Dave Henderson and John Christenson.

Steve Carlton wins his first AL game and the 320th of his career as the White Sox beat the Brewers 7-4.

Pete Rose makes his final ML appearance‚ striking out as a pinch hitter against Goose Gossage. The Reds lose 9-5 to the visiting Padres. A bright spot is Barry Larkin hitting his first ML HR‚ off LaMar Hoyt.
August 20Tigers Walt Terrell is one out away from a no-hitter when Wally Joyner doubles. Terrell settles for a one-hit 3-0 win over the Angels. Trammell has a double and homer for Detroit.

Philadelphia’s Don Carman pitches a perfect game until Bob Brenly doubles leading off the 9th‚ and Carman ends up combining with Steve Bedrosian for a 10-inning 1-0 win over the Giants. Juan Samuel‘s home run in the top of the 10th provides the game’s only run‚ the 2nd time in Phils’ history that an extra inning homer has won a 1-0 game (Northey‚ 1944).

Dave Winfield hits his 300th homer in a losing cause as the Yanks fall to Seattle‚ 5-2. Mike Trujillo wins his first game for Seattle.

At Kansas City‚ Texas is victorious 7-1. Rookie reliever Dale Mohorcic gets the last out to preserve the win for Charlie Hough. It is Mohorcic’s 13th straight appearance (beginning on August 6) tying the modern ML record set by Mike Marshall.
August 21Newly acquired SS Spike Owen ties the 20th century ML record by scoring 6 runs in Boston’s 24-5 thrashing of Cleveland. Rookie blue chipper Greg Swindell takes the loss in his ML debut.
August 25A’s 3B Mark McGwire hits his first ML home run-a 450-foot blast to center field off Walt Terrell-as Oakland beats Detroit 8-4 at Tiger Stadium.
August 27Nolan Ryan posts his 250th career victory‚ allowing one hit in 6 innings as the Astros beat the Cubs 7-1.

In Seattle’s 4-1 win over Baltimore‚ the M’s Harold Reynolds ties the ML mark with 12 assists at 2B. He’s the second second sacker to do it this season.
August 29Cleveland’s Joe Carter belts 3 home runs and singles twice as the Indians beat the Red Sox 7-3 at Fenway Park.

California scores 8 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning‚ the final 4 coming on Dick Schofield’s 2-out walkoff grand slam off Willie Hernandez‚ to beat Detroit 13-12.
August 30Roger Clemens becomes the major leagues’ first 20-game winner this season‚ striking out 11 Indians in a 7-3 victory to raise his record to 20-4.

September

September 1A’s rookie Jose Canseco goes 4-for-5 and hits his 28th home run to become the first ML player with 100 RBI this season. Oakland defeats New York 9-8.

Texas Rangers pinch hitters Oddibe McDowell and Darrell Porter blast 9th inning back-to-back homers off Boston Red Sox reliever Steve Crawford, but the Rangers fall to the Red Sox, 6-4.
September 2Vance Law hits a game-ending homer in the 9th off Bob Welch to give the Expos a 1-0 win over the Dodgers.



In a game at Wrigley Field suspended in the 15th inning and completed Sept 3, Greg Maddux makes his ML debut, one of his four relief appearances. Tied 3-3, after 8, Houston scored once in the top of the ninth, and then Chicago answered with their own run, pushing the two into extra innings. After seven shutout innings from each bullpen, the two sides traded 3 run salvos in the 17th to push the game into the 18th. Entering the game as a pinch runner, Maddux appeared on the mound in the top of the 18th, surrendering a one-out home run to Billy Hatcher that proved to be the game winner, 9-8.
September 3In a two-day‚ 18-inning marathon (the game is picked up the following day) the Cubs and Astros set a ML record by using 53 players‚ including 17 pitchers. Chicago loses, 8-7. Greg Maddux makes his debut as a pinch runner for Jody Davis in the 17th inning. He stays in to pitch the top of the 18th and takes a loss on a Billy Hatcher homerun.

Pitching in the 3rd inning against the Mets‚ Giants rookie Terry Mulholland snags a hard grounder off Keith Hernandez but can’t retrieve the ball from the webbing of his glove. Thinking fast‚ Mulholland runs towards first and tosses his mitt to 1B Bob Brenley for the out. Brenley later regrets‚ “I should have flipped the glove around the infield.” The Giants come up short‚ losing 4-2.
September 6After hitting a record 210 homers without a grand slam‚ Atlanta’s Bob Horner finally connects with the sacks full to give the Braves a 4-2 win over Pittsburgh. It will be his only career grand slam. Horner’s record will be broken by Sammy Sosa.

