The Twins Almanac (August 24): Kent Hrbek's First Big-League Home Run Gives Twins Extra-Inning Win at Yankees Stadium

August 24, 1969: Blade Wins Pitchers' Duel
Tom "The Blade" Hall and the Yankees' Al Downing locked horns in an epic pitchers' duel at Met Stadium on this date in 1969, with both pitchers taking three-hit shutouts into the ninth inning. After Tony Oliva made it to third on an error leading off the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees intentionally walked Bob Allison and Leo Cárdenas before George Mitterwald delivered a walk-off single. Hall surrendered a hit in the ninth inning, making it a four-hit shutout. He also walked two in the game.

Al Downing ... where have I heard that name before? Flex your baseball history knowledge in the comments section below. 

August 24, 1981: Hrbek Hits Game-Winning Home in MLB Debut
21-year-old Kent Hrbek hit the game-winning home run in the 12th inning of his major-league debut at Yankee Stadium on this date in 1981.

Hrbie was called up straight from Low-A Visalia, where he was batting .379 with 27 home runs and 111 RBI. The call up straight from Class A meant he'd be getting home to Minnesota sooner than expected, where his dad had recently been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease. (You'll note, of course, that Hrbie made his major-league debut playing Lou Gehrig's old position at Gehrig's old ballpark.)

The 1978 Bloomington Kennedy graduate's first major league hit was an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1 in the fifth. The game was tied 2-2 in the top of the 12th when Hrbie hit the game-winning homer off 1987 teammate George Frazier, over the head of Mr. October, Reggie Jackson. Supposedly Twins pitching coach Johnny Podres said to Hrbek, "Hey, kid, it's getting kind of late; I'm going to need a cocktail pretty soon. Hit one out of here, will you?

Hrbek was the first of three Twins to homer in their MLB debuts in less than a month. Four days later, Park Center graduate Tim Laudner did so, and on September 20th, Gary Gaetti homered in his very first big-league at-bat. 

August 24, 1992: Old Teammates Trade Homers
After watching a Kent Hrbek opposite-field homer sail over his head the previous half inning, Tigers left fielder Dan Gladden hit one over the plexiglass himself as part of a 6-2 Tigers win at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on this date in 1992.

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