July 8th MLB Triva

[Illusion]

Last night John Lackey became the first pitcher in the last 24 years to throw a one hit complete game shutout where the leadoff batter got the first hit and the rest were retired without getting a hit or run. Name the last pitcher to accomplish this, year it was done and the opponent. Hint, if you watch ESPNEWS the answer should be easy.

[onlooker]

Was it Jerry Reuss?

John Lackey allowed a double to Mark Kotsay, the first batter he faced Friday, and then retired the next 27 Athletics batters in the Angels' 3-0 win. The last pitcher to retire 27 in a row after allowing the first batter to reach base was Jerry Reuss, who did it for the Dodgers against the Reds on June 11, 1982. Eddie Milner led off the game with a double, and he was the last batter to reach base against Reuss.

No pitcher had retired 27 consecutive batters at any point since Livan Hernandez retired 28 in a row over two starts in July 2004.

[Illusion]

Yes it was. Did you catch the year and opponent though?

[onlooker]

Yes it was. Did you catch the year and opponent though?

It says it right there in the quote in my last post.

Against the Reds in 1982.

[Illusion]

It says it right there in the quote in my last post.

Against the Reds in 1982.

I somehow missed that, it must be the beer. Good job looker.

[Willie Bee]

Ok, continuing with some All-Star home run trivia...

1) Of the 30 present present franchises, three have never had a player hit a home run in the All-Star Game. Who are those three franchises?

2) There have only been two leadoff homers in the first inning of an All-Star Game. Who hit them?

[Mudcat]

Oh howzabout

1) Washington Nationals, Tampa Bay D-Rays, Florida Marlins

2) Rickey Henderson, Kenny Lofton

?????????????

[Stumpage]

I know Bo Jackson nailed one in the first inning years ago, so I'm thinking maybe he batted leadoff.....

[Willie Bee]

1) Washington Nationals, Tampa Bay D-Rays, Florida Marlins

2) Rickey Henderson, Kenny Lofton

Tampa Bay is indeed one of the three. Washington, nee Montreal, had their first franchise ASG homer in 1981 off the bat of Gary Carter. Florida's one and only ASG homer came in 1993 by Gary Sheffield who was traded to the Marlins just a couple of weeks before the Midseason Classic that year.

Henderson and Lofton never hit leadoff, 1st-inning dingers in the All-Star Game.

Still looking for two franchises without an All-Star Game home run.

I know Bo Jackson nailed one in the first inning years ago, so I'm thinking maybe he batted leadoff.....

Correct. Jackson went deep leading off the bottom of the first for the AL with Rick Reuschel on the hill for the NL in 1989. Wade Boggs followed with a homer as well, the only time an ASG has started with two homers for one league or the other.

Still looking for one more leadoff home run.

[Illusion]

How about the Rockies for one of the franchises.

[Willie Bee]

Todd Helton has the one and only Rockies All-Star Game homer, cracking it off Shigetosi Hasegawa in the 2003 contest.

The other two franchises without a midseason long ball are the Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers, with the Brewers' drougt dating all the way back to 1969 when they were the Seattle Pilots.


Joining Bo Jackson on the leadoff homer list is none other than Willie Mays. The Say Hey kid led off the top of the 1st in 1965 with a homer off AL starter Milt Pappas.

[Illusion]

I would have never guessed Milwaukee. Great question Willie.