THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: MAY 14

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: MAY 14

 

For more, see www.whitesoxalmanac.com

 

Jim Spencer tied the franchise record with eight RBIs in the White Sox 18-2 win over Cleveland before 13,923 in a morning game at Comiskey Park. The game started at 10:30 a.m. to promote McDonald’s new breakfast sandwich “the egg mcmuffin.” Spencer was 3-for-3 with a two-run home run, a grand slam and a two-run single in helping the Sox bang out 17 hits. Spencer joined Tommy McCraw (May 24, 1967) and Carl Reynolds (July 2, 1930) as Sox players with eight RBI games. Spencer would duplicate the feat on July 2, 1977.

 

Gary Peters one-hit the California Angels and drove in two runs as the White Sox moved into first place with a 3-1 win in the second game of a doubleheader before 10,516 at Comiskey Park. A second-inning home run to Moose Skowron was the only blemish on Peters’ performance, which included 10 strikeouts. Peters gave the Sox the lead for good with a two-run single in the second. The Sox won the first game 4-2 and the sweep extended the team’s winning streak to 10. The hot streak pushed the Sox record to 18-7.

 

1984: Tom Seaver twirled the first shutout of his White Sox career in a 2-0 win over the Kansas City Royals before 20,007 at Comiskey Park. Seaver bested Bret Saberhagen and his masterpiece pulled the Sox to .500 at 17-17 and got them to within one game of the American League West lead.

 

1998: Greg Norton became the fifth player to homer twice in a game off Randy Johnson in the White Sox 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners before 15,007 at Comiskey Park. Norton homered in the third and then in the sixth in joining the Yankees’ Jesse Barfield and Gerald Williams, Boston’s John Valentin and Anaheim’s Jim Edmonds as players with two homers off Johnson in a game. Tom Fordham started and earned his first career victory.

 

2002: Tony Graffanino had the game of his life in the White Sox 15-4 win over the Texas Rangers before 17,503 at Comiskey Park. Graffanino drove in a career-best six runs on the strength of a 4-for-4 performance which included two home runs and a double. The outburst helped Mark Buehrle earn his seventh win and stopped the Sox four-game losing streak.