The Twins Almanac for June 16: Twins Win 15 in a Row!

[Matt Johnson]

Twins Win 15th-Straight

The Twins won their team record 15th-straight game on this date in 1991, beating Cleveland 4-2 in 10 innings. 

The streak began in Kansas City back on June 1st. At the time, the Twins were in fifth place in the AL West—5.5 games behind Oakland. With the win in Cleveland, the Twins moved half a game ahead of Oakland. 

The streak came to and end the next night in Baltimore when Rick Aguilera blew a two-run lead in the ninth. The Twins then won another four in a row, and six of their next seven, before going on a seven-game losing streak. 

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Dick Such Pitches Against Twins

Twins fans will remember Dick Such as the pitching coach for the 1987 and 1991 World Series Championship teams, but he also played in the majors for one season. Playing for the Ted Williams-managed Washington Senators, Such made his only career appearance against the Twins at Met Stadium on this date in 1970. He entered in the seventh with his team down 5-2 and walked Rod Carew to lead off the inning. Carew stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. It was a moot point, however, as Tony Oliva hit a two-run homer. (Of course Oliva was the hitting coach on the 1987 World Series team.)

After the Oliva homer, Such loaded the bases, but got pitcher Jim Perry to ground out to end the inning. It was Perry's only out in the game, going 3-for-4 (raising his average to .361) with an RBI and run scored. 

Such retired Tovar, Carew, and Killebrew in order in the bottom of the eighth. Twins won 7-3.

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Viola Earns First MLB Win

Frank Viola earned his first major league win on this date in 1982, holding the Royals to just one run on a Hal McRae homer over seven innings. Ron Davis earned a six-out save, giving up an RBI double to McRae in the ninth before securing the 5-2 Twins win at Kauffman. 

This was Viola's third start. He lasted just 4 ⅓ in each of the first two. Altogether, he made 22 starts in 1982, compiling a 4-10 record with a 5.21 ERA and 1.508 WHIP. 

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Twins Sign Sauk Rapids Native Out of Tryout Camp

The Twins signed 1979 Sauk Rapids graduate Dick Henkemeyer out of their annual tryout camp held at Met Stadium on June 15 & 16, 1981. 

While at Brainerd Community College in 1980, Henkemeyer led the nation with 1.93 K's per inning.

• Roommates with Kirby Puckett at spring training in 1982
• Longtime Phy Ed teacher in Sauk Rapids
• Played for the townball Sartell Muskies in the '80s

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ALSO ON THIS DATE:

• 1889: The first Golden Gopher to play in the majors, Ralph Capron, is born in Minneapolis 
• 1977: Rob Wilfong hits a two-out walk-off single off Nolan Ryan
• 1995: Kirby Puckett hits a grand slam off fellow Hall of Famer Randy Johnson in a 10-1 Twins win at the Kingdome 
  (Obviously the one run Brad Radke gave up was a first-inning homer by Edgar Martínez)

 

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[Matt Johnson]

Ope—I was incorrect about the seven-game losing streak in June 1991. There was a win mixed in there. Altogether, they put together a 24-3 stretch between May 28 and June 25. 

[CoachDW]

Thanks for the article, Matt. I was curious why Zoilo is getting his award wearing a suit and tie, while Tony O. was getting his in full uniform. I looked at Baseball Reference, and guess Zoilo must have been injured and disabled when this picture was taken, which explains the fancy duds. Maybe there was another reason for his absence, but injury seems the most likely. I see that he played against the White Sox on June 11, 1966 but then didn't play again until appearing in both games of a doubleheader against Detroit on June 24, where he went a combined 4 for 10 with a homer and 4 RBI. So much for bringing him back from injury slowly. Could you even imagine Rocco playing a guy in both games of a doubleheader fresh off the disabled list in today's day and age?  It might take a guy two series to get 10 at bats coming back from injury under Mr. Baldelli.