Baseball History Today: October 6th
Kelley L Cox – USA TODAY Sports
As miserable as the memories of the last two postseasons have been for Cincinnati Reds fans, it was only a year ago tin which Johnny Cueto would have depart after facing only two San Francisco Giants batters during Game 1 of the NLDS. Cueto and injuries would be a storyline for the Reds 2013 season as well.
After Cueto would leave, Sam LeCure would enter the game and hurl the next 1.2 innings (1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 SO) to get the win. He would be relieved by Mat Latos (4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO). Cincinnati would win the game 5-2 as Brandon Phillips would homer and drive in three runs. Jay Bruce also homered for the Redlegs.
While the Reds would go on to win this game and the one that followed, they would not be as fortunate as they returned home to drop three straight to the Giants and lose the NLDS, 3-2.
2010 – Again the Reds are at the center of attention. Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay would pitch a no-hitter against them in Game 1 of the NLDS. The Phillies won 4-0. Halladay’s feat was only the second no-hitter in postseason history. The other was Don Larsen’s perfect game against the in the 1956 World Series.
1985 – Phil Niekro would become baseball’s 18th pitcher to notch 300 wins as he led the New Yankees to 8-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Not only was #300 pertinent on this day, Niekro, age 46, also became the oldest pitcher to hurl a shutout.
1966 – Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer becomes the youngest pitcher to throw a shutout in World Series play. Maybe just as impressive is that Palmer’s Orioles defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers and Sandy Koufax for the 6-0 win.
1945 – At Wrigley FIeld, a goat and its owner show up for Game 4 of the World Series. The owner and the goat are asked to leave, thus angering the owner. The Cubs would lose to the Detroit Tigers, 4 – 1. The Tigers would win the Series in seven games and the Cubs won’t win another NL championship for the remainder of the 1900’s. Born out of this is the Cubs were cursed by the goat.
Notable Birthdays:
Alfredo Griffin (1957)
Ruben Sierra (1965)
Freddy Garcia (1976)