May 8 - At Fenway Park, Pokey Reese has the first two-homer game of his career in the Boston Red Sox' 9-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Curt Schilling pitches his first AL complete game, and the 80th of his career, while striking out eight. Reese hits an inside-the-park home run and one of the conventional type over the Green Monster, to snap a 172 at-bat homerless streak dating to April 4, 2003. The last Red Sox player to hit a conventional homer and an inside-the-park homer in the same game was Tony Armas on September 24, 1983, at Tiger Stadium.
May 26 - The Pittsburgh Pirates' Daryle Wardhits for the cycle in the Pirates' 11-8 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. It has been done 23 times in Pittsburgh history and 243 times in the majors since 1882. Ward joins his father, Gary Ward, to become the first father-son combination in major league history to hit for the cycle. The senior Ward accomplished the feat on September 18, 1980, for the Minnesota Twins.
May 28 - Matt Clement becomes the 21st big league pitcher and the first Chicago Cubs pitcher in over a century to hit three batters in one inning, to tie a major league record. The victims plucked in the fifth inning of the first game of a doubleheader against Pittsburgh are Bobby Hill, Jason Kendall and Craig Wilson.
June 12 - San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds drills a solo home run (the 675th of his career) off the Baltimore Orioles' Rodrigo López, who becomes the 400th pitcher to be so victimized. Bonds' performance upstaged a milestone afternoon by Rafael Palmeiro, who hits his 536th and 537th homers to move past Mickey Mantle into 11th place on the career list. It is only the third time in baseball history that two players with 500 homers connected in the same game. Willie Mays and Ernie Banks did it in 1970, and Mays and Hank Aaron both homered on May 8, 1971.
June 26 - With a 6-4 victory over the Florida Marlins, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays have a record of 36-35, becoming the first team in Major League history to have a winning record after being 18 games under .500. At one point in the season, they were 10-28, then went on a 26-7 run. Before falling under .500 for good in July, the Rays would win or tie 13 out of 14 series, including three straight sweeps during a club-record 12-game winning streak.
June 28 - David Bellhits for the cycle as the Philadelphia Phillies slug their way to a 14-6 victory over the Montréal Expos. Bell goes 4-for-4, scores two runs, and gets a career-high six RBI. He becomes the third player to hit for the cycle this season, joining the Pirates' Daryle Ward and the Brewers' Chad Moeller. Coincidentally, Ward and his father Gary Ward accomplished the feat, and when Bell achieved the honor, he joined his grandfather Gus Bell, who turned the trick on June 4, 1951.
July 5: Eric Gagne's consecutive saves streak ends at 84 in a 6-5 Los Angeles Dodgers victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the last team to keep him from converting a save. Gagne had not blown a save chance since David Dellucci hit a tying double on Aug. 26, 2002. Those are his only blown saves in 75 attempts at Dodger Stadium. During the streak, Gagne blew the lead in the 2003 All-Star game when he allowed a home run to the Texas Rangers' Hank Blalock, but that exhibition game isn't counted in the statistics.
July 10: Barry Bonds breaks his own record for intentional walks received in a season; amazingly, he broke the former full-season record of 68, set in 2002, before the All-Star break. After three intentional walks in a 3-1 San Francisco Giants win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, his total stands at 71; he will finish with 120.
July 16: Cleveland Indians catcher Víctor Martínez hits three home runs, singles twice, draws a walk, and drives in a career-high seven runs in a perfect 5-for-5 game, recording his first career multi-homer game, as the Indians belt eight homers and 21 hits in an 18-6 rout of the Seattle Mariners. Matt Lawton, Casey Blake, Ben Broussard, Travis Hafner and Jody Gerut add shots; Lawton, Martínez and Blake homer in consecutive at-bats in the third inning. It is the first time Cleveland has hit three consecutive homers since Jim Thome, Albert Belle, and Julio Franco accomplished the feat on September 12, 1996. Broussard, Martínez, Hafner and Gerut all homer in the ninth inning as the Indians match their team record for home runs in one game, previously accomplished at Milwaukee on April 25, 1997. Cleveland also sets a new Safeco Field HR record, surpassing the six homers hit by the Kansas City Royals in 2003. The major league record for home runs in a game is 10, set by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1987.
