April 26, 1970: Luis Tiant is terrific as Twins top Tigers, 6-0

Luis Tiant1 befuddled major-league hitters for 19 seasons with an assortment of pitches delivered from various angles. Signed at age 18 by the Mexico City Tigers of the Double-A Mexican League in 1959,2 Tiant toiled three years in Mexico before his contract was acquired by the Cleveland Indians. After two seasons in the Cleveland farm system, sometimes bothered by a sore elbow,3 Tiant moved up to Triple-A Portland in the Pacific Coast League in 1964. A scintillating 15-1 start for Portland earned him a promotion to Cleveland.

Tiant debuted with an 11-strikeout shutout of the pennant-bound New York Yankees on July 19, 1964.4 He finished the year with a 10-4 record and a 2.83 earned-run average. From 1965 to 1967, Tiant was a cumulative 35-31, 3.03 before going 21-9, 1.60 in 1968. While overshadowed by Cy Young Award winners Denny McLain of the Detroit Tigers (31-6, 1.96), and Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals (22-9, 1.12), Tiant’s 1968 earned-run average remains as of 2025 the lowest for AL pitchers with a qualifying number of innings since Walter Johnson’s 1.49 in 1919.

The 1969 season was a disaster for Cleveland and Tiant. The Indians lost 15 of their first 16 games, with Tiant, who did not pitch in the winter leagues for the first time in his career, absorbing four of the losses. He said his arm had no pain but he felt “weakness.”5 Cleveland finished 62-99, last in the AL East Division. Tiant’s final log was 9-20, 3.71, with a league-worst 129 walks and 37 home runs allowed.6

In December 1969 the Indians traded Tiant and pitcher Stan Williams to the Minnesota Twins for pitchers Dean Chance and Bob Miller, center fielder Ted Uhlaender, and outfielder-third baseman Graig Nettles.7 Minnesota owner Calvin Griffith, who acted as his own general manager, made a number of offseason moves. He regretted parting with Nettles, but said he “got rid of some personalities.”8 He fired Billy Martin, who had been with the organization as a player, scout, coach, and minor-league manager before taking over as major-league manager and leading the Twins to 97 wins in 1969, and released 1969 All-Star catcher John Roseboro, who Griffith said would continually “run me down.”9

Now 29 years old, Tiant was not impressive in winter ball in Mexico, or in spring training for the Twins.10 He was wild and complained of a sore back until he finally pitched better in a Triple-A exhibition game in late March.11 Tiant continued to struggle in his first two 1970 regular-season starts, a no-decision against the Chicago White Sox and an unimpressive win over the Oakland A’s when he allowed five runs in five innings.12

He was more effective in his third outing. On April 22 at home against the White Sox, Tiant picked up a rain-shortened five-inning 3-1 win, working quickly and throwing more fastballs than earlier in the season.13 Tiant was 2-0 with a 5.02 ERA going into his next start.

April 26 was a warm Sunday and Bat Day at Metropolitan Stadium. A crowd of 36,847 turned out to see Tiant square off against 1968 World Series star Mickey Lolich of Detroit. Lolich was 4-1 and fresh off a five-hit shutout of Cleveland. The Twins were 10-4 and Detroit 10-5 for the season after splitting the first two games of the series. Bill Freehan’s tiebreaking seventh-inning homer had won the opener for Detroit, and Harmon Killebrew singled in Tony Oliva to give Minnesota a walk-off win on April 25.

The teams traded zeroes for three innings. The giveaway bats were frequently pounded by their recipients on the stadium floor. Norm Cash of Detroit walked in the second but was erased trying to steal second. Both pitchers singled in the third inning but were left stranded.

The Twins strung three singles and a walk to take a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Tiant had a chance to widen the margin with two on but grounded out to end the inning.

Dick McAuliffe singled for the Tigers’ second hit with two out in the sixth, but a popout ended the inning.

The Twins knocked out Lolich and broke the game open in their half of the sixth. After Frank Quilici singled with two outs, Tiant drove him in with a double to left field. Then Tiant surprised his manager, Bill Rigney, by stealing third base, which turned out to be the only steal of his long career. Tiant said Lolich looked at him while delivering, but “not too close.” With Cesar Tovar batting, Tiant figured the worst case would have Tovar leading off the seventh inning if he was thrown out.14

Tiant held third as Tovar beat out an infield hit and stole second. Both runners scored when Leo Cardenas tripled to the fence in left field. It was a 4-0 game.

