Baseball History Today: October 10th

William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi made a somewhat bold move. A gamble? A risk? Perhaps…

No, not the contract he reportedly agreed to just yesterday.

Last year on this date, Girardi elected to pinch-hit for the struggling Alex Rodriguez with Raul Ibanez. For the game, Rodriguez was 0-for-3. Ibanez enters the game in the bottom of the 9th during Game 3 of the ALDS. With the Yankees trailing 2-1, Ibanez was facing Baltimore Orioles closer Jim Johnson when Ibanez launched a home run off the O’s closer to tie the score.

The bold move pays off again later in the game as Ibanez homers once more against, this time off Brian Matusz in the 12th inning. The Yankees had earned a 3-2 win with the walk-off.

For the entire series, A-Rod would go 2-for-16 (.125). Ibanez was 4-for-9 (.444) and would account for half the Yankees home runs in the series in this single game.

Other memorable events from October 10th…

1999 – The Boston Red Sox would set a postseason record by racking up 23 runs in their 23-7 win over the Cleveland Indians. Boston accumulates 24 hits in the game with Mike Stanley having five and Jason Varitek and John Valentin each having four. Valentin would add to his stat sheet in popping a pair of home runs and seven RBI.

1968 – Detroit Tigers pitcher Micky Lolich would out-duel St. Louis Cardinals starter Bob Gibson and earn his third win of the World Series. The Tigers victory would give them the World Series after dropping three of the first four games.

1945 – More Tigers history and another World Series win. The Tigers score five runs in the 1st inning of Game 7 and rout the Cubs, 9 – 3. Hal Newhouser, would strike out 10 to win the World Championship. In a sad turn of events, at least to the Cubs faithful, this would be the last WS appearance for the Cubs in the 20th century.

1923 – The first World Series broadcast on a nationwide radio network features a match-up between both New York teams, the Yankees and the Giants. In Game 1, a 4 – 4 tie is broken in the top of the 9th inning by a Casey Stengel‘s inside-the-park home run. It is also the first Series home run hit at Yankee Stadium.

Notable Birthdays:
Troy Tulowitzki (1984)
Yoenis Cespedes (1985)
Andrew McCutchen (1986)