At County Stadium‚ the Cleveland Indians swamp the Brewers‚ 17-9 on 23 hits. Joe Carter has 5 hits‚ including 2 homers‚ and scores 5 times.
September 7Montreal’s Floyd Youmans and Tim Burke combine to one-hit the Giants but lose 1-0 as Mike Krukow tosses a 2-hit shutout. Mike Aldrete‘s first-inning double drives in the game’s only run.
September 10Eric Davis leads the Reds to a 14-2 pasting of the host Giants by belting 3 home runs‚ scoring 5 runs and knocking in 4. His first 2 homers are off starter Vida Blue.
September 12The Twins fire manager Ray Miller and replace him with coach Tom Kelly.

In his first major league at bat‚ Oakland’s Terry Steinbach homers at Cleveland. It comes off Gregg Swindell in a 9-3 victory. Mike Witt (18-8) is the winner.
September 13The Rangers set a club record with 7 home runs in a 14-1 rout of Minnesota. Five of the home runs come off Twins starter Bert Blyleven‚ who will yield a ML-record 50 this season.
September 14Giants Bob Brenly‚ a catcher subbing at 3B‚ ties a ML record by committing 4 errors in one inning of San Francisco’s 7-6 victory over the Braves. Brenly atones for his errors with a homer in the 5th‚ a game-tying 2-run single in the 7th‚ and a 2-out game-winning home run in the bottom of the 9th.

Bo Jackson slugs his first ML home run-a 475-foot blast believed to be the longest to date at Royals Stadium-as Kansas City downs Seattle 10-3.
September 17The Mets clinch the NL East Championship with a 4-2 win over the Cubs at Shea Stadium as Dwight Gooden tosses a 6-hitter. The Mets will win 108 games this season‚ most in the NL since the 1975 Reds.
September 18For the second time in his career‚ Reggie Jackson belts three homers in a game in a 18-3 laugher over Kansas City. At the age of 40 years‚ 4 months‚ Reggie joins Musial and Ruth as the only 40+ player to accomplish the feat. Reggie scores 4 times and has 7 RBIs
September 19White Sox pitcher Joe Cowley‚ who had been demoted to the minors earlier in the season‚ pitches an ugly no-hitter against the Angels. Cowley walks 7 batters and allows a sacrifice ?y as Chicago wins 7-1. For Cowley‚ this win is his high note‚ as he won’t record another big league victory‚ going 0-4 with the Phils in 1987.
September 20San Diego’s Tony Gwynn steals 5 bases in a 10-6 loss to the Astros‚ tying the modern NL record for steals in one game.

Texas rookie Kevin Brown‚ the Rangers top pick in the June draft‚ registers his first professional win‚ beating the Oakland A’s‚ 9-5. Earlier in the year‚ teammate Bobby Witt also won his first pro game in the majors. The first Ranger to do it was David Clyde in 1973.
September 21In his ML debut‚ San Diego’s Jimmy Jones pitches a one-hitter against the Astros‚ allowing only a 3rd-inning triple to opposing pitcher Bob Knepper on the way to a 5-0 win. He’s the first NL pitcher to debut with a one-hitter since Juan Marichal. Knepper is the only baserunner in Jones’ near perfecto.

Another rookie‚ the Phils Marvin Freeman wins his first ML game‚ beating the Mets in New York‚ 7-1. Marvin has another cause for celebration: his daughter Paris is born today.
September 22Dodgers ace Fernando Valenzuela becomes the NL’s first 20-game winner this season‚ beating the Astros 9-2 on 2 hits. He’s the first Mexican to win 20 games in a season.
September 23Houston’s Jim Deshaies strikes out the first 8 batters on the way to a 2-hit 4-0 win over the Dodgers. Deshaies breaks the ML record of 7‚ last tied by Joe Cowley on May 28th. He finishes with 10 strikeouts.
September 25Houston’s Mike Scott pitches a 2-0 no-hitter against the Giants at the Astrodome‚ clinching the NL West title for the Astros. It is the first time a pennant has ever been decided by a no-hitter‚ and the 3rd consecutive game in which Astros pitchers have allowed 2 hits or less.

