Major League Baseball witnessed an unprecedented offensive explosion on Tuesday, with a flurry of runs that harkened back to the late 19th century. Twelve teams achieved double-digit scores, a feat rarely seen in the modern era. Remarkably, three separate games concluded with the identical 11-10 scoreline, a first in MLB history. These high-scoring affairs included the San Francisco Giants' victory over the Cincinnati Reds, the New York Mets' triumph against the Chicago White Sox, and the Kansas City Royals' narrow win over the Detroit Tigers.
Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez acknowledges the dugout after a two-run homer against the White Sox on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The offensive onslaught didn't stop there. The Chicago Cubs piled on 17 runs against the Washington Nationals, while the Arizona Diamondbacks outlasted the Atlanta Braves in a 16-13 shootout. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins both secured 10-3 victories, and the Cleveland Guardians dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-1.
This collective offensive outburst tied for the second-most teams reaching double-digit runs in a single day, a mark previously set on May 30, 1884. The all-time record belongs to July 4, 1884, when 13 teams accomplished this feat, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. It's important to note the different baseball landscape of the 19th century, which featured more teams and leagues.
Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki connects for a home run off Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Tuesday's schedule included 15 games, with one being a continuation of a suspended game from Monday. In 1884, significantly more games were played due to the existence of three major leagues: the National League, the American Association, and the Union Association.
Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor celebrates his two-run homer against the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
