Jim Gentile - 2 Grand Slams on this date - 1961

Roch had this today:

On this date in 1961, first baseman Jim Gentile hit grand slams in the first and second innings a Metropolitan Stadium in a 13-5 win over the Twins. Gentile became only the third player in major league history to hit two grand slams in a game and the first to do it in consecutive innings.

Gentile also had a sacrifice fly and set the club record with nine RBIs, later tied by Eddie Murray on Aug. 26, 1985.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/05/scott-mcgough-outrighted-to-triple-a-norfolk.html

o

The power-hitting Gentile played for the Orioles from 1960-1963, just as they were starting to assert themselves as a power in the American League.

In 4 seasons with the Orioles, Gentile hit at least 20 or more home runs in each of them, hit 30 or more home runs twice, and topped the 40-mark once. In that 4-year stretch,he batted .272 with an outstanding OBP of .379.

Gentile's best year was in 1961 when he hit 46 home runs, scored 96 runs, batted .303 with an OBP of .423, and tied Roger Maris for the American League lead in RBI's with 141.

Also, those 141 RBI's from that 1961 season was the 2nd most in franchise history (Ken Williams had 155 RBI's for the Browns in 1922), and the most RBI's by an Oriole since they moved to Baltimore in 1954. No Oriole had the many RBI's in a single season for 35 more years, until Rafael Palmeiro had 142 in 1996. Miguel Tejada also had 150 RBI's for the Orioles in 2004.

o