Baseball – 1989

Baseball in 1989

<< Previous Year | Next Year >>

January


January 5Three weeks after signing a record 4-year‚ $1.1 billion network television contract with CBS‚ major league baseball signs a $400 million contract with ESPN that will put 175 games per year on cable television beginning in 1990.
January 9Johnny Bench and Carl Yastrzemski are elected to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA in their first year of eligibility. Bench was named on 96.4 percent of the ballots‚ the 3rd-highest figure in history behind Ty Cobb and Hank Aaron.
January 17Free-agent Claudell Washington leaves the Yankees to sign a 3-year contract with the Angels.
January 26Last season’s tougher balk rules are rescinded‚ and the rule is returned to its pre-1988 form.
January 29The game-winning RBI is dropped as an official statistic after 9 years of use. The Mets Keith Hernandez is the all-time leader with 129.

February


February 2Bill White‚ a 6-time All-Star and longtime Yankees broadcaster‚ is elected president of the National League. He becomes the highest-ranking black official in American professional sports.
February 16Orel Hershiser becomes the first player in ML history to sign a contract that calls for a $3 million salary by inking a 3-year‚ $7.9 million contract with the Dodgers that will pay him $3‚166‚667 in 1991.
February 21Reds manager Pete Rose meets with Commissioner Peter Ueberroth‚ Commissioner-elect Bart Giamatti and Fay Vincent to discuss his gambling habits. In his January 2004 book‚ Pete says he told the commissioner‚ “No sir‚ I did not bet on baseball.” Afterwards‚ Rose says “You can read anything you want into it. But I don’t see anything bad.”
February 26A California court throws out a major part of Margo Adams $12 million breach-of-contract suit against Red Sox 3B Wade Boggs. Adams claimed that Boggs had promised her a salary and expenses during a 4-year affair.
February 28Red Schoendienst‚ a former 2B and manager of the Cardinals‚ and Al Barlick‚ a ML umpire for over 29 seasons‚ are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee.

March


March 9Bob Horner‚ 31‚ announces his retirement because of a damaged left shoulder.
March 19With Dave Winfield sidelined‚ the Yankees trade C Joel Skinner and a minor leaguer to the Indians for OF Mel Hall. Winfield will miss all of the 1989 season after undergoing back surgery next week for central disc herniation.
March 20The commissioner’s office announces that Reds manager Pete Rose is under investigation for unnamed “serious allegations.”
March 25The Indians and Pirates swap shortstops‚ with Felix Fermin going to Cleveland in exchange for Jay Bell.
March 28AL umpire Nick Bremigan‚ 43‚ dies of a heart attack.

April


April 3The Mets win their 11th consecutive home opener 8-4 over St. Louis at Shea Stadium. New York has won on Opening Day in 18 of the last 20 seasons. Dwight Gooden is the winner‚ helped by a home run by Howard Johnson.

Facing Dave Stewart‚ Ken Griffey‚ Jr. doubles in his first ML at bat‚ but the Athletics beat the Mariners‚ 3-2. Mark McGwire homers for the A’s.
April 4Before 52‚394 at Minneapolis‚ the Yankees spoil the Twins Opening Day game by winning‚ 4-2. 45-year-old Tommy John‚ pitching in his 26th season‚ allows the Twins two run in 7 innings of work‚ defeating Frank Viola. Roberto Kelly is 4-for-4 for New York‚ including the game’s only homer.

Rangers DH Buddy Bell gets his 2‚500th career hit‚ a single off Jack Morris in a 4-0 win over Detroit.
April 6In his first start of the season‚ Orel Hershiser gives up a run in the first inning of a 4-3 loss to the Reds to end his ML-record consecutive-scoreless-inning streak at 59.

In the Royals 3-2 win over the Blue Jays‚ Kansas City batters combine for just 20 at bats. This is one shy of the ML record for fewest at bats‚ which Baltimore set on September 12‚ 1964‚ versus Kansas City. Toronto allows 8 walks‚ made 3 DPs‚ and KC has a sac and 2 sac flies.
April 8One-handed pitcher Jim Abbott makes his ML debut but lasts only 4 2/3 innings in California’s 7-0 loss to Seattle. Abbott‚ who bypassed the minors completely after starring at the University of Michigan‚ will finish the season 12-12 with a 3.92 ERA‚ the most ML wins in a first pro season since the Browns Ernie Wingard won 13 in his 1st pro season‚ in 1925.
April 9Rickey Henderson steals his 800th career base in New York’s 4-3 loss to the Indians.
April 10Dave Stieb pitches a one-hitter against the Yankees‚ giving him 3 one-hitters in his last 4 starts (dating back to last September). Jamie Quirk’s 5th-inning single is the only hit off Stieb in the 8-0 Blue Jays’ victory.

Ken Griffey, Jr. hits his first ML home run‚ off Eric King‚ in Seattle’s 6-5 win over the White Sox. He and his father‚ a reserve outfielder on the Reds‚ are the first father-and-son duo to play in the major leagues at the same time.

San Diego’s Bruce Hurst pitches a one-hitter and collects his first ML hit in a 5-2 win over the Braves. Lonnie Smith‘s 2-run HR in the 3rd is the only hit.

Eddie Murray hits his first NL home run‚ a grand slam in the top of the 9th inning that leads the Dodgers to a 7-4 win over the Giants. It is Murray’s 15th career grand slam.
April 11At Washington’s RFK Stadium‚ the Soviet national baseball team loses to George Washington University 20-1. Soviet 1B Nugzar Pophadze stuns the crowd with a long HR in the left-field stands‚ one of 2 Russian hits. Two days earlier‚ the Russians were beaten 21-1 by a team from Annapolis.
April 12In his 2nd start for Texas‚ Nolan Ryan no-hits the Brewers for 7 innings before Terry Francona singles. Ryan also sets a club record with 15 strikeouts on the way to an 8-1 win.

