TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Expos Cap Off Road Trip with Win, But Horner Steals the Show with Four Homers

The Montreal Expos closed out their 13-game road trip in style on July 6, 1986, outslugging the Atlanta Braves 11–8 to finish the stretch with a strong 8–5 record. Though the victory capped a productive swing away from home, it came with a dramatic subplot: Braves slugger Bob Horner launched four home runs in a single game — a historic individual performance that nearly overshadowed Montreal’s offensive onslaught.

The Expos entered the game having taken the previous two games in the series, hammering the Braves 11–5 and 12–5 behind a combined 29 hits. A third straight win would mark a successful road trip, even as the division-leading New York Mets remained firmly in control with a red-hot 9–3 run of their own.

Atlanta, meanwhile, was desperate to reverse its early July skid and gain traction in the NL West. Left-hander Zane Smith, who had won his previous two starts, got the nod for the Braves and pitched well through two innings. But the third marked a turning point: a walk, a sac bunt, and a Mitch Webster RBI double tied the game. The Expos surged ahead in the fourth when Al Newman — known more for speed than power — shocked everyone with a two-run homer, just the second of his big-league career.

The Expos blew the game open in the fifth with four more runs, including Andre Dawson’s 13th home run of the season. Webster, who hadn’t played in the first two games of the series, went 5-for-6 with a homer, five runs scored, and four RBIs. “The rest helped,” he told reporters. “I had the exact same day in A-ball… but that didn’t quite stack up to here.”

While Montreal's offense flexed its muscle, Bob Horner delivered one of the most unforgettable performances in baseball history. The Braves slugger hit solo shots in the second and fourth innings, then crushed a three-run blast in the fifth to cut Montreal’s lead to 10–7. After singling in the seventh, Horner added one more in the ninth — a scorching line drive over the left-field wall off Expos closer Jeff Reardon. It was his fourth home run of the day and placed him in an elite club of just 12 players in MLB history to hit four homers in a single game.

“He was like a card player with all the trumps,” said Braves hitting coach Willie Stargell, who had accomplished the same feat twice in 1971.

Despite Horner’s heroics, the Braves couldn’t close the gap. Montreal’s bullpen, anchored by Tim Burke and Reardon, held Atlanta at bay after Expos starter Andy McGaffigan exited following Horner’s third homer. Reardon, who briefly considered stepping off the mound mid-delivery in the ninth before Horner’s final blast, tipped his cap: “I said, ‘The hell with it.’ And he hit it. Hit it good.”

The Expos returned to Montreal with a 44–34 record and renewed confidence. “The day we left, coming back 8–5 would’ve been great,” said manager Buck Rodgers. “All we can do is play our game. If the Mets fall flat on their face, we’ll be back in it.”

Chuck Tanner, the Braves skipper, acknowledged the challenge his team faced. “The Expos have the second-best record in the National League. They beat us, and they beat us good. They’re one of the hottest teams in baseball.”

Though the Expos took the series — and the road trip — the day belonged to Horner. “Once in a lifetime,” he said as he clutched the ball from his fourth home run. “The kind of day you dream about.”

Todays Podcast

July 6, 1933, the first major league All-Star Game is played at Comiskey Park. Babe Ruth hits a two-run home run to give the American League a 4-2 win over the National League. Connie Mack comes out of retirement to manage the NL. This was the only Managerial apperence for both Hall of Fame managers, Casey Stengel holds the record for managing 10 All star games for the American League.

July 6, 1938 – At Crosby Field, the sixth All-Star Game is played, The Starters are Johnny Vander Meer and Yankees Lefty Gomez National League shortstop Leo Durocher becomes the first Dodger to start in an All-Star Game and gets a ‘bunt’ home run. Listen to the game here.

July 6, 1942, The All-Star Game at the Polo Grounds. This is the first All-Star game during WWII as the Nation’s eyes have turned more towards the war. Two nights later, the American League All-Stars traveled to Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, to play a special benefit game against a team of players from the U.S. Army and Navy. The contest attracted a crowd of 62,094 and netted $70,000 for the Army Emergency Relief Fund and the Navy Relief Society. Here is the Broadcast.

July 6, 1953 Ford Frick inaugurates the Cy Young Award, to honor the outstanding pitcher each year. The BBWAA will do the voting. Only one pitcher will be honored each year until 1967, when a pitcher will be selected in each league. Don Newcombe will be the first winner of the award, he became the only player to win a Rookie of the year, Cy Young and MVP in a career.

July 6, 1962 – Cincinnati, Crosley Field Houston finally beats Joey Jay (11-8) after he had won his first three games for the Reds against the .45s, but it took a shutout by Hal Woodeshick (3-6) to come up with the 2-0 victory. Listen to him close the game out

July 6 , 1978 Steve Carlton becomes the major leagues’ left-handed strikeout king, fanning seven Cardinals in a 8 – 3 Phillies win to bring his career total to 2,836. Mickey Lolich had held the record with 2,832.

July 6, 1979, The Los Angeles Dodgers purchase the contract of a young lefty from Yucatan for $120,000 named Fernando Valenzuela and assign him to Lodi in the California League where he posts 1.13 ERA in 24 innings. He makes his MLB debut 14 months later and give up just two earned runs in his first 80.2 innings and lead the Dodgers to the World Series titles in 1981.

July 6, 1983, the American League and National League stage the 50th anniversary of the All-Star Game. The American League sets an All-Star record for runs by pounding the National League, 13-3, as Fred Lynn clubs the first grand slam in All-Star history during a record seven-run third inning en route to the American League setting a record for runs scored by one team in a game in their 13-3 victory at Chicago’s Comiskey Park, the site of the first All-Star Game in 1933.

The game marks the first win for the AL since 1971. It is Lynn’s 4th All-Star homer, tying him with Ted Williams for the American League record.

July 6 1986 Bob Horner becomes the 11th player to hit four home runs in a game, but it isn’t enough as the Braves fall to the Expos, 11 – 8. Horner is only the second to hit his four home runs in a losing cause; Ed Delahanty of the Phillies on was the first, on July 13, 1896. In the same Game On the winning side, Al Newman cracks his first major league homer, off Zane Smith; it’ll be the only homer of his career, as Newman will go to the American League next year and set the junior circuit record by going to bat 1,893 times without a 4-bagger.

 ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA

TRIVIA ANSWER: Manny Ramirez

On 05-Jun-2002 DET pitchers watched Boston’s Ramirez homer in the 4th and then they hoped to limit his damage by walking him on purpose in, the 8th, 10th, 14th & 16th.  (He had flied out in the 2nd & 5th & got a single in the 12th.)

- #1 In 2013, Ramirez played for the EDA Rhinos of the 4-team Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taipei, Formosa. “EDA” is an English rendering of the name of the team’s previous owner.

- #2 Manny drove in 1,831 runs in his MLB career, spanning 19 seasons.

Thank you Horsehide Trivia

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