 |
August 5, 2002
Andres Galarraga has spent most of this season at home on the couch. Last year, he slammed 24 homers for the expansion Hoboken Cutters and his former team came calling after placing Benny Agbayani on the DL. The veteran first basemen didn't do much in six games, going 2-for-17; however, one of his two hits was something to remember. His only homer this season was No. 200 for his DMBL career and it came in style: a first-inning grand slam off Newark's Randy Johnson in a 10-3 win at home Aug. 23. All the runs off Johnson were unearned, however, after a two-out error by first basemen Jeremy Giambi. Vancouver's Billy Wagner has been racking up the saves of late, soaring to the league lead. No. 27 on the season was No. 102 lifetime, passing John Wettleland for No. 6 all time. It was standard stuff for the fire-balling left-hander: a perfect ninth with two strikeouts, preserving a 6-3 victory for Greg Maddux at Carolina on Aug. 8. Wanaque shortstop Alex Rodriguez collected his 1,000th career hit in a 4-3 win at Phoenix. It was a ho-hum second-inning single off Mike Matthews. No. 1,001 was a little more exciting: a homer in the fourth. Hoboken all-star second basemen Roberto Alomar became the first player to 2,000 career hits. The historic milestone came in a 15-7 win at Wanaque July 23. The single off Cory Bailey scored Brian Giles during a six-run seventh inning. Juan Gonzalez of Arkansas is halfway to Alomar, collecting his 1,500th hit in a 5-4 win against Phoenix on Aug. 9. It was a second-inning single off Brian Tollberg. Gonzalez also cracked home run No. 350 for his career, a solo shot off Jeff Weaver in the sixth inning of an 8-1 win at Wanaque July 31 Stanhope's all-world reliever, Mariano Rivera, moved into fourth place all time in appearances, passing both Randy Myers and Stan Belinda during a three-game span. No. 401 to pass Myers came Aug. 9 during a 4-0 win at Harrison where Rivera got two outs. No. 403 to pass Belinda was Rivera's 28th save on the season Aug. 11, preserving a 3-1 win at Columbia for Kerry Wood. In that same game, Columbia closer Jeff Shaw cracked the all-time top 10 appearances. Shaw went 1/3 of an inning for his 57th appearance on the year and No. 334 all time, eclipsing Jesse Orosco. More Milestones articles can be found in the Milestones Archives. |
Hoboken catcher Mike Piazza has been smashing home runs left and right lately, breaking his own team record of 45 dingers in a season. His 44th long ball this year was the 300th of his career, joining an exclusive club that only has five members in the DMBL: Bonds, McGwire, Gonzalez, Griffey and Sosa. No. 300 for Piazza came in a 4-2 loss against Vancouver on Aug. 17, a solo shot leading off the fourth inning against rookie Brandon Lyon.