IN THE NEWS: The Yanks and Orioles continue their marathon play, this one going five hours and 43 minutes before ending at one a.m. Tino Martinez, whose homer snapped yesterday's tie, slugs a grand slam in the 15th to give reliever Andy Pettitte the win. Bernie Williams has five hits while Gerald Williams collects 6just the 2nd Yankee to get six in a game; Myril Hoag in 1934, is the other. The O's and Yankees strand 15 runners in extra innings, as both teams squander scoring opportunities, and New York survives four errors by two second basemen. Jim Mecir strikes out Brady Anderson with the bases loaded in the 10th after going to a 30 count. Cal Ripken is lifted for a pinch runner in the 8thwho is promptly picked offand sits for the last seven innings, the longest stretch he's rested in 2,180 games.
Roger Clemens strikes out 13 Tigers, including Cecil Fielder three times, for his first win of the year. The 51 victory for the Sox sends Detroit to its 12th loss in 13 games.
The Mets and Expos swap shutouts, with Pedro Martinez topping New York in the opener, 40, and Jason Isringhausen allowing four hits in winning the nightcap, 60. Martinez, 80 against the Mets, allows just two singles, both in the 7th inning. Henry Rodriguez, who hits a 3-run homer after apparently peeking at Mets C Todd Hundley glove, says, "I've got 10 homers, I don't need to look back."
IN THE NEWS: In the 7th inning of the Mariners-Indians game, an earthquake rattles the Kingdome causing the umps to suspend the game. The quake registers 4.8 on the Richter scale. The Tribe leads 63 and the game will be completed tomorrow before the start of the Friday night game.
After missing his first start in nine years because of a numbed finger on his pitching hand, David Cone tosses a complete game, 51 win over the White Sox. Jim Leyritz and Paul O'Neill back him with homers.
The Phils pick up J.R. Phillips from the Giants for a player to be named later.
IN THE NEWS: Ranger P Ken Hill gives up a 1st-inning infield single to Bobby Higginson, then retires 26 straight batters as Texas batters Detroit, 110. It is the 2nd one-hitter of his career. Texas is led by Juan Gonzalez, who knocks in four runs.
Mike Veeck, president of the St. Paul Saints (AA Northern League) announces the signing of Darryl Strawberry. The Straw joins another veteran, pitcher Jack Morris, who joined the team two weeks ago.
IN THE NEWS: Roger Pavlik follows Ken Hill's one-hitter with one of his own, the first time in 79 years teammates have tossed back-to-back one-hitters in the American League, as Texas tops the Tigers, 31. Mark Lewis's 2-out homer in the 5th inning is the only Bengal safety. Neither Pavlik or Hill allows a walk.
The visiting A's get a homer from Jason Giambi to beat the Royals, 52, but lose 3B Scott Brosius. Brosius, hitting .351 with eight homers, is hit by a Mark Gubicza pitch in the 4th that breaks his right arm.
The Rockies bang out 21 hits, including a pair of three-run homers by Andres Galarraga, to hook the Marlins 175. The Rockies score seven runs in the first inning when they cash in three of their five home runs. Galarraga drives in seven runs for the day.
Butch Hobson, former Red Sox manager and current skipper of the Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, is arrested in Rhode Island on a cocaine possession charge.
IN THE NEWS: Toronto scores 10 unearned runs to beat Boston's Tim Wakefield, 114, and snap the Sox win streak at four games.
In San Francisco, Eric Davis hits a grand slam for the 2nd straight game to lead the Reds to a 126 win over the Giants. Davis, who will total three grand slams this month, is just the 15th player to slam in consecutive games.
The Marlins lose to the Rockies, 5-4, in a game marked by the ejection of Florida equipment manager Mike Wallace. Umpire Paul Runge throws him out when Wallace throws up his hands after a close play at the plate.
