May 9

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Events

1901

• Earl Moore of the Cleveland Indians pithced nine hitless innings against the Chicago White Sox before giving up two hits in the 10th to lose 4-2.

1937

• Future Hall of Famer Ernie Lombardi goes 6-for-6 and Alex Kampouris drives in eight runs, helping the Cincinnati Reds to a 21-10 blowout of the Philadelphia Phillies.

1944

• Joe McCarthy returns to manage the New York Yankees after missing most of spring training and the early season due to illness. With his roster heavily affected by World War II, McCarthy and the Yankees will finish in third place in the American League pennant race.

1961

• Baltimore Orioles slugger Jim Gentile becomes the first major leaguer to hit grand slams in consecutive innings. “Diamond Jim” connects in the first and second inning of a 13-5 win over the Minnesota Twins. Three other players had previously hit two grand slams in a game, but never in back-to-back innings.

1962

• Future Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles clubs a grand slam against Ed Rakow of the Kansas City A’s. Robinson had hit a grand slam in his last game, making him one of five American League players to connect on bases-loaded home runs in consecutive games.

1965

• Yogi Berra played in his final game. He would go 0-4 as his New York Mets lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-2

1973

• Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench wins a battle of future Hall of Famers. For the second time in his career, the All-Star catcher hits three home runs against left-hander Steve Carlton. Bench finishes with seven RBIs to lead the Reds over the Philadelphia Phillies, 9-7.

1975

• Young Swedish tennis star Bjorn Borg faces Australian legend Rod Laver in one of the most grueling matches in the history of tennis. Facing off in the semifinals of the WCT Championships in Dallas, Borg and Laver go back and forth for four hours, with the 18-year old Borg winning in five sets 7-6, 3-6, 5-7, 7-6, 6-2.

1978

• PSV Eindhoven defeat SC Bastia by a score of 3-0 in the second leg of the final to secure their first UEFA Cup Championship.

1984

• The Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers complete the longest game - by time - in major league history. The White Sox win the game in the 25th inning when Harold Baines hits a 420-foot home run against Chuck Porter. The game, which had been suspended the previous day after 17 innings, lasts a total of eight hours and six minutes.

1987

• Eddie Murray of the Baltimore Orioles becomes the first player in major league history to switch-hit home runs in two consecutive games. Murray’s latest two-homer game helps the Orioles club the Chicago White Sox, 15-6. The previous game, Murray homered twice in a 7-6 win over the White Sox.

1989

• Kevin Elster's record-setting errorless streak comes to an end. The New York Mets’ shortstop makes his first error after 88 consecutive games without a miscue.

2006

• Tampa Bay Devil Rays prospect, Delmon Young is handed a 50 game suspension for an incident in which he threw a baseball bat at an umpire. Young was thrown out of the game after argueing a called third strike and threw his bat on the way back to the dugout.

• The Minnesota Twins pounded the Texas Rangers 15-5. Justin Morneau was 3-5 with 2 HR and 6 RBI. Kevin Millwood lasted just 1.1 IP for the Rangers and allowed 9 earned runs on 9 hits and a walk.

Debuts

2003

• Dontrelle Willis makes his MLB debut for the Florida Marlins against the Colorado Rockies. Preston Wilson becomes his first career strikeout victim.

Births

1928

• Tennis champion Richard "Pancho" Gonzalez

1960

• Future San Diego Padres star Tony Gwynn is born in Los Angeles. Gwynn will make his major league debut in 1982, and go on to win eight bating titles.