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APRIL
2001
IN THE NEWS: The Blue Jays defeat the Rangers, 8-1, as the major league baseball season opens in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Former Ranger Esteban Loaiza gets the victory, striking out nine in seven innings while Shannon Stewart and Tony Batista slug home runs for Toronto. Alex Rodriguez gets two hits in his Texas debut but makes a critical error.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees defeat the Royals, 7-3, as Roger Clemens records five strikeouts and ties (or beats) Walter Johnson as the all-time leader in strikeouts in AL history with 3,509. According to Total Baseball, Clemens has 3,509 but the Elias Sports Bureau has him with one fewer. The extra strikeout was first discovered in the early 1990s by John Schwartz and it came on September 12, 1907. The Rocket makes it moot in his next outing.
Gary Sheffield homers over the CF fence as the Dodgers beat Milwaukee, 10, to give new manager Jim Tracy his first win. Chan Ho Park is the winner, running his consecutive scoreless innings to 32 over two seasons.
David Wells pitches six strong innings and Magglio Ordonez hits a 3-run as the White Sox beat the Indians, 74 in the opener for both teams. Colon gives up all seven Chicago runs. The bright spot for the Tribe is Juan Gonzalez, who bangs two homers, the 1st Indian with two home runs on Opening Day since Duke Sims, in 1968. Gonzalez also became just the 4th player to twice hit two home runs on Opening Day (Eddie Mathews: 1954, 1958; Raul Mondesi: 1995, 1999; Joe Torre: 1965, 1966).
Vlad Guerrero has an RBI single in the 10th to give the Expos a 54 win over the Cubs. The Expos finish with INF Mike Mordecai behind the plate replacing Sandy Martinez, who injures his elbow trying to throw out Eric Young in the 10th. Starting C Michael Barrett is thumbed out of the game in the 8th. Rock Raines pinch hits for the Expos, thus becoming the 27th ML player to play in four decades.
The Giants Livan Hernandez beats the Padres, 32, with relief help from Robb Nen, who K's the side in the 9th. Barry Bonds homers for the Giants. Tony Gwynn's 8th inning RBI-single is his 3,110th hit, tying him with Dave Winfield. With his start today, Gwynn becomes the 5th player in NL history to spend 20+ years while playing his entire career with one team. The others are: Cap Anson: 1871-97 Cubs (5 years in the NA); Mel Ott: 1926-47 Giants; Stan Musial: 1941-44, 1946-63 Cardinals; Willie Stargell: 1962-82 Pirates.
The Reds sell lefty Ed Yarnall to the Orix Blue Wave (Japan) for $300,000. Yarnall, the 2000 IL pitcher of the year, came to the Reds in the Denny Neagle trade with the Yankees.
Former Yankees OF Darryl Strawberry is arrested at a Tampa hospital on a violation of a probation warrant. He has been missing for four days after leaving his drug treatment center on Thursday.
Boston's Nomar Garciaparra has surgery for a split tendon in his right wrist. He will be out till late August.
IN THE NEWS: The Astros defeat the Brewers, 11-3, as Craig Biggio gets five hits for Houston. Daryle Ward, filling in for the injured Moises Alou, adds a grand slam to back Scott Elarton. Jose Hernandez and Jeromy Burnitz hit solo home runs for the Brew.
IN THE NEWS: The Red Sox defeat the Orioles, 3-0, as Hideo Nomo hurls a no-hitter in his Boston debut. It is Nomo's second career no-no, making him the 4th pitcher in history to hurl one in both the NL and AL. It is also the earliest no-hitter, by date, in history.
The Blue Jays outslug the Devil Rays, 11-8, as Carlos Delgado hits three home runs and drives home four runs for Toronto.
The Indians double the White Sox, 8-4, before the first non-sellout in six years at Jacobs Field in Cleveland. It ends the longest consecutive game sellout streak in major league history at 455 games.
Todd Helton and Larry Walker each drive home four runs to back Denny Neagle's five inning, 3-run effort. The Rockies beat the Cards, 139, scoring 10 earned runs off Benes in 2.2 innings. Jim Edmonds hits a pair of homers, both upper deck shots, a first at Coors.
An MRI on Cincinnati hurler Scott Williamson's right elbow reveals a torn ulnar collateral ligament. He will undergo surgery and miss the 2001 season.
The Colorado Rockies send pitchers Mark Leiter and Mike DeJean, and IF Elvis Pena, to the Milwaukee Brewers for pitchers Juan Acevedo and Kane Davis, and IF Jose Flores.
IN THE NEWS: Paul O'Neill hits a 1st inning home run, off Dan Reichert, for the only run in the Yankees' 1-0 win over the Orioles. Mike Mussina (7.2 IP) is the winner. It is only the 2nd time in team history that the Yankees win a 1-0 game with a 1st inning home run. Previously, it was done in 1941, with the home run by Phil Rizzuto.
