2002
» The Mets defeat the Brewers, 1–0, behind Shawn Estes' one–hitter. A 7th–inning single by Eric Young is Milwaukee's only hit.

LA pitcher Odalis Perez faces the minimum 27 batters in hurling a one–hit, 10–0 shutout over the Cubs. A bad–hop infield single by OF Corey Patterson leading off the 7th inning is the only Chicago hit.

The Braves shut out the Astros, 9–0, ending Houston's club–record streak of 122 straight games without being held scoreless.

2001
» 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 (3–0) is the winner.

2000
» The Cardinals whitewash the Brewers, 7-0, as Rick Ankiel, Jim Edmonds, and Fernando Tatis all hit home runs. This gives St. Louis 50 homers for April, setting a new ML mark.

1997
» Chicago 2B Ryne Sandberg hits his 2nd home run of the year in the Cubs' 7-6 win over Pittsburgh. The home run is Sandberg's 267th as a second baseman, breaking the record held by Hall of Famer Joe Morgan for most home runs at that position.

The Yankees beat the White Sox by a score of 10-2 as DH Cecil Fielder gets five hits, including two doubles and a homer.

The Orioles pound the Red Sox, 14-6, as Roberto Alomar goes 4-for-4, with three home runs and six ribbies.

1996
» Mike Grace (4–0) retires the first 16 batters and pitches eight innings after scattering three singles. The Phils win 2–0 over the Reds, sending Cincy to their 9th loss in 10 games.

Gary Sheffield cracks a 2-run homer in the first inning off San Francisco starter Osvaldo Fernandez, but that's all the Marlin scoring as the Giants win, 3–2. For Sheffield, it is his 11th homer of April, matching the major league record for the month.

Former American League pitcher Milt Gaston dies at age 100. Gaston played for five teams in the 1920s and 1930s and had 18 Hall of Fame teammates and managers, more than any player in history.

1995
» Fans in Pittsburgh disrupt Opening Day by throwing sticks on the field, and holding up the action for 17 minutes. Montreal eventually wins the game by a score of 6-2.

Despite just 6,300 fans at the Yanks pre-opening workout, 50,245 show up for the opener, the smallest opening crowd at the Stadium since 1990. The Yankees start with a win, 8–6, over the Rangers, as Jimmy Key goes five innings to pick up the win. It is his 3rd straight opener and his Opening Day record is 6–0. Kenny Rogers is the loser, giving up four runs in three innings, including a homer to Danny Tartabull. Bernie Williams also homers.

At Kansas City, Royals Kevin Appier is lifted after six 2/3 innings of no hit ball. Appier had thrown just 11 1/3 innings in spring training and manager Bob Boone does not want to risk injury. Appier is ahead 3–0 when he exits and the Royals win 5–1. Nolan Ryan, in the 1990 opener, also was lifted in a no hitter because of limited work in spring training.

Toronto scores 11 runs in the 2nd inning and coasts home to a 13–1 win over the Oakland A's. The 11 runs is the most scored in an inning on Opening Day this century, but will be matched in three years by San Diego.

1994
» Baltimore OF Brady Anderson gets four extra-base hits in his first four trips to the plate in the Orioles' 10-4 win over Oakland. Anderson's two doubles and two home runs all come while leading off an inning. Rafael Palmeiro and Chris Hoiles both homer to back Arthur Rhodes.

1993
» The Phillies come back from an 8-0 deficit to defeat the Giants, 9-8 in 10 innings. The winning run scores on a wild pitch.

Mets P Dwight Gooden hurts his shoulder when he is struck by a golf club teammate Vince Coleman is swinging in the clubhouse.

1991
» Roger Clemens' appeal of the 5-game suspension and $10,000 fine levied against him for his confrontation with umpire Jim Evans and threat to "get" umpire Terry Cooney during the 1990 American League playoffs is denied by commissioner Fay Vincent.

1990
» Nolan Ryan pitches a one-hitter and sets a Ranger record with 16 strikeouts in a 1–0 win over the White Sox. It is Ryan's 12th career one-hitter (which ties him with ML leader Bob Feller,) and 200th career game with at least 10 strikeouts.

