The Twins Almanac for June

June 1, 1935 & 1941
Birthdates of Jack Kralick and Dean Chance

Jack Kralick was born in Ohio on this date in 1935, and Dean Chance was born in Ohio on this date in 1941. Remarkably, they pitched the first and second no-hitters in Twins history.

June 1, 1961
First Trades in Twins History

In the first trade in Minnesota Twins history, Calvin Griffith sent 1950 Winona High School graduate and Gophers football legend Paul Giel along with Reno Bertoia to the Kansas City A’s in exchange for Bill Tuttle on this date in 1961.

Later that same day, the Twins traded infielder Billy Consolo to Milwaukee for four-time World Series champion Billy Martin.

1961 was Martin’s 11th and final season as a major league player. From 1962 to ’64, he worked as a scout for the Twins, and rejoined the major league team as third base coach in 1965. He was sent down to Denver midway through the 1968 season to serve as the triple-A manager. He succeeded Cal Ermer as Twins manager in 1969, winning the American League West in his only season at the helm.

Martin was hugely popular as a Twins coach and manager, and instrumental in the development of César Tovar, and, perhaps to a lesser extent, Rod Carew. Martin went on to manage 16 major league seasons, including five stints with the Yankees whom he led to a World Series Championship in 1977.

The day after giving the ol’ one-finger salute walking off the mound at Met Stadium, Bert Blyleven and his roommate Danny Thompson were traded to the Rangers for Roy Smalley, Mike Cubbage, Bill Singer, Jim Gideon, and $250,000 on this date in 1976.

Blyleven had been involved in contentious contract negotiations with Calvin Griffith leading up to the trade. Blyleven wasn’t the only one, though. Talks between Danny Thompson and the owner were also at a standstill. Griffith refused to give the infielder—who had been diagnosed with leukemia prior to the 1973 season—a fair price, insisting that no other team would even offer someone with cancer a contract at all. Thompson struggled in Texas and passed away at the Mayo Clinic that December, just 69 days after playing his final major league game. He was just 29 and left behind a wife and two young daughters.

June 1, 1991
Twins Begin 15-Game Winning Streak

The Twins were in fifth place in the AL West—5.5 games behind Oakland—when Allan Anderson bested Kevin Appier for a 8-4 win in Kansas City on this date in 1991, beginning a team record 15-game winning streak. DH Chili Davis hit a pair of two-run homers in the game.

By the time the streak was over, the Twins had moved into first place—half a game ahead of Oakland.

June 1, 2005
Hunter Goes 5-for-5 with Grand Slam

Torii Hunter went 5-for-5 with a grand slam, driving in all six runs in a 6-2 win over Cleveland at home in the Dome on this date in 2005.

Brad Radke gave up a two-run homer in the first, but he, J.C. Romero, and Jesse Crain held Cleveland scoreless the next eight innings. Hunter gave the Twins the lead with a grand slam in the third inning, driving in Shannon Stewart, Lew Ford, and Justin Morneau. Hunter added two insurance runs in the sixth, driving in Nick Punto and Ford with a bloop double. Designated Hitter Lew Ford was 3-for-5 with two runs scored in the game.

June 1, 2013
Thielbar Earns First Win

With the Twins trailing the Mariners 4-2, 2005 Randolph High School graduate Caleb Thielbar comes in and pitches a 1-2-3 top of the ninth. The Twins mounted a comeback in the bottom of the inning, culminating in Eduardo Escobar and Joe Mauer scoring on Ryan Doumit‘s walk-off triple, giving Thielbar his first major league win.

Thielbar had a solid rookie season, not allowing a run in his first 17 appearances. He pitched in 49 games altogether, finishing the season with a 1.76 ERA and 0.826 WHIP.

June 2, 1964
Twins Hit Team Record Four Triples

Johnny Goryl, Bernie Allen, Don Mincher, and Earl Battey combined for a team record four triples in a 6-2 home win over the Yankees on this date in 1964.

It was Allen and Battey’s only triple of the season!

Rookie right fielder Tony Oliva went 3-for-5 with a double and run scored, raising his average to .392. He finished the season with a league-leading .323 and was named American League Rookie of the Year. 

June 2, 1982
Twins Lose Team Record 14th-Straight

The Twins fell 4-2 in Cleveland for a team record 14th-straight loss on this date in 1982. They were in last place (obviously) in the seven-team American League West—TWENTY games behind the Angels. They finished the season with 102 losses—33 games behind the Angels. 

June 2, 1986
Carew Retires

After failing to receive a suitable contract offer, Rod Carew officially announced his retirement on this date in 1986. It was later determined that owners had colluded against Carew and other free agents, essentially agreeing not to offer contracts to other teams’ free agents, thereby helping each other retain their own players while keeping salaries low.

In 1995, Carew was awarded $782,035.71 in damages for lost wages. 

June 2, 1991
Webster Homers in Call-Up

Lenny Webster only got 34 at-bats with the Twins in 1991, but he hit three home runs, including in his first official major-league at-bat of the season on this date. (He drew a walk in his first plate appearance earlier in the game.)

But wait, there’s more: He homered again in his second MLB game of the season on June 5th.

Webster spent most of the 1991 season at triple-A Portland, but was brought back to Minnesota to serve as a bullpen catcher during the postseason. He had previously gotten into 16 games with the Twins between 1989 and 1990. Reportedly he is an all-time fan favorite in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he played for the Twins’ single-A affiliate from 1986 to ’88. 

June 3, 1967
Killebrew Hits Longest HR in Twins History

On a Saturday afternoon in Bloomington, 12,337 Twins fans heard a sound that many would never forget. With two out in the bottom of the fourth, Rod Carew on second, Rich Rollins on first, and the Angels’ Lew Burdette on the mound, Harmon Killebrew put the Twins up 6-1 with a prodigious 522-foot blast to the upper deck in left—the longest, and probably loudest home run in Twins history. The Twins won the game 8-6, and that epic clout continues to fascinate Twins fans to this day.

The spot on the bench seats that the ball crashed into was later painted bright orange, standing out in a sea of green as a testament to the legendary power of the Killer—and as a warning to opposing pitchers. Today, Mall of America sits on the site of Metropolitan Stadium. Visitors may notice a single chair mounted high on a wall overlooking the mall’s seven-acre indoor amusement park, marking the approximate spot in space that Killebrew’s home run landed.

For perspective, the giant bronze glove on Target Field Plaza outside Gate 34 is 522 feet from home plate.

The home run was originally announced at 435 feet—the distance of a straight line between home plate and the upper deck seat that the ball struck. Befuddled—and possibly a little incredulous—Bob Allison called official scorer (and longtime Twins PR man) Tom Mee from the phone in the dugout, wanting to know how on Earth that home run could be measured at only 435 feet.

That same day Tom Mee phoned a University of Minnesota physics professor to recalculate the actual distance the home run would have traveled if Metropolitan Stadium hadn’t gotten in the way. The Twins still use this method of measurement today.

June 3, 2018
Rosario Has Second Three-HR Game

Tied with Cleveland 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth, Eddie Rosario hits a two-run walk-off home run, becoming the first player in Twins history with two career three-home run games (his first came on June 13, 2017 in a 20-7 home win over Seattle).

Max Kepler and Nelson Cruz have since joined the club of Twins players with two career three-home run games, with Cruz’s coming just 10 days apart.

As of the end of the 2019 season, there have been 12 three-home run games in Twins history. There were four such games in the team’s first 55 seasons, and eight in the four years from 2016 to 2019. See the complete list on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/tiny/YjnFc

June 4, 1976
Hisle Hits for Cycle

Left fielder Larry Hisle hits a game-winning two-run homer in the top of the 10th inning in Baltimore to complete the third cycle in Twins history. He went 4-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored altogether in the 8-6 Twins win.

See every cycle in Twins history on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/tiny/TAbWb

Three Minnesotans were involved in the Twins win. 1967 Rothsay graduate Dave Goltz started the game, giving up six runs on eight hits and three walks in just 1.2 innings of work. 1961 St. Cloud Cathedral grad Tom Burgmeier kept the Twins in the game, however, coming in to pitch 6.2 innings of scoreless relief. 1964 Waterville grad Jerry Terrell entered as a pinch-runner for DH Craig Kusick in the top of the ninth, and scored the tying run on a Steve Brye double.

June 4, 1990
Seven Minnesotans Drafted

There was a strong Minnesotan presence in the June 1990 Amateur Draft. The Reds selected University of Minnesota and Seattle Mariners all-time great Dan Wilson seventh overall. The Rangers selected 1987 Apple Valley graduate Dan Smith 16th overall out of Creighton University. The Astros took Tom Nevers 21st overall out of Edina High School.