IN THE NEWS: The Phillies retire Jim Bunning's uniform number before their home opener, a 32 loss to the Cubs. The game is delayed an hour, 51 minutes by rain. Cubs reliever Todd Van Poppel strikes out all five batters he faces while Jeff Fassero gets his 2nd save in two nights. Previously, his last save was June 30, 1993. Julio Zuleta hits the first Cub homer of the year.
A crowd of 42,024, including President George W. Bush, is on hand for the first game ever played in Milwaukee's Miller Park. After Bush tosses out the first ball, the Brewers come from behind on Richie Sexson's 2-run home run in the 8th to defeat the Reds, 5-4. Reliever David Weathers takes the win.
The Tigers score eight runs in the 6th inning to take a 95, then hold on to defeat the White Sox, 10-9 in 10 innings. Tony Clark has two hits in the 6th, including a grand slam. Frank Thomas, Ray Durham, and Jose Valentin hit solo home runs for the Sox.
The Cardinals score eight runs in the 5th inning of their 12-9 win over the Diamondbacks. St. Louis 2B Fernando Vina gets five hits, including a triple.
IN THE NEWS: In the 10th against the Indians, the Orioles shift LF Delino DeShields behind 2B with one out and the bases loaded. RF Brady Anderson moves to shallow LF and CF Melvin Mora moves to right center. Jolbert Cabrera hits a fly near the LF line to Anderson who fires a strike to get the surprised runner Ellis Burks trying to score. The O's score two in the top of the 11th to win, 42.
Sammy Sosa hits his first homer, a solo shot to right center, as the Cubs defeat the Phillies, 8-4.
IN THE NEWS: The Pirates defeat the Astros, 9-3, as 3B Aramis Ramirez hits three home runs and drives home six runs.
The Red Sox defeat the Devil Rays, 3-0. Boston's Pedro Martinez hurls eight innings of 3-hit shutout ball, and strikes out 16 batters.
In the Yankees 165 win over Toronto, Yankee pinch-hitter Scott Seabol becomes the lowest-drafted player (88th round in 1996) to ever appear in ML. This distinction will last just 11 days before Travis Phelps -- the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' selection in the 89th round, also in 1996 -- makes his debut on April 19. Roger Clemens is the winner as batterymate Jorge Posada belts his first grand slam, one of 20 Yankee hits.
IN THE NEWS: Sean Casey's four hits and five RBIs to lead the Reds over the Pirates, 8-2, in the first game ever at PNC Park. The occasion is marred by the death of Willie Stargell just a few hours before game time. Pops died after an extended illness and the Bucs pay tribute with a 90 second visual presentation.
Chicago rookie Rocky Biddle survive five rocky innings2 run and 10 hitsto get the 92 win over the Indians. In the 6th Tribe reliever Steve Woodard stops a Frank Thomas line drive with his pitching elbow and leaves the game on a stretcher. He'll be out of action for a month and when he comes back he'll ask to be traded.
The Cardinals sell 1B-OF John Mabry to the Marlins.
IN THE NEWS: The Braves defeat the Mets, 2-0, as Greg Maddux (7 innings), Mike Remlinger (1 inning), and John Rocker (1 inning) combine on a one-hitter. Todd Zeile's 2nd single is the only NY hit and Maddux retires the last 17 batters he faces. Maddux has more wins against the Mets (2716) than he has against any other team.
The Pirates try and catch lightning in a bottle by signing P Ramon Martinez to a one year contract. Ramon will get hammered in a few appearances and retire for good next month.
IN THE NEWS: The Braves defeat the Astros, 12-4, as SS Jose Hernandez hits two home runs and drives home seven runs.
IN THE NEWS: A major league record is set as 11 one-run games are played, breaking the mark of 10 set in 1967. With a 10 win over the Mets, the Reds set the modern day NL record with their 175th consecutive game without being shut out, breaking the mark of 174, set by the 1992-93 Phillies. Chris Reitsma and Danny Graves combine to beat Al Leiter.
IN THE NEWS: The Rockies defeat the Diamondbacks, 10-7, as Todd Hollandsworth hits three home runs and drives home seven runs. Hollandsworth is the ninth major-leaguer to hit three homers in a game with the last being a game-ender. Jack Clark, with the Red Sox in 1991, was the last to do it.
The Braves Odalis Perez (7 IP) allows just four singles in sinking the Phillies, 30. Perez is making his 1st start after missing the entire 2000 season because of Tommy John surgery. Brian Jordan and Andruw Jones homer for the Braves.
Eric Milton strikes out 10, including the first four hitters on called 3rd strikes, in seven innings. The surprising Twins edge the visiting White Sox, 43, to complete a 3-game sweep. Corey Koskie is 4-for-4 for the Twins.
The Cubs complete a sweep of Pirates as Kerry Wood strikes out 10 in a 5-1 win.