1988
» Keith Hernandez hits two home runs (one is a grand slam) and drives in seven runs to reach the 1,000 career RBI mark as the Mets pound the Braves 13–4.

1986
» The game between the Angels and Twins is delayed for nine minutes when strong winds tear a hole in the Metrodome roof, causing suspended lights and speakers to sag toward the field. The roof is reinflated and California rallies for six runs in the 9th to win 7–6.

1985
» The Dodgers Orel Hershiser pitches his 2nd consecutive shutout, a 2–0 one-hitter against the Padres. San Diego's lone hit is Tony Gwynn's 4th-inning single.

1981
» Oakland runs its record to 17-1 with a 9–4 win over the Mariners.

1980
» Steve Carlton of the Phillies sets the modern National League record with his 6th career one-hitter, a 7–0 shutout of former team the Cardinals. Carlton will go 6–0 against St. Louis this year, the last pitcher this century to win six games in a season against one team.

1979
» Against the Cubs, J.R. Richard homers in the 3rd and leaves the game after five innings with a back strain, but is the winner as Houston wins, 6–2. Lynn McGlothen is the starter and loser for Chicago.

1977
» The Rangers trade Lenny Randle to the Mets for Rick Auerbach and cash.

Dan Driessen has two homers and six RBIs to pace the Reds to a 9–1 win over the Braves in Atlanta.

1975
» Mike Schmidt wallops two home runs to help give the Phils a 10–9 win over Cincinnati. Schmidt has 11 home runs in April tying the ML record.

1974
» Colorado defeats Nebraska 2–1 in an NCAA-record 22-inning game. James Smith has 10 at bats.

1970
» Don Buford hits a 3-run homer to give Baltimore a 10–9 victory over Kansas City. The Orioles take over first place and will not relinquish that position for the rest of the season.

Willie McCovey and Dick Dietz each hit grand slams as the Giants beat the Expos 11–1 in the first game of a doubleheader. This is a first in Giants history. McCovey adds another homer to back McCormick's win. The Expos take the 2nd game, 3–2. Bobby Wine chips in by catching Willie Mays with the hidden ball trick (as noted by Bill Deane).

1969
» The Baseball Records Committee says Babe Ruth should be credited with 715 home runs, because a hit on July 8, 1918 recognized as a triple should have been ruled a home run. The recommendation is ignored.

The Red Sox beat the Tigers, 7–4, with Carl Yastrzemski hitting a pair of homers—one a grand slam. Yaz's blows give the Sox a record for most homers in 10 straight games with 26.

1962
» The Cardinals and Colts play a 17-inning 5–5 tie in a game halted by curfew.

1961
» Roger Maris hits his first home run of 1961 off Paul Foytack of Detroit, and Mickey Mantle adds home runs from both sides of the plate (for the 8th time), as New York wins 13–10 at Tiger Stadium. Mantle's 2nd homer, a 2-run shot off Hank Aguirre, snaps a 10–10 tie in the 10th.

Cincinnati's Jerry Lynch becomes the 6th player in National League history to hit two consecutive pinch-hit home runs. This one today is not enough as Chicago wins 3–2.

1959
» Was it something I said? Reds pitcher Willard Schmidt is twice hit by pitches in the 3rd inning in an 11–10 win over the Braves. Braves pitchers Bob Rush and Lew Burdette do the plunking. It is a first in the major leagues, but the ML mark will be tied in three years by Frank Thomas. While on the mound in the 4th inning, Schmidt is hit again when a Johnny Logan line drive strikes him on the right hand and he has to leave the game. The two teams use 14 pitchers between them to tie a National League record, with the eight pitchers by the Reds tying another NL record. Warren Spahn is tagged for the loss, his 2nd in two days to the Reds.

