Grady Sizemore hits a pair of solo home runs leading off the first and third innings to become just the second 30-30 man in the history of the Cleveland Indians. Franklin Gutierrez hits the go-ahead home run in the tenth inning to give the Indians a 4-3 win over the Tigers in Detroit.
Sizemore’s shot in the first was his 30th home run of the season. Paired with his 34 stolen bases in 37 attempts, he joined just Joe Carter as Indians in the rare club. Carter had 32 homers and 31 stolen bases in 1987.
Zach Jackson took the no-decision for the Indians and was charged with three earned runs, but the last run scored courtesy of Masahide Kobayashi, who threw a wild pitch, gave up a pair of hits, and did not retire a batter while allowing the tying run to score in the seventh. Brendan Donnelly earned the win as the pitcher of record to start the tenth and Jensen Lewis pitched a perfect tenth for his seventh save of the season.
Also on this busy date in Tribe history:
1921 – Three eighth inning bean balls by New York Yankees pitcher Harry Harper lead to Indians catcher Steve O’Neill throwing the ball back at the man on the mound, starting a bench-clearing brawl. The Indians win 15-1 and pass the Yankees for first place in the American League.
1937 – Bob Feller K’s 16 Boston Red Sox batters on the day, falling just one short of his own AL record, as the Indians win 8-1.
1948 – Bob Lemon blanks the Red Sox, 9-0. The Indians are pushed back into first place behind the eighth shutout of the season for the Tribe hurler.
1966 – Albert Belle is born in Shreveport, Louisiana.
1999 – Manny Ramirez hits three home runs and adds a double for good measure in a 12-4 victory for the Indians over the Oakland Athletics.
2001 – The memorable confrontation between Cleveland’s Omar Vizquel and Seattle’s Arthur Rhodes happens as light reflecting off of Rhodes’ earring bothers Vizquel, who complains to the home plate umpire. Benches will clear as the two players jaw at each other and Rhodes will be ejected.