It takes 15 innings‚ but the Orioles beat the Royals‚ 5-4‚ ending a 15-game losing streak to KC. Kansas City scores 3 runs in the 9th to tie‚ but reliever Mark Williamson then retires 14 straight batters.
April 16Kelly Gruber becomes the first Blue Jay to hit for the cycle as Toronto beats Kansas City 15-8. Gruber scores 4 runs to back David Wells relief effort.
April 17Kent Tekulve pitches 2 shutout innings in the Reds 3-2‚ 10-inning win over the Dodgers to pass Hoyt Wilhelm as the major leagues’ all-time leader in relief appearances with 1‚019.
April 19Mets SS Kevin Elster plays his 73rd consecutive errorless game in a 4-2 win over the Phillies‚ breaking Ed Brinkman‘s ML record for shortstops.
April 23Nolan Ryan is 2 outs from a no-hitter when Nelson Liriano triples and Ryan settles for a 4-1 one-hitter over the Blue Jays. It is Ryan’s 10th career one-hitter‚ and the 4th that breaks up a no-hitter in the last inning. He’ll have one more.
April 28Nelson Liriano breaks up a no-hitter in the 9th inning for the 2nd time in 6 days‚ ending Kirk McCaskill‘s bid with a pinch-hit double. McCaskill settles for a 9-0 one-hitter.
April 30The Yankees trade 23-year-old lefthander Al Leiter to the Blue Jays for OF Jesse Barfield.

May


May 1In San Francisco‚ Cubs catcher Damon Berryhill hits a leadoff homer in the 12th‚ off LaCoss‚ and Chicago wins‚ 4-3 over the Giants. Jeff Pico is the winner.
May 4Toronto’s Junior Felix hits the first pitch he sees in the big leagues for a home run off Kirk McCaskill‚ but the Blue Jays lose 3-2 in 10 innings. He is the 27th AL player ever to homer in his first ML at bat‚ and the 10th to do so on the first pitch.

Cleveland’s John Farrell no-hits the Royals for 8 innings before Kevin Seitzer singles. Doug Jones nails down the 3-1 one-hitter.
May 5Andre Dawson collects 4 hits to lead the Cubs to a 4-2 win over the Dodgers. Dawson has now collected 8 hits in his last 8 at bats‚ including 2 homers and 2 triples. However‚ on May 11th he’ll undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and miss 33 games.

Paced by the Smiths‚ Atlanta whips Montreal‚ 13-3. Pitchers Zane is the winner while Lonnie has a homerun and scores 5 runs. Andres Thomas has 4 hits and 5 RBIs for the Braves.
May 9For the first time since April 10th‚ no ML games are shutouts‚ ending a streak of 29 consecutive days with at least one shutout.

Mets SS Kevin Elster and Red Sox catcher Rick Cerone end their ML-record errorless game streaks for their positions. Elster had played 88 consecutive games without an error while Cerone had played 159.

A’s slugger Jose Canseco has an operation to repair a stress fracture in his left hand and will miss the first half of the season. The injury occurred after just 9 at bats in the Cactus League.
May 10Mark Langston no-hits Toronto for 8 innings before Tom Lawless singles and the Blue Jays rally for 3 runs to beat Seattle 3-2. It is the 3rd time this season that the Blue Jays have broken up a no-hit bid in the 9th inning.

The Cubs lose to the Giants‚ 4-3 when a rally falls short. Jerome Walton is tagged for the last out as he is crawling to 3B. Walton injures his hamstring on the play and will miss a month.
May 11Just 3 days after vetoing a proposed trade to Pittsburgh for OF Glenn Wilson‚ 37-year-old catcher Alan Ashby is waived by the Astros making way for Craig Biggio to take over.

The Tigers‚ with the worst record in the ML‚ lose 3-1 to their Toledo farm club. The winning pitcher is 40-year-old Mud Hens manager John Wockenfuss‚ who never pitched during his 12-year ML career.
May 12San Francisco’s Rick Reuschel beats Montreal 2-1 for his 200th ML win.
May 13Kirby Puckett hits 4 doubles in the Twins 10-8 win over the Blue Jays‚ tying the ML single-game record. He will hit 2 more doubles in a 13-1 win tomorrow to tie the 2-game record.
May 15The Blue Jays fire manager Jimy Williams and replace him with hitting coach Cito Gaston. Williams led the club to a 12-24 start and had several publicized run-ins with star slugger George Bell‚ who refused to be the DH.

The Twins lose‚ 4-3‚ to the Royals and also lose Kent Hrebk‚ who dislocates his left shoulder diving for a ball. He’ll be out till June 26. Before the injury‚ Hrbek hits his 7th homer of the year.
May 23Cleveland loses to Detroit‚ 7-2‚ to drop its record to 21-22‚ but remains in first place in the AL East by percentage points. It is the latest in a season a sub-.500 team has ever been in first place.
May 24Yankees reliever Lee Guetterman gives up 5 runs in the 9th inning of New York’s 11-4 loss to California‚ ending his consecutive scoreless inning streak at 30 2/3. It is the longest season-opening streak in the majors since Harry Brecheen‘s in 1948‚ and the longest season-opening streak ever by a reliever.
May 25After shopping him for several months‚ the Mariners finally trade star pitcher Mark Langston to Montreal for pitchers Randy Johnson‚ Brian Holman‚ and Gene Harris.
May 28A 2-run homer by George Bell in the 10th inning gives the Blue Jays a 7-5 win over the White Sox in their final game at Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium. Bobby Thigpin takes the loss‚ with Tom Henke notching the win.

Cleveland scores with 2 out in the 9th to edge first-place Baltimore‚ 1-0. Greg Swindell pitches the 4-hit shutout. Boston‚ in 2nd place in the AL East‚ is also shut out‚ 3-0‚ by California’s Kirk McCaskill.
May 29Phillies 3B Mike Schmidt‚ 39‚ retires. The future Hall of Famer is 7th on the all-time home run list with 548‚ but was hitting just .203 this season. He will still get elected to the All-Star team‚ but won’t play.
May 31Cito Gaston is named manager of the Blue Jays on a permanent basis.

At Yankee Stadium‚ New York rookie Deion Sanders makes his debut. He throws out one Seattle runner‚ drives in a run‚ and triggers a 5-run rally in the 7th with a single. Mattingly completes the scoring with a 2-run homer-his 4th hit of the game-in the 8th following a single and 2 steals by Steve Sax. New York wins‚ 9-5‚ with the decision going to Andy Hawkins.

