On This Date in Sports April 23, 1999: Twice as Grand
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
It is an inning to remember for Fernando Tatis Sr. of the St. Louis Cardinals. Tatis becomes the first player to hit two grand slams in the same inning as the Cardinals score 11 runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers. All 11 runs are scored on Chan Ho Park, who is allowed to face the St. Louis slugger twice despite having a nightmarish third inning. The Cardinals would win the game at Dodger Stadium 12-5. Taits is the tenth player with two grand slams in one game, the second in National League history, as the eighth RBI establish a single inning record.
As the 1999 season began for the St. Louis Cardinals, all eyes were on Mark McGwire, who had a record 70 home runs in 1998. The Cardinals were off to a strong start with a 9-5 record for manager Tony LaRussa, who had Fernando Tatis Sr. amid a breakout season. Tatis, who had become a father for the first time in January, had four home runs in the first two weeks of the season.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were starting a new era for manager Davey Johnson. After having two managers for 43 years, the Dodgers were on their third skipper since the start of 1998. The Dodgers were 8-8 through the first 16 games, as they had Chan Ho Park making the start against Cardinals rookie Jose Jimenez.
The game started well for the Dodgers, as they had sac-flies from Gary Sheffield and Todd Hundley, leading to runs in the first and second innings. In the third inning, the Cardinals' rally began with a single by Darren Bragg. After Edgar Renteria was hit by a pitch, McGwire singled to bring up Fernando Tatis Sr for his first grand slam. With the Cardinals now leading 4-2, Park got his first out as J.D. Drew grounded out to first. Eli Marrero followed with a home run to make it 5-2.
Dave Johnson allowed Chan Ho Park to work through his struggles as the game began to get away from Los Angeles. Park walked Placido Polanco and Joe McEwing. Jose Jimenez came up to bunt and reached as the Dodgers tried to get the lead runner at third. The Dodgers' defense failed again one batter later as the Cardinals scored a run on a poor throw by first baseman Erik Karros. The Cardinals got an RBI single by Renteria to keep the bases loaded.
Mark McGwire flew out with no runners advancing, bringing Fernando Tatis Sr. to the plate with the bases loaded again. The only previous National League to have two Grand Slams in a game was Tony Colinger, a pitcher with the Atlanta Braves in 1966. It had happened eight times in the American League; most recently, Chris Hoiles with the Baltimore Orioles did it in 1998. Tatis would hit the grand slam, making history as the Cardinals' lead increased to 11-2.
Carlos Perez came on to pitch for the Dodgers, and retired J.D. Drew to end the inning. Jose Jimenez pitched seven innings for St. Louis, allowing four runs on nine hits with six strikeouts to earn his second career win. Drew would homer for the Cardinals in the sixth, while the Dodgers scored two runs in the seventh. Manny Aybar finished the game for St. Louis, allowing a run in the eighth as the Cardinals won 12-5.