Two Cretin-Derham Hall players were drafted—future Florida State and Carolina Panthers quarterback Chris Weinke in the second round by the Blue Jays, and Mike Vogel in the seventh round by the White Sox.

The Twins selected Jamie Ogden in the third round out of White Bear Lake High School. He spent nine seasons in the Twins organization, including three at Triple-A Salt Lake, but never made it to the majors.

The Athletics selected 1987 Brainerd graduate Todd Revenig in the 37th round out of Minnesota State, Mankato. He made two scoreless relief appearances with Oakland in 1992 for a 0.00 ERA. He played nine seasons of pro ball altogether, last making it to Triple-A in the Diamondbacks organization in 2001.

The Twins selected 1986 New Ulm graduate Brian Raabe in the 41st round (1,063rd overall) out of the University of Minnesota. He made it to the majors in 1995, and got into 17 big league games over three seasons with the Twins, Mariners, and Rockies.

The first overall pick was Chipper Jones. Hall of Famer Mike Mussina was selected 20th overall—one pick ahead of Tom Nevers.

June 4, 1994
Twins Beat Tigers 21-7

The Twins beat the Tigers 21-7 in Detroit. Center fielder Alex Cole (batting second) went 4-for-6. Pat Meares and Chip Hale combined for two hits and two runs each out of the nine-hole. Pedro Muñoz went 3-for-5 with a two-run single, three-run homer, sac fly, and solo homer for the 10th 7-plus RBI game in team history. (See my blog post on 7-plus RBI games in Twins history ⇨ www.TwinsAlmanac.com/single-game-rbi-record/)

Every Twin in the starting lineup had at least two hits except DH Kent Hrbek, who went 1-for-5 with a run scored and three RBI (on an RBI groundout, bases-loaded walk, and RBI single).

See the game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/boxes/DET…

June 4, 2001
Guzmán Hits Bunt “Home Run”

With Luis Rivas aboard in the bottom of the seventh, Cristian Guzmán laid down a bunt. Cleveland pitcher Ricardo Rincon threw the ball into right field, and the speedster circled the bases, putting the Twins up 10-7. 

Cleveland came back to tie it up, however, and Guzmán drove in Rivas with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth. Guzmán went 4-for-6 with three RBI and two runs scored altogether.

The Cleveland lineup that day went Kenny Lofton, Omar Vizquel, Roberto Alomar, Juan Gonzalez, Jim Thome, Ellis Burks, Marty Cordova, Travis Fryman, and Eddie Taubensee. Alomar, Thome, and Burks each hit one home run—Gonzalez hit two. 

June 4, 2002
Greatest Margin of Victory in Twins History

The Twins beat Cleveland 23-2 at home in the Dome, setting team records for margin of victory (21), hits (25), and tying the team record for baserunners (34).

*The Twins set a new single-game hits record with 28 in a 20-7 win over Seattle at Target Field June 13, 2017.

The nine-batter, Luis Rivas, went 4-for-6 with five RBI and tied a team record with five runs scored (Carew 6/26/77, Teufel 9/16/83, and Molitor 4/24/96). See the complete list on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Beference.com/tiny/OiK5Z

The Twins had at least one hit from every spot in the lineup except for the two-hole, where shortstops Denny Hocking and Cristian Guzmán were a combined 0-for-5 with a walk each. Leadoff hitter Jacque Jones and the 7, 8 and 9-batters Dustin Mohr, A.J. Pierzynski, and Luis Rivas were each 4-for-6.

Cleveland, on the other hand, only had four hits in the game. Jim Thome drove in Cleveland’s only runs with a pair of solo home runs off Rick Reed in the fourth and seventh innings.

See the game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/boxes/MIN…

Thome hit an astonishing seven homers off Reed in 2002. He also hit two off Reed in 2001, for a career total of 11—his most against any pitcher. Thome hit .365 with 11 home runs in 19 games versus the Twins in 2002.

Read my “Thome Trivia” blog post ⇨ www.TwinsAlmanac.com/Thome-Trivia/

June 5
Happy Birthday, Paul Siebert

1971 Edina graduate and former Astros, Padres, and Mets pitcher Paul Siebert was born in Minneapolis on this date in 1953. Paul’s dad was 11-year major leaguer and legendary University of Minnesota coach Dick Siebert.

See Paul’s page on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/players/s/siebepa…

Fun Fact: Paul shares a 1975 Topps rookie card with the Tigers’ Vern Ruhle. Twins first baseman Tom Kelly hit his only major league home run off Ruhle on May 26, 1975. Twins third baseman Dave McKay homered off Ruhle in his first major league at-bat on August 22, 1975.

June 5
Happy Birthday, Jake Petricka

2006 Faribault graduate and former White Sox, Blue Jays, and current Brewers minor league pitcher Jake Petricka was born in Northfield, MN on this date in 1988. 

See his Baseball Reference page ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/players/p/petrija01.shtml

June 5, 1943
Rocco Makes Major League Debut

After spending time in the Pirates, Braves, White Sox, Dodgers, and Tigers organizations, 27-year-old St. Paul Central alumnus Mickey Rocco makes his major league debut with Cleveland at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park, going 2-for-4 with a triple, double, RBI, and run scored in a 6-5 loss to the Athletics. 

See my Mickey Rocco blog post ⇨ www.TwinsAlmanac.com/MickeyRocco/

June 5, 1970
Blyleven Earns Win in Major League Debut

Nineteen-year-old Bert Blyleven makes his major league debut at RFK Stadium in Washington versus the Ted Williams-managed Senators. 

Tony Oliva staked the youngster to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, driving in César Tovar. The lead didn’t last long, however, as Blyleven gave up a home run to the first big league batter he faced, Lee Maye. He recovered to strike out the next batter, Ed Stroud, for the first of his 3,701 career strikeouts. 

Tovar drove in Frank Quilici in the fifth, giving the Twins a 2-1 lead. Ron Perranoski pitched the final two innings, saving the first of Blyleven’s 287 major league wins.

Read my blog post about Blyleven ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/BertBlyleven

June 5, 1975
Carew Has Fifth Straight Three-Hit Game

Second baseman Rod Carew goes 3-for-3 with a walk, two home runs, and an RBI single, driving in all four Twins runs in a 7-4 loss to the Yankees in Bloomington. It was Carew’s fifth straight three-hit game! That’s a team record. Unfortunately, the Twins lost all five home games.

See three-hit game streaks in Twins history on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/play-index…

June 5, 2001
Twins Draft Mauer First Overall

With the number one overall pick, the Twins select Cretin-Derham Hall three-sport star Joe Mauer. Many people believed the Twins should have selected USC pitcher Mark Prior, who was considered major league-ready and could have helped the team immediately.

The Rangers selected Mark Teixeira out of Georgia Tech with the fifth overall pick.

June 6
Happy Birthday, Bill Davis

1960 Richfield graduate, former University of Minnesota basketball and baseball star, and major league pinch-hitter/first baseman Bill “Jolly Green Giant” Davis was born in Graceville, MN on this date in 1942. His parents lived in Minneapolis at the time, but while expecting her first child, his mother Elaine traveled to Graceville to be closer to family. The Davis’s moved to Richfield in 1951.

Davis was actually the first of two major leaguers born in Graceville, but neither lived in the area for more than a few weeks. Former Twins first baseman and longtime manager Tom Kelly was born there on August 15, 1950, a few weeks before his parents went back home to New Jersey. His dad, Joe, was playing for the nearby Chokio town baseball team. (Read a little about Joe Kelly’s Minnesota baseball career in Armand Peterson and Tom Tomashek‘s awesome 2006 book Town Ball: The Glory Days of Minnesota Amateur Baseball, pages 282–283).

The 6-foot-7 Davis got into 64 major league games with Cleveland in 1965 and ‘66, and as the Opening Day first baseman for the expansion Padres in 1969. He was used primarily as a pinch-hitter during his brief big league career, only starting 21 games at first base.

His only major league home run was a pinch-hit walk-off on September 9, 1966, coming in the 10th inning with Cleveland trailing the Angels 7-6 with a runner on and two out.

Despite only starting 21 major league games over parts of three seasons—and only playing five professional seasons altogether—Davis appeared on Topps “Rookie Stars” cards five years in a row (1965–1969).

Following his baseball career, Davis settled in Richfield and built a successful career as a commercial real estate finance executive.

Read Davis’s SABR bio by renowned baseball historian Dan Levitt ⇨ SABR.org/bioproj/person/049610f4

See Davis’s complete minor and major league statistics—including 33 home runs and 106 RBI at Triple-A Portland in 1965—on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/register/player…

June 6, 1980
Zahn Pitches One-Hitter

Geoff Zahn one-hits the Blue Jays, giving up three walks while striking out six in a 5-0 Twins win at Met Stadium. 