In George Bamberger‘s last game as manager of the Brewers‚ Teddy Higuera beats Baltimore 9-3 to become the major leagues’ 3rd 20-game winner this season. Tom Trebelhorn replaces Bamberger‚ who is retiring voluntarily.
September 26California clinches the AL West title with an 8-3 win over Texas. Brian Downing belts 2 home runs for the Angels.
September 27Jack Morris shuts out the Yankees 1-0 in 10 innings‚ raising his record to 20-8 and snapping Don Mattingly‘s hitting streak at 24 consecutive games.
September 28The Red Sox become the last team to win their division‚ wrapping up the AL East with a 12-3 rout of the 2nd-place Blue Jays at Fenway Park.
September 29Cleveland 2B Jay Bell becomes the 9th player in history to hit a home run on the first ML pitch he sees‚ but the Indians fall to the Twins‚ 6-5. Bell tolls his home run off Bert Blyleven‚ for whom Bell‚ along with 2 other players‚ had been traded the previous year. Bell’s dinger is the 47th of the season against Bert Blyleven‚ breaking the ML record of 46 home runs allowed by Robin Roberts in 1956. Blyleven will end the year with 50 gophers.

Two rookie pitchers face each other as the Cubs send Greg Maddux against the Phils to face his brother Mike. Greg wins‚ 8-3 in the first ever encounter between rookie brothers.

October

October 1With three-run homers from Jerry Willard and Terry Steinbach and a solo shot by Dave Kingman, the Oakland Athletics beats the Texas Rangers, 9-7. For Kingman, the blast is his 35th of the season and sets a record for most home runs by a player in his final major league season.
October 2Don Mattingly sets a Yankees record with his 232nd hit of the season in a 6-1 win over the Red Sox‚ eclipsing the mark set by Earle Combs in 1927. Mattingly will finish the season with 238 hits and a .352 batting average.

Mike Scott strikes out 8 Giants in a 2-1 Astros victory to run his season total to 306‚ joining Sandy Koufax and J. R. Richard as the only NL pitchers to fan 300 batters in one season. Scott loses his bid for a 2nd consecutive no-hitter when Will Clark doubles in the 7th inning.

The Kansas City Royals claim Jim Eisenreich off the waiver list. He’s been out of organized baseball for the past 2 seasons because of Tourette’s Syndrome after appearing in 46 games with The Twins in 1982-84.
October 3Baltimore loses to Detroit 6-3‚ assuring the Orioles of their first last-place finish since moving from St. Louis in 1954.
October 4On the next-to-last day of the season‚ Dave Righetti saves both ends of the Yankees doubleheader sweep of the Red Sox to give him a ML-record 46 saves. Bruce Sutter and Dan Quisenberry had shared the record with 45.

At the Metrodome‚ the Twins Greg Gagne lines a 2nd inning inside-the-park homer off Chicago’s Floyd Bannister. In his next at bat‚ there are two runners on when he repeats‚ again off Bannister‚ to tie the AL record. Gagne almost sets a 20th-century record with a third IPHR‚ but settles for a triple as the Twins wim. 7-3.

Playing for the Indians‚ Forty-seven-year old Phil Niekro “steals” the first base of his career. With the Tribe at bat in the 8th inning‚ behind 5-2 against Seattle‚ there is a runner on 1B when Niekro‚ wearing a red bandanna over his face‚ lumbers out of the Cleveland dugout. He rambles towards 2B‚ diving in headfirst‚ and ump Vic Voltaggio signals safe. To the delight of the fans‚ “Knucks” rips the bag out of the ground and triumphantly returns to the dugout with his first steal.
October 5At Oakland Curt Young has a near perfect game‚ allowing just Kevin Seitzer‘s 2-out single in the 7th. He is Kansas City’s only baserunner as Young beats Bret Saberhagen‚ 6-0.
October 6The Orioles announce that 3B coach Cal Ripken‚ Sr.‚ father of star SS Cal Ripken‚ Jr.‚ will manage the club in 1987.
October 7In the ALCS opener‚ California behind Mike Witt downs Boston’s 20-game winner Roger Clemens 8-1.
October 8Houston takes a 1-0 lead over the Mets in the NLCS as Mike Scott ties the NLCS record with 14 strikeouts. Glenn Davis’ 2nd-inning solo HR off Dwight Gooden is the game’s only run.

