IN THE NEWS: No joke. Enraged that P Hideki Irabu fails to cover 1B on a ground ball hit during an exhibition game, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner calls him a "fat pussy toad." Steinbrenner will later apologize to Irabu.
IN THE NEWS: In the first season opener ever played outside of the United States or Canada, the Rockies defeat the Padres, 8–2, before an overflow crowd of 27,104 in Monterrey, Mexico. OF Dante Bichette has four hits, including a home run, and four RBIs for the winners. Local hero Vinny Castilla also has four hits for the Rockies, while Darryl Kile picks up the victory.
IN THE NEWS: OF Juan Encarnacion homers on the first pitch of the game and P Brian Moehler takes a no–hitter into the 7th inning as the Tigers defeat the Rangers, 11–5. Texas P Mike Morgan sets a major league record by appearing in a game for his 11th team. And Detroit P Masao Kida becomes the first Tokyo–born player to appear in a big league game when he pitches the 8th inning in relief.
OF Albert Belle hits a 3–run homer in his Baltimore debut, and Cal Ripken Jr. has to leave the game with a back injury, as the Orioles defeat the Devil Rays, 10–7. Ripken will not play tomorrow, marking the first time in 17 years that he is forced to miss a game because of an injury. Prior to today's game, Ripken's father is honored with his #7 painted into the 3rd base coach's box. A former Oriole manager and coach, Cal Ripken Sr. died of lung cancer on March 25 at age 63. Following the game, Baltimore P Doug Johns is arrested on drunk driving and marijuana possession charges.
The Giants defeat the Reds, 11–8, on 3B Charlie Hayes' go–ahead 3–run home run in the 8th inning. Hayes replaced starter Bill Mueller, who broke his toe after being hit by a Brett Tomko pitch as the second batter up in the game. SF OF Barry Bonds sets a National League record by receiving his 290th intentional walk in the 4th inning. The old record was held by Hank Aaron.
Dodgers OF Raul Mondesi hits a 2–outs, 3–run home run in the bottom of the 9th to tie the score, then hits a 2–out, 2–run homer in the last of the 11th to win the game as LA defeats Arizona, 8–6. Mondesi drives in a total of six runs as Davey Johnson wins his managerial debut with the Dodgers.
The Expos defeat the Pirates, 9–2, behind the pitching of Dustin Hermanson. Jason Phillips makes his major league debut in the 6th inning for Pittsburgh and sees his first pitch hit over the centerfield wall for a home run by C Chris Widger.
In the opener at Anaheim, the Angels rally to beat the Indians, 6–5. Salmon and Anderson hit homers on consecutive pitches off Jaret Wright in the 4th. But franchise player Mo Vaughn tumbles into the Cleveland dugout chasing a foul ball and severely sprains his ankle. Mo plays five innings before leaving but he'll miss 15 days. The injury will linger causing him problems at the plate and, he says later, causing the ligament damage that will curtain his 2000 season.
IN THE NEWS: The Braves defeat the Phillies, 11–3, behind Greg Maddux. Maddux hits a home run and 2–run single in Atlanta's 8–run 4th inning, becoming the first pitcher since Todd Stottlemyre in 1996 to get two hits in the same inning.
The U.S. government garnishes Denny McLain's pension in order to reimburse the pension fund that he was convicted of laundering money from. McLain was recently divorced and under the terms of the settlement, all of the assets went to his wife, including his pension, while McLain got all of the debts. But, a federal judge overruled that and ordered that all of McLain's pension benefits be used to reimburse his victims.
IN THE NEWS: The Expos defeat the Mets, 5–1, behind the pitching of Miguel Batista. Batista also dribbles a ball in front of the plate for his 1st major league hit after beginning his career 0–for–41 to tie Randy Tate's big league record.
Philadelphia defeats Atlanta, 6–3, and the Phils tie an National League record by using five pitchers in the 8th inning. Only one run scores in the frame as the Braves leave the bases loaded.
IN THE NEWS: Pirates rookie Kris Benson beats the Cubs in his first ML start. He's just the second #1 draft pick to win his first start; David Clyde was the other, in 1973.
IN THE NEWS: The Diamondbacks defeat the Braves, 8–3, as P Randy Johnson strikes out 15 batters, including six in a row, to set an Arizona record. SS Tony Batista strokes five hits for Arizona, including a home run, and brings home four runs. Batista's streak will reach 7, then he'll have 17 at bats without a hit.
During a rundown play, Seattle rookie IF Carlos Guillen tears a ligament in his right knee in the Mariners 11–4 loss to Oakland. He will require surgery and be out for the season.
IN THE NEWS: The Devil Rays defeat the Red Sox, 5–4, as P Scott Aldred picks up the win in relief. The victory ends Aldred's major league record streak of 50 appearances without a win, loss or save.
Seattle defeats Oakland, 11–8, as the Mariners push across eight runs in the 3rd inning.
New York defeats Detroit, 11–2, as the Yankees score eight runs in the 3rd inning.
The Pirates defeat the Cubs, 9–6, despite five hits by Chicago OF Glenallen Hill. Hill strokes three singles, a double and a home run, and drives home a pair of runs in the losing effort.
The Dodgers–Rockies game in Los Angeles is postponed due to rain. It is the first rainout in LA since April 21, 1988 -- a string of 856 games -- and just the 16th in club history.
IN THE NEWS: The Rangers defeat the Mariners, 15–6, as Texas C Ivan Rodriguez drives in nine runs. All of Rodriguez's RBIs come on a 3–run home run in the 1st inning, a 2–run single in the 2nd, and a grand slam in the 3rd. Mike Morgan picks up the win in relief. It is his 1st victory over the Mariners since August 4, 1979. The 19 years, eight months and nine days is the longest a pitcher has ever gone between victories against one team.