The Senior Professional Baseball Association announces that it will begin its inaugural season on November 1st with 8 teams of players age 35 and over.

June


June 2Eric Davis hits for the cycle in Cincinnati’s 9-4 win over San Diego‚ becoming the first Red to do so since Frank Robinson in 1959. Davis drives in 6 runs in his 4th straight multi-hit game.

At Comiskey Park‚ the White Sox lose their team-record 10th straight home game‚ 8-0 to the Twins.

At Fenway‚ the Blue Jays score 4 runs in the 9th when Junior Felix hits an inside-the-park grand slam‚ off Bob Stanley‚ and the Jays win‚ 7-2. Felix scores 3 runs and his IP slam at Fenway may be the only one by an opponent.
June 3Nolan Ryan pitches his 2nd one-hitter this season and 11th overall‚ allowing only a first-inning lead-off single to Harold Reynolds‚ in a 6-1 win over Seattle. Ryan also strikes out 11 to tie Don Sutton‘s ML record of 21 seasons with at least 100 strikeouts.

Houston beats Los Angeles 5-4 in 22 innings in a game that takes 7:14 to complete. Rafael Ramirez‘s 2nd RBI of the game finally ends it at 2:50 A.M. on the 4th. When the Dodgers use up all 24 players‚ (except for tomorrow’s starter Tim Belcher)‚ 3B Jeff Hamilton becomes the final and losing pitcher and P Fernando Valenzuela finishes the game at 1B. John Shelby goes 0-10 for the Dodgers.

The Padres trade John Kruk and Randy Ready to the Phils for Chris James. Kruk had a sub-par .241 last season‚ after hitting .309 and .313 the previous two. He’ll rebound to .300 this season.
June 4Don’t leave early. Toronto beats Boston 13-11 in 12 innings after trailing 10-0 after 6. Red Sox starter Mike Smithson throws six scoreless innings before leaving in the 7th because of a foot blister. The Jays then score 2 in the 7th‚ 4 in the 8th and 5 in the 9th‚ and 2 more in the 11th on Junior Felix’s HR. It is the biggest lead the Red Sox have ever blown and their 12th consecutive loss to the Blue Jays at Fenway.
June 5The Toronto SkyDome opens‚ but the Blue Jays lose 5-3 to the Brewers. Baseball’s newest and most modern stadium features a $100 million fully retractable roof‚ a hotel‚ the world’s largest video display board‚ and a Hard Rock Cafe. Construction crews work around the clock to get the stadium ready. Both teams had to skip batting practice before the game because the fences were being painted.

The Orioles select Louisiana State University pitcher Ben McDonald (14-3) with the first pick in the annual amateur draft. He’ll sign August 19 and debut September 6‚ missing by three days being the first in this draft to debut. The Jays John Olerud‚ picked on the 3rd round‚ will debut September 3‚ singling in his first at bat. The next 3 picks are high schoolers: the Braves take Tyler Houston; the Mariners pick Roger Salkeld; and the Phillies choose Jeff Jackson‚ who hit .504 his senior year in HS but willnever play in the ML. The White Sox get Frank Thomas with the 7th pick‚ while the Angels take Kyle Abbott with the 10th‚ and Chad Curtis on the 45th round. The Dodgers use their 1st round pick on Jamie McAndrews‚ son of Mets P Jim. Mo Vaughn goes to Boston on the 23rd pick and then the Sox take Jeff Bagwell in the 4th round: this is the only time one team has taken two future MVPs in the same draft. Chuck Knoblach goes to the Twins on the 25th pick of the 1st round (he had been picked on the 18th round by the Phils in 1986‚ but did not sign. Picking 24th the Mets take Arizona All-American Alan Zinter‚ who won’t make his ML debut until 2002. On the 4th round‚ the Twins select and sign P Scott Erickson‚ who was drafted but not signed in the previous 3 drafts.
June 6San Francisco’s Kevin Mitchell hits 3 home runs in a doubleheader split with Cincinnati‚ giving him 22 already this season. He accounts for all the Giants scoring‚ banging a 3-run HR as SF loses 4-3 in the first game. In game 2‚ his two homers drive in 3 as the Giants win 3-2.
June 7Ernie Whitt has 3 hits and drives in 3 runs as the Blue Jays beat the Brewers‚ 4-2‚ in the first game ever played indoors and outdoors in the same day. With dark clouds threatening the roof begins closing in the 5th inning. The closing operation begins at 8:48 p.m. and ends at 9:22 p.m.‚ too late to prevent a brief stoppage of play due to rain.
June 8The Pirates send 16 batters to the plate in the 1st and taking a 10-0 lead (Pittsburgh’s best inning since September‚ 1942) on 8 hits‚ two for extra bases (Rey Quinones‘ double and Barry Bonds‘ 3-run homer) The Bucs leave the bases loaded. Announcer Jim Rooker crows that if the Pirates lose this game he’ll walk back to Pittsburgh. Von Hayes answers Rooker with a 2-run homer in the 1st‚ another in the 3rd‚ Steve Jeltz goes deep in the 4th and 6th innings‚ one from each side of the plate‚ and score after 6 is 11-10. The Phils explode for 5 in the 8th to make the final‚ 15-11. Rooker did not make good on his promise until after the season‚ when he will conduct a charity walk from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.
June 9Mets OF Darryl Strawberry hits his 200th career home run in a 4-3‚ 10-inning loss at Pittsburgh.
June 12Cardinals utility man Tim Jones plays catcher during a 10-3 loss to the Cubs‚ becoming the first player named Jones to catch in the major leagues since Philadelphia’s Bill Jones caught 4 games in the Union Association in 1884.
June 13Despite this year’s relaxed balk rule‚ Red Sox pitcher John Dopson manages to tie the AL record with 4 balks in just 32?3 innings in Boston’s 8-7 win over Detroit.

Houston’s Terry Puhl plays in his 1‚403rd ML game‚ a 3-2 loss to the Dodgers‚ to break Jack Graney’s record for Canadian-born players.

