June 16: Stairs Keeps Mashing, Pulsipher Surprises, Harnisch Heartbreaker
Matt Stairs stayed white-hot for the Reds, crushing two homers and driving in three in a 6–4 win over the White Sox. Since stepping into the everyday lineup, Stairs has been a force—and a much-needed one in a division full of bats.
Bill Pulsipher stole the show in L.A., going the distance in a 3–2 win over Toronto. The rookie allowed just three hits and struck out eight, providing the kind of rotation depth the Dodgers desperately needed.
Meanwhile, Pete Harnisch deserved better. He went 8 innings and allowed just 1 run—and still took the loss in a 1–0 defeat to the Twins. Baseball can be cruel.
June 17: Brown Dominates, Ripken Dials Back the Clock, and Grissom Goes Deep (Twice)
Kevin Brown might have delivered the pitching performance of the month, striking out 14 batters in a 3-hit shutout of the Pirates. It was an emphatic reminder that Kansas City’s rotation is just as dangerous as their bats.
Cal Ripken Jr. proved age is just a number, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs in the Blue Jays’ 9–3 rout of the Dodgers.
And in Cleveland, Marquis Grissom put the Spiders on his back, launching two homers and driving in five as the Spiders edged Texas 10–9 in a back-and-forth slugfest.
Also:
- Ivan Calderon’s 3 RBI day pushed the Cardinals past the Yankees, 4–3.
- Devon White walked off the Expos with a single in the 9th to give Oakland a 6–5 win—a rare bright spot in a rough year.
June 18: Maddux, Lieber, Davis… and a 16-Inning Marathon in Motown
Greg Maddux made it look easy again, throwing a 4-hit shutout with 9 Ks in a 3–0 win over Toronto. That’s now 10 straight starts without a loss and a 1.85 ERA during that stretch. The Dodgers have quietly climbed back into the playoff picture—and Maddux is the reason why.
Eric Davis crushed two home runs and drove in four in a 10–3 win over the White Sox, who continue to anchor the bottom of the Federal League.
Jon Lieber made a statement in Oakland, pitching a 2-hit shutout with seven strikeouts. Montreal won 7–0, and the Expos now sit at 50–25, the first team to hit the 50-win mark this season.
But the game of the night? That belonged to Detroit and Seattle, who battled for 16 innings. With the game tied 1–1, Albert Belle stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 16th—and ended it with a towering 2-run blast. Detroit wins 3–1, and Belle delivers one of the loudest swings of the year.