See all single-pitcher one-hitters and no-hitters in Twins history on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/play-index…

June 6, 1987
Twins Trade Salas for Niekro

The Twins trade catcher Mark Salas to the Yankees for 42-year-old knuckleballer Joe Niekro.

Niekro went 4-9 with a 6.26 ERA in 18 starts and a relief appearance with the Twins in 1987. He made five appearances (two starts) in 1988 before being released on May 4.

Niekro won 221 games over 22 major league seasons. He won 21 games in 1979, and 20 in 1980, but his best season was probably 1982, when he went 17-12 with a 2.47 ERA and 1.067 WHIP (all three seasons with Houston).

See Niekro’s page on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/players/n/niekrjo…

Fun Fact: Jim Kaat hit his 16th and final major league home run off Niekro while playing for the Cardinals on August 26, 1980. Bert Blyleven went 2-for-7 off Niekro.

June 6, 1999
All Starting Nine Get At Least 2 Hits

All nine Twins in the starting lineup had at least two hits in a 13-6 home win over the Astros. The lineup that day went Todd Walker, Denny Hocking, Brent Gates, Marty Cordova, Matt Lawton, Ron Coomer, Corey Koskie, Javier Valentin, and Cleatus Davidson. The Twins collected 21 hits in total. Catcher Javier Valentin was a single short of the cycle (and a single short of tying to team record for total bases by a catcher).

Future Twins closer LaTroy Hawkins started the game, giving up four runs on five hits and three walks in just 1.2 innings.

Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell went 3-for-3 with a home run and two walks.

June 6, 2004
Mauer’s First Homer

With the Twins and Tigers tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth, 2001 Cretin-Derham Hall graduate Joe Mauer—playing in his sixth major league game—connects for his first major league home run, pulling Estaban Yan’s 3-1 pitch over the right-center field fence, driving in Torii Hunter and Alex Prieto (pinch-running for Matt LeCroy) to put the Twins up 6-3. It was Mauer’s fourth major league hit, first extra-base hit, and first three RBI.

Joe Nathan yielded two runs in the top of the ninth before closing out a 6-5 Twins win.

June 7
Happy Birthday, Tim Laudner

1976 Park Center graduate Tim Laudner was born in Mason City, Iowa on June 7, 1958. His family moved to Brooklyn Center when Tim was seven.

Laudner led all of professional baseball with 44 home runs in 1981, including a Southern League record 42 at Double-A Orlando, and one in each of his first two career major league games.

He went 7-for-22 (.318) with five walks, a home run (Game 2), four RBI, and four runs scored in the 1987 World Series.

See my full blog post on Laudner ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/TimLaudner/

June 7, 2011
Hand Makes Major League Debut

21-year-old Chaska graduate Brad Hand makes his major league debut with the Marlins, making the start at home versus Atlanta. Hand was solid, holding Atlanta to just one hit and a walk (first batter faced) over six innings. Unfortunately that one hit was an Álex González homer leading off the fourth, which held up for a 1-0 Atlanta win. For what it’s worth, after walking Jordan Schafer to start the game, Hand did get González for his first major league strikeout.

Atlanta swept the three-game series by scores of 1-0, 3-2, and 3-2.

See the game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/boxes/FLO…

See Brad Hand’s page on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/players/h/hand…

June 7, 2018
Meyer Makes Major League Debut

2011 Totino Grace graduate and four-year Golden Gopher Ben Meyer makes his major league debut with the Marlins in St. Louis, entering down 4-1 in the seventh with a runner on and nobody out. He retired all three batters he faced (including two line outs to deep center field).

He had a rough season overall, however, giving up 23 runs (22 earned) on 26 hits and 14 walks in 19 innings pitched over 13 appearances, for a 10.42 ERA and 2.105 WHIP.

See Meyer’s 2018 game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/players…

June 8, 1889
St. Paul Native Makes Home Run History

Did you know that the first four-home run game in professional baseball history happened in St. Paul? And it was a St. Paul native who did it . . . but he was playing for the visiting team. 

Playing for the Western Association Omaha Omahogs on this date in 1889, St. Paul native Jack Crooks went 5-for-5 with four home runs versus the St. Paul Apostles at Athletic Park, located on the riverfront on St. Paul’s west side.

There is one known prior instance of a player hitting four or more home runs in a single game. In the pre-professional era, 21-year-old Philadelphia Athletics lefty Lipman Pike—standing at all of 5-foot-8, 158 pounds—hit five home runs from the nine-hole on July 16, 1866.

June 8, 1971
Twins Draft a Quarterback

The Twins drafted Notre Dame shortstop (and quarterback) Joe Theismann in the 39th round (773rd overall) on this date in 1971.

Spoiler: He did not sign.

June 8, 1978
Twins Draft Hrbek

The Twins drafted Willmar native Wade Adamson in the fourth round out of South Dakota State on this date in 1978.

They drafted Jack Morris’s brother Tom in the 10th round. (He didn’t sign.)
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Then, way down here in the 17th round, they selected Bloomington high schooler Kent Hrbek. 

Hrbek didn’t accept Calvin Griffith’s initial contract offer, but his play that summer with his local American Legion team convinced the Twins to find a little extra money for him. 

The Twins’ first-round draft pick in 1978 was Lenny Faedo, with whom Hrbek and Tim Laudner shared a 1982 Topps “Future Stars” card.

June 8, 1983
Ullger Gets First Hit

After going 0-for-19 with six strikeouts in his first eight major league games, 28-year-old Twins first baseman Scott Ullger gets his first hit—an opposite field single driving in Mickey Hatcher in the top of the sixth of a 9-2 loss in Kansas City.

Ullger played in 35 major league games altogether (starting 18), going 15-for-79 (.190) with four doubles, five walks, and 21 strikeouts.

*I’m not sure why I have this in my notes, but I do!

June 8–9, 1984
Luzinski Hits Grand Slams in Back-to-Back Games

White Sox cleanup hitter Greg Luzinski hit a first-inning grand slam off Frank Viola, who only recorded one out in a 6-1 Twins loss in Chicago on this date in 1984.

The next day, the Twins brought in Mike Walters to face Luzinski with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of seventh, and the Bull hit the final of his seven career grand slams, driving in Julio Cruz, Carlton Fisk, and Harold Baines. The White Sox won 8-4.

June 8, 2011
Hannahan Hits Game-Tying Home Run

St. Paul native and Golden Gophers all-time great Jack Hannahan was nearly a hero versus his hometown Twins on this date in 2011, hitting a two-out game-tying homer off closer Matt Capps in the bottom of the ninth in Cleveland.

Ben Revere drove in Drew Butera in the top of the tenth, however, to salvage a 3-2 Twins win.

June 9, 1966
Twins Hit 5 HRs in One Inning

The Twins set an American League record by hitting five home runs in a single inning on this date in 1966.

The Kansas City Athletics erupted for four runs in the top of the first inning off Camilo Pascual, who only lasted ⅔ of an inning. Facing Catfish Hunter, the Twins pulled within 4-3 on a Bob Allison RBI double in the fifth and a two-run Harmon Killebrew homer in the sixth. Then, in the bottom of the seventh, Rich Rollins and Zoilo Versalles connected for back-to-back homers off Hunter to take the lead. Reliever Paul Lindblad retired Sandy Valdespino before allowing back-to-back homers to Tony Oliva and Don Mincher. The Athletics then turned to John Wyatt who allowed the Twins’ third consecutive home run—and fifth of the inning—to Harmon Killebrew (his second of the game).

The story goes that Jimmie Hall nearly hit a sixth home run in the inning, but doubled off the top of the wall. 

The Twins were the only American League team to hit five home runs in a single inning until the Yankees tied the record in 2020, and the Astros in 2022. 

Five National League teams have hit five home runs in an inning. Remarkably, the first four instances (spanning 1939 to 2006) all came against the Cincinnati Reds. 

On a related note, the Twins are tied for the MLB record with four consecutive home runs in Kansas City on May 2, 1964.

See team home run records on Baseball Almanac ⇨ www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks…

June 9, 1977
Bass Hits Four Homers at Triple-A Tacoma

Tacoma first baseman Randy Bass had the first of just three four-home run game in Twins organization history at the Phoenix Giants on this date in 1977.

Bass led the Tacoma Twins with 25 home runs that season. Tom Kelly was second on the team with 12.