San Diego’s Jack Clark strikes out 4 times in a 9-6 loss to the Reds‚ giving him a ML-record 9 strikeouts in 2 games. Clark struck out 5 times against the Giants on June 11th.
June 16Rick Wolff‚ 37‚ writing an article on minor-league baseball for Sports Illustrated‚ finishes a 3-day stint playing 2B for the South Bend White Sox (Midwest League). He replaces Cesar Bernhardt and goes 4-for-7 against the Burlington Braves. Wolff will finish the year with the highest average of any Chicago White Sox farmhand.

Tom Gordon issues a bases loaded walk to Pete O’Brien with 2 outs in the 9th and Cleveland beats the Royals‚ 1-0. Bud Black tosses the shutout.

The Mets stake David Cone to a 8-run lead in the 1st‚ scoring all their runs off Bruce Ruffin‚ but have to rally when the Phillies take the lead in the 4th. The Phils answer quickly in the 1st when Randy Ready hits his 2nd leadoff homer in two games‚ taking Cone deep on the 3rd pitch. The Phils score 5 in the 1st‚ 2 in the 2nd and 4 in the 4th for the lead. The Mets finally win‚ 15-11‚ after two rallies.
June 18The struggling Phillies trade. Reliever Steve Bedrosian and a player to be named later go to the Giants for pitchers Dennis Cook and Terry Mulholland and 3B Charlie Hayes‚ then send 2B-OF Juan Samuel to the Mets for OF Len Dykstra‚ P Roger McDowell‚ and another player to be named later.
June 19Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden wins his 100th career game‚ 5-3 over the Expos. His 100-37 career record is 2nd only to Whitey Ford‘s 100-36 start.
June 20The Yankees trade OF Rickey Henderson back to the A’s for journeymen pitchers Eric Plunk and Greg Cadaret and OF Luis Polonia.
June 24Cleveland’s Joe Carter hits 3 home runs in a game for the 3rd time in his career as the Indians beat Texas 7-3. Rangers Charlie Hough and Kenny Rogers combine to allow just 6 hits-all homers.

Cardinals OF Vince Coleman steals his 39th and 40th consecutive bases in a 5-2 loss to the Pirates to break the ML record set by Davey Lopes in 1975. Coleman has not been caught stealing since last September 15th.
June 25In a first in the NL‚ the Mets’ defense does not record a single assist in a 5-1 win over Philadelphia‚ tying the ML record set by the Yanks in July 4‚ 1945. New York pitchers retire the Phillies on 13 strikeouts‚ 12 ?y outs‚ and 2 ground balls to 1B. Sid Fernandez is the winner‚ with Rick Aguilera tossing an inning of relief.
June 29Boise (Northwest League) manager Mal Fichman is ejected during an 8-4 loss to Salem‚ but returns to the field disguised as Humphrey the Hawk‚ the club’s mascot. He will be suspended one game for the stunt.

The Padres GM Jack McKeon trades his son-in-law‚ pitcher Greg Booker to the Twins for P Fred Toliver. Booker had been booed in every appearance‚ but will make just 6 appearances for the Twins before being sold to the Giants at the end of the season. Toliver will get in 9 games with no decisions.

July


July 2Brewers OF Robin Yount‚ 33‚ collects his 2‚500th hit in a 10-2 win over the Yankees. Ty Cobb‚ Rogers Hornsby‚ Hank Aaron‚ and Mel Ott are the only players to reach that milestone at a younger age.

The Braves send OF Dion James to the Indians for OF Oddibe McDowell‚ and P Zane Smith to Montreal for 3 minor leaguers.
July 4Cincinnati’s Tom Browning is 3 outs away from his 2nd career perfect game when Dickie Thon doubles‚ and Browning is eventually relieved by John Franco in a 2-1 win over Philadelphia.
July 5Barry Bonds homers in Pittsburgh’s 6-4 loss to the Giants‚ giving Barry and father Bobby the ML father-and-son home run record with 408. The Bells (Gus and Buddy) and the Berras (Yogi and Dale) had shared the record of 407.
July 6Despite having retired on May 29th‚ Mike Schmidt is elected to start at 3B for the NL in the All-Star Game. A’s OF Jose Canseco‚ who has not played all season because of a wrist injury‚ is picked to start for the AL‚ but neither will play in the game.
July 11Bo Jackson and Wade Boggs lead off the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back home runs off Rick Reuschel to spark the AL to a 5-3 win in the All-Star Game at Anaheim Stadium. Jackson earns MVP honors.
July 14The Mets Sid Fernandez strikes out 16 Braves‚ but the portly Polynesian portsider still loses 3-2 on Lonnie Smith‘s leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth.
July 15Jeff Reardon saves his 250th game as the Twins beat the Red Sox 3-2.
July 17White Sox C Carlton Fisk gets his 2‚000th career hit in a 7-3 win over the Yankees.

Reds reliever Kent Tekulve retires‚ just 20 appearances shy of Hoyt Wilhelm’s all-time games-pitched record of 1‚070. Tekulve had posted a 5.02 ERA in 37 games this season.

In the first doubleheader ever played at the Skydome‚ the Blue Jays sweep a pair from California‚ 6-4 and 5-4. Both wins go to David Wells pitching in relief‚ with Henke notching 2 saves. Wells becomes the first pitcher in 5 years to win both games of a doubleheader. The next DH in Toronto won’t come until October‚ 2001.
July 18Donnie Moore‚ 35‚ shoots himself to death at his home after shooting and critically wounding his estranged wife Tonya. Friends said Moore was haunted by the 2-run home run he surrendered to Dave Henderson in game 5 of the 1986 ALCS‚ costing the Angels a trip to the World Series‚ and that he had been even more depressed since his release last month by minor league Omaha.

