What’s Happening in Baseball Today

The First Pitch: October 17, 2024

The Dodgers pitch a fourth shutout over their last five games, easily dispensing of the Mets at New York by an 8-0 count in NLCS Game Three. The final nail in the Mets’ coffin is provided by Shohei Ohtani, whose three-run homer in the eighth puts the game beyond doubt for Los Angeles—taking a 2-1 lead in the series. 

Ohtani has 17 hits in his last 20 at-bats (an .850 batting average) with runners in scoring position, dating back to the end of the regular season. With no one on base, Ohtani is thus far 0-for-22 in the postseason. 

Walker Buehler starts for the Dodgers but fails to get credit for the win as he lasts just four innings, throwing 90 pitches—but allowing no runs. The Mets leave six men on base against the right-hander, who hasn’t won in any of his last 15 starts.

It Was Whatever-Something Years Ago Today

1927: American League founder Ban Johnson is ousted by his fellow owners after 27 years of rule. Johnson had become increasingly erratic and was not thrilled to be second in command behind commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. 

1971 and 1979: The Pirates clinch their only two world titles—both over the Baltimore Orioles—in the 60 years since conquering the Yankees on Bill Mazeroski’s home run. In 1971, the stars are Series MVP Roberto Clemente (solo homer in the fourth) and Steve Blass (four-hit complete game) in a 2-1 victory; eight years later, it’s Willie Stargell, who caps his triumphant vintage effort at age 38 with a single, two doubles and a home run to power the Bucs to a 4-1 victory. 

1989: The Giants and A’s are minutes away from playing the first World Series game at Candlestick Park since 1962 when a 7.1 earthquake, centered 50 miles to the south, shakes the stadium, severs power and postpones Fall Classic activity for 10 days. Miraculously, the structure holds and none of the 60,000 fans in attendance are hurt—thanks in part to a seismic retrofit completed just a few years earlier. 

1995: Dennis Martinez outduels Randy Johnson as Cleveland wins ALCS Game Six at Seattle, 4-0, securing the Indians’ first pennant in 47 years. They’ll go on to lose to the Florida Marlins in a tight seven-game World Series. 

2004: In one of the most remarkable turnarounds in postseason history, the Red Sox are one out away from being swept by the archrival Yankees in the ALCS—but a steal of second by Dave Roberts, who then next scores on Bill Mueller’s single, keeps Boston alive into extra innings. David Ortiz will then power the Red Sox to a 6-4 win in the 12th with a two-run homer—and from there, Boston will win the next three games to become the first (and still only) team to win a seven-game series after losing the first three games.

You Say It’s Your Birthday

San Diego infielder Ha-Seong Kim is 29; 2010s Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is 39; controversial closer John Rocker is 50. Born on this date is three-time All-Star infielder Jim Gilliam (1928), seven-time accumulator of 100+ runs Red Rolfe (1908), 223-game winner Paul Derringer (1906) and Hall-of-Fame catcher/manager Buck Ewing (1859).

Shameless Link of the Day

Take a look at Citi Field, the host for the next two games of the NLCS.

This Great Game in Print

Baseball Cards at the Edge of War is the new book from author Todd Marcum that focuses on baseball’s legendary 1941 season and the “three bubble gum titans” that took on one another in an attempt to rule the burgeoning baseball card market. Marcum provides an introductory orientation with content from our 1941 Yearly Reader page, which is why you’ll find the names of TGG creators Eric Gouldsberry and Ed Attanasio on the book’s cover as co-authors. The core of the book that follows is devoted to the players and their baseball cards who graced the 1941 season. Baseball Cards at the Edge of War is now available on Amazon.

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