Angel errors and a lost ?y ball in the late-afternoon sun hand the Red Sox a 9-2 victory in game 2.
October 9The Mets Bob Ojeda goes the distance even though giving up 10 hits‚ as New York wins 5-1.
October 10The Angels score 5 runs in the 6th‚ 7th‚ and 8th innings to down the Red Sox 5-3.

The Royals announce that Dick Howser‚ who underwent surgery for a brain tumor in July‚ will return to manage the club next season.
October 11Trailing 3-0 entering the bottom of the 9th inning‚ California rallies for 3 runs off Roger Clemens and Calvin Schiraldi‚ and goes on to defeat the Red Sox 4-3 in 11 innings to take a 3-1 lead in the ALCS.

Len Dykstra’s 2-run home run off Dave Smith with one out in the bottom of the 9th gives the Mets a 6-5 win over the Astros and a 2-1 lead in the NLCS.
October 12One loss away from elimination and trailing 5-2 entering the 9th‚ the Red Sox stage one of the most improbable comebacks in post-season history winning 7-6 over the Angels in 11 innings. After Don Baylor’s 9th-inning home run reduces the deficit to 5-4‚ reserve outfielder Dave Henderson slugs a 2-out‚ 2-run home run off Donnie Moore to give Boston a 6-5 lead. California ties the score with a run in the bottom of the 9th but Henderson‚ who had appeared to be the goat when he dropped Bobby Grich‘s long ?y ball over the fence for a home run in the 7th inning‚ delivers a sacrifice ?y in the 11th for the winning run.

Mike Scott baffles the Mets for a 2nd time‚ yielding only 3 hits in a 3-1 Astros victory. The Mets collect several balls thrown by Scott in an effort to prove he was scuffing the ball, but the evidence is deemed inconclusive and no action is taken against the Houston ace.

Norm Cash‚ 1961 AL batting champion‚ drowns in Lake Michigan‚ a victim of a boating accident. He was 51.
October 13The International Olympic Committee announces that baseball will become a full medal sport at the 1992 Summer Games.
October 14Boston scores 5 in the 3rd to beat California 10-4. The ALCS series is now tied at 3 apiece.

Breaking out of a 1-for-21 slump‚ Mets C Gary Carter drives in the winning run of the Mets 2-1 win in the bottom of the 12th‚ rendering meaningless Nolan Ryan‘s 9 innings of 2-hit‚ 12-strikeout pitching.
October 15In the longest game in post-season history‚ the Mets beat the Astros 7-6 in 16 innings to earn their first trip to the World Series since 1973. New York scores 3 runs in the top of the 9th to force extra innings. The Mets score 3 more runs in the top of the 16th and Houston answers with 2 of its own before Jesse Orosco fans Kevin Bass to end the game.

Boston routs California 8-1 in the 7th game of the ALCS and advances to the World Series. The game caps yet another heartbreaking failure for Angels skipper Gene Mauch‚ who in game 5 was one strike away from reaching his first World Series in 25 seasons as a ML manager. After the game‚ veteran 2B Bobby Grich retires.
October 18Boston wins game one of the World Series 1-0 when Tim Teufel botches Rich Gedman‘s routine grounder in the 7th inning‚ allowing Jim Rice to score the game’s only run. Bruce Hurst and Calvin Schiraldi combine on a 4-hitter for the Red Sox.
October 19In game two of the WS‚ Boston has 18 hits against Doc Gooden and 4 relievers to give the Red Sox a 9-3 win.
October 21Len Dykstra’s leadoff HR helps Bob Ojeda beat his old team 7-1 to give the Mets their first win. The Sox now lead in the WS‚ 2-1.
October 22Gary Carter hits 2 home runs to lead the Mets to a 6-2 win at Fenway Park and even the Series at 2-2.
October 23Mets ace Dwight Gooden loses again as Bruce Hurst gives up 10 hits but wins 4-2 for Boston.
October 24Bill Russell‚ 38‚ announces his retirement. He was the last member of the Dodgers Garvey-Lopes-Russell-Cey infield and is 2nd on the club’s all-time games-played list with 2‚183.
October 25Trailing 5-3 with 2 out and no one on base in the bottom of the 10th inning‚ New York rallies to win game 6 of the World Series 6-5 and force a deciding 7th game. After Gary Carter‚ Kevin Mitchell‚ and Ray Knight single‚ Bob Stanley uncorks a wild pitch that permits the tying run to score‚ and a hobbled Bill Buckner lets Mookie Wilson‘s slow bouncer skip through his legs‚ allowing Knight to score the winning run. Reliever Calvin Schiraldi absorbs the loss.
October 27The Mets win game 7 of the World Series 8-5 at Shea Stadium. 3B Ray Knight‚ whose leadoff home run off Calvin Schiraldi in the 7th inning‚ triggers a 3-run rally‚ is named MVP. Schiraldi is pinned with his 2nd straight loss‚ the only pitcher ever to lose games 6 and 7.
October 28Former Phillies SS Larry Bowa is named manager of the Padres‚ replacing Steve Boros.
October 29Padres pitcher LaMarr Hoyt is arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border for possession of illegal drugs‚ the 3rd time he has been arrested on drug charges. He will be sentenced to 45 days in jail on December 16th.
October 30San Diego trades C Terry Kennedy and minor leaguer Mark Williamson to the Orioles for P Storm Davis.