Surprising Baltimore sweeps a pair from the Yankees, coming from behind to score two in the 9th and win the opener, 5–4, and scoring in the final frame of the nitecap to win, 3–2. The O's use six pinch hitters in the opener, while New York uses four for a new ML mark. Hoyt Wilhelm goes the distance in the nitecap, but his knuckler proves elusive for Gus Triandos, who ties the major-league record with four passed balls. Ray Katt, who was the lone holder of the record, also caught Wilhelm.

Los Angeles move into first place ahead of the Braves with a 17–11 win over St. Louis. The Dodgers score four in the 8th and four more in the 9th. Charley Neal has five hits and Hodges five RBIs to lead the Dodgers.

Sadaharu Oh of the Yomiuri Giants hits the first of 868 career home runs.

1957
» Walter "Spike" Briggs of the Detroit Tigers resigns as executive vice-president, GM and director after a row with the front office. He is the last member of the Briggs family to hold an official position with the team.

1955
» Bob Turley of the Yanks fires a one-hitter, fanning 10 in beating the White Sox 5-0.

1953
» Feasting again on Pirates pitching, the Phillies Connie Ryan goes 5-for-5 in a 7-5 win in the first game of a doubleheader.

1952
» Detroit's Art Houtteman's no-hit bid is broken up on a 2-out, 9th-inning hit by Harry Simpson, but the Tigers romp over the Indians 13-0.

1951
» Connie Marrero of Washington allows just one hit -- a homer by the A's Barney McCosky -- in topping Philadelphia, 2–1. Joe Coleman is the loser, serving up solo homers to Mickey Vernon and Gil Coan.

1947
» Bob Feller shuts out the Tigers to give the Tribe a 6–0 win. Hal Newhouser takes the loss.

1946
» Giants pitchers Ace Adams and Harry Feldman jump to the Mexican League.

1944
» Frank McCormick homers in the bottom of the 13th inning as Bucky Walters and the Reds beat the Cardinals 1-0.

1942
» Alvin Montgomery, C on the Braves training roster, is killed in an auto wreck.

1941
» The Chicago Cubs are the first team to install an organ. With Roy Nelson at the keyboard, the Cubs hit sour notes, losing 6-2 to the St. Louis Cardinals.

1940
» Yankee Red Rolfe has 9 assists at 3B against Boston, but the Red Sox win 8-1.

1936
» In a ragged game featuring 11 errors, the Dodgers over seven errors to beat the Phils, 10–7. Adding to the miscues, Brooklyn SS Ben Geraghty reaches base twice on interference (tipped bat) by Philadelphia C Earl Grace for a ML record.

At Boston, the Red Sox score six runs in the bottom of the first inning, but the Yankees rebound with seven in the 2nd. New York holds on to win, 12–9. Foxx and Gehrig match homers while Frank Crosetti is 5-for-6 and Bill Dickey 4-for-6.

1931
» Dusty Cooke, Yankee RF, is hurt diving for a fly ball off the bat of Ossie Bluege of Washington. 1B Gehrig winds up playing the ball, which becomes an inside-the-park HR. With Babe Ruth still sidelined, the shorthanded Yankees send P Red Ruffing to the outfield. The game's most significant play comes with Lyn Lary on base when Lou Gehrig's drive into the CF stands at Washington bounces back and is caught by CF Harry Rice. According to the rules, this is a home run, but when Lary sees Rice catching the ball, he thinks it's the final out of the inning. Unnoticed by Joe McCarthy, coaching at 3B, Lary heads for the dugout after crossing 3B. Gehrig circles the bases. He is called out and gets credit for a triple instead of a HR and loses 2 RBI. As a result Gehrig will end the season tied for the HR title with Babe Ruth and will have "only" 184 RBI.

1927
» Forty-year-old Ty Cobb has 3 hits, drives in the winning run, and steals home in the 7th inning. He tops that off with a 9th-inning shoestring catch in shallow RF and then traps the runner off first for an unassisted DP to end the game. The A's win a 9-8 squeaker over Boston. Cobb also stole home on April 19th in a 3-1 win over Washington.

1925
» With the Indians leading 7-2 at Chicago, the umps forfeit the game to Cleveland when the crowd storms onto the field and refuses to get off.