Bass made his MLB debut the Twins in 1977. In 1983, he went to Japan to play for the Hanshin Tigers with whom he won four-straight batting titles. He still holds the Japanese single-season record with a .389 average in 1986. In 1985, Bass was close to tying the legendary Sadaharu Oh’s single-season record of 55 home runs. He was at 54 going into the final game, which just happened to be against the Yomiuri Giants who were managed by none other than Sadaharu Oh himself, and they intentionally walked Bass four times!

Bass later became the Oklahoma State Senate minority leader. 

The other four-home run games in Twins organization history were by Lew Ford at double-A New Britain on August 19, 2001, and Garrett Jones at single-A Quad Cities on July 14, 2002.

While playing at double-A El Paso in the Angels organization, Tom Brunansky hit four home runs on June 18, 1980.

See my blog post on four-home run games in Minnesota baseball history ⇨ www.TwinsAlmanac.com/4-HR-Games

June 9, 1992
Hrbek Hits 250th Home Run

Kent Hrbek hit his 250th career home run in the top of the ninth of a 4-2 Twins win in Kansas City on this date in 1992. Fun Fact: He led off the seventh inning with a bunt single.

This was the penultimate game of a 15-game hitting streak over which Hrbie went 22-for-54 (.407), with five home runs, 17 RBI, and 13 runs scored.

June 9, 2022
First Three Twins Batters Homer Off Cole

Luis Arráez, Byron Buxton, and Carlos Correa ambushed Yankees starter Gerrit Cole with three-straight home runs to begin the bottom of the first on this date in 2022. Cole wound up surrendering seven runs in just 2 1/3 innings of work, but the Yankees still beat the Twins, because of course they did.

Bonus Baseball Fact for June 9

Hall of Famer King Kelly hit 69 career home runs. Nice. 

June 10
Happy Birthday, Brad Gulden

1975 Chaska graduate and former Dodgers, Yankees, Mariners, Expos, Reds, and Giants catcher Brad Gulden was born in New Ulm on this date in 1956.

Gulden hit his fifth and final major league home run off Expos pitcher Jeff Reardon while playing for the Reds on July 1, 1984.

See Gulden’s page on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/players/g/gulde…

June 10, 1970
Blyleven Gets First Hit

In his second career start, 19-year-old pitcher Bert Blyleven connects for his first hit—a third-inning single to center off Mel Stottlemyre at Yankee Stadium. Then, with César Tovar at the plate, Blyleven was thrown out trying to advance to second (I assume on a pitch in the dirt). Tovar wound up doubling to left.

Stottlemyre singled to center off Blyleven in the bottom of the fifth, and scored on a Horace Clarke homer. The Yankees won 2-1.

June 7 & 10, 2006
Cuddyer Hits Two Grand Slam in a Week

Trailing 9-5 with in the top of the eighth Wednesday night in Seattle, Michael Cuddyer hits a two-out, two-strike, game-tying grand slam. The Twins lost 10-9 when Carl Everett hit a walk-off homer off Jesse Crain in the 11th.

Fun Fact: Ichiro homered on starting pitcher Boof Bonser’s first pitch of the game.

See the game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA200606070.shtml

Then, trailing the Orioles 8-0 in the seventh Saturday night at the Dome, Cuddyer hit a two-out grand slam—his second grand slam of the week. The Twins ultimately lost 9-7.

June 6–11, 2006
Mauer Named AL Player of the Week

Joe Mauer was named American League Player of the Week after going 15-for-24 (.625 AVG) with seven walks (.700 OBP), and five doubles (1.533 OPS) between June 6 and 11, 2006. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound catcher even had two stolen bases!

He was the first player since Mike Piazza in 1997 to reach base four or more times in five-straight games.

Mauer went on to be named AL Player of the Month after batting .452 with a .528 on-base percentage and 1.152 OPS. 

June 11, 2010
Liriano Strikes Out Seven-Straight

Francisco Liriano tied Jim Merritt‘s Twins record with seven consecutive strikeouts in a 2-1 win over Atlanta on this date in 2010.

Kenta Maeda broke the record with eight-straight K’s on August 18, 2020.

On June 11, 2010—the first season at Target Field—the Twins faced all-time great Tim Hudson and Atlanta in a match-up of first-place teams. Atlanta played small ball to manufacture a 1-0 lead in the second inning, with Troy Glaus moving to third on a sac bunt and scoring on a groundout. Liriano buckled down from there, though, completing eight innings and allowing just the one run on five hits, no walks, and striking out 11, including seven consecutive over a stretch from the third to fifth innings. The M&M boys, Mauer and Morneau, scored the Twins’ only two runs in the seventh on singles by Jason Kubel and pinch-hitter Delmon Young.

Closer Jon Rauch struck out the side in the ninth, getting Jason Heyward, Chipper Jones, and Troy Glaus all swinging. It was Rauch’s 16th save of the season.

Jim Merritt‘s seven-straight strikeouts came on July 21, 1966. The Mets’ Tom Seaver struck out an MLB-record 10 consecutive batters on April 22, 1970. Tigers pitcher Doug Fister struck out an American League record nine-straight on September 27, 2012. [This is outdated.]

June 12, 2003
Pierzynski Drives in Seven

Batting eighth, Twins catcher A.J. Pierzynski goes 3-for-4 with a first-inning grand slam and seventh-inning three-run homer in a 15-3 win over the Rockies at home in the Dome. It was the 13th seven-plus RBI game in Twins history. See the complete list on Baseball Reference ⇨ https://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=aAQv7

Leadoff hitter Lew Ford went 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. 38-year-old Kenny Rogers earned the win. He pitched until he was 43, receiving Cy Young votes at age 41.

June 13, 1997
First Interleague Game

In a matchup of dome teams, the Twins played their first ever interleague game in Houston. Chuck Knoblauch led off the game with a ground-ball single to center, and ultimately went 4-for-4 with a walk, three RBI, and a run scored, finishing a home run short of the cycle.

Paul Molitor hit a two-run homer in the seventh, driving in Rich Becker to put the Twins up 6-1. They went on to win 8-1.

Brad Radke pitched eight innings, allowing just the one run on a Jeff Bagwell homer (surprise, surprise). Mike Trombley pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

June 13, 2006
Jason Kubel Hits Walk-Off Grand Slam

Johan Santana and Boston’s Curt Schilling locked horns in a classic pitchers duel at the Metrodome, allowing just one run each when Jason Varitek and Michael Cuddyer traded two-out homers in the seventh inning. Both pitchers went eight innings, with Santana striking out 13 without issuing a walk.

The Red Sox loaded the bases with one out in the top of the 12th inning. Alex Gonzalez hit a potential double play grounder, but beat the throw to first, allowing Mike Lowell to score the go-ahead run.

With Boston now in front 3-2, Julian Tavarez got Joe Mauer looking to lead off the bottom of the 12th. Michael Cuddyer was then hit by a pitch and Justin Morneau hit a ground rule-double to put runners on second and third. Boston intentionally walked Torii Hunter to load the bases, setting up a force at home and/or double play. Jason Kubel had other plans, however, working a full count before driving the seventh pitch of the at-bat over the fence for a walk-off grand slam.

Bonus Fact: Justin Morneau hit a grand slam the next day in a 8-1 win over the Red Sox.

June 13, 2017
Twins Get 28 Hits; Rosario Hits Three Homers

The Twins beat the Mariners 20-7 at Target Field, setting a franchise record with 28 hits (the Senators had 27 hits on May 16, 1933. The previous Twins record was 25 hits on June 4, 2002).

Left fielder Eddie Rosario—batting ninth—went 4-for-5 with three home runs, five RBI, and three runs scored. It was the seventh three-home run game in Twins history. I missed the third home run because I was assembling Parker’s crib.

There were four three-home run games in the Twins’ first 55 seasons, followed by four in a span of 187 games between August 1, 2016 and August 27, 2017, including one each by all three regular outfielders—Max Kepler, Eddie Rosario, and Byron Buxton (second baseman Brian Dozier also had a three-home run game during that stretch). Rosario became the first player in Twins history with two career three-home run games on June 3, 2018.

Rosario was the fifth player in major league history to hit three home runs in a game batting ninth. The others were Trot Nixon, Dale Sveum, Art Shamsky, and knuckleballer Jim Tobin on May 14, 1942.

See every three home-run game in Twins history on Baseball Reference ⇨ https://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/tiny.fcgi?id=YjnFc

Third baseman Eduardo Escobar went 5-for-6 in the 20-7 win over Seattle. Kennys Vargas, Jason Castro, and Rosario all had four hits. The only Twin in the starting lineup without multiple hits was first baseman Joe Mauer (don’t worry—he still had the highest average on the team).See the game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN201706130.shtml

June 14, 1964
Kaat Contributes to Three-HR Inning (Again)

Pitcher Jim Kaat hits a two-run homer in the top of the sixth—one of three Twins to homer in the inning, as they defeated the Senators 9-2 to sweep a doubleheader in Washington. Harmon Killebrew and Jimmie Hall also homered in the inning.