November

November 11Houston’s Mike Scott (18-10) beats Fernando Valenzuela (21-11) for the NL Cy Young Award‚ garnering 15 first-place votes to Valenzuela’s 9.

Forty-five-year-old player-manager Pete Rose is dropped from the Reds’ 40-man ML roster to make room for P Pat Pacillo. Rose will continue to manage the club.
November 12Roger Clemens wins the AL Cy Young Award unanimously‚ joining Denny McLain (1968) as the only pitchers to do so.
November 13Dave Stewart‚ who went 9-5 for his hometown A’s after being released by the Phillies in May‚ signs a 2-year contract with Oakland.
November 14The Doubleday Publishing Company agrees to sell the World Champion Mets to Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon for $80.75 million. The company had purchased the Mets for a then-record $21.1 million in 1980.
November 18Roger Clemens becomes the first starting pitcher to win the AL MVP Award since Vida Blue in 1971‚ receiving 19 of a possible 28 first-place votes to defeat runner-up Don Mattingly.
November 19Phillies 3B Mike Schmidt wins the NL MVP Award‚ joining Stan Musial and Roy Campanella as the only 3-time winners. Schmidt led the NL with 37 HRs and 119 RBI.
November 24Cardinals reliever Todd Worrell‚ who led the NL with 36 saves‚ is named NL Rookie of the Year. Worrell had helped St. Louis to the 1985 World Series as a late-season call-up but was still a rookie as defined by the BBWAA.

In yet another unwise trade of prospects for aging veterans‚ the Yankees deal Ps Brian Fisher‚ Doug Drabek‚ and Logan Easley to the Pirates for Ps Rick Rhoden‚ Cecilio Guante‚ and Pat Clements. Drabek will win the National league Cy Young Award for Pittsburgh in 1990.

The Twins announce that interim manager Tom Kelly will return on a permanent basis next season.
November 25Jose Canseco wins the AL Rookie of the Year Award‚ becoming the first A’s player to do so since Harry Byrd in 1952.

December

December 10In the first 2 major trades of the winter meetings‚ the Dodgers send 1B Greg Brock to the Brewers for pitchers Tim Leary and Tim Crews. The Mariners trade OF Danny Tartabull and P Rick Luecken to Kansas City for pitchers Scott Bankhead‚ Steve Shields‚ and Mike Kingery.
December 12The Mets trade versatile rookie Kevin Mitchell‚ prospects Stan Jefferson and Shawn Abner‚ and 2 minor leaguers to the Padres for OF Kevin McReynolds‚ P Gene Walter‚ and minor leaguer Adam Ging.

The Yankees trade Mike Easler and minor leaguer Tom Barrett to the Phillies for P Charles Hudson and minor leaguer Jeff Knox‚ and also re-sign free-agent OF Claudell Washington to fill Easler’s DH position.
December 19After finding no other clubs interested in signing him‚ free-agent pitcher and 20-game winner Jack Morris agrees to salary arbitration with the Tigers while at the same time accusing the ML owners of collusion against free agents. Morris had offered to sign a one-year contract‚ with salary to be determined by an arbitrator‚ with either the Yankees‚ Angels‚ Twins‚ or Phillies‚ but was turned down by all 4.

Michael Sergio‚ a Mets fan who parachuted into Shea Stadium during game 6 of the World Series‚ is sentenced to 100 hours of community service and fined $500.
December 24Two free agents sign today‚ OF Gary Ward signs with the New York Yankees‚ while Reggie Jackson signs with the Oakland A’s. With Jackson’s signing‚ the Angels receive the A’s 2nd round draft pick.