First baseman Jason Giambi was a one-man wrecking crew in the Yankees’ 4-1 win over Cincinnati on June 22, 2008. He reached base four straight times with a double, scored twice, and knocked in two to back Andy Pettitte‘s victory over young right-hander Johnny Cueto. Ken Griffey, Jr. homered for the lone Reds run, and George Steinbrenner‘s grandson Robert Molloy moved the games-remaining in the old Stadium counter from 43 to 42.
After a rocky early tour with New York, the Yanks were glad to have the mature and destructive line drive bat a few years ago. Back in the magical 1996 season on June 22, Ruben Sierra and the Yankees made another claim on Jacobs Field being their own, as the Yanks prevailed, 11-9, largely on the strength of Sierra homers from each side of the plate. Albert Belle and Eddie Murray both went yard for the Tribe, but they couldn’t overcome the Yanks’ nine-run sixth inning.
The Yanks got another rude reminder that the 2005 Devil Rays were for real, and that Carl Pavano was in for a less than stellar debut season in the Bronx, when Tampa Bay came from behind twice to beat the Yanks in the Stadium 5-3 on June 22. Gary Sheffield gave Carl a first-inning lead with a two-run home run, but Jonny Gomes equaled it in the fourth. Then utility infielder Nick Green won the game for Tampa with a three-run homer in the seventh. Green would play backup in the 2006 Yankee infield.
Disappointing southpaw starter Kei Igawa was recalled from AAA Scranton on June 22, 2007, with lefty Sean Henn making the opposite trip to make room. Bullpenners would record victories in four of Igawa’s six ensuing starts, while he would take the loss in the other two. He would go back down in July and not return until September.
On June 22, 1990, the Yanks won the longest game in Toronto, besting the Blue Jays, 8-7, in 15 innings.
A five-game losing streak was ended, barely, on June 22, 1977, when the Yanks rode a three-run Graig Nettles homer and a two-run Reggie Jackson triple to a 12-11 win over the Tigers.
June 22, 1959, was another big day for Mickey Mantle, as he drove in six runs with two home runs and a triple in a 13-6 win over Kansas City.
It was Roger Maris‘s turn two years later (June 22, 1961). His four hits in an 8-3 win over the A’s included a home run and two doubles. The homer was his 20th in the last 30 days, tying the record set by Ralph Kiner in 1947.
The A’s sent a team that included Hall of Famers Ty Cobb, Mickey Cochrane, Al Simmons, Jimmie Foxx, Eddie Collins, Tris Speaker, and Lefty Grove out to play the Yanks on June 22, 1928, but journeyman starter Hank Johnson not only earned a win, he shut that lineup out 4-0, pitching for New York.
It was only a split with the Browns that the Yanks posted on this day in 1930 (5-4 win, 5-2 loss), but Lou Gehrig went yard three times in Game One and Babe Ruth chipped in with three on the day.
Following up a no-hitter by teammate Rube Foster over the Yankees the day before, Babe Ruth used his left arm to beat the New Yorkers 1-0 for Boston on June 22, 1916. The future Yankee megastar allowed only three singles, two by Frank Gilhooley.
It was Boston again on the same day four years earlier, as the Red Sox drubbed the Yankees 10-3 in the last game of a five-game sweep on June 22, 1920.
June 22, 1965, was a bad news/good news/bad news day in Yankee land. They lost the first of two to the A’s 6-2 despite a Mickey Mantle dinger and pinch-hitting pitcher Ray Barker‘s record-tying homer in a second consecutive game. The Bombers came back to win the nightcap 4-2, but lost The Mick for three weeks when he injured a hamstring trying to score from second on a wild pitch.
While the Yankees were falling to the Indians 4-1 on June 22, 1934, the Tigers were beating the Senators 11-3 to take over first place.
6/22/12
New York Yankees signed OF Nathan Mikolas.
On June 22, 2011, the Yankees placed righthander Jeff Marquez on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 20, with right shoulder inflammation, and replaced him by recalling righty Buddy Carlyle from AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The team also signed two free agent lefties: Steve Evarts and Aaron Dott.
The Yankees signed righthander Dustin Hobbs on June 21, 2010.