IN THE NEWS: The Giants edge the Dodgers, 3-2, as Barry Bonds hits his 500th career home run.
The Diamondbacks beat up on the Cardinals, 174, collecting 15 runs in the first four innings off Dustin Hermanson and Chad Hutchinson. The last two runs come in the 9th off Bobby Bonilla, making his ML pitching debut. The most successful Card pitcher is Gene Stechschulte, who belts a 6th inning pinch homer on the 1st pitch of his 1st ML at bat (he is the 15th pitcher to accomplish this, according to home run maven David Vincent). Also getting beat up is Umpire Larry Young who is struck in the forehead by a throw from Arizona's Jay Bell and requires 14 stitches to close the gash. He'll be out 2-3 weeks. Arizona is paced by Jay Bell's four hits, including a home run, and WP Armando Reynoso.
IN THE NEWS: Mike Hampton pitches his 2nd strong effort (8 IP, four hits) of the year with an 80 win over San Diego. Jeff Cirillo homers and Larry Walker homers in his 4th straight game.
After just 14 games, the Devil Rays fire manager Larry Rothschild and hire Hal McRae to take his place.
IN THE NEWS: The Yankees defeat the Blue Jays, 6-5, in 17 innings and almost six hours. Six relievers pitch 11 scoreless innings before Chuck Knoblauch walks and Derek Jeter singles him to 2B. Paul O'Neill's 4th hit of the game finally ends it.
IN THE NEWS: Toronto's Carlos Delgado hits three home runs in a game for the 2nd time this season as Toronto defeats KC, 12-4. On two of the dingers, Delgado combines with Raul Mondesi to go back-to-back, the first time in a year that teammates have twice gone back-to-back in the same game.
Dodgers' GM Kevin Malone resigns. The final straw that did in the controversial GM was a verbal altercation with a fan during a Dodger game. The team was 178-176 in his 2+ years as GM. Assistant GM Dave Wallace will serve on an interim basis.
A new musical, "The Curse of the Bambino," opens in Boston. Written by David Kruh with music and lyrics by Stephen Bergman, the comedy is staged as a Greek tragedy complete with a Greek chorus composed of four fans.
Jon Lieber gets his first win and Sammy Sosa hits the first grand-slam at the new PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
IN THE NEWS: Colorado's Pedro Astacio throws a brilliant game against the Snakes in Arizona, winning, 21. They hit him two times, and he hits them four times, tying a major-league record for HBP in a game. The last to do so was Orel Hershiser on April 19, 2000. Pedro is lifted in the 9th after hitting his 4th batter and allowing a single. Larry Walker has a solo home run to back Astacio's 50th career win with the Rocks, the first franchise pitcher to reach that level.
IN THE NEWS: The American League celebrates its 100th anniversary.
IN THE NEWS: Rickey Henderson's 9th-inning walk from Philadelphia's Jose Mesa is the 2,063rd of his career and breaks Babe Ruth's all-time record. The Phillies defeat the Padres, 5-3.
IN THE NEWS: Luis Gonzalez bangs two home runs in Arizona's 13-6 win over Atlanta to tie the major-league record for home runs in the month of April with 13 held by Ken Griffey, Jr. His first home run, off Greg Maddux, ties the NL record. Steve Finley also homers off Maddux, a 3-run shot, and adds a triple and single to drive in five runs. Damian Miller has two homers, including a back-to-back shots with Erubiel Durazo in the 8th. Robert Ellis (30) is the winner.
IN THE NEWS: The Marlins beat the Astros, 9-8, as Eric Owens gets five hits, including a home run.
The Braves defeat the Diamondbacks, 9-0, as Chipper Jones has his first career 5-hitter, including a 2B and home run. John Burkett fires a 3-hitter to win easily.
The White Sox absorb two losses today, once to the Mariners. 83 and the second from a doctor. Frank Thomas is injured during the game and is out for the rest of the season. The hot Mariners win their 19th of the month behind Aaron Sele. Mike Cameron gets on base five times and steals three bases.
Kerry Wood strikes out 14 in the Cubs' 7-3 win over San Francisco.
IN THE NEWS: The Mariners defeat the White Sox, 8-5, for their 20th win this month, a new major-league record for April. Kazuhiro Sasaki sets a new record for saves in April with his 13th.
Hot-hitting Albert Pujols ties the major-league record for home runs in April by a rookie with eight but his Cardinals fall to the Mets, 6-5 in 11 innings.
The Brewers double the Expos, 8-4, as Geoff Jenkins hits three home runs and drives in six runs.
IN THE NEWS: The Brewers whitewash the Expos, 10-0, as Geoff Jenkins gets four hits, including two home runs, and drives home six runs for the 2nd straight game. His five home runs in two games ties the ML mark.
Cubs starter Julian Tavarez apologizes to fans after making derogatory remarks toward San Francisco fans the previous day. He is later fined by the club.
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