1923
» The Giants receive their 1922 WS rings, then beat the Braves 7-3 in their home opener, despite a record-tying 5 double plays by Boston. Giants 1B George "Highpockets" Kelly ties a record, handling 22 chances in the field.

1922
» Detroit stops the Browns and Cy Williams, 2–0. Ray Kolp is the winning pitcher.

1916
» Yankee Fritz Maisel does his part to keep the score down by getting thrown out three times trying to steal against the A's.The Yankees still win, 9–0.

1912
» Boston 1B Hugh Bradley is the first player to hit a ball over LF wall of Boston's new park. His 3-run shot—his only homer this year and half his career total—helps the Red Sox beat Philadelphia, 7–6.

1911
» In the first of two with Brooklyn, Grover Cleveland Alexander wins his first ML game, 10–3. Alex strikes out six and walks six, while slapping two of the Phillies seven hits.

1909
» A's popular C Doc Powers dies at the age of 38. He developed intestinal problems sustained when he ran into a wall during the Shibe Park opener on April 12th.

1907
» At soggy Baker Bowl, Christy Mathewson scatters nine hits to beat the Phils, 4-3, in eight innings. The Giants tally 14 hits, led by Spike Shannon's four. New York bats in the 9th without scoring, and the Phils put tying run on 2B before the rain pours down. Umpire Charles Rigler then calls the game. The Giants have now won two in a row, but the streak will grow.

1906
» Immediately following the Giants 4-3 win over Philadelphia, John McGraw slugs a fan who had made a derogatory remark about the Giants. Then the manager proceeds on to the clubhouse. When a policeman arrives he refuses to arrest McGraw on the grounds that he had not witnessed the altercation.

1905
» Jack McCarthy ties the major-league record when he becomes the 3rd OF to start three DPs (Jackson Nelson in 1887, started three DPs, but only two were completed at home) in one game, preserving the 2-1 Chicago Cubs victory over the Pirates. McCarthy will play just 37 games in the OF. The last throw three out at home was Jim Jones on June 30, 1902.

Barney Dreyfuss, claiming the fans want to see more hitting, calls for abolishing the spitball. But it will remain legal until 1920.

1904
» Ty Cobb makes his professional debut for Augusta (South Atlantic League), hitting a double and HR in an 8-7 loss to Columbus.

1902
» In his ML debut, Cleveland's Addie Joss hurls a one-hitter against the Browns to win 3-0. The only hit is a scratch single by Jesse Burkett.

Boston and Washington combine for 18 extra base hits, with Boston winning, 10-8.

1901
» Eight days after the Phillies’ opener before 4,593, the Athletics, home opener at Columbus Park draws 16,000 for a 5-1 loss to the Washington Nationals. Chick Fraser is the winner. Nap Lajoie has three hits in the Athletics’ first game, and will have three in the 2nd game and four in the 3rd on the way to an AL-record .422 batting average.

After six postponements, the New York Giants down the Brooklyn Superbas 5-3 for their season’s first win and Christy Mathewson’s first ML victory. Matty allows four hits and strikes out 8.

The visiting Boston Americans play their first game, losing to Baltimore, 10-6. Iron Joe McGinnity strikes out nine in the win, and Mike Donlin cracks two triples off losing pitcher Win Kellum.

1900
» The American League opener in Cleveland draws 6,500, a higher mark than the NL team drew there for the entire 1899 season.

The Pirates score seven runs in the 9th inning, but still lose their home opener, 12-11, to the Reds. Cincy scores eight runs off starter Rube Waddell in five innings, and four more off reliever Jack Chesbro. Attendance today is 11,000.

On their way to the Polo Grounds, New York Giants George Davis, Kid Gleason, and Mike Grady spot smoke rising from an apartment building and rush to help with the rescue. Davis climbs a fireman's ladder to rescue a woman who fainted in the heat, and Gleason and Davis help a woman and child down a fire escape. Forty five families are left homeless from the major blaze. Then the trio, with Davis stroking a triple, help the Giants tie Boston 5-5 after nine innings, then rally with a five spot to tie again in the bottom of the 10th.