July 16: With his solo home run in the eighth inning of the Philadelphia Phillies' 5-1 victory over the New York Mets, Bobby Abreu joins Willie Mays, Bobby Bonds and Barry Bonds by reaching the elite 20-homers/20-steal plateau for a sixth straight season. That quartet are the only players to have six straight 20-20 seasons in major league history. Abreu also becomes the only member of the quartet with no family connection to Barry, his late father Bobby, or his godfather Willie.
July 29: New York Mets outfielder Eric Valent becomes the eighth player in Mets history to hit for the cycle to lead his team to a 10-1 victory over the Montreal Expos at Olympic Stadium. Valent goes 4 for 4 with a walk, drives in three runs and scores three times in becoming the fourth player in the majors this season to hit a single, double, triple, and home run in a game - joining Milwaukee's Chad Moeller, Pittsburgh's Daryle Ward, and Philadelphia's David Bell.
August 3: The St. Louis CardinalsAlbert Pujols, at age 24, becomes the first player ever to hit at least 30 home runs in each of his first four seasons. In 1936, Joe DiMaggio belted 29 home runs in his rookie season with the New York Yankees, and 30 or more in the following five seasons. Mark McGwire hit three homers in his 1986 first year with the Oakland Athletics, and 30 or more in the next four seasons. Pujols also becomes the first Cardinal in the franchise's 112-year history to hit 30 or more home runs in four consecutive years.
August 17: Mark Teixeira becomes the second player in Texas Rangers history - and the first in more than 19 years - to hit for the cycle, leading Texas to a 16-4 rout of the visiting Cleveland Indians. He goes 4-for-5 and drives in a career-high seven runs for the club's first cycle since Oddibe McDowell accomplished the feat on July 23, 1985, against the Indians at Arlington Stadium. Teixeira is the fifth player to hit for the cycle this season.
August 26: At Safeco Field, the Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki belts a leadoff home run in the ninth inning for his 200th hit in 2004, reaching the mark in fewer games than any player since 1930. In that season, Bill Terry of the New York Giants reached 200 in the Giants' 119th game, while Chuck Klein of the Philadelphia Phillies collected No. 200 in game No. 125. With the hit, which snaps an 0-for-11 slide, Ichiro becomes the first player in major league history to record at least 200 hits in each of his first four seasons. He hit 242 in 2001, 208 in 2002, and 212 in 2003.
August 31: Omar Vizquel goes 6-for-7 to tie the AL record for most hits in a nine-inning game as the Cleveland Indians roll to a 22-0 rout of the New York Yankees, who endure the worst shutout loss in league history. The only players with seven hits in a nine-inning game are Rennie Stennett (Pittsburgh in 1975) and Wilbert Robinson (Orioles in 1892). Cleveland matches the largest shutout in the majors since 1900, set by the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago Cubs on September 16, 1975. The Yankees had never lost by more than 18 runs, falling 24-6 at Cleveland on July 29, 1928, and 19-1 at home against the Detroit Tigers on June 17, 1925. Previously, the Yankees' biggest shutout loss was 15-0 at home against the Chicago White Sox on May 4, 1950. Cleveland sets a team record for largest shutout win, topping its 19-0 rout of the Boston Red Sox on May 18, 1955.
September
September 9 - Joe Randa becomes the first player in AL history to have six hits and six runs in the same nine-inning game in the Kansas City Royals' 26-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers in the first game of a doubleheader.
September 20 - The Minnesota Twins clinch the AL Central Division with an 8-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. This Twins team has done what no other Twins team could. It has won three consecutive division titles and has had four winning seasons in a row.
September 29 - Major League Baseball announces that the Montreal Expos will be moved to the Washington, D.C. area for the 2005 season. That night, the Expos play their final home game in front of 30,000+ fans. The Expos lose to the Florida Marlins 9-1.
David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez become the first pair of AL teammates since Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in 1931 to both bat .300 with 40 HR and 100 RBI. The feat has been accomplished only 11 other times.
October-December
October 1: Ichiro Suzuki surpasses George Sisler's 84-year-old record of 257 hits in a single season. After this game, Ichiro has collected 259 hits in the season with two games left; he will finish the season with 262 hits.
October 2: The Anaheim Angels clinch their first AL West Division division title in 18 years with a 5-4 victory over the Oakland Athletics. The Angels also earn their first playoff berth since 2002, when they won the World Series as the wild card. The Angels, who trailed Oakland by one game four days before, were tied for first place when the three-game series started, and many expected the race to come down to the last day of the season; but Anaheim ends the suspense with two consecutive victories.