The Texas Longhorns won the 2002 College World Series with a 12-6 win over South Carolina on June 22 of that year, the first time Texas took it all in Omaha since Roger Clemens starred on the 1983 team.
Billy Joel performed a concert in Yankee Stadium on June 22, 1990. Meanwhile, the Yanks, who would finish last in the AL East that year, were beating the Blue Jays in Toronto, 8-7 in 15 innings, as reported above.
The Blue Jays were not as lucky as the Yanks (whose Stadium was empty when a beam fell down in left field in 1998) when two acoustic panels plunged from the Skydome ceiling on this day in 1995, as seven fans were injured during the 7-0 loss to the Brewers.
When Ken Griffey, Jr. hit his 31st home run of the season in a 12-3 Mariners win over California on June 22, 1994, he broke Babe Ruth‘s record for most home runs before the end of June.
Two future Yankees had big June 22 successes. Claudell Washington stroked his first three National League home runs in a 9-6 Mets romp over the Dodgers in 1980; and Wade Boggs stroked his first career home run to give Boston a 5-4 win over Detroit in 1982.
Back in his playing days, recent Yankee third base coach Larry Bowa rudely greeted hurler Joel Horner in his debut with the Reds on June 22, 1977. After an intentional pass, Bowa “made him pay” with a grand slam in the Phillies’ 15-9 victory.
Jim Tobin threw his second career no-hitter on June 22, 1944, in a five-inning game shortened by rain in Philadelphia. The under-nine-inning beaut would not be honored as a no-hitter today.
Players Who Have Died This Day
Lefthanded outfielder Charlie Hemphill (1953), who ended his career by hitting one home run with 90 rbi’s for the 1908-1911 Highlanders, is the only Yankee player to have died June 22. That stint crowned an 1899-1907 career largely spent with the Browns, leading to aggregate numbers of 22 long balls and 421 runs driven in.
It was June 22, 2002 that St. Louis starter Darryl Kile died in his hotel room from a misdiagnosed heart condition. Kile, who heads a list of six nonYankee players to have died this day, posted a 133-119 record from 1991 until he died in 2002 with the Astros, Cardinals, and Rockies. Righty Ron Kline, who died that same 2002 day, won 114, lost 144, and saved 108 for the Pirates and Senators from 1952-1970. Catcher Frankie Hayes (1955) cleared 119 fences and knocked in 628 runs with the A’s, with stops with the Brown and Indians too, from 1933-1948; and portsided outfielder Hank Edwards (1988) hit 51 long balls with 276 rbi’s with the Indians, the Cubs, and the Reds from 1941-1943 and 1946-1953. Third baseman Marv Owen (1991) hit 31 roundtrippers and drove in 497 runs from 1931-1940 mostly with Detroit; while fellow third baseman Bubba Phillips (1993), who spent significant time playing outfield as well, hit most of his 62 home runs with 356 rbi’s from 1955-1964 with the White Sox, the Indians, and the Tigers.
Players Born This Day
Jim Bronstad (1936), who posted an 0-3 record in 16 games for the 1959 Yankees, was born on June 22. He was signed by the club as an amateur free agent before the 1955 season, and his contract was sold to the Washington Senators in March 1963. After two years in Washington, Bronstad retired with a 1-7 record with three saves.
Outfielder Mike Fitzgerald (1890) contributed six rbi’s and four stolen bases in 16 games for the 1911 team. Jack Zaluskey (1879) spent six of his seven career major-league games at catcher, the other at first base, for the 1903 Highlanders, for whom he managed one rbi. And although he never played in Pinstripes, Russ Snyder (1934) was a Yankee amateur free agent signer before the 1953 season. He was traded with Tom Carroll to the Kansas City Athletics for Mike Baxes and Bob Martyn in April 1959. Russ played outfield, mostly for Baltimore, from 1959-1970, amassing 42 homers and 319 rbi’s.
Other June 22 baseball birthdays start with Hall of Fame Giants pitcher Carl Hubbell (1903), who posted a 253-154 record in New York. Also: Walt Masterson (1920); Roy Thomas (1953); Greg Booker (1960); Brant Brown (1971); Kensin Kawakami (1975); Esteban Yan (1975); Willie Harris (1978); Brad Hawpe (1979); Jason Motte (1982); Ian Kinsler (1982); and Cesar Ramos (1984).