It was the second time Kaat had homered as part of a three-home run inning. His very first major league homer came off Chicago’s Dom Zanni in the top of the fourth in a 9-4 win at White Sox Park on June 19, 1962. Vic Power and Rich Rollins also homered in the inning.

Fun Fact: While playing for the Cardinals, Kaat hit his 16th and final major league homer off Astros knuckleballer Joe Niekro on August 26, 1980.

June 15, 1973
Darwin Ties Team Single-Game RBI Record

Right fielder Bobby Darwin went 4-for-5 with a pair of two-run homers, a two-run single, and a one-run single to tie the team single-game record with seven RBI in a 13-6 win at Tiger Stadium on this date in 1973. 

Glenn Adams set a new Twins record with eight RBI on June 26, 1977, matched by Randy Bush on May 20, 1989. 

Jim Kaat earned the win for Minnesota in the 1973 game while old friend Jim Perry took the loss for Detroit.

June 15, 1983
Ullger Has Career Day

First baseman Scott Ullger collected 20% of his major league hits on this date in 1983, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI, and two runs scored in a 6-2 Twins win over the Royals at home in the Dome.

Ullger went 15-for-79 (.190) altogether in 35 major league games. 

Connection: This reminds me of Billy Beane, who went 5-for-5 with a walk playing for the Twins on April 29, 1986. Those five hits represented 7.6% of the 66 hits the former first-round draft pick got over parts of six major league seasons, and were more than he would get total in four of those seasons. 

June 15, 1987
Bemidji Native Sent to Giants

The Twins sent 1982 Bemidji graduate and Golden Gophers all-time great Bryan Hickerson to the San Francisco Giants as the “player to be named later” to complete the March 31st Dan Gladden trade on this date in 1987. (I’m sure Bryan’s family and friends were looking forward to him pitching for the hometown team, but I’d have to say acquiring Gladden worked out pretty well for the Twins.)

Hickerson won the first two “Dave Winfield Pitcher of the Year” awards given out by the University of Minnesota in 1985 and ’86.

June 16, 1889
Birthdate of Ralph Capron

The first Golden Gopher to play in the majors, Ralph Capron, was born in Minneapolis on this date in 1889. 

June 16, 1970
Dick Such Pitches Against Twins

Playing for the Ted Williams-managed Washington Senators, future Twins pitching coach (1986–2001) Dick Such made his only career appearance against the Twins at Met Stadium on this date in 1970. He entered down 5-2 in the seventh, and walked Rod Carew to lead off the inning. Carew stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. It was a moot point, however, as Tony Oliva hit a two-run homer. (Of course Such and Oliva were the pitching and hitting coaches for the 1987 World Series Championship team.)

After the Oliva homer, Such loaded the bases, but got pitcher Jim Perry to ground out to end the inning.

Such retired Tovar, Carew, and Killebrew in order in the bottom of the eighth. Twins won 7-3.

Jim Perry went 3-for-4 in the game (raising his average to .361) with an RBI and run scored. 

1970 was Such’s only season in the majors, making 21 appearances with a 1-5 record and 7.56 ERA.

Fun Fact: Such shares a 1970 Topps “Rookie Stars” card with Rick Stelmaszek, who was the Twins bullpen coach from 1981 to 2012. The two did not play together in the majors, however, as Stelly wasn’t called up until 1971.

June 15–16, 1981
Twins Sign Sauk Rapids Native Out of Tryout Camp

The Twins signed 1979 Sauk Rapids graduate Dick Henkemeyer out of their annual tryout camp held at Met Stadium on June 15 & 16, 1981. 

While at Brainerd Community College in 1980, Henkemeyer led the nation with 1.93 K’s per inning.

He was roommates with Kirby Puckett at spring training in 1982. 

Went on to be a longtime Phy Ed teacher in Sauk Rapids.

Played for the townball Sartell Muskies in the ’80s. 

June 16, 1991
Twins Win 15th-Straight

The Twins won their team record 15th-straight game on this date in 1991, beating Cleveland 4-2 in 10 innings. 

The streak began in Kansas City on June 1. At the time, the Twins were in fifth place in the AL West—5.5 games behind Oakland. With the win in Cleveland, the Twins moved half a game ahead of Oakland. 

The streak came to and end when Rick Aguilera blew a two-run ninth-inning lead the next night in Baltimore. The Twins then won another four in a row, and six of their next seven, before going on a seven-game losing streak. 

June 17
Happy Birthday, Tom Drees

1981 Edina graduate and former White Sox pitcher Tom Drees was born in Des Moines, Iowa on this date in 1963.

He pitched THREE no-hitters at Triple-A Vancouver in 1989, but Chicago didn’t call him up until September 1991. He only made four major league appearances, giving up 10 runs in just 7.1 innings, for a career ERA of 12.27.

June 17, 1977
Carew Triples in Third Straight Game

Rod Carew triples in his third straight game, setting a Twins record later tied by Dan Gladden, Delmon Young, and Eddie Rosario.

See Twins triples streaks on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/tiny/CkfHC

June 17, 2003
Royals Score 12 in One Inning

The Royals score 12 runs in the sixth inning of a 14-7 win over the Twins in Kansas City—it was the most runs an opponent has scored against the Twins in team history. Raúl Ibañez and Ken Harvey both had two RBI hits in the inning. 

Despite the lopsided loss, the Twins maintained a two-game lead over the Royals and went on to win the division before losing to the Yankees in the Division Series. 

June 18, 1917
Birthdate of Jimmy Pofahl

Faribault High School alumnus and three-year Washington Senators infielder Jimmy Pofahl was born on this date in 1917. He hit two home runs during his 1940 rookie season—both inside-the-parkers.

See Pofahl’s page on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/players/p…

June 19, 1954
17-Year-Old Killebrew Signs with Senators

Seventeen-year-old Idahoan Harmon Killebrew signs with the Washington Senators as a so-called “Bonus Baby.” Owner Calvin Griffith was tipped off about the young slugger by an Idaho senator. To prevent big-spending clubs from buying up all the best young players and hoarding them in their farm systems— and, thereby, driving up labor costs for everyone—MLB’s Bonus Rule stipulated that players who received particularly large signing bonuses had to remain on the 25-man roster for their first two seasons, after which they could be sent down to the minors.

Killebrew played in just 47 games over his first two seasons, making 104 plate appearances. In 1955—his second season—he hit the first four of his 573 career home runs. After spending the requisite two seasons with the major league club, Killebrew spent most of 1956, ‘57, and ‘59 in the minors with Class A Charlotte, Double-A Chattanooga, and Triple-A Indianapolis.

Washington’s patience paid huge dividends. In 1959—Killebrew’s first season as a full-timer—he tied for the league lead with 42 home runs while driving in 105 runs.         

June 19, 1962
Kaat Hits First Homer

23-year-old pitcher Jim Kaat—playing in his fourth major league season—hits his first career home run off Chicago’s Dom Zanni in a 9-4 Twins win at White Sox Park. It was the first of three Twins homers in the inning, with the other two coming from Vic Power and Bob Allison.

Kitty was part of another three-home run inning on June 14, 1964. He hit 16 altogether during his 25-year major league career.

In addition to hitting his first home run, Kaat also made his first of three All-Star teams, and won his first of 16 Gold Gloves in 1962.

June 19, 1968
Killebrew Drives In 1,000th Run

With the Twins and Senators scoreless in the bottom of the fifth, Harmon Killebrew drives in Ted Uhlaender for his 1,000th career RBI. Dean Chance pitched a three-hit shutout, striking out 10, for a 4-0 win in Bloomington.

Killebrew is the Twins/Senators’ all-time RBI leader with 1,540, ahead of Kent Hrbek (1,086) and Kirby Puckett (1,085).

June 19, 1988
Blyleven Earns 250th Win

Bert Blyleven pitches seven strong innings at home in the Dome, allowing just five hits while striking out seven. He did not walk a batter, but he did hit Dave Valle with the bases loaded in the seventh, forcing in the Mariners’ only run in a 3-1 Twins win—the 250th of Blyleven’s 22-year Hall of Fame career.

Gary Gaetti went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two-run single, driving in all three Twins runs.

Jeff Reardon earned his 20th save, giving him seven consecutive seasons with 20 or more. He went on to save 20 in 11 straight seasons, surpassing Bruce Sutter’s record of nine straight 20-save seasons. Lee Smith later broke the record with 13 straight 20-save seasons, and Mariano Rivera with 15 straight.

