Between The Lines

Power Surge. At week's end the Tigers had homered in 25 straight games, tying a major league record set by the 1941 Yankees. Detroit had hit 46 home runs during the streak, including the 11 hit this season by outfielder Junior Felix. In the same span the Pirates had hit all of 17 homers. "We're trying," says Pittsburgh third base coach Rich Donnelly. "We spend more time in the cage than Gunther Gebel-Williams."

Do the Right Thing. Because so many of their righthanded hitters were injured, the Rangers had to start three lefthanded batters—Rusty Greer, David Hulse and Oddibe McDowell—against Mariner southpaw Randy Johnson on June 15. In his previous eight starts Johnson had faced a total of three lefthanded-hitting starters. Here's why: Lefty swingers hit .194 against Johnson over the past six seasons. The Texas lefties followed form; they were a combined 1 for 9 against Johnson in the 5-2 loss to Seattle.

One for the Aged. On June 14, at the age of 46 years, five months, Marlin knuckleballer Charlie Hough threw a five-hitter and blanked the Cards 7-0 to replace Satchel Paige (46 years, two months) as the second-oldest pitcher in history to throw both a complete game and a shutout. "A mere child compared to me," Hough said of Paige. The oldest pitcher to accomplish both feats? Another knuckleballer, Phil Niekro.