The Twins Almanac: Killebrew Smacks His 500th, Hrbek's Final Game, and Nathan Becomes The Twins All-Time Saves Leader

August 10, 1969: Tovar Breaks Up No-Hit Bid

César Tovar broke up Orioles pitcher Mike Cuellar's no-hit bid leading off the top of the ninth on this date in 1969. Pepito broke up two Baltimore no-hit bids in the ninth inning that season. (Baltimore, of course, got the last laugh, sweeping the Twins in the first-ever ALCS that fall.)

Tovar had his team's only hit five times in his career—tied for the MLB record. (He did it four times with the Twins and once with the Rangers. In the other three games outside of 1969, the one hit came prior to the ninth inning.)

RELATED NOTE: Joe Mauer broke up three no-hit bids in the ninth inning. 

August 10, 1971: Killebrew Hits 500th & 501st Home Runs

Harmon Killebrew hit his 500th and 501st home runs off Baltimore's Mike Cuellar at Met Stadium on this date in 1971. (Twins lost 4-3.)

The Twins actually gave away Harmon Killebrew 500th Home Run commemorative mugs way back on July 6th, assuming he would have reached the milestone by then, but he was having an uncharacteristically slow stretch in terms of home run production.

August 10: Happy Birthday, Dan Johnson

Happy 45th birthday to Blaine High School graduate and 10-year major league first baseman Dan Johnson, born in Coon Rapids on this date in 1979. 

He hit not one but TWO of the biggest home runs in Tampa Bay Rays history, in 2008 and 2011. He later attempted to make a comeback as a knuckleball pitcher with the St. Paul Saints.

August 10, 1994: Hrbek's Final Game

Kent Hrbek played his final game in a Minnesota Twins uniform on this date in 1994, collecting three RBI (including on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch) and scoring one run in a 17-7 win over the Red Sox at home in the Dome. (It was also Red Sox left fielder Tom Brunansky's final game.)

Kirby Puckett went 2-for-3 with three walks, a grand slam, and three-run homer, for a total of seven RBI. Remarkably, there had only been eight 7-RBI games in Twins history prior to 1994, but it was done three times in 1994: Twice by Kirby Puckett and once by Pedro Muñoz.

August 10, 2004: Quinlan 21-Game Hitting Streak

Hill-Murray graduate and Golden Gophers all-time great Robb Quinlan hit in his 21st-straight game with the Angels on this date in 2004. It was the longest hitting streak by a rookie in Angels history. He hit .407 in the July and was named American League Rookie of the Month. 

August 10, 2011: Nathan Becomes Twins Saves Leader

Joe Nathan earned his 255th save on this date in 2011, surpassing Rick Aguilera as the Twins' all-time leader.

Are you interested in Twins history? Then check out the Minnesota Twins Players Project, a community-driven project to discover and collect great information on every player to wear a Twins uniform!