October 3: The Houston Astros charge into the playoffs with their 18th consecutive home victory by beating the Colorado Rockies 5-3 to win the NL wild card. Houston wins the final seven games of the regular season and nine of the last 10 to complete an amazing late-season push for the playoffs under manager Phil Garner, who replaced Jimy Williams at the All-Star break. The Astros were a season-worst 56-60 on August 14. Since then, the team compiled a major league-best 36-10.
October 9: At Minnesota, the New York Yankees rally for four runs to tie the game in the eighth, then push across the winning run in the 11th on a wild pitch. The 6-5 win against the Minnesota Twins gave them a 3-1 AL Division Series victory and sends them back to Yankee Stadium, where they will open against the Boston Red Sox in the best-of-seven ALCS.
October 11: The Houston Astros post a 12-3 triumph over the Atlanta Braves in the decisive fifth game of the NLDS. Winning a postseason series for the first time in the 43-year history of the franchise, the Astros earn a spot in the best-of-seven NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals.
October 24: The Red Sox win 6-2 at Fenway Park behind Curt Schilling, to take the Series lead 2-0. Shilling goes 6 innings, giving up only 1 run (not earned) and only 4 hits, while striking out 4.
October 26: Takashi Ishii goes six strong innings and Alex Cabrera hits a towering two-run homer as the Seibu Lions defeat the Chunichi Dragons 7-2 in Game 7 of the Japan Series to win their first championship since 1992. The ball bounces off the glass-enclosed private boxes above the left field seats. It is Cabrera's third home run of the Series. The former Arizona Diamondbacks player also had a grand slam and a two-run homer in Game 3. For his part, Ishii is selected the Series MVP.
January 2 - Paul Hopkins, 99, oldest living major leaguer, and the pitcher who gave up Babe Ruth's record-tying 59th home run in 1927
January 3 - Leon Wagner, 69, All-Star left fielder for the Angels and Indians who had two seasons of 30 HR and 100 RBI; MVP of the second 1962 All-Star game
January 5 - Tug McGraw, 59, All-Star relief pitcher for the Mets and Phillies who held the NL's career saves record for lefthanders (180) until 1990, and was on the mound when the Phillies won their first World Series title in 1980
January 15 - Gus Suhr, 98, All-Star first baseman for the Pirates who set NL record of 822 consecutive games played, broken by Stan Musial in 1957
January 17 - Harry Brecheen, 89, All-Star pitcher for the Cardinals who was 3-0 with a 0.45 ERA in the 1946 World Series, clinching the Series with a Game 7 relief win; led NL in ERA and strikeouts in 1948
February
February 10 - Hub Kittle, 86, pitching coach for the 1982 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals; also a minor league manager and executive
February 15 - Lawrence Ritter, 81, author of numerous books on baseball, including The Glory of Their Times
February 16 - Charlie Fox, 82, manager who led Giants to the 1971 NL West title, and later managed the Expos and Cubs
February 22 - Andy Seminick, 83, All-Star catcher who was the last surviving everyday player for the Phillies' 1950 "Whiz Kids"
March
March 2 - Marge Schott, 75, owner of the Cincinnati Reds from 1984 to 1999 who often provoked controversy with her social views
March 18 - Gene Bearden, 83, pitcher who employed the knuckleball in a remarkable 1948 rookie season for the Indians, winning 20 games, leading the AL in ERA and earning a save in the final World Series game
March 27 - Bob Cremins, 98, pitcher who made four relief appearances for the 1927 Red Sox
March 29 - Al Cuccinello, 89, reserve second baseman for the 1935 Giants who hit a home run in his first game at the Polo Grounds
April
April 4 - George Bamberger, 80, manager of the Brewers (twice) and Mets, also Orioles' pitching coach; won 213 games as a minor league pitcher, mainly in Pacific Coast League
April 6 - Lou Berberet, 74, catcher for four AL teams who posted a perfect fielding average for the 1957 Senators
April 6 - Ken Johnson, 81, pitcher who threw a one-hitter for the Cardinals in his first major league start
May
May 2 - Moe Burtschy, 82, relief pitcher for the Philadelphia & Kansas City Athletics from 1950-56
May 3 - Darrell Johnson, 75, manager of the Red Sox' 1975 AL champions who later became the Seattle Mariners' first manager
