By Robert Dominguez Not bad for an old guy. During the 2004 season, whenever the Atlanta Braves were in a late-inning pinch they often turned to an unlikely source for help — 45-year-old Julio Franco, who on this day in béisbol, May 18, delivered big-time. Batting in the eighth inning with the Braves losing 4-2 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the grizzled veteran came off the bench, grabbed a bat and hit a game-tying, two-out, two-run homer to take the game into extra innings. Atlanta ended up losing in 11 innings, but it was a memorable night anyway for Franco, the

He was an unassuming designated hitter on a team loaded with two-way superstars, a late bloomer who let his bat do the talking for him all the way to Cooperstown. But even with sluggers Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez and Jay Buhner in the lineup, there’s no way the Seattle Mariners would have enjoyed their winning ways in the late 1990s and early 20s without Edgar Martinez. On this day in béisbol, May 18, 1998, Martinez had a homer hat trick, blasting three in a game against the Twins. It was an encore performance worthy of his stature as one

By Robert Dominguez Ivan Rodriguez only played one season with the Astros in a well-traveled career, but he managed to reach an out-of-this-world milestone for a catcher while wearing a Houston uniform. On this day in béisbol, May 17, 2009, the Hall of Fame backstop rocketed his 300th career home run in a game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The fourth-inning blast off Chicago pitcher Rich Harden helped Houston to a 6-5 win, but it also put “Pudge” into a rare stratosphere. Only six other players whose career was spent primarily as a catcher have more than 300 home

With one just one of his patented mighty righty swings, Miguel Cabrera moved a Tiger step closer to Cooperstown, became the most prodigious homer hitter from Venezuela, and passed another Detroit icon on the all-time list. On this day in béisbol, May 16, 2015, Cabrera slammed his 400th career home run in the first inning of an away game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The shot to deep centerfield made the Tiger first baseman baseball’s leader for homers hit by a Venezuela native, passing Andres Galarraga.  It also moved Cabrera ahead of Al Kaline, the Tigers Hall of Fame outfielder

Few players have left the game with a flourish like David Ortiz, who at 40 years old and in his final season of a Cooperstown-worthy, 20-year-career put up remarkable numbers in 2016 that belied his age. On this day in béisbol, May 14, 2016, Big Papi hit a big milestone in his capstone season that put him in the same rarified air of two of baseball’s greatest hitters. Ortiz, one of the most fearsome clutch hitters in history, also came through for the Red Sox yet again — twice.  Losing 5-4 at home against the Astros, Boston was down to

A decade after The Big Red Machine steamrolled the National League, one of its vital cogs was still making history. On this day in béisbol, May 13, 1985, Tony Perez celebrated an early birthday by becoming the oldest player to hit a grand slam. The Cuban slugger, a day before turning 43, was on his second go-round with the Cincinnati Reds when he stepped up to the plate as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the sixth inning of a 3-3 tie against the Phillies. With the bases full, Perez launched a home run that turned out to be the

It’s easy to overlook just how good a hitter Alfonso Soriano was over a 16-year career in which he racked up some pretty impressive stats with a dynamic combination of power and speed.   Not to mention he was the main trade bait (along with a no-name minor leaguer) that brought Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees in a blockbuster deal with the Rangers before the 2003 season that, for better or worse, changed the course of Bombers history. On this day in béisbol, May 12, 2014, the 38-year-old Dominican Republic native, on his second stint with the Yankees and in

In a perfect baseball world, Rafael Palmeiro, the Havana-born slugger with a sweet lefty stroke, would have guaranteed his place among the game’s immortals on this day in béisbol, May 11, 2003. That’s when the 38-year-old Texas Rangers first baseman became just the 19th player in MLB history — and the first born in Cuba — to become a charter member of the 500 Home Run Club.  But reaching a milestone that at one time punched you an instant ticket to Cooperstown turned out to be a tainted achievement for Palmeiro.  As one of the bigger names caught up in