The Dodgers trade P Tim Leary and SS Mariano Duncan to the Reds for OF Kal Daniels and IF Lenny Harris.
July 19Cleveland’s Joe Carter hits 3 home runs in a game for the 2nd time this season in a 10-1 win over Minnesota. It is his 4th career 3-HR game‚ tying Lou Gehrig‘s AL record‚ and also gives him a ML-record-tying 5 homers in 2 games. Carter knocks home 6 runs in the game.
July 21Before the start of the Cubs-Giants game at Wrigley Field‚ Cubs OF Dwight Smith sings the National Anthem. Smith then goes 0-for-4‚ scoring a run as the Cubs lose‚ 4-3. Mark Grace has a 2-run homer in the 8th for the rest of the runs. The Giants do all their scoring against Rick Sutcliffe in the 3rd as Pat Sheridan‚ acquired last month from Detroit‚ knocks in 2 runs.
July 22The Yankees trade popular 3B Mike Pagliarulo and Don Schulz to San Diego for pitcher Walt Terrell and Fred Toliver. Toliver won’t report to New York till September 27 and Terrell will sign with the Pirates on November 29.

Johnny Bench‚ Carl Yastrzemski‚ Red Schoendienst‚ and ump Al Barlick are inducted into the Hall of Fame at ceremonies in Cooperstown‚ New York.
July 23The Cubs remain in last-place but beat the Giants‚ 9-5‚ for their 8th straight win. Greg Maddux (10-8) wins with the help of Andre Dawson‘s 3-run homer and 3 runs scored by Ryne Sandberg. The streak ends here.
July 27Atlanta’s Dale Murphy hits 2 home runs in the 6th inning of a 10-1 rout of San Francisco‚ becoming the first Brave to accomplish the feat since Robert Lowe in 1894. Murphy also drives in 6 runs in the inning to tie another ML record‚ as the Braves score all ten runs of their runs in the outburst.
July 28Cardinal speedster Vince Coleman is caught stealing by Nelson Santovenia in a 2-0 win over Montreal‚ ending his ML-record streak of 50 consecutive stolen bases.
July 29The White Sox trade their all-time home run leader‚ Harold Baines‚ and IF Fred Manrique to the Rangers for IF Scott Fletcher‚ OF Sammy Sosa‚ and P Wilson Alvarez.

Oakland’s formidable Rickey Henderson has no official at bats‚ but scores 4 times on 4 walks and garners 5 stolen bases. It’s all for naught as the Mariners swamp Oakland‚ 14-6. Randy Johnson is the winner.
July 30Mark Grace belts a 2-out 3-run homer‚ off Rick Aguilera‚ to give the Cubs a 6-4 win over the Mets. Lancaster is the winner as the Cubs sweep three from the Mets.
July 31The Twins trade AL Cy Young Award winner Frank Viola to the Mets for 5 players‚ including pitchers Rick Aguilera‚ David West and minor leaguer Kevin Tapani. Viola is the first Cy Young winner to be traded during the following season. Tapani will blossom into a Cy Young contender in 1991.

August


August 1Behind the pitching of Sid Fernandez‚ the Mets blank the Cardinals‚ 11-0. Kevin McReynolds paces the offense by hitting for the cycle.

The Mets trade popular OF Mookie Wilson to the Blue Jays for P Jeff Musselman and minor leaguer Mike Brady.
August 3The Reds score 14 runs in the first inning of an 18-2 demolition of the Astros. ML records set during the onslaught include most hits in an inning (16)‚ most players with 2 hits in an inning (7)‚ and most singles in an inning (12). Mariano Duncan and Luis Quinones each tie the ML record by batting 3 times and the team ties the NL and ML mark with most players scoring twice (6). Tom Browning is the easy complete game winner while Jim Clancy‚ who gives up 7 runs while recording no outs‚ is the loser. Bob Forsch‚ allows 10 runs on 18 hits in 7 innings‚ and Juan Agosto‚ one run in one inning.
August 4Hard-luck pitcher Dave Stieb loses a perfect game when New York’s Roberto Kelly doubles with 2 out in the 9th inning‚ and Stieb finishes with a 2-1 two-hitter. It is the 3rd time that Stieb has lost a no-hitter with 2 out in the 9th.
August 6After 5 hours and 49 minutes of play in Pittsburgh‚ the Pirates Jeff King mercifully ends the game with a 18th inning leadoff HR off the Cubs’ Scott Sanderson. Sanderson had pitched 8 innings of shutout relief. The Pirates win 5-4.

It is Carl Yastrzemski day at Fenway and the Sox retire his uniform #8. Roger Clemens then retires just one batter before leaving‚ giving up 3 earned runs. But Boston scores 4 in the 3rd and 2 in the 8th to beat Cleveland‚ 6-4.
August 8Mauro Gozzo pitches 8 shutout innings in his ML debut as Toronto beats Texas 7-0 to go over .500 for the first time since Opening Day. The Blue Jays will eventually overtake the surprising Orioles and win the AL East.

The Royals Flash Gordon stops the visiting Red Sox‚ 8-1. Sox C Rick Cerone starts the game behind the plate‚ then moves to RF for the first time in his career.
August 10Nolan Ryan falls short in yet another no-hit bid‚ giving up a one-out single to Dave Bergman in the 9th inning and eventually needing relief in a 4-1 win over the Tigers. It is the 5th time that Ryan has lost a no hitter in the 9th.

At Chicago‚ Jeff Parrett throws 3 scoreless innings for the win as the Phillies outslug the Cubs‚ 16-11. The Phils hit 4 homers‚ including one by John Kruk‚ who scores 5 runs. The Cubs get 4 RBIs each from Ryne Sandburg and Shawon Dunston. Sandburg has a pair of homers.

Dave Dravecky pitches 7 shut out innings and beats the Reds‚ 4-3‚ for his first win of the year. The Giants pitcher‚ recovering from arm surgery‚ has been in extensive rehab.
August 15In his 2nd start since returning to the major leagues after cancer treatment‚ the Giants Dave Dravecky breaks his pitching arm while throwing to Tim Raines in the 6th inning of a 3-2 San Francisco win. The bone will heal but Dravecky will break it again during the Giants on-field celebration when the Giants clinch the pennant. Dravecky will not pitch again in the major leagues.

Rangers Charlie Hough pitches his 2nd career one-hitter and gets his 2nd career one-hit loss‚ as he loses 2-0 to Seattle. Hough walks 5‚ balks‚ and throws a wild pitch‚ while the Rangers collect 13 hits but no runs‚ one hit shy of the ML record while being shut out.
August 16Yankees OF Luis Polonia is arrested in his hotel room for having sex with a 15-year-old girl. He will be sentenced to 60 days in jail after the season.