May 17 - Buster Narum, 63, pitcher who won 14 games for the 1964-67 Senators after homering in his first career at bat with the Orioles
June
June 4 - Wilmer Fields, 81, All-Star pitcher and third baseman for the Negro Leagues' Homestead Grays
June 8 - Mack Jones, 65, outfielder for three NL teams who had the first major league home run hit in Canada
June 16 - George Hausmann, 88, second baseman for the New York Giants in 1944-45; suspended for jumping to the Mexican League
July
July 9 - Tony Lupien, 87, first baseman for three teams who later managed in the minor leagues and coached at Dartmouth for 21 years
July 26 - Rubén Gómez, 77, pitcher for the Giants who in 1954 became the first Puerto Rican to win a World Series game
August
August 3 - Bob Murphy, 79, broadcaster for the Mets for 40 years, previously with the Red Sox and Orioles
August 11 - Joe Falls, 76, sportswriter for various Detroit newspapers since 1953, also a Sporting News columnist; winner of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award
August 23 - Hank Borowy, 88, All-Star pitcher who was the last hurler to get four decisions in a World Series, going 2-2 with the 1945 Cubs against Detroit
August 27 - Willie Crawford, 57, outfielder, primarily for the Dodgers, who hit .304 for the 1976 Cardinals
September
September 7 - Bob Boyd, 84, first baseman who was the first black player to sign with the White Sox, and the first 20th-century Oriole to hit over .300
September 7 - Hal Reniff, 66, relief pitcher for the Yankees who saved 18 games in 1963
October
October 3 - John Cerutti, 44, pitcher and broadcast announcer for the Blue Jays who won 11 games for the 1989 division champions
October 10 - Ken Caminiti, 41, All-Star third baseman who won the NL's 1996 MVP award and three Gold Gloves; made news in 2002 with admission of steroid use and allegations of their prevalence in major leagues
October 17 - Ray Boone, 81, All-Star infielder and patriarch of three-generation major league family which included son Bob and grandsons Bret and Aaron
October 20 - Chuck Hiller, 70, second baseman for four NL teams who was that league's first player to hit a grand slam in the World Series
October 26 - Bobby Avila, 80, Mexican All-Star second baseman for the Indians who won the AL batting title in 1954, the first Hispanic player to do so; became president of the Mexican League
November
November 14 - Jesse Gonder, 68, catcher and pinch-hitter for five teams, most notably the 1963-65 Mets; won a batting title in Pacific Coast League
November 26 - Tom Haller, 67, All-Star catcher for the Giants and Dodgers, later Giants' general manager from 1981-86; brother Bill was longtime AL umpire
November 28 - Connie Johnson, 81, All-Star pitcher for the Negro Leagues' Kansas City Monarchs, later with the White Sox and Orioles
November 29 - Harry Danning, 93, All-Star catcher for the New York Giants who batted .300 three times
December
December 10 - Ed Sudol, 84, National League umpire from 1957-77 who worked three World Series and was behind the plate for Jim Bunning's perfect game (1964), Hank Aaron's 715th home run (1974), and three Mets games of 23 or more innings
December 13 - Andre Rodgers, 70, shortstop for the Giants, Cubs and Pirates who was the first Bahamian major leaguer; former cricket player learned baseball at a Giants tryout
December 14 - Danny Doyle, 87, scout for the Red Sox since 1949 who signed Roger Clemens; briefly a catcher for the 1943 team
December 14 - Rod Kanehl, 70, second baseman and outfielder for the Mets who hit the team's first grand slam
December 16 - Bobby Mattick, 89, longtime scout who managed the 1980-81 Blue Jays; previously a shortstop for the Cubs and Reds
December 22 - Doug Ault, 54, first baseman for the Blue Jays who hit two home runs in the franchise's first game
December 23 - Wilmer Harris, 80, pitcher for the Negro Leagues' Philadelphia Stars
December 24 - Johnny Oates, 58, manager who led the Rangers to their only three playoff appearances in 1996, '98 and '99; also managed Orioles, and was catcher with five teams
December 29 - Ken Burkhart, 89, National League umpire from 1957-73 who worked in three World Series; a pitcher who won 18 games for the 1945 Cardinals, he was the last surviving umpire who played in the majors
December 29 - Gus Niarhos, 84, catcher for four teams, most notably the Yankees; later a minor league manager
December 31 - Joe Durso, 80, sportswriter for The New York Times since 1950, and author of several baseball books