The Dodgers score two runs in the top of the 16th inning to take a 6–4 lead over the Diamondbacks, but Arizona comes back with three in the bottom half to eke out a 7–6 win. 2B Jay Bell has four hits, including a pair of home runs, for the winners.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees defeat the Orioles, 14–7, as Chuck Knoblauch gets five hits, including his 1st home run of the year, for the winners.
The Indians score nine runs in the 6th inning on their way to an 11–4 win over the Royals.
The Mets down the Marlins, 4–1, as NY reliever John Franco records the 400th save of his career. Only Lee Smith has notched more, with 478.
Speaking of 400s. In the Devil Rays 7–6, 11 inning loss to Toronto, Jose Canseco hits his 400th home run. He is the 28th player to reach that mark, but the first born outside the US.
Yankees OF Darryl Strawberry is arrested in Tampa on charges of soliciting a prostitute and possession of cocaine. Strawberry has been at the Yankees' extended training camp while he works himself back into shape following colon cancer surgery last October 3.
IN THE NEWS: The Dodgers trade pitchers Dave Mlicki and Mel Rojas to the Tigers in exchange for minor league pitchers Rick Roberts, Robinson Checo and Apostol Garcia.
The Braves finally give up on wild–armed pitcher Mark Wohlers and ship him to the Reds in exchange for P John Hudek.
IN THE NEWS: Boston P Tom Gordon suffers an elbow injury and is forced to come out in the 9th inning of the Red Sox 8–5 win over Tampa Bay. Gordon, who is placed on the DL, had converted 46 consecutive save opportunities. He'll spend 129 days on the DL.
Down 7–1 to the Indians, the Twins rally for seven runs in the 8th inning to take the lead, then score five more in the 11th to defeat the Tribe, 13–8. OF Matt Lawton, who entered the game in the 8th inning as a PH, drives home six runs.
IN THE NEWS: The Braves stroke 24 hits in pounding the Rockies, 20–5. Atlanta scores 10 runs in the 9th inning on the way to setting an Atlanta record for runs scored in a game. Andruw Jones has five hits, including a home run and triple, and drives home six runs, while Eddie Perez collects five singles. The Braves attack features at least one hit from everyone in the lineup except WP Greg Maddux.
IN THE NEWS: The Rockies blow a pair of 4–run leads before bouncing back to score three runs in the last half of the 9th inning and pull out an 11–10 win over the Expos.
Baltimore's Cal Ripken Jr. is placed on the disabled list for the first time in his 19–year career because of irritation in his lower back. Ripken's record consecutive game streak ended last September at 2,632 games.
IN THE NEWS: The Rockies–Expos game in Denver is canceled after 15 people are killed in a massacre at Columbine High School near Denver. Tomorrow's game will also be canceled and the team will subsequently wear a sleeve patch in memory of tragedy.
Giants star Barry Bonds undergoes surgery on his right arm, which will cause him to be out of action for at least 10 weeks.
Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott agrees to sell her controlling interest in the Reds to a group headed by Carl H. Lindner, ending her 14–year tenure. The group will pay a total of $67 million.
IN THE NEWS: The Braves defeat the Dodgers, 11–4, by scoring seven runs in the 12th inning, two short of the National League record for the frame.
The Yankees defeat the Rangers, 4–2, as Roger Clemens ties an American League record with his 17th consecutive win over two seasons. Johnny Allen (1936–37) and Dave McNally (1968–69) previously accomplished the feat for the Indians and Orioles, respectively.
The Astros defeat the Cubs, 10–3, as 1B Jeff Bagwell clouts three home runs and drives home six runs. It is Bagwell's 2nd career 3–homer game. The 4–baggers give Bagwell 225 for his career with the Astros, surpassing Jimmy Wynn as the team's career leader.
A Florida woman is awarded $2.7 million by a jury for an injury she received during a Phillies–Marlins game on August 8, 1993. Linda Postlethwaite had her nose broken by an errant pitch from former Phillies hurler Mitch Williams during a game at Joe Robbie Stadium.
IN THE NEWS: Tampa Bay defeats Baltimore, 1–0, as Ps Tony Saunders, Jim Mecir and Roberto Hernandez combine on a 1–hitter. SS Mike Bordick's single with two outs in the 8th inning is the only hit Oriole hit.
Angels OF Jim Edmonds has surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right shoulder. He will be sidelined for about four months.
IN THE NEWS: The Cardinals defeat the Dodgers, 12–5, as 3B Fernando Tatis sets a major league record by hitting two grand slams in a single inning. His two homers came in St. Louis' 11–run 3rd inning. He also sets a record with eight RBIs in the inning, while LA P Chan Ho Park becomes the 1st pitcher this century -- and only the 2nd ever -- to surrender two grand slams in a single frame. Bill Phillips of the Pirates did so in 1890. Park became the 36th major-leaguer to serve up two slams to the same player in his career.
At Fenway, ex-Red Sox hitter Wil Cordero hits a 2-run home run, off Jim Corsi, in the 6th to give the Indians a 7–6 win over Boston. His hit follows the 2nd bench clearing brawl of the game. Rheal Cormier plunks Jim Thome and Corsi relieves. The first brawl comes in the 5th after Jarret Wright allows a homer, walk and single, then hits Darren Lewis with a pitch. Both are tossed. Lofton, leading off, and Fryman homer for Cleveland. The American League will suspend Indians P Jaret Wright (5 games) and 1B Jim Thome (3 days), and Red Sox OF Darren Lewis (3 days) and P Rheal Co
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