Lefty Tom Drees‚ 26‚ pitches his 3rd no-hitter of the season for Vancouver (AAA)‚ beating Las Vegas 5-0 in the 7-inning opener of doubleheader. He fired consecutive 1-0 no-hitters‚ beating Calgary in 9 innings (May 23rd) and Edmonton in 7 (May 28th). Drees‚ now 12-11‚ will pitch 7+ innings for the White Sox in 1991.
August 17Orioles SS Cal Ripken plays in his 1‚208th consecutive game to move past Steve Garvey into 3rd place on the all-time list. He goes 3-for-5 with a home run to help Baltimore to an 11-6 win over Toronto.
August 18Andre Dawson gets his 2‚000th career hit in the Cubs’ 6-5 loss to Houston. Houston scores twice in the 9th against 4 Cub relievers. After the game‚ the Astros trade Billy Hatcher‚ who had a pinch single in the 9th today‚ to the Pirates for Glenn Wilson.

Dallas Green is fired as manager of the Yankees and replaced by former SS Bucky Dent. It is the 17th time the Yankees have changed managers since George Steinbrenner took over the club in 1973.

In a 9-2 Toronto win‚ Baltimore SS Cal Ripken plays in his 1‚208th consecutive game‚ passing Steve Garvey for the 3rd longest streak in ML history‚ George Bell leads Toronto with 2 singles‚ a double and a HR.
August 20Howard Johnson hits his 30th home run of the season in the Mets 5-4 loss to the Dodgers and joins Barry Bonds and Willie Mays as the only players to achieve 30 HRs and 30 SBs in 2 different seasons.

For the 3rd time in his career‚ Kevin Bass homers from each side of the plate in a game‚ as the Astros double the Cubs‚ 8-4‚ winning again in the 9th. Bass’s second homer of the game is a grand slam with one out in the 9th off Mitch Williams‚ with the loss going to Lancaster. Darwin (11-3) is the winner.
August 21Cubs rookie OF Jerome Walton goes 0-for-4 in a 6-5‚ 10-inning loss to the Reds‚ ending his hitting streak at 30 consecutive games. Walton hit .338 during his streak‚ the lowest batting average since 1960 for a player with a 30-game or more streak.
August 22Nolan Ryan strikes out Rickey Henderson in the 5th inning of a 2-0 loss to Oakland to become the only pitcher in ML history to strike out 5‚000 batters. Ryan (13-7) strikes out 13 but loses to Welch (14-7)‚ who K’s 9 in 8 innings.

Cleveland’s Felix Fermin ties the ML record with 4 sacrifice bunts in a 3-2‚ 10-inning win over Seattle. He is the first player to accomplish the feat since Ray Chapman in 1919.

In his only inning of work‚ Braves reliever Paul Assenmacher strikes out 4 batters in the 5th inning of a 10-5 loss to St. Louis.
August 23Rick Dempsey homers off Dennis Martinez in the top of the 22nd inning to break up a scoreless tie and give the Dodgers a 1-0 win over the Expos. The game features one thumbing-the umps toss the Expos mascot Youppi in the 11th for annoying Tommie Lasorda-and he then returns in the 13th wearing pajamas. He carries a pillow and sleeps on the home dugout roof‚ where the umps have restricted him. In the 16th‚ Larry Walker apparently scores the game-winner‚ but the Dodgers appeal-with 2 umps in the tunnel-and get it. Eddie Murray in the 18th moves the 2B ump and slams a drive that Walker makes a phantom catch off the padding in RF. Fans stand for three “seventh-inning stretches” during the ML record (in time‚ and for a 1-0 game) 6 hours: 14 minute game. Other club records are set and several ML records are noted: most innings (22) without a walk by the Expos tops the Pirates (who used one pitcher) against the Giants‚ July 17‚ 1914.
August 24After weeks of legal wrangling‚ Commissioner Bart Giamatti permanently bans Pete Rose from baseball for his alleged gambling on ML games. Although the 5-page document signed by both parties includes no formal findings‚ Giamatti says that he considers Rose’s acceptance of the ban to be a no-contest plea to the charges. Coach Tommy Helms is named Rose’s interim replacement as Cincinnati manager. In his 2004 book‚ Rose accuses Giamatti of betraying him and reneging on the agreement.
August 25Pittsburgh’s Gary Redus hits for the cycle in a 12-3 win over the Reds.

Boston’s Dennis Lamp beats the last-place Tigers‚ 11-3‚ for his 11th consecutive win over Detroit going back to 1982. Mike Greenwell drives in 4 runs for Boston.
August 26Toronto’s Dave Stieb pitches his 5th career one-hitter‚ 7-0 over Milwaukee. The spoiler is Robin Yount‘s 6th-inning single.
August 28Frank Viola and the Mets outduel Orel Hershiser and the Dodgers 1-0 in the first-ever regular-season matchup of defending Cy Young Award winners.

Jim Dwyer changes uniforms again as the Twins trade him to Montreal for Alonzo Powell. Dwyer will come back to the Twins in January for a minor leaguer.
August 29Trailing 9-0 after 5 innings‚ the Cubs rally to beat Houston 10-9 in 10 innings at Wrigley. Rafael Ramirez drives in 7 runs for the Astros‚ but the winning margin is provided by defensive replacement Dwight Smith. Smith comes in to play RF for Chicago and singles home a run in the 7th‚ throws out a runner at the plate in the 8th‚ ties the game with a sac fly in the 8th‚ and singles in the game-winner in the 10th.
August 30St. Louis leaves 16 runners on base in a 2-0‚ 13-inning loss to the Reds‚ setting a ML record for runners left on base in a shutout.

The Yankees send veteran slugger Ken Phelps‚ hitting .249‚ to Oakland for minor league P Scott Holcomb.
August 31Arbitrator Thomas Roberts orders the ML owners to pay $10.5 million in damages as a result of their collusion against free agents after the 1985 season.