In an interview aired tonight, Reds owner Marge Schott sticks her foot in her mouth again when she says that Hitler "was good in the beginning, but went too far." Schott's answers come in response to a question about her continued possession of a swastika. Schott's views of Hitler are almost verbatim to those she expressed in 1992, which resulted in a league fine and a year's suspension.
IN THE NEWS: Eric Anthony and Eric Davis hit back-to-back homers in the 12th inning off reliever Todd Worrell to give host Cincinnati a 32 win over the Dodgers. Before the game, the Dodgers announce that CF Brett Butler has throat cancer and will not return to baseball. Butler, 38, has been on the DL since May 2, and a tonsillectomy revealed the cancerous lump. He will undergo surgery on May 21.
In another announcement out of Cincinnati, Marge Schott issues an apology for her laudatory comments about Adolph Hitler made last Sunday. Acting commissioner Bud Selig says, "we will continue to monitor the situation."
The first-place Yankees score eight runs in the 6th inning to beat the hapless Tigers, 125. Paul O'Neill is 2-for-3 to raise his average to .384, and Ruben Sierra drives home four runs. After the game, the Yankee players learn that clubhouse leader David Cone has an aneurysm in the front of his right shoulder that will require surgery on May 10th. Cone has experienced numbness in his pitching hand as a result.
The Angels put ace RHP Mark Langston on the DL and he will be out of action until early July with a cartilage tear in his right knee.
IN THE NEWS: The Cardinals use an 11-run 8th inning to beat the Giants, 168. Willie McGee's grand slam is the highlight of the inning, and Luis Alicea also adds four RBI in the game. Barry Bonds hits his league high 15th homer to pace the Giants.
IN THE NEWS: Montreal's Henry Rodriguez hits his 2nd homer of the game, a 3-run shot in the 8th, to send the Expos to a 52 win over the Astros. Starter Jeff Fassero is the winner. Following Rodriguez' home run, the game is delayed when fans in the LF bleachers shower the field with "Oh, Henry" candy bars.
For his second straight start, Braves' P John Smoltz is backed by 18 hits and he coasts to his 7th straight win, 110 over the Phils. Javy Lopez leads the Braves with four hits. Smoltz beat the Phils, 119, on May 5th, when the Braves also collected 18 hits.
The Athletics defeat the Twins by a score of 15-5. Oakland CF Ernie Young gets four safeties, including three home runs, and drives home 6. Young entered the game with three career homers in 164 ABs. He is believed to have had the fewest career home runs of any player ever to hit three in a game.
Yankees' P David Cone undergoes surgery to remove an aneurysm in his pitching arm.
IN THE NEWS: At Joe Robbie Stadium, Al Leiter tosses the major's first no-hitter of the year, burying the Rockies, 110. Leiter (62), using mostly fast balls, is in control all the way, and retires five batters in the 8th and 9th innings on just one pitch each. He walks two and fans six in his masterpiece.
At John Franco Day at Shea Stadium, the veteran reliever celebrates by being ejected in the 5th inning following a vicious benches-clearing brawl between the Mets and the Cubs. The brawl, which lasts 18 minutes, starts when Mets' P Pete Harnisch reaches around ump Greg Bonin to punch Cubs' C Scott Servais. There are nine ejections, including Servais and Harnisch, who will receive an eight game suspension and a $1,000 fine for his punch. Mets bullpen coach Steve Swisher, also ejected, will get a 2-game suspension. Fortunately for the Mets, Rico Brogna was only punched, and he hits back with his 2nd homer, to win, 76 in the 9th inning. Brogna adds a triple and double on the afternoon. In 1996, National League umps will toss 101 players, a decrease of 11 tosses from 1995; American League umps will eject 75 during the year, down from 93 in 1995.
Jeff Blauser hits two homers, one a grand slam, and drives home seven runs in Atlanta's 113 win over the Phils. Steve Avery (42) scatters eight hits for the win, the Braves' 7th straight and their 11th in 13 games.
