This day in 1971 was not a good day for the Brewers. They lost both halves of a doubleheader with the Yankees in New York, but the second game did have an interesting statistical quirk.
Jim Slaton started the back end of the twin bill for the Brewers, but lasted just one inning and allowed three runs on five hits and three walks. He was followed to the mound by Marcelino Lopez, who pitched the next 5.2 innings. The AL hadn't instituted the DH at this point, though, so Lopez got two relatively rare opportunities to hit in the game.
As luck would have it, Lopez's first at bat was a big one: He singled in two runs in the fourth inning, turning a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 Brewer lead. Lopez is one of just three relief pitchers in franchise history ever to drive in two runs in a game:
Pitcher | Date |
Diego Segui | September 13, 1969 (first game) |
Marcelino Lopez | May 2, 1971 (second game) |
Brooks Kieschnick | May 12 and August 6, 2003 |
Lopez's hit on this day was his only one as a Brewer.
Today is also the 19th anniversary of the major league debut of reliever Jeff Bronkey, the only major leaguer born in Afghanistan. We covered that event in this space last year.