Minutes before the postseason rosters must be filed‚ the Cubs obtain 3B Luis Salazar and OF Marvelle Wynne from San Diego in exchange for P Calvin Schiraldi‚ OF Darin Jackson and 1B Phil Stephenson. Salazar will play a key role in the Cubs’ title run‚ while of the three new Pad people‚ only Jackson will perform decently.

September


September 1Eight days after banning Pete Rose from baseball for life‚ Commissioner Bart Giamatti dies suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 51.
September 3It is 100 degrees in Texas and the Royals and Rangers are equally hot as 7 batters get hit by pitches‚ the 3rd time this century this has happened‚ as notes historian Joe Dittmar. The Royals put the game out of reach with a 3-run homer by Bo Jackson in the 7th to win‚ 13-2. When Mike McFarlane is plunked in the 8th‚ the 5th Royal hit‚ he rushes the mound and tackles reliever Craig McMurtry.
September 4Fred Lynn hits his 300th career home run to help the Tigers to a 5-1 win over Kansas City.
September 8Kansas City’s George Brett singles for his 2‚500th career hit in a 6-0 win over the Twins.
September 9California’s Devon White steals 4 bases including 2B‚ 3B‚ and home in the same inning in the Angels 8-5 win over Boston. The Angels score 3 in the 8th to break a tie.
September 10Five days after hitting a home run for the Yankees in a 12-2 win over the Mariners‚ Deion Sanders returns a punt 68 yards for a touchdown in his NFL debut with the Atlanta Falcons. Sanders hit .234 in 14 games for New York this year in his first attempt at playing 2 sports professionally.

Cubs rookie Steve Wilson K’s 10 Cards in 5 innings‚ and relievers add 8 more to help beat the Cards 4-1. Fellow rookie Dwight Smith contributes a 2-run HR. Chicago leads St. Louis by 2 1/2 games and Montreal by 4.
September 12The Indians fire manager Doc Edwards and replace him for the remainder of the season with scout John Hart.
September 13Fay Vincent is elected baseball’s 8th commissioner‚ succeeding the late Bart Giamatti‚ whom he served as deputy commissioner.
September 14The ML owners approve the sale of the Mariners to Jeff Smulyan and Michael Browning for $77 million‚ the highest price ever paid for an AL club.

Jeff Reardon saves Minnesota’s 2-0 win over Toronto to become the first pitcher ever to record at least 30 saves in 5 consecutive seasons.

Houston’s Mike Scott (20-8) becomes a 20-game winner for the first time by beating the Dodgers‚ 11-3. He is the first ML pitcher to reach that plateau this season.

In St. Louis‚ the Cards draw just 1‚519-a stadium record-for a game with the Pirates.
September 19San Diego’s Mark Davis becomes the 7th pitcher ever to save 40 games in a season by nailing down the Padres’ 5-1 win over the Reds. He will finish the season with 44 saves‚ one shy of Bruce Sutter’s NL record.
September 20At Wrigley‚ the Phils edge the Cubs‚ 9-8‚ with 18 hits‚ including 15 singles. The Cubs use 20 players‚ including 6 pitchers.
September 22Dave Stewart becomes the first pitcher since Jim Palmer (1975-78) to win 20 games in 3 straight seasons by beating the Twins 5-2. It is also Stewart’s 100th ML win.

The Cards Bull Durham is suspended for 60 days is suspended indefinitely for “failing to comply with the ML drug testing program.”
September 25Boston’s Wade Boggs goes 4-for-5 in a 7-4 win over the Yankees to become the first player in ML history to achieve both 200 hits and 100 walks in 4 consecutive seasons. It is Boggs’s 7th straight 200-hit season overall‚ extending his own modern ML record. Dwight Evans also puts his name in the record books by belting his 20th homer. He is the only current player with 20 or more homers in each of the last 9 years‚

The Red Sox say that they will not exercise their option on Jim Rice‘s contract next season‚ while Bob Stanley‚ the team’s all-time save leader with 132‚ announces his retirement.

At Montreal‚ the Cubs blow a chance to clinch a tie in the NL East‚ losing 4-3 in 10 innings‚ but back into the tie anyway when St. Louis lost later on. (As noted by Don Mankowski) Andre Dawson homers twice off Bryn Smith‚ his second a bizarre inside-the-park blow to give the Cubs a 3-2 lead. Dawson flies deep to CF Dave Martinez‚ who catches the ball but suffers a painful muscle-pull doing so and drops to the ground. Dawson keeps running as Martinez’s teammates surround him. The ball is finally thrown in after Dawson touches home plate. Although at no time did the ball touch the ground or the fence‚ the umpires award Dawson a homer over the howls of protest. Martinez misses the remainder of the series.
September 26The Cubs become the first team to clinch a division title this season‚ wrapping up the NL East with a 3-2 win over the Expos. Mitch Williams strikes out Mike Fitzgerald to win the game.
September 27The two San Francisco Bay teams clinch their divisions. Oakland wins the AL West by beating Texas 5-0‚ while San Francisco loses 1-0 to the Dodgers but is assured of the NL West crown when the 2nd-place Padres lose to the Reds 2-1 in 13 innings.
September 30The Blue Jays earn the final spot in the playoffs by scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th to beat Baltimore 4-3 and clinch the AL East. The surprising Orioles led the division most of the season and will finish 2nd just one season after losing 107 games.

Texas flamethrower Nolan Ryan strikes out 13 Angels in a 2-0 three-hitter to raise his season total to 301. It is his 6th 300-strikeout season‚ but first since 1977.

October


October 1Minnesota’s Kirby Puckett and San Diego’s Tony Gwynn each win batting titles on the final day of the regular season. In a 3-1 loss to Seattle‚ Puckett goes 2-for-5‚ both doubles. to edge Carney Lansford .339 to .336. Seattle’s Harold Reynolds ends the year at .300‚ and sets a ML record with no homers in 613 at bats. Eric Hanson (9-5) is the winner.

Gwynn‚ meanwhile‚ is 3-for-4 to beat Will Clark .336 to .333. Clark goes 1-for-4 as the Giants lose‚ 30‚ to the Padres Greg Harris.
October 3Oakland’s Dave Stewart wins the ALCS opener 7-3 over Toronto.
October 4Will Clark goes 4-for-4 with 2 home runs‚ including the first NLCS grand slam since 1977‚ to lead the Giants to a 11-3 win over the Cubs in game one of the NL playoffs. Clark’s 6 RBIs tie Bobby Richardson’s single-game post-season record set in the 1960 World Series.