Seattle OF Jay Buhner goes 4-for-4, slugging two home runs and driving home six runs, as he leads the Mariners to an 11-1 win over KC.
IN THE NEWS: Phils' P Mike Grace outduels Greg Maddux to beat the Braves, 60, matching his record. The unbeaten rookie retires the last 17 batters.
Randy Johnson (50), backed by Alex Rodriguez' pair of two-run homers, tops the Royals, 85. It is Johnson's 12th straight win over two seasons. Royals rookie OF Chris Stynes steals 2nd, 3rd, and home in the 1st inning for the 1st SBs of his career, He adds a 4th later in the contest.
Houston C Jerry Goff, brought up on May 8th, makes his presence felt by allowing a ML record-tying six passed balls in a 76 loss to Montreal. Five of the Expos' runs are unearned. Goff hits a homer in the 2nd, in his first at bat this year, but allows two passed balls in the 1st, 3rd and 4th innings. Montreal SS Mark Grudzielanek gets five singles to lead the Expos. Goff joins Harry Vickers (1902) and Geno Petralli (1987) in the record books.
IN THE NEWS: In Miami, Terry Pendleton smashes a dramatic two-out grand slam in the 6th inning, following the ejection of starter Alan Benes, to lift the Marlins to a 52 win over the Cardinals. Benes (16) is ejected for hitting Gary Sheffield with a pitch that sparks a bench-clearing by both teams. Pendleton has driven in 11 runs in the past three games as the Marlins win their 8th straight.
Cubs' P Steve Trachsel allows a lead off double to Brian Hunter, but shuts down the Astros without a hit after that to win, 60. Sammy Sosa homers for his 3rd consecutive game.
Pudgy Fernando Valenzuela gives up five hits over six 2/3 innings, good enough for a 52 Padre win. The Pads are led by Brian Johnson's 2-for-3; he has eight hits in his last 12 at bats with eight RBI.
IN THE NEWS: Dwight Gooden, on the verge of being dropped from the Yankees just two weeks ago, twirls a no-hitter to sink the Mariners, 20. Dr. No walks two in the 9th, but retires Ken Griffey, Jr., K's Jay Buhner, and induces Paul Sorrento to pop out to end it. Gerald Williams saves the no-hitter when he runs down a 400-foot Alex Rodriguez liner in the first inning and turns it into a double play. Gooden (23) has now thrown 16 straight innings of hitless ball.
IN THE NEWS: The Mariners spot the Yankees four runs, then hammer starter Jimmy Key and five other pitchers for 19 hits to win 105. Seven Mariners collect two or more hits, and Edgar Martinez drives in four runs. A wild Key takes his 5th straight loss, while Yankee reliever Mariano Rivera records four outs to stretch his runless innings to 21 2/3. The Yanks will place Key on the 15 day DL.
Denny Neagle, allowing four hits in seven innings, wins his 5th straight game to give Pittsburgh a 30 win over the Braves. The Braves have now been shut out five times, one more than all of last year. The Braves lose more than the game when OF David Justice dislocates his right shoulder swinging at a pitch in the 2nd inning. The shoulder has never healed from an injury last year, and Justice will undergo surgery that will sideline him for the year.
After a 2-hour delay in Milwaukee because of fog, Frank Thomas leads the way with six RBI as the White Sox bang the Brewers, 208. This ties a 1975 mark for the most runs given up by Milwaukee in a game. The Sox, with 21 hits, score six runs in the 2nd and another six in the 6th.
Mo Vaughn cracks two of Boston's four home runs, and the Red Sox score in each of the first seven innings, to clip the Angels, 176. Mike Stanley matches Mo's four RBI.
The Yankees outbid four other American teams and sign Japanese P Katsuhiro Maeda to a $1.5 million contract. The Yanks obtain the fastballer from the Seibu Lions for more than $350,000. Maeda, who has his hair dyed orange, was 02 with the Lions in 1995, but refused to sign for the 1996 season unless he was traded to a U.S. team.
