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This Day in Baseball History

1996 - The Rocket strikes out major-league record 20, again

Boston Red Sox right-hander Roger Clemens tosses a complete-game shutout with a record-tying 20 strikeouts in a 4-0 win over the Detroit Tigers.

The feat ties Clemens' previous mark set nearly 10 years earlier against the Seattle Mariners.

Clemens allows five hits and issues no walks in the effort, improving his record to 10-12. Tigers shortstop Travis Fryman is the most aggrieved of Clemens' 10 different victims, striking out in all four plate appearances.

1999 - Slammin' Sammy is 1st player to hit 60 home runs in consecutive seasons

Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa becomes the first player in major-league history to record back-to-back 60-homer seasons with a sixth-inning solo shot off Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jason Bere.

Sosa's milestone home run is, however, not enough to lift the last-place Cubs over the Brewers, who win the contest 7-4.

Despite his gaudy total, Sosa finishes the campaign behind home-run leader Mark McGwire for the second straight year. Sosa goes on to hit 50 the next season before returning to the exclusive 60-homer club with 64 in 2001.

Sosa's unprecedented run results in the third-, fifth- and sixth-most prolific home run seasons in baseball history.

Birthdays

1908 - Satchel Paige

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