Jerry Robertson relieved Lolich and Killebrew singled in Cárdenas before the side was retired. Tiant retired the Tigers in order in the seventh and eighth innings, making a nice barehanded snag of a bouncer off the bat of Jim Northrup in the eighth before tossing him out at first.

Tiant led off the Twins’ eighth with a single to center, his third hit of the game.15 He advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on Tovar’s sacrifice. Killebrew singled Tiant home to make it 6-0. Tiant allowed a one-out single to McAuliffe in the ninth, but pinch-hitter Gates Brown popped out and Al Kaline – who had five hits in the series opener – flied to right field to end the game.

No Tiger advanced to second base, as Tiant allowed three hits and one walk and struck out six. He said the big crowd encouraged a good effort as he puffed a cigar “at least a foot long” after the game.16 Local sportswriter Bob Fowler termed Tiant’s performance “heroic.”17 Detroit’s McAuliffe said he had never seen Tiant with better control, and said his curve was “sharp,” but said he had seen more velocity from him in the past.18 Lolich said, “With the stuff I had today I should always win.”19

Tiant won his next two starts, against his former Cleveland teammates and a rematch with Lolich in Detroit. He went eight innings at home against the Milwaukee Brewers in an 11-2 win on May 28, making him 6-0 for the season. But Tiant “heard something pop” in his right shoulder against the Brewers and was out of action until August with a fractured scapular of the shoulder. Nineteen-year-old Bert Blyleven was called up from Triple-A Evansville to replace Tiant.20

When Tiant returned from the disabled list, he pitched inconsistently the rest of the season. His final record for 1970 was 7-3, 3.39. As a batter, he had 13 hits, including four doubles, in 32 at-bats, a .406 average.

The Twins won their second consecutive AL West title and again faced Baltimore in the ALCS. Tiant’s final pitching appearance of 1970 came on October 4 during the ninth inning of Game Two of the ALCS. He pitched the final two-thirds of an inning of Baltimore’s 11-3 victory, surrendering a three-run home run to Davey Johnson. As in 1969, Baltimore swept the Twins in three games.

Tiant pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League and reported to spring training in 1971 in good physical condition.21 But he was not impressive in spring training, and after being shelled by the Cardinals on March 28,22 he was released.23 After stints at Triple A with Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox farm teams, he was recalled by the Red Sox in June 1971 and went 1-7, 4.85 the rest of the season.

He won his second earned-run average title in 1972, going 15-6, 1.91 with Boston. In all, Tiant won 147 major-league games in 12 seasons after being released by the Twins,24 including three 20-win seasons for Boston; was selected for the 1974 and 1976 AL All-Star teams; and finished his career 229-172, 3.30. He was 3-0 in postseason appearances, including two victories for Boston against the Cincinnati Reds in the 1975 World Series.

Author’s Note

The author attended this game with his grandfather, father, and younger brothers.

Acknowledgments

This article was fact-checked by David Rader and copy-edited by Len Levin.

Photo credit: Luis Tiant, Trading Card Database.

Sources

In addition to the sources in the Notes, the author used Baseball-Reference.com and Retrosheet.org for pertinent information, including the box score and play-by-play.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN197004260.shtml

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1970/B04260MIN1970.htm

Notes

1 Tiant’s father, Luis E. Tiant, played in Cuba, the Negro Leagues, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico, as well as barnstorming teams, from 1926 through 1948.

2 Roberto Hernandez, “Yucatan Out – Eagles Rejoin Mexican Loop,” The Sporting News, March 11, 1959: 26. While the younger Tiant’s age was sometimes questioned during his playing career, his birthdate is recognized as November 23, 1940.

3 Russell Schneider, “Lucky Luis, Modest Hurler Tiant Thinks So,” The Sporting News, August 3, 1968: 3.

4  Regis McAuley, “Tiant, Overlooked in 1963 Draft, Now Toast of Tepee,” The Sporting News, August 1, 1964: 9.

5  Russell Schneider, “Tiant Removes Last of Winter’s Rust,” The Sporting News, June 21, 1969: 22.

6  Russell Schneider, “Worst Season in 55 Years for Tribe,” The Sporting News, October 18, 1969: 28.

7  Both Tiant and Chance had great games in the past against their new teams. Chance threw a no-hitter against Cleveland in a road game on August 25, 1967, his second no-hitter of the month, on his way to a 20-win season for the Twins. C.C. Johnson Spink, Chris Roewe, and Oscar Kahan, Official