IN THE NEWS: Sammy Sosa became the first Cub ever to hit two homers in one inning, hitting them in the 8-run 7th inning at Wrigley. The Cubs roll over the Astros, 131, as rookie Amaury Telemaco, recalled two days ago from Iowa (AAA), allows just one hit in seven shutout innings.
As Tony Phillips says, "It's not been a good 24 hours." The Sox' OF is picked off base in the 9th inning of Chicago's 32 loss to Milwaukee, then returns to the clubhouse to learn that battery charges have been pressed against him by a fan. Phillips and the fan got into a shoving match after the outfielder left yesterday's game in the 7th inning, changed into street clothes and sought the fan. Phillips contends the fan was yelling racial slurs during the game. Both Phillips and the fan will eventually be charged with disorderly conduct and fined.
Albert Belle homers twice, his 15th and 16th of the year, to lead the Indians to a 83 win over the Tigers. Jack McDowell (51) is the winner for the division leading Indians, now five 1/2 games ahead of the White Sox. Before the game, the American League orders Belle to receive "immediate counseling" and do community service as a result of his winging baseballs at a photographer several weeks ago. Belle's agent replies that the star is already doing both.
Manny Ramirez hits a grand slam, off Gil Heredia (13), as the Indians score six runs in the 7th inning to outslug the Rangers, 1210. Cleveland's Eddie Murray and Texas SS Kevin Elster each have four hits: Elster has two homers and two doubles to drive in and score four runs. Murray's two RBI moves him into 10th place on the all-time list with 1,840.
Dave Nilsson becomes the first Brewer to homer twice in an inning, as Milwaukee scores 11 runs in the 6th to beat the Twins, 121. Nilsson's 1st homer, off Jose Parra, snaps a 11 tie, and his 2nd blast, a 3-run homer off Erik Bennett pushes the score to 101.
At Baltimore, the Orioles outlast the Mariners, 1413, and outhit the M's 21 to 20. The winner is Alan Mills, despite his giving up four earned runs in one 1/3 innings. Rafael Palmeiro and Alex Rodriguez each collect six RBI, while the O's Chris Hoiles chips in with 4. The Orioles bang four homers and score seven runs in the last two innings, while the M's hit two homers and score seven runs in the last three innings. Each team strands 13 runners in the four hour, 20 minute marathon. Palmeiro strokes five hits for the Orioles. Hoiles becomes only the 4th player in history to hit a game-ending grand slam on a 3-2 pitch with two outs and his team trailing by three runs.
IN THE NEWS: Mets' backstop Todd Hundley drives in seven runs and Mark Clark wins, 145, over the Giants. SS Rey Ordonez gets four hits and almost makes four throwing errorshe's charged with 2but Rico Brogna at first retrieves two for outs. Clark's win is his 2nd complete game: no other Met has gone the distance.
IN THE NEWS: Fred McGriff hits his 300th home run to lead the Braves to a 95 win over the Reds, the 9th straight victory for Atlanta over Cincy. Coupled with Montreal's loss to the Padres, Atlanta moves into the top spot in the National League East for the first time. McGriff is 4-for-4 today to raise his average to .353. John Smoltz (91) is the winner, giving up two hits in seven innings. Smoltz, with 74 K's, now leads the NL.
The White Sox continue to abuse the Tigers, winning 143, as Robin Ventura and Darren Lewis hit grand slams. The Sox become just the 4th ML team to ever hit three grand slams in two consecutive games. Detroit pitchers give up 41 runs in the three games with Chicago and the team ERA balloons to 7.35.
IN THE NEWS: Led by Chipper Jones and Tyler Houston, each with five RBI, the Braves pound the Cubs, 181 to make Steve Avery's 5th win an easy one. Houston gets his ribbies when he replaces Fred McGriff in the 5th inning.
