7/18 in Yankee History
The red-letter days -
1999: Don Larsen throws out the first pitch, with Yogi Berra as his catcher, in a ceremony prior to New York’s game against Montreal. The Yankees then defeat the Expos‚ 6-0‚ as David Cone caps an emotional day by hurling a perfect game. Cone fans 10 batters in the course of his gem in the Bronx.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1999/B07180NYA1999.htm
1987: Don Mattingly hits a home run in his 8th consecutive game‚ tying the ML
record set by Dale Long in 1956‚ but the Yankees
lose to Texas 7-2. The streak will end tomorrow when Mattingly goes 2-for-4
but with no homers.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1987/B07180TEX1987.htm
1923:Elmer Smith (shown below) turns the only unassisted double play by an outfielder in Yankee history. Patrolling right field in a game at Detroit, Smith snags a hit-and-run line drive by Del Pratt and sprints to first to double off Harry Heilmann, who had been running. It is the third outfield UADP of Smith’s career, putting him behind only Tris Speaker on the all-time list. He will add a 4th in 1925 when playing for the Reds.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1923/B07180DET1923.htm
On other 18ths of July…
2009: Justin Verlander of the Tigers goes up against CC Sabathia at the Stadium. Both hurlers go seven, and A-Rod’s leadoff roundtripper in the home half of the seventh is just the third hit that Verlander has given up. The Yanks reach him for another run on three more hits. Sabathia gets the win and, after future Yankee Marcus Thames reached Alfredo Aceves for a homer in the eighth, Mariano Rivera closes out the 2-1 save.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2009/B07180NYA2009.htm
2005: At Americaquest Field‚ the Yankees edge the Rangers‚ 11-10‚ getting homers from Jorge Posada‚ Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield. Texas is paced by Alfonso Soriano who has 4 hits‚ including his 23rd HR‚ and 4 RBI.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2005/B07180TEX2005.htm
1995: The White Sox blast Yankee pitcher Jack McDowell for 13 hits and 9 runs in 4 2/3 innings in their 11-4 win in the 2nd game of a doubleheader. McDowell raises a middle finger to the fans as he is booed walking off the field after being lifted for Joe Ausanio.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1995/B07182NYA1995.htm
1961: Mickey Mantle powers two homers‚ off rookie Joe McLain‚ to pace New York to a 5-3 win over the Senators. In pre-game ceremonies‚ Mantle teamed with New York Congressman Ed Dooley to win the homer-hitting contest against other Congressional-player duos.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1961/B07180WS21961.htm
1960: The Yanks score 5 runs in the 3rd off Dick Stigman, and Whitey Ford coasts to a complete game 9-2 victory over the Indians.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1960/B07180CLE1960.htm
1956: Detroit sweep a doubleheader against the Yankees at the Stadium‚ winning 8-4 and 4-3. Kaline saves the nitecap game with
a leaping catch of a Mickey Mantle drive in the 9th inning. Mantle had homered in the first game‚ off Paul Foytack.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1956/B07181NYA1956.htm
1954: After winning 13 in a row‚ the Yankees lose the second game of a doubleheader to Detroit 8-6. They now trail Cleveland by a 1/2 game. After winning the opener‚ 6-0‚ behind Harry Byrd‚ the Yankees were in first place.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1954/B07181NYA1954.htm
1947: Fred Hutchinson of the Tigers shuts out the Yankees 8-0‚ stopping the Bombers’ record winning streak at 19. Hutch adds a pair of doubles and two RBIs for the 2nd-place Tigers‚ now 10 1/2 lengths back.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1947/B07180DET1947.htm
1940: Joe Torre is born. Happy 72nd to our former skipper 
1937: In Cleveland‚ Joe DiMaggio breaks up a 1-1 duel between Red Ruffing and Bob Feller by connecting with a 9th inning 2-strike curve ball for a grand slam‚ his second in two weeks. The homer is also his league-leading 24th of the campaign. Feller ends the game with 172 pitches thrown‚ and takes his 4th straight loss. ‘Rapid Robert’ is pitching only on Sundays to lure big crowds‚ but will soon join the rotation every 5th day.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1937/B07180CLE1937.htm
1934: An AL-record 22 players hit safely in Cleveland’s 15-14 win over New York. Babe Ruth is banged in the leg by a line drive hit by Lou Gehrig and will be out for 10 days‚ the 2nd time an injury has sidelined him this season. The Indians score three in the 9th to edge Lefty Gomez.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1934/B07180CLE1934.htm
1933: The Yankees win their 9th straight and take the lead from the Senators‚ beating the White Sox 5-4. Johnny Allen gets the win from the Bombers, with Wilcy Moore coming in to get the final out.
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1933/B07180NYA1933.htm
1928: Babe Ruth delivers his 36th homer‚ off Ted Lyons with 2 on and 2 out in the 9th inning to give New York a 9-8
win over the visiting White Sox. Bibb Falk had levelled the match with a 3-run homer off Waite Hoyt in the 8th.
bennybengoughsmitt
