Twins Almanac: Jack Morris's 200th Win, Buxton's Five-Hit Day

April 28th Birthdays
Happy 89th birthday to 15-year major leaguer Pedro Ramos, born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba in 1935. He pitched a three-hit shutout at Yankee Stadium in the very first regular season game in Twins history.

Happy 72nd birthday to current Angels manager Ron Washington. He was Kirby Puckett's first roommate in the majors. 

And happy 39th birthday to 2003 South St. Paul graduate, Golden Gophers all-time great, and former Cubs pitcher John Gaub.

He struck out the first batter he faced in his major league debut on September 12, 2011.

After going 5-for-5 the previous day, Hatcher reeled off four-straight hits, going 4-for-5 in a 10-1 win over Oakland at home in the Dome on this date.

Todd Walker also tied the team record with nine-straight hits in 1998.

1988
The Twins beat the Orioles 4-2 on this date in 1988, dropping Baltimore to an abysmal 0-21 to start the season.

Kent Hrbek finished a triple shy of the cycle.

1991
St. Paul native Jack Morris earned his 200th major league win at the Metrodome on this date in 1991.

Morris—who the Twins made the highest-paid pitcher in the majors over the offseason—entered the game 0-3 with a 6.38 ERA and 1.492 WHIP. Needless to say, he got things figured out.

2010
Australia native Luke Hughes homered off Max Scherzer in his first major league at-bat on this date in 2010.

Hughes originally came to the plate with two out in the second inning, but Delmon Young was thrown out attempting to steal third base for the third out of the inning. So Hughes came up again leading off the top of the third, and lifted Scherzer's 2-2 pitch over the right-fence wall for an opposite field homer.

Six Twins have homered in their first major league at-bat: Rick Renick, Dave McKay, Gary Gaetti, Andre David, Hughes, and Eddie Rosario.

Between August 26 and September 20, 1981, Kent Hrbek, Tim Laudner, and Gary Gaetti each homered in their first major league game.

2021
Byron Buxton went 5-for-5 with a home run and a stolen base on this date in 2021.

The only other players in franchise history with five hits, a home run, and a stolen base in a game are Boileryard Clarke on June 18, 1901, and Jacque Jones on May 6, 2003.

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!