The Red Sox pound the A's again, racking up seven runs in the 3rd to win 164. As in yesterday's 122 win, Mo Vaughn and Jose Canseco homer: Mo's homer is his 9th in his last 12 games and ties him for the American League lead with 17. Bill Haselman adds four hits, including a homer.
Larry Walker powers the Rockies to a 1210 win over the Pirates by driving in six runs and scoring 4. Walker connects for two home runs, a triple and a double as Colorado tallies 20 hits. Tomorrow, Walker will get a double, triple, and triple to set a new National League record by getting extra-base hits in six straight plate appearances (i.e., with no intervening bases on balls, hit-by-pitch, or sacrifice bunts). Earlier today, before the double/triple/homer, but not consecutive to them, he had already hit a home run. By doing so, he will tie the major league record for most extra-base hits (seven) in two consecutive games.
Dave Weathers homers and pitches six shutout innings as the streaking Marlins win, 32, over the slumping Reds. The Marlins (24-23) are over .500 for the first time in two years.
In San Francisco, the fans and players ignore a light earthquake at 3Com Park4.8 on the Richter scalein the 3rd inning, and the Giants break a 6th-inning tie to win 85 over the Expos. Matt Williams hits his 11th home run and drives in three runs for SF, while Henry Rodriguez hits his 17th homer for the Expos. His three ribbies give him 51 to lead the NL.
The Phils Terry Mulholland defeats the Padres, 5-4. Mulholland, who entered the game with the 3rd-lowest batting average in history of any player with 400 at bats, clouts a 407-foot home run in the 2nd inning off Sean Bergman. As Mulholland explains, "Most great power hitters don't hit for a high average."
IN THE NEWS: The Athletics spoil Dwight Gooden Day in New York City by hitting five solo homers -- three by Yankee-killer Geronimo Berroa -- to beat the Yankees 51. The five runs, all coming on homers, ties the ML mark.
Albert Belle's 21-game hit streak is stopped when, with two men on, he strikes out in the 9th inning to end the game, a 108 Cleveland loss to the Brewers.
IN THE NEWS: In the Red Sox 114 sinking of the Mariners, Roger Clemens tosses a complete game win and bounces his first major league hit, and the first by a Sox pitcher since 1972. Clemens (34) gets to bat when DH Jose Canseco moves to LF in the 8th inning.
David Howard steals home, the 2nd Royal to do it in two daysBob Hamelin also swiped home against the Tigersand Kevin Appier pitches seven 2/3 strong innings to give the Royals their 4th straight win, 42.
San Diego tops Philadelphia by a score of 7-5, as OF Steve Finley stroke five hits for the Padres, including a double and home run.
IN THE NEWS: In Seattle, Ken Griffey, Jr. sinks the Yankees with three home runs, scoring five runs and driving in six as the Mariners win, 104. It is the first 3-homer game for Griffey. Scott Kamieniecki takes the loss, his last game with the Yankees. His season will end in a month when he goes on the Triple-A DL.
IN THE NEWS: Oakland's Pedro Munoz belts the longest home run in the 5-year history of Camden Yards to lead the A's to a 63 win over the Orioles. The 463-foot shot to dead center comes in the 6th inning with two on, and breaks a 22 tie. Mark McGwire also homers for Oakland. The O's get two more homers from Brady Anderson, and a dinger from Mike Bordick, but that's all the scoring.
Mark Gardner (61), released by the Marlins in spring training, tosses a 32 win over the Phils to keep the Giants in first place in the National League West.
IN THE NEWS: Frank Thomas, Harold Baines, and Robin Ventura belt consecutive homers in Chicago's 7-run 8th inning as the Sox pound the Brewers, 121. Chad Kreuter adds a 4th homer in the frame as Chicago becomes the 16th team to hit four homers in an inning; The Twins are the only team to have hit 5. The Thomas, Baines, Ventura trio also homered in yesterday's 97 win over Milwaukee.
