The Twins Almanac: Tom Seaver vs. Frank Viola, Joe Mauer at His Hottest, and More

August 18, 1893: Birthdate of Burleigh Grimes
Hall of Fame spitballer Burleigh Grimes was born near Clear Lake, Wis. on this date in 1893. He pitched for the Austin, Minn. town team on the Fourth of July 1912, and wound up staying and spending the rest of the season with them. He came back, to much fanfare, with a Brooklyn barnstorming team in 1921.

August 18, 1959: Sauk Rapids Native Connects for Game-Winning Hit
Sauk Rapids native Rip Repulski hit a 13th-inning, game-winning single off Milwaukee's Warren Spahn on this date in 1959. Remarkably, it was the second time in just over a month that Repulski hit a 13th-inning game-winning single off the Hall of Famer Spahn, both times knocking in Dodgers teammate Wally Moon. Repulski entered both games as a pinch-hitter for Hall of Famer Duke Snider. The Dodgers went on to win the World Series that year.

August 18, 1986: Seaver Wins Final MLB Game
Pitching for the Red Sox, 41-year-old Tom Seaver won his 311th and final major-league game in a narrow 3-1 Boston victory over the Minnesota Twins in the Metrodome on this date in 1986. He pitched 8 ⅔ innings, allowing just one run on three hits and four walks, while striking out seven.

Seaver gave up a single to the first batter he faced, leadoff hitter Kirby Puckett. In the bottom of the third, he gave up a solo home run to Roy Smalley, tying the game at 1-1. He did not give up another hit until there were two outs in the ninth.

Frank Viola pitched a heck of a game himself. After finding himself in a 1-0 hole two batters into the game, he held the Red Sox scoreless, allowing just four hits from the second through the eighth innings. Tied 1-1 in the ninth, however, Viola gave up a single to center fielder Tony Armas and a two-run homer to catcher Rich Gedman to give the Red Sox a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.

With two out in the ninth, Seaver gave up his third and final hit, a double to Randy Bush. With Tom Brunansky pinch-hitting for Billy Beane and representing the tying run, Red Sox manager John McNamara brought in Bob Stanley, who got Bruno looking to secure Seaver’s last win.

August 18, 2009: Mauer Flirting with .400
Joe Mauer was batting .383 on this date in 2009. He finished the season with a .365 average and was named American League MVP.

August 18, 2016: Twins Begin 13-Game Losing Streak
The Twins lost 8-1 in Kansas City on this date in 2016, beginning a 13-game losing streak—the second-longest in team history. They did not win again until September 1.

August 18, 2020: Maeda K's Eight Straight in No-Hit Bid
Kenta Maeda set a new Twins record with eight straight strikeouts on this date in 2020, and took a no-hit bid into the ninth inning. After Maeda lost his no-hitter with a leadoff single to center in the ninth, the Twins went to the bullpen, and the Brewers wound up tying the game 3-3 (with just the one run charged to Maeda). Despite the newly implemented runner on second to start each extra inning, it took the Twins until the 12th to pull off the victory.

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