Today in Baseball History: September 18th

2006 On September 18, 2006, the Dodgers stage an amazing comeback to defeat the Padres, relying on the long ball. Down by four in the bottom of the ninth, Jeff Kent led off with a homer. He was followed by J.D. Drew, who also homered. The Padres brought in closer Trevor Hoffman, who was greeted on his first pitch by a home run off the bat of Russell Martin to close the gap to 9-8. Amazingly, Marlon Anderson clubbed Hoffman"s next pitch into the seats for the Dodgers fourth straight home run, tying the game. The Padres scored in the top of the tenth, but the Dodgers, who entered the game with the fewest home runs in the league, struck again with an unlikely weapon. After a walk, Nomar Garciaparra hit a walk-off, two-run homer to win the game, 11-9. With the win, the Dodgers stay one-half game back of the Padres in the NL West. It"s just the fourth time in major league history that a teamhit four consecutive home runs.

1996 On September 18, 1996, Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox ties his own major league record by striking out 20 batters in a single game. In hurling a 4-0 shutout, "The Rocket" holds the Detroit Tigers to four hits. In 1986, Clemens had struck out 20 Seattle Mariners in a game…

1985 On September 18, 1985, slow-footed catcher Rich Gedman of the Boston Red Sox hits for the cycle in a 17-1 rout of the Toronto Blue Jays. Gedman drives in seven runs to pace the Red Sox' attack.

1976 On September 18, 1976, Frank Robinson of the Cleveland Indians makes his final major league appearance as a player. Robinson, the Indians' player-manager, delivers a pinch-hit single against Baltimore Orioles left-hander Rudy May.

1975 On September 18, 1975, future Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew hits his 573rd and final career home run. Playing for the Kansas City Royals, Killebrew homers at Metropolitan Stadium in Minneapolis, where he played most of his major league career…

1968 On September 18, 1968, Ray Washburn of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches a no-hit game against the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park. Washburn wins a 2-0 decision, just one day after San Francisco's Gaylord Perry hurled a no-hitter at Candlestick. The performances by Washburn and Perry mark the first time that consecutive no-hitters have occurred in the same park...

1919 On September 18, 1919, Arnold "Chick" Gandil of the Chicago White Sox meets with gambler Joseph Sullivan and talks about "fixing" the upcoming World Series. Gandil asks Sullivan for $80,000 to guarantee a Series loss for the White Sox.