Baseball History Today: October 21st

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

2001 – The Arizona Diamondbacks secure their first-ever National League title when they defeat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in Game 5 of the NLDS. Randy Johnson hurls seven innings and allows two runs on seven hits. He also strikes out eight Braves batters.

Agree…that image above doesn’t resemble the Big Unit.

2000 – The Subway Series between the New York Yankees and New York Mets stage the longest game in World Series history. The teams play for four hours and fifty-one minutes with the Yankees emerging victorious, 4-3 in 12 innings. A single off the bat of Jose Vizcaino drives in Tino Martinez for the game-winner.

1998 – The Yankees win Game 4 of the World Series to sweep the San Diego Padres, giving the Bronx Bombers a total of 125 wins on the entire season. With only 50 total losses, the Yanks post a .714 winning percentage, representing the highest overall winning percentage for a season since the Murderer’s Row Yankees of 1927.

1980 – The Philadelphia Phillies defeat the Kansas City Royals 4-1 in Game 6 of the World Series. With the win, the Phightin’s clinch their first World Series Championship. Steve Carlton racks up the win, pitching seven innings and allowing only one run on four hits.

1976 – The Cincinnati Reds top off their World Series win be defeating the Yankees in Game 4 by the score of 7-2. Johnny Bench cracks a pair of home runs The sweep coupled with the Cincinnati’s sweep of Philly in the LCS represents the first time a team has swept both series. The championship was the second of back-to-back championships for Cincy’s Big Red Machine.

1975 – This…

Notable Birthdays:

Whitey Ford (1926)
Bill Russell (1948)
George Bell (1959)
Zack Greinke (1983)