Blyleven retired with 287 wins, currently the 27th-most in major league history. He won 149 games as a Twin, second only to Jim Kaat’s 190 (including one as a Senator). Brad Radke won 148.

June 20, 1928
Birthdate of Bob Mahoney

Former White Sox and St. Louis Browns pitcher Bob Mahoney was born in Le Roy, MN (probably) on this date in 1928. Some sources, including Baseball Reference, list his birthplace as St. Paul. 

See his page on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/players/m/mahon…

June 20, 1961
Becquer Hits Pinch-Hit Walk-Off Homer 

With the Twins and Orioles tied 4-4, Julio Becquer leads off the bottom of the ninth with the first pinch-hit homer and first walk-off homer in Twins history.

The Twins led 4-1 entering the top of the ninth before Orioles right fielder Earl Robinson hit a game-tying three-run homer off Twins starter Jack Kralick. With the pitcher’s spot up first in the bottom of the ninth, manager Cookie Lavagetto called upon Becquer to pinch-hit. The walk-off was one of only 12 home runs Becquer hit in his major league career, including a pinch-hit walk-off grand slam on the Fourth of July 1961.

Zoilo Versalles gave the Twins their first walk-off win on April 22, 1961, driving in Earl Battey with a sacrifice fly. 

June 20, 2002
Quinlan Hits in 21st Straight Game

1995 Hill-Murray graduate and Golden Gophers all-time great Robb Quinlan collects a hit in his 21st straight game at Triple-A Salt Lake. He hit .440 over the streak, en route to being named Angels Minor League Player of the Year.

Read my blog post on Quinlan ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/RobbQuinlan/

June 21, 1969
Twins Score 11 Runs in Tenth

Tied for first atop the newly former American League West, the Twins and Athletics played to a 3-3 tie through nine at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum before the Twins’ offense erupted in the top of the 10th, sending 16 batters to the plate and scoring 11 runs to tie an extra-inning record set by the 1928 Yankees.

Ted Uhlaender and Rod Carew singled to begin the inning and were driven in by a three-run Harmon Killebrew homer. Killebrew later walked and scored the 11th run of the inning on a Frank Quilici single. The inning finally ended when Leo Cardenas lined out to the pitcher and Quilici was doubled off first.

Staked to an 11-run lead in the bottom of the 10th, reliever Joe Grzenda did give one back but preserved a 14-4 Twins win, giving the team sole possession of first place in the division. The Twins would go on to win the AL West by nine games before losing to the Baltimore Orioles in the League Championship Series. The “Miracle Mets” would win the World Series, defeating Baltimore in five games.

The record for runs scored in an extra inning stood until July 3, 1983 when the Rangers scored 12 in the 15th inning, also in Oakland.

June 21, 1970
Pitcher Perry Raises Average to .368

Jim Perry goes 1-for-2 with sacrifice in an 11-2 win in Kansas City, raising his batting average to .368 (14-for-38). He kept his average over .300 until August 11, but finished the season at .247—his best average since he hit .300 (15-for-50) during his 1959 rookie season in Cleveland, when he finished runner-up to Washington’s Bob Allison for Rookie of the Year.

June 21, 2011
Eight-Straight Hits to Start Game

Twins hitters tie a major league record by reeling off eight consecutive hits to start the game versus Madison Bumgarner in San Francisco. The game began single-double-single-double-single-double-single-double before Bumgarner finally struck out Twins pitcher Carl Pavano on three pitches. It would be the only out Bumgarner recorded in the game. He was pulled after leadoff hitter Ben Revere doubled for his second hit of the inning, driving in the Twins’ seventh and eighth runs. It’s worth noting that Alexi Casilla and Michael Cuddyer both doubled off Bumgarner on 0-2 counts.

Carl Pavano, meanwhile, was solid, holding the Giants scoreless through six, and ultimately allowing just two runs over eight innings. Casilla added a solo home run leading off the ninth against Sergio Romo. Jose Mijares pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning, giving the Twins a 9-2 win. With the loss, Madison Bumgarner fell to 3-9 on the season.

June 22, 1879
Birthdate of Jack Zalusky

University of Minnesota all-time great and 1903 New York Highlanders (Yankees) catcher Jack Zalusky was born in Minneapolis on this date in 1879.

Read Paul Proia‘s excellent blog post on Zalusky ⇨ https://MightyCaseyBaseball.com/…

June 22, 1884
Birthdate of Charlie Roy

Former Phillies pitcher Charlie Roy was born in Beaulieu, MN on the White Earth Reservation on this date in 1884. He attended the Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, PA. At least two other Minnesotan major leaguers attended Carlisle—Frank Jude and Hall of Famer Charley Albert Bender.

Here’s a nice succinct blog post about Roy from Baseball History Daily ⇨ https://BaseballHistoryDaily.com/… 

June 22, 1962
Pascual Has Big Day at the Plate

Pitcher Camilo Pascual went 2-for-4 with a home run, double, three runs batted in, and two runs scored in an 8-3 Twins win over the Angels at Met Stadium on this date in 1962.

Earl Battey homered off Angels starter Dean Chance. See the game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/boxes/MIN/…

June 22, 1984
Griffith Sells Twins to Pohlad

Billionaire financier Carl Pohlad bought the Twins from Calvin Griffith for a cool $38 million on this date in 1984, almost certainly preventing the team from leaving Minnesota. 

Donald Trump—who published The Art of the Deal just three years later—actually bid $50 million for the team, but Griffith elected instead to sell the club to Pohlad, leaving millions on the table from The Great Negotiator.

Pohlad enjoyed early success unprecedented in Minnesota men’s professional sports, winning a World Series in just his third full season as owner, and again four years later. That’s two more titles than the Vikings, Timberwolves, and Wild combined.

June 17–22, 1990
Rookie Beats Cy Young Winner Twice

26-year-old rookie Kevin Tapani beat reigning Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen twice over a six-day span in 1990.

If you believe in WAR, Tap actually led the 1991 World Series Champion Twins win a 6.8 WAR during the regular season (per Baseball Reference).

June 22, 2006
Rookie Outduels Rocket

Rookie Francisco Liriano outdueled Roger Clemens in a much-hyped game on ESPN on this date in 2006. It was Clemens’ first game back after coming out of retirement for the third time.

How far would the 2006 Twins have gone in the Postseason had Liriano not been injured?

June 23
Happy Birthday, Dave Goltz

Happy birthday to 1967 Rothsay graduate Dave Goltz, born in nearby Pelican Rapids on this date in 1949. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Twins as part of the team’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2010.

He threw a remarkable 70-pitch two-hit shutout on October 1, 1974.

He pitched a one-hit shutout on August 23, 1977, and tied for the American League lead with 20 wins that season.

June 23
Happy Birthday, Jim Deshaies

Happy birthday to Jim Deshaies. The Twins signed him as a free agent twice. They signed the 33-year-old veteran prior to the 1993 season, traded him that August, and then signed him again prior to the 1994 season. His 25 starts during the strike-shortened ’94 season were in a 10-way tie for the American League lead. 

As a rookie with the Astros in 1986, he became the only player in the entire 20th century to strike out the first eight batters to start a game. 

June 23, 1950
Worthington Makes Minnesota Townball Debut

Fresh off of pitching for Alabama in the College World Series, Al Worthington beat Pipestone in his Fulda Giants debut on this date in 1950. (He no-hit Wilmont nine days later.)

Dick Reusse (Patrick‘s dad) was the manager of the Fulda townball team, and recruited some marquee talent to the small Minnesota town. Just one year earlier, Reusse had brought Kansas City Monarchs star Hilton Smith to Fulda. Smith was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001—the same class as Kirby Puckett and Dave Winfield. 

In 1950, Reusse went down to the College World Series in Omaha where he recruited Worthington. While in rural Minnesota, Worthington fell in love with and married manager Dick Reusse’s niece, Shirley Reusse, who was a lifeguard at Fulda’s Seven Mile Lake.

Worthington spent 14 years in the majors, including as the Twins first great closer at the end of his career, from 1964 to ’69.

June 24, 1950
Northern Minnesota Native Has 3-HR Game

Batting cleanup for the New York Giants, Clearbrook native Wes Westrum went 4-for-4 with a walk, three home runs, a triple, four RBI, and five runs scored in a 12-2 win over the Reds at the Polo Grounds on this date in 1950. 

Folks, that’s 15 total bases, not even counting the walk. (Do you think walks should count toward total bases?)

The Twins record for total bases in a game is 14 by Kirby Puckett in Milwaukee on August 30, 1987.

Westrum is one of two Minnesotan major leaguers to hit for 15 total bases. St. Paul native Dave Winfield had 15 total bases playing for the Angels at the Metrodome on April 13, 1991, going 5-for-6 with three home runs and a double. Winfield’s 15 total bases are the most ever in a major league game played in Minnesota (Met Stadium, the Dome, or Target Field).