Rex Hudler is 5-for-5 with a homer as the Angels roll over the Red Sox, 122. Shawn Boskie (61) is the winner.
Veteran IF Mike Sharperson, 34, dies in a one-car crash early this morning in Las Vegas, where he was playing for the Stars (AAA). Signed by the Padres last November 29th, he was scheduled to join San Diego tomorrow.
IN THE NEWS: In Pittsburgh, Craig Biggio, triples, doubles and homers his first three times up to lead the Astros to a 53 win over the Bucs. Houston reaches .500 for the first time, while the Pirates have lost 16 of their last 20.
The Tigers lose their 12th straight, dropping a 54 decision to the Royals in 13 innings. Detroit has now lost 32 of their last 36 games. Highly-touted rookie Justin Thompson tosses the first eight innings, leaving with a 41 lead, but the Bengals make three errors in the 9th to help KC tie it.
The Yankees pound the Angels, 165, to remain in first place by a game over the Orioles. Bernie Williams, making his first start in 14 games because of injuries, has his 2nd 5-hit game of the year, The Yankees, down 54 after four innings, jump on former teammate Jim Abbott (18) and two relievers to score eight runs in the 5th inning. Abbott will lose another five before winning.
In New York, the Mets celebrate Memorial Day with the day off, a rarity on this holiday.
The Reds acquire all-time save leader Lee Smith, 37, from the Angels in exchange for lefty Chuck McElroy.
IN THE NEWS: At Anaheim, Kenny Rogers loses his no-hitter in the 8th when Garret Anderson hits a lead off single, and loses the game in the 9th when he walks Chili Davis with the bases loaded to score an unearned run. Jason Grimsley is the winner, 10, dropping New York into a tie for first place with Baltimore.
Cal Ripken powers three homers, good for eight RBI, to lead the Orioles to a 128 win over Seattle. Ripken hits a pair of two-run homers and a grand slam, tying him with Eddie Murray as the O's career home run leader with 333. Brother Billy Ripken also homers in the same inning with Cal, and Brady Anderson (19), Rafael Palmeiro, and Ken Griffey, Jr. (18) add homers as both teams total 24 hits.
In Philadelphia, Pete Incaviglia hammers a pair of three-run homers to lead the Phils to a 93 win over the Dodgers. The win goes to rookie Mike Grace (72), who gives up three runs in seven innings. At Arlington Albert Belle dings his 21st in the 4th inning of the Indians 113 win over the Rangers Belle, who is collecting his home run balls this season, asks for the ball when he is lifted in the 6th inning. Ken Logan, the fan who caught it. requests an autographed ball in exchange, prompting Belle to tell him to "@#$%^& off." The Indian management quickly apologizes to Logan, and gets him another autographed ball. Belle did the same thing in 1995.
IN THE NEWS: The Indians bang 18 hits to beat Milwaukee 104, but the biggest hit is when Albert Belle decks Brewers 2B Fernando Vina with a vicious forearm in the 8th inning to set off a two-team brawl. Belle was on first after being hit with a pitch. In the 9th, Milwaukee reliever Terry Burrows throws three inside pitches before he finally plunks Belle. Tribe reliever Julian Tavarez then throws a pitch behind the back of Mike Matheny, who charges the mound. Both benches clear and during the brawl Tavarez slams down ump Joe Brinkman and Belle knuckles Brewer Steve Sparks. Belle, Tavarez, and Matheny will each receive 5-game suspensions for their brawling.
Rookie OF Roger Cedeno strokes five hits to lead the Dodgers to a 103 victory over the Mets. Bobby Jones, winner of five straight, takes the loss, as the Dodgers pound out 16 hits. Ramon Martinez is the winner; he's now won 10 straight over 15 starts.
The Braves scalp the Reds, 91, as they bang out ML-record tying six solo homers in the process. Fred McGriff and Eddie Perez each hit two, as the Braves win their 10th in 12 games.