The South Siders stay hot to start the second half
In first place with a 49-26 record, the White Sox — “Hitless Wonders” just one year earlier — crushed the New York Highlanders (now Yankees), 15-0. Al Orth and and Earl Moore took the lumps for the Highlanders, and White Sox leadoff man Ed Hahn had the biggest offensive day, going 4-for-6 with three runs, a triple and a stolen base.
That shutout stood up as the biggest shutout in Yankees history until 1950 ... when the White Sox shut them out again, 15-0!
Until 2004, those games were the biggest margin of defeat ever for the Yankees in a shutout.
White Sox pitcher Gary Peters, on his way toward being named Rookie of the Year, threw a one-hitter at Comiskey Park in beating the Orioles, 4-0. Future Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts started for Baltimore and got the O’s only hit … in fact, he would be the only Baltimore baserunner on the night. Roberts’ hit came in the third inning, a single to center field.
This was the first game in White Sox history where the starter threw at least seven innings with no hits or runs and 11 or more strikeouts. It would be 69 years (Dylan Cease) before it happened again.
J.C. Martin and Tommy McCraw blasted two-run home runs for the Sox. Peters struck out 13 and would finish the year with 19 wins despite not getting his first start until May 6.
“Batgate” came to Comiskey Park. In the first inning, Cleveland slugger and future White Sox outfielder Albert Belle was caught using a corked bat by Chicago manager Gene Lamont and was ejected from the game by umpire Dave Phillips, who placed the bat in the umpires’ dressing room.
In order to keep Belle from being suspended further, teammate Jason Grimsley crawled 100 feet through the air ducts and dropped into the umpire’s room, where the bat was being held for examination. Grimsley replaced Belle’s bat with a Paul Sorrento model, which tipped off everyone to the switch.
Umpire Dave Phillips then realized the bats had been switched and the police investigated; the league demanded the return of Belle’s bat. Four days later the bat was sent to New York. It was X-rayed and cut open, revealing illegal cork, in the presence of Belle and Cleveland GM John Hart.
Belle was suspended for 10 games.
The Sox lost the game, 3-2.
White Sox pitcher Esteban Loaiza started the 74th All-Star Game, which was hosted by the White Sox for the fourth time (1933, 1950, 1983). It was the 70th anniversary of the very first All-Star Game, at Comiskey Park. The crowd of 47,609 remains the biggest in New Comiskey history (and in fact, after the contraction of the ballpark in 2004, that crowd will never be surpassed).
Loaiza went two scoreless innings, and got no decision in the AL’s 7-6, come-from-behind win.
He was joined in the game by teammates Carl Everett and Magglio Ordoñez.
With an 8-7 win over Minnesota to open the second half, the White Sox completed a stretch of 26 wins in 31 games, tied with the 1983 club for second-best such stretch in team history. John Danks held on for dear life to get through six innings and earn the win, what with a second-inning battering of six runs on six hits.
Down 6-4, the White Sox chipped away, getting the tying run when A.J. Pierzynski coaxed a balk from Minny hurler Alex Burnett, then slapped an RBI double to put Chicago up for good.
In May-June 1951, the White Sox had gone 26-4-1 to establish the best 31-game mark in team history.
