This Day in Yankees History: DiMaggio has a three home run day

Welcome to This Day in Yankees History. With the start of the 2020 season delayed for the foreseeable future, the Pinstripe Alley team decided to take a look back through history. These daily posts will highlight two or three key moments in Yankees history on a given date, as well as recognize players born on the day. Hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane with us!

★ ★ ★

72 Years Ago

Joe DiMaggio records a three home run game in a 6-5 win over the Indians. All three came after the Yankees had fallen behind 4-0, and two of them came off fellow future Hall of Famer Bob Feller. The second was a three-run shot that completed a comeback to give the Yankees a 5-4 lead. The third gave them the insurance run they would need as Cleveland mounted a ninth inning rally that eventually fell short.

58 Years Ago

Joe Pepitone becomes the second player in Yankees history to hit two home runs in the same inning. In the eighth of a game against the Athletics, he led off the frame with a home run off Dan Pfister to cut Kansas City’s lead to two runs. After the rest of the Yankees lineup then batted around and took the lead, Pepitone put the cherry on top, hitting a three-run shot to make it 13-7, which would be the final score. The only other Yankee to accomplish the feat at that time was the man in the story above, Joe DiMaggio. Cliff Johnson and Alex Rodriguez have also done it since, in 1977 and 2007 respectively.

22 Years Ago

David Wells retires Red Sox lead off hitter Darren Lewis in his first start since his perfect game. In his start prior to his perfecto, he had retired the last 10 Royals he faced. When Darren Bragg singled in the next at bat, that snapped Wells’ streak of 38 consecutive batters retired, an American League record. Bobby Jenks would break that record in 2007 when he retired 41 straight, while Mark Buehrle currently holds the AL mark with 45.

★ ★ ★

Today is also the birthday of two former Yankees’ players. The more notable of which is Mike Dunn, who is a 2009 World Champion! (Sort of.)

A 2004 draft pick by the Yankees, Dunn was a September call up, appearing in four games. The following offseason, he was included in the trade with the Braves that sent Javy Vazquez and Boone Logan to New York. Since then, Dunn had been a major league regular every season, spending most of his career with the Marlins, and playing the last three seasons with the Rockies. He announced his retirement in February.

The other is Bill Drescher, who played with the Yankees from 1944-46. He impressively wore more different uniform numbers (five) than played seasons in the majors (three).

Today is also the birthday of broadcaster Arch McDonald.

McDonald was a Ford C. Frick Award winner, most known for his time as a broadcaster for the Washington Senators. However, he did spend one season, in 1939, calling games for the Yankees, during which he gave DiMaggio his “Yankee Clipper” nickname.

★ ★ ★

We thank Baseball-Reference, Nationalpastime.com, and Baseballhall.org for providing background information for these posts.