Rickey Henderson swipes 4 bases as Oakland beats Toronto again 6-3.
October 5The Cubs even the NLCS with 6 runs in the first inning. Jerome Walton has 2 hits in the outburst. Chicago wins‚ 9-5.
October 6Back at home Toronto wins its first ALCS game 7-3.
October 7Robby Thompson’s 2-run HR gives the Giants the 5-4 victory in game 3.

Two Rickey Henderson HRs and a Jose Canseco upper deck HR give Oakland a 6-5 win.
October 8Oakland beats Toronto 4-3 to win the ALCS 4-1 and advance to the World Series for the 2nd straight year. Rickey Henderson‚ who hit .400 with 8 stolen bases‚ is named series MVP.

Matt Williams snaps a 4-4 tie with a 5th-inning HR‚ and the Giants hold on to win 5-4.
October 9The Giants win their first NL pennant since 1962 by defeating the Cubs 3-2 in game 5 of the NLCS. Will Clark bats .650 in the series with 8 RBI to win MVP honors.
October 13Bob Quinn resigns as GM of the Yankees to accept the same position with the Cincinnati Reds.
October 14Dave Stewart shuts out the Giants 5-0 on 5 hits in game 1 of the World Series. He is the first pitcher to start consecutive WS openers since the Reds Don Gullett in 1975 and ’76.
October 15Terry Steinbach’s 3-run HR is the big blow as Oakland wins 5-1.
October 17Game 3 of the World Series is postponed when an earthquake strikes the San Francisco Bay area a half hour before game time‚ causing minor damage to Candlestick Park but major damage to the surrounding area. The quake registers 7.1 magnitude‚ killing 67 people and does $7 billion in damage.
October 27After a 10-day earthquake delay‚ the rumbling continues as Oakland hits 5 HRs in a 13-7 win.
October 28The A’s take an 8-0 and beat the Giants 9-6 to complete a 4-game sweep of the World Series‚ the first WS sweep since 1976. Oakland’s Dave Stewart‚ who won 2 games‚ is named MVP.

November


November 3Lou Piniella is named manager of the Reds‚ replacing the banned Pete Rose‚ and John McNamara will manage the Indians.
November 7Baltimore’s Gregg Olson becomes the first relief pitcher to win the AL Rookie of the Year Award.
November 8Cubs OF Jerome Walton wins the NL Rookie of the Year Award‚ collecting 22 of 24 first-place votes to defeat teammate Dwight Smith. They are the first NL teammates to finish 1-2 in the voting since the Phillies Jack Sanford and Ed Bouchee in 1957. Walton is the first Cub to win rookie honors since Billy Williams‚ in 1961.
November 14Padres reliever Mark Davis wins the NL Cy Young Award. He saved 44 games with a 1.85 ERA.
November 15Twenty-five-year-old Bret Saberhagen becomes the 4th pitcher ever to win the AL Cy Young Award twice‚ getting 27 of a possible 28 first-place votes for his 23-6‚ 2.16 ERA season. He also won the award in 1985.
November 16The NL champion Giants sign free-agent OF Kevin Bass‚ who hit .300 for Houston last season.
November 17Nick Esasky‚ who became one of the major leagues’ most coveted free agents after hitting .277 with 30 HRs and 108 RBI for the Red Sox last season‚ signs a 3-year contract with Atlanta Braves. Esasky lives in Marietta‚ Georgia.
November 20Brewers centerfielder Robin Yount edges the Rangers Ruben Sierra to win his 2nd AL MVP Award. Yount‚ who won as a SS in 1982‚ hit .318 last season with 21 HRs and 103 RBI.
November 21Giants OF Kevin Mitchell‚ who led the big leagues with 47 HRs and 125 RBI‚ wins the NL MVP Award.
November 22Twins OF Kirby Puckett re-signs with the club for $9 million over 3 years‚ making him the first ML player ever to sign a contract that calls for an average salary of $3 million per year. More will follow.
November 27Five-time NL All-Star Tony Pena signs as a free agent with the Red Sox.

December


December 1Free-agent P Mark Langston signs a 5-year contract with the Angels.
December 3Thirty-eight-year-old DH Dave Parker‚ who had 22 HRs and 97 RBI for the World Champion A’s‚ signs with the Brewers as a free agent. As compensation‚ Oakland receives Milwaukee’s first round draft pick‚ using it to take Todd Van Poppel‚ as well as a compensation pick‚ selecting another P Kirk Dressendorfer.
December 6The Mets trade reliever Randy Myers to the Reds for fellow closer John Franco; Joe Carter and Fred Lynn are sent by Cleveland to San Diego for Sandy Alomar‚ Carlos Baerga. and Chris James; and free-agent relief specialist Jeff Reardon signs with the Red Sox.
December 7Storm Davis‚ 19-7 for the A’s last season‚ signs as a free agent with the Royals. Other free-agent signees include Craig Lefferts (San Diego)‚ Pete O’Brien (Seattle)‚ Oil Can Boyd (Montreal)‚ and Keith Hernandez (Cleveland).
December 11The Royals sign free agent Mark Davis to a 4-year contract. Davis and Bret Saberhagen will make the 1990 Royals the first team ever to have both defending Cy Young Award winners.
December 12The Yankees trade minor leaguers Hal Morris and Rodney Imes to the Reds for P Tim Leary and OF Van Snider.
December 20Six months after obtaining him from the Phillies‚ the Mets trade 2B-OF Juan Samuel to the Dodgers for 1B Mike Marshall and P Alejandro Pena.
December 21The Dodgers sign free agent Hubie Brooks.
December 25Billy Martin‚ former infielder and 5-time manager of the Yankees‚ dies in a car accident in Johnson City‚ New York at the age of 61. Martin will be buried in Gates of Heaven cemetery in Valhalla‚ New York in a plot near Babe Ruth‘s. George Steinbrenner‚ who fired Martin 4 times (he resigned the 5th time) purchases the plot.