June 4: Gooden Dominates, Kile Shuts Out, Sanders Snaps Giants’ Skid
Dwight Gooden turned back the clock for the Orioles, throwing a complete game with 13 strikeouts to beat the Padres 4–2. The former ace is showing flashes of his old self, and the O’s are finally seeing some returns on their investment.
Darryl Kile kept the Pirates quiet, spinning 7.1 innings of two-hit ball in a 4–0 shutout. It was just what the Twins needed after a rollercoaster few weeks.
Scott Sanders helped stop the bleeding in San Francisco, delivering 7.2 strong innings with 8 Ks as the Giants beat the Blue Jays 7–4, ending a rough stretch of losses.
Also:
- Jim Thome’s RBI single in the 11th gave the Royals a 5–4 win over the Yankees, extending KC’s win streak to six games.
- John Kruk hit a walk-off homer to lift the Rangers over the Reds 4–3.
June 5: Buhner’s Blasts, McDonald Stays Hot, and Sosa Steals the Show
Jay Buhner launched two home runs and drove in three as the Sun Rays buried the White Sox 10–3. Orlando’s season hasn’t gone to plan, but Buhner gave fans a reason to cheer.
Ben McDonald continued his dominant run, blanking the A’s over 8 innings in a 4–0 Orioles win. McDonald has now allowed zero runs over his last 16 innings.
Teddy Higuera went 10 innings of one-run ball but didn’t get the decision as the Cubs fell to the Pirates 3–1 in 12. Higuera deserved better.
And then there was Sammy Sosa. The Mets outfielder came off the bench to crush a walk-off solo homer in the 9th, stunning the Padres 8–7 in one of the wildest games of the week.
Elsewhere:
- Washington beat the Dodgers 6–4 in 11 innings, with Pat Kelly delivering the go-ahead RBI and Scott Leius reaching base four times in a quietly stellar night.
June 6: Mitchell’s Gem, Matt Williams Stays Red-Hot, Castilla Powers Pilots
John Mitchell just can’t be stopped. The A’s ace tossed 8.2 shutout innings and struck out 10 in a 12–0 win over Baltimore. That’s 17.2 scoreless innings and 21 strikeouts over his last two starts. He’s not just hot—he’s unhittable.
Matt Williams kept the Cardinals surging, blasting two home runs and driving in four in a 12–2 rout of the Red Sox. He’s quietly climbing the league leaderboard in RBIs.
Vinny Castilla homered twice in Seattle’s 7–3 win over the Expos, reminding everyone why the Pilots’ lineup can still sting, even when they’re buried in the standings.
Also:
- Dave Magadan’s sac fly in the 9th helped the Mets walk it off for the second straight night, beating the Padres 4–3.
- Tony Fernandez capped a wild one in Detroit with a walk-off single in the 10th, lifting the Tigers over the Giants 4–3 despite a stellar start from Omar Daal.