July 4: Larkin, Stanley, and Saenz Spark Fireworks
Mike Stanley led the charge as the Senators thumped Detroit 12–3 at Tiger Stadium. Stanley went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs while also scoring three times. He wasn’t the only one to light it up—Willie Greene added a two-run homer in the second as Washington poured on five early runs and never looked back. The Tigers have now dropped seven straight.
In Arlington, Barry Larkin added to his All-Star resume with a 3-hit, 5-RBI performance, including a clutch two-run single in the 10th to break a 5–5 tie. Kansas City would score five in extras to outlast the Rangers, 10–5, improving to a league-best 60–30.
Olmedo Saenz continued his power surge with another two-homer game—his second in four days. The Mets DH drove in three and scored twice as New York took down Baltimore 6–3. Tony Tarasco’s two-run single in the 8th gave the Mets some breathing room late.
Other Highlights:
- Tony Eusebio walked off the Reds in the 13th with a three-run homer, giving Cleveland a gutsy 7–4 win despite David Wells tossing 10.1 innings for Cincinnati.
- The White Sox snapped a losing skid with a 4–3 extra-inning win over Minnesota, thanks to Orlando Miller’s early sac fly and solid work from the bullpen.
- Tom Goodwin walked it off for the Cubs in a 2–1 win over St. Louis with a ninth-inning RBI single.
July 5: Hamelin, Gonzalez Bash Oakland, Castillo Shines
The Rockies’ offense continues to roll. Bob Hamelin erupted for a 3-for-4 day with two homers and five RBIs, including a momentum-shifting 3-run shot in the 7th that broke a 3–3 tie. Not to be outdone, Juan Gonzalez went 4-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs of his own in Colorado’s 9–3 win over the A’s. Jack McDowell struck out 13 in the win, improving to 10–5 on the year.
In Baltimore, Frank Castillo dominated the Orioles with 8 strong innings, allowing just three hits and no earned runs in a 5–1 Mets win. New York used a three-run eighth to break open a tight game, powered by a Gary Sheffield single and some timely hitting from the bottom of the order.
July 6: Hamilton and Glavine Toss Gems, Reds Stay Red-Hot
Joey Hamilton delivered one of the finest pitching performances of the year—a complete game, 5-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts—as the Reds blanked the Spiders 9–0. Matt Stairs backed him with a homer, three hits, and two RBIs in the rout. Hamilton now owns a 13–5 record with 149 Ks and a 2.91 ERA.
Tom Glavine wasn’t about to be outdone. The veteran southpaw silenced Baltimore with a 2-hitter, fanning 7 in a 6–1 Mets win that extended Baltimore’s losing streak to six. Glavine has now won four of his last five starts and continues to be a stabilizing force for New York’s rotation.
Other Notables:
- Barry Larkin has 9 hits and 9 RBIs in his last three games.
- The Mets have won 6 of their last 7 and are pushing for the top of the UL East.
- The Rockies, behind Hamelin and Gonzalez, have climbed to 48–42 and are just two games out of second in the UL West.