Read the great Armand Peterson‘s SABR BioProject essay on Westrum, which also appears in the book Minnesotans in Baseball (which I highly recommend) ⇨ https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/52984936

June 24, 1955
Killebrew Hits First Homer

Senators youngster Harmon Killebrew hits his first major league home run in an 18-7 loss to the Tigers at Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC. He hit 573 over his 22-year Hall of Fame career, second only to Babe Ruth in American League history at the time of his retirement in 1975. It was the most by an AL right-hander until Alex Rodriguez surpassed him in 2009. 

June 24, 1984
Teufel Hits Walk-Off Inside-the-Park Homer

White Sox starting pitcher Richard Dotson had held the Twins scoreless on just four hits through eight innings (the Twins’ 1-2 hitters, Kirby Puckett and Mickey Hatcher, had two hits each). Down 2-0 in the bottom of the ninth, Dave Engle led off with a single. After Randy Bush popped out, Tom Brunansky singled to bring second baseman Tim Teufel to the plate representing the tying run. Teufel hit a walk-off inside-the-park home run, giving Dotson what had to be a very disappointing loss. Ken Schrom earned the complete-game victory for Minnesota.

June 24, 2008
Twins Go Back-to-Back Off Hoffman

Tied 1-1 in the top of the ninth, Brendan Harris and Brian Buscher hit back-to-back home runs off Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman for a 3-1 Twins win in San Diego. 

Dennys Reyes came in with two out in the bottom of the eighth, threw just one pitch, and wound up earning the win. Joe Nathan pitched the bottom of the ninth, earning his 20th save of the season. See the game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/boxes/SDN…

June 25, 1875
Birthdate of Bill Phyle

Former Chicago Orphans (Cubs) and New York Giants pitcher, and St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Bill Phyle was born in Duluth on this date in 1875. 

June 25, 1964
Twins Sign Carew

The Twins sign 18-year-old Rod Carew. Born in the Panama Canal Zone, Carew immigrated with his family to New York at age 14, where he was discovered by Twins scouts playing semi-pro ball in the Bronx (he didn’t play high school baseball). 

June 26, 1964
Arrigo Pitches One-Hitter; Twins Acquire Worthington

Twins pitcher Gerry Arrigo had a no-hitter going into the ninth when White Sox leadoff hitter Mike Hershberger broke it up with a single to center. Arrigo completed the one-hit shutout, as the Twins won the first game of a doubleheader in Bloomington 2-0. The Twins’ only runs came on a Harmon Killebrew homer in the sixth, with Tony Oliva aboard.

The White Sox won the second game 9-4. 

Also on this date, the Twins purchased the contract of Al Worthington from Cincinnati. Worthington was the first great late-inning reliever in Twins history. Today we would call him a “closer,” but back then they might have called him a “stopper.” 

Fun Fact: Dick Reusse went down to the College World Series in Omaha and recruited the University of Alabama standout to pitch for the Fulda Giants in the summer of 1950. Reusse had a knack for recruiting marquee talent to rural Minnesota. His team had included former Kansas City Monarchs star and 2001 Hall of Fame inductee Hilton Smith the previous season. 

June 26, 1971
Pattin Gives Up 11 Hits, Shuts Out Twins

Milwaukee’s Marty Pattin gives up 11 hits, but still manages to shutout the Twins for a 5-0 Brewers win. It was the most hits ever allowed in a complete-game shutout of the Twins.

See my blog post on high-hit shutouts in Twins history ⇨ TwinsAlmanac.com/High-Hit-Shutouts/

June 26, 1977
Carew and Adams Have Record Day

“Rod Carew Jersey Day” in 1977 is one of the most noteworthy regular season games in Twins history. On a sweltering summer day, the man himself, Rod Carew, went 4-for-5 with a home run, raising his average to .403 to the elation of the only sellout crowd of the season. Carew also knocked in six runs and scored a team record five runs in the 19-12 win over the White Sox. Carew finished the season batting an incredible .388 and was named the American League’s Most Valuable Player. 

Tim Teufel (9/16/83), Paul Molitor (4/24/96), and Luis Rivas (6/4/02) have since tied the team single-game runs scored record.

Since Major League Baseball came to Minnesota in 1961, the only player with a higher batting average than Carew’s .388 was Kansas City’s George Brett, who hit .390 in 1980 (in 179 fewer plate appearances than Rodney).

Right fielder Glenn Adams, meanwhile, set a team record with eight runs batted in. He had six RBI after just two innings, on a two-run double and grand slam. He went 4-for-5 altogether, adding an RBI single and sac fly. (Adams drove-in Carew three times in the game.)

Randy Bush tied Adams’ team record with eight RBI in Texas on May 20, 1989. Whereas Adams had six of his RBI in the first two innings, Bush collected six RBI in the final two innings, with three-run homers in the eighth and ninth.

With all the prolific sluggers in Twins history, pretty remarkable that the team single-game RBI record is shared by Glenn Adams and Randy Bush, huh? I find it particularly interesting that there have been 13 three-HR games in Twins history, but the most RBI in any of those games is six. 

The “Rod Carew Jersey Day” game is famous for another reason. Current Twins official scorer and award-winning baseball history writer Stew Thornley climbed the right-field foul pole!

Thornley has been a prolific writer, but two must-haves for Minnesota baseball fans are Baseball in Minnesota: The Definitive History, and Minnesotans in Baseball, edited by Thornley with biographical essays by members of the local Halsey Hall chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).

One final note on the Carew game: 1969 St. Paul Murray graduate Tom Johnson entered the game with one out in the top of the third and pitched the remainder of the game (6.2) innings to earn the win in relief. 

Johnson was stellar out of the bullpen throughout the 1977 season, earning 16 wins (all in relief) and 15 saves. Those 16 wins were ninth-most in the American League, and 15 saves were seventh-most. I wonder how many guys have finished top-10 in both wins and saves in the same season. His 71 appearances were second in the AL only to the Yankees’ Sparky Lyle. Johnson even received MVP votes.

’77 wound up being Johnson’s lone standout season, though. He struggled during 18 appearances in 1978, his final major league season. Perhaps he been too much of a workhorse the previous season . . .

June 26, 1982
Class A Team Pitches Two 1-Hitters, Loses Both Games

The Class A Wisconsin Rapids Twins one-hit the Appleton Foxes in both games of a doubleheader, but still manage to lose both games, 2-1 and 1-0. That Wisconsin Rapids team included future Twins Mark Davidson, Alvaro Espinoza, and Frank Eufemia.

June 26, 1985
Schrom Pitches One-Hitter

Twenty-one years to the day after Gerry Arrigo one-hit the White Sox, Ken Schrom one-hits the Royals. The Royals actually took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first without the benefit of a hit. Schrom walked Lonnie Smith, who came around to score on a botched pickoff attempt and wild pitch. Willie Wilson singled to center for Kansas City’s only hit in the third inning. 

Royals starter Charlie Leibrandt, meanwhile, held the Twins scoreless on just two hits through eight innings. Kirby Puckett led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to left. Ron Washington then bunted Puckett over to second. Kent Hrbek walked, and was pinch-run for by Gary Gaetti. After a wild-pitch moved Puckett and Gaetti up to second and third, Leibrandt intentionally walked Tom Brunansky. The Royals brought in Dan Quisenberry with the bases loaded and one out to face Roy Smalley, who delivered a two-run walk-off single to center.

See the game log on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/boxes/MIN/…

June 27
Happy Birthday, Wayne Terwilliger

World War II veteran and nine-year major league second baseman Wayne Terwilliger was born in Clare, MI on this date in 1925. He was teammates with Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays—and also Roy Smalley Jr. (the switch-hitting Twins infielder’s dad).

Following his playing career he coached third base for four years under Senators/Rangers manager Ted Williams. He was the Twins’ first base coach from 1986 to 1994, and coached the St. Paul Saints from 1995 to 2002. 

June 27
Happy Birthday, Steve Edlefsen

2004 Bloomington Jefferson graduate Steve Edlefsen was born in Minneapolis on this date in 1985. He made 27 relief appearances with the San Francisco Giants in 2011 and 2012. 

He made his major league debut on August 21, 2011 (age 26), entering in the fifth inning of a tie game with two on and two out and getting the inning-ending strikeout. He pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth before being pinch-hit for by old friend Orlando Cabrera. 

June 27, 1988
Gladden Pitches Snapper Mow ‘Em Down Inning

After actual professional pitchers give up 16 runs over seven innings in Anaheim, left fielder Dan Gladden needs just nine pitches to set the Angels down in order. Greg Minton retired the Twins on eight pitches in the bottom of the ninth for a 16-7 Angels win. 

June 27, 1989
Olson Makes Major League Debut

This is one of my favorite Minnesotan major leaguer stories . . .

With the Twins leading the Athletics 11-4 going into the top of the eighth at the Metrodome, 1979 Edina graduate Greg Olson makes his major league debut, taking 1978 Bloomington Kennedy grad Kent Hrbek‘s spot in the batting order, and taking over at catcher for 1976 Park Center grad Tim Laudner, who slid over to first to take over for Hrbek and complete the Minnesotan major leaguer triangle. 

Olson grounded out to second in his only at-bat.

There’s more to the story—1980 New Ulm graduate Terry Steinbach started the game at catcher for Oakland and moved to third base for the bottom of the eighth. Greg Olson actually came to the University of Minnesota as a third baseman, but was converted to catcher to make room for third baseman Steinbach, who was later converted to catcher in the Athletics organization to make room for third baseman Mark McGwire (who, of course, became a 12-time All-Star first baseman). Both Olson and Steinbach wound up catching in major league All-Star Games—Olson in 1990, and Steinbach in 1988, ’89, and ’93, garnering MVP honors in ’88.

June 28
Happy Birthday, Todd Revenig

1987 Brainerd graduate, Minnesota State, Mankato graduate, and former Oakland Athletics pitcher Todd Revenig was born on this date in 1969. 

He finished his high school career with a 0.65 ERA and .342 batting average. He was all-conference his final two years, and played in the 1987 high school All-Star Game. He pitched at Mankato from 1988 to 1990.

His major league career consisted of just two one-inning appearances with Oakland in 1992. He didn’t allow a run, meaning his career major league ERA is a perfect 0.00.

June 28, 2005
Rookie Williams Hits in 13th-Straight

27-year-old rookie (and Australia native) Glenn Williams gets a hit in his 13th-straight game to start (and end) his major league career. He was injured in the game and never made it back to the majors, retiring with a .425 average.

Read John Swol‘s TwinsTrivia.com interview with Williams ⇨ TwinsTrivia.com/interview-archives/glenn-williams-interview/

June 28, 2007
The Big Hurt Joins 500 HR Club

Blue Jays DH Frank Thomas hits a three-run first-inning bomb off Carlos Silva to become the 21st member of the 500 home run club (the Twins won the game 8-5).

Thomas hit more home runs against the Twins than any other team, including the first of his career off Gary Wayne on August 28, 1990.

June 29, 1905
Moonlight Makes Lone MLB Appearance

27-year-old Archibald “Moonlight” Graham got into his only major league game with the New York Giants on this date in 1905, playing right field for half an inning. He did not get a defensive chance or an at-bat.

The North Carolina native went on to practice medicine in Chisolm, MN for over 50 years. 

1976 Sauk Rapid graduate and St. Cloud State all-time great Bob Hegman played half an inning at second base for the eventual World Series Champion Royals on August 8, 1985. Like Moonlight, Hegman did not touch the ball or make a plate appearance.

June 29, 1936
Birthdate of Harmon Killebrew

Twins legend and fourth-ballot Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew was born in Payette, Idaho on this date in 1936.

Comment at the bottom of the page with your favorite memory, stat, or fun fact about the great man.

June 29, 1969
Oliva Gets Eight-Straight Hits

Right fielder Tony Oliva collected eight consecutive hits in a doubleheader in Kansas City on this date in 1969, including a 5-for-5 performance with two home runs, a double, and five RBI in Game 2. One of those home runs was a 517-footer that flew over the upper deck and out of Municipal Stadium. 

He reportedly nearly had a three-home run game, with his double bouncing off the top of the wall.

He was lifted for pinch-runner Charlie Manuel in the eighth, otherwise he would have had a chance for a six-hit game when his spot came up again in the ninth. (Of course only one player in Twins history has six hits in a game.)

I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess that Tony O’s eight-straight hits in one day is a team record.

Bonus Trivia: Oliva hit a pinch-hit grand slam on this date in 1975.

June 29, 1973
Grand Slam Beats Ryan

Bobby Darwin hit an eighth-inning grand slam off Nolan Ryan for the only runs in a 4-0 Twins win in Anaheim on this date in 1973.

Bert Blyleven pitched a four-hit shutout for Minnesota (with only two strikeouts). He led the majors with a team record nine shutouts that season. 

June 29, 1984
Rookie Homers on First MLB Swing

26-year-old right fielder Andre David‘s first major league swing resulted in a two-run homer off Hall of Famer Jack Morris on this date in 1984. It was the only home run of David’s career.

June 29, 1987
Eisenreich’s Return to Minnesota

In just his fourth game back after being out of the majors dealing with previously undiagnosed Tourette’s Syndrome, St. Cloud legend Jim Eisenreich got his first hit with the Royals, doubling as part of a game-winning rally in his first-ever game against the Twins on this date in 1987.

Eisenreich went 4-for-11 (.364) with three doubles, a home run, five RBI, and three runs scored in the series, included a pinch-hit walk-off double in Game 3. (He was also caught stealing once.)

June 29, 2007
Mauer’s First Grand Slam

Joe Mauer hit his first career grand slam off Justin Verlander in an 11-1 win in Detroit on this date in 2007. Johan Santana earned the win for the Twins.

Mauer hit four career home runs off Verlander—his most against any pitcher.

Bonus Trivia: Mauer appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated on this date in 2009. 

June 29, 2010
Span Ties Triples Record

Twins center fielder Denard Span tied the modern (since 1900) record with three triples on this date in 2010, going 4-for-4 with a walk, five RBI, and two runs scored altogether in an 11-4 win over the Tigers at Target Field.

Ken Landreaux also hit three triples in a game in 1980.

June 30, 1970
Second Pinch-Hit Grand Slam of the Season

Rick Renick hit the Twins’ second pinch-hit grand slam of the season on this date in 1970. It’s the only time the Twins have hit two pinch-hit grand slams in a season.

Rich Reese hit the first on June 7. Reese hit a team-record three pinch-hit grand slams during his career—August 3, 1969; June 7, 1970; and July 9, 1972.  

June 30, 1976
Hisle Steals Four Bases

Twins right fielder Larry Hisle went 3-for-4 with a walk, and established a team single-game record by stealing four bases in a 4-2 loss to the Royals in Bloomington on this date in 1976.

Hisle scored the Twins’ first run on a Craig Kusick double in the first. He drove in Steve Brye with a single to center in the third for the Twins’ second and last run of the game. Hisle then stole second and third, but with a runner on third and only one out, Butch Wynegar and 1964 Waterville High School graduate Jerry Terrell both struck out.

Hisle walked to lead-off the fifth and stole second with nobody out but did not advance past second in the inning. In the seventh, with the Twins trailing 3-2, Hisle again singled and stole second, establishing a new team record for stolen bases in a single game, but was again stranded on second.

George Brett drove in the Royals’ fourth run off 1961 St. Cloud Cathedral graduate Tom Burgmeier in the eighth. Paul Splittorff got the complete game 4-2 victory, setting the Twins down in order in the ninth. Hisle popped out to second to end the game—his only out of the evening.

Hisle stole a career-high 31 bases in 1976. He stole 128 bases during his 14-year major league career—92 as a Twin.

Chuck Knoblauch holds the team record with 276 stolen bases, followed by Rod Carew with 271.

June 30, 1995
3,000th Hit

Cleveland designated hitter Eddie Murray connected for his 3,000th hit at the Metrodome on this date in 1995. It was a ground-ball single to right in the sixth off starter Mike Trombley. (Cleveland won 4-1.)

Three players reached the 3,000-hit milestone at the Metrodome over an eight-year period.

Dave Winfield got his 3,000th hit off Dennis Eckersley at the Dome less than two years earlier, on September 16, 1993.

And here’s a Fun Fact: When Cal Ripken Jr. got his 3,000th hit at the Metrodome on April 15, 2000, Eddie Murray was right there to greet him as the Orioles first base coach. And Mike Trombley earned the save for Baltimore in that game. 

June 30, 2016
Dozier Extra-Base Hit Streak

Second baseman Brian Dozier tied the American League record with an extra-base hit in his 11th-straight game on this date in 2016. It was a homer in a 6-5 loss in Chicago. 

The second-longest extra-base hit streaks in Twins history were eight by Tony Oliva in 1969 and Harmon Killebrew in 1970.

The MLB record is 14 by Hall of Famers Paul Waner in 1927 and Chipper Jones in 2006.

See extra-base hit streaks in Twins history on Baseball Reference ⇨ www.Baseball-Reference.com/tiny/pCf1M

To be continued . . .