On this day in 1982 the Brewers and Mariners played a classic game at the Kingdome. The contest was still scoreless in the top of the eighth when the Crew scored three runs on an error and four consecutive singles, and Rollie Fingers was called upon to record the game's final six outs.
Fingers worked a scoreless eighth but struggled a bit in the ninth, allowing a two run homer to bring Seattle back within one. He retired the next two batters in order, though, to close out a 3-2 win and pick up career save #300.
At the time Fingers was the first pitcher in major league history to reach 300 saves. He's since been joined by 22 others, although his 341 is still the tenth-highest total of all time.
Unfortunately, things were about to take a downhill turn for Fingers. He recorded just one more save in 1982, an injury forced him to miss the postseason and he didn't appear in the big leagues again until 1984.
With help from the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to:
- 1999-2001 Brewer Lou Collier, who turns 39.
- 2004 and 2007-11 Brewer Craig Counsell, who turns 42. We covered his birthday in this space last year.
- 1997 Brewer Mike Misuraca, who turns 44.
- 1986-87 Brewer John Henry Johnson, who turns 56.