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July 23, 2002 — Fenway Park Turns into Garciaparra’s Playground

Nomar Garciaparra gave Fenway Park fans plenty to celebrate on his 29th birthday, blasting three home runs and driving in eight runs during a 22–4 Red Sox rout of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

After falling behind 4–0 in the second inning of the opener of a day-night doubleheader, Boston looked flat — until the third inning turned into a highlight reel. Johnny Damon started the rally with a solo shot. Then, with one on and nobody out, Garciaparra hammered a 3-0 fastball to left-center for a two-run homer. Manny Ramirez followed with another bomb, tying the game. After a flurry of hits and runs, Garciaparra returned to the plate and launched his second homer of the inning — another two-run shot over the Green Monster — giving the Sox a 10–4 lead.

Nomar became just the third Red Sox player to homer twice in the same inning, joining Ellis Burks (1990) and Bill Regan (1928). David Ortiz would later join the club in 2008.

But Garciaparra wasn’t done. In the next inning, he came to bat with the bases loaded and crushed a hanging breaking ball deep into the left-field seats for his third homer — a grand slam — bringing his RBI total on the day to eight.

That third homer also made him the 26th player in MLB history to hit five homers in a two-game span, having gone deep twice in Boston’s previous game against the Yankees. His three homeruns in 2 innings establishes the record for consecutive home runs in the shortest time in terms of innings.

Nomar finished the game 3-for-5 with a walk, pushing his batting average from .300 to .304 — and it would never dip below .300 again that season. He ended the year hitting .310 with 24 home runs, his highest total since 1999.

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TRIVIA

Which outfielder was once traded for Ken Griffey Jr.—and had previously been traded for Paul Konerko?

Hint: #1 He once homered four times in a single game, half of those in the first inning.

Hint: #2 He won Gold Gloves in both leagues and reached the 20–20 club with four different franchises.

July 23, 1930 Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Pie Traynor hits the eventual game-winning homers in both ends of a doubleheader. The future Hall Famer's ninth-inning home run beats Philadelphia in the opener, 2-1, and the Massachusetts native also provides the winning margin in the nightcap with a three-run round-tripper in the top of the 13th inning in the team's 16-15 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at the Baker Bowl.

July 23, 1941 -- Although Lou Boudreau is usually given credit for implementing the shift on pull-hitter Ted Williams, White Sox manager Jimmy Dykes becomes the first to employ the defensive alignment against the Red Sox outfielder, who foils the plan when he goes 2-for-5, including a double, in Boston's 10-4 loss to the Pale Hose at Fenway Park. The Chicago skipper will abandon the strategy when 'the Kid' collects four hits in ten at-bats in the two-game series.

July 23, 1944, In the eighth inning of the second game of a doubleheader, Giants manager Mel Ott orders his pitcher Andy Hansen to issue an intentional walk with the bases loaded to Bill Nicholson. The free pass to Swish, who has hit four consecutive home runs in the twin bill, doesn't work when the Cubs score three runs to tie the game. in spite of Nicholson’s power barrage, the Giants win the game, 12-10. The Cubs win the first game, 7 - 4. Nicholson power serge has him hit six home runs within 48 hours (one two nights ago, one yesterday, and the four today).

July 23, 1956, Joe Cronin and Hank Greenberg are inducted into the Hall of Fame during the annual ceremony in Cooperstown, New York.

July 23, 1960 -- At Fenway Park, In an effort to distract Ted Williams during his at-bats in the 6th and 8th innings, Indians CF Jimmy Piersall goes into a war dance running around the outfield with his arms raised. The Umpire eject's him, his 6th of the season.

Piersall had to be restrained by teammates when he charges the ump, is guilty of trying to distract the batter from the field, which is forbidden by the rule book. Tribe manager Joe Gordon is also ejected for arguing Jimmy's case. Gordon had previously announced that any more ejections would cost Piersall $500 each, but he thinks today's thumbing is unwarranted and waives the fine. American League president Joe Cronin is less forgiving and fines Piersall $100. The fans write in via telegraph offering to pay the fines.

The Indians win, 4 - 2, behind Jim Perry's pitching and the first major league home run of Mike de la Hoz.

July 23, 1962, Jackie Robinson, Bob Feller, Bill McKechnie, and Edd Roush are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Robinson, the first black player to participate in major league ball during the 20th century, also becomes the first African-American elected to the shrine.

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July 23, 1964, at Metropolitan Stadium Kansas City A’s shortstop Bert Campaneris hits two home runs in his major league debut. He rips home run on the first pitch he sees from Minnesota’s Jim Kaat, and belts another home run in the seventh inning, a two run shot that tied the game. The A's will win 4-3 in 11innings.  And the 21-year-old Cuban joins Bob Nieman as the only player since 1900 with 2 HRs in his first Major League game, on September 14, 1951. Charlie Reilly also accomplished the feat in 1889. Campaneris hit only 79 home runs in 19 years.

July 23, 1969 -- At Washington’s RFK Stadium, the 40th All-Star Game is played, Willie McCovey hits two home runs as the National League beats the American League, 9 - 3, for its 7th straight All-Star Game win, with McCovey named All-Star MVP. Mel Stottlemyre starts for the AL when Denny McLain is late arriving from a dental appointment. An interesting sidelight is provided by Roberto Clemente's sole turn at bat. He strikes out at the hands of "Sudden" Sam McDowell but, on the way there, one swing of the bat will furnish Larry Dierker's most vivid memory from the game: "With all of the long balls, the one I remember most was hit by Roberto Clemente. The Great One hit it all the way into the upper deck, but it was foul. I had seen balls hit farther, but I had never seen a ball hit that far to the opposite field!"

Cardinals southpaw Steve Carlton, the starting and winning pitcher, hits a double in the third inning off Blue Moon Odom to become the last hurler to get an extra-base hit in a Mid-Summer Classic contest.

July 23, 1974 -- At Three Rivers Stadium, Dodger first baseman Steve Garvey, a write-in All-Star starter, singles and doubles to help the National League beat the Junior circuit, 7-2. Mike Schmidt, also a write-in, plays in his first Midsummer Classic thanks to radio intern Howard Eskin's on-air campaign which urged Phillies fans to stuff the ballot box for their young third baseman.

Garvey, who was not listed on the All-Star ballot, becomes only the second player to be selected as a starter as a write-in candidate. In 1970, Rico Carty of the Atlanta Braves became the first write-in All-Star.

In a surprise statement released after the All-Star Game, Hank Aaron, who had indicated on many occasions that he had no interest in the position, publicly declares he would accept a Braves' offer to manage the team "simply because there are no black managers in baseball." The superstar's comments create an awkward situation the next day when Atlanta announces the organization has hired Clyde King to replace Eddie Mathews, dismissed three days ago.

July 23, 1978  Reggie Jackson returns to the team and the Yankees win their 5th straight, 3 - 1, over the White Sox. At the Chicago airport, Billy Martin, reacting to reporters' questions about Jackson and George Steinbrenner, replies: "The two deserve each other. One's a born liar; the other's convicted." The remarks will cost Billy his job. The next day, Martin resigns under pressure, giving way to Bob Lemon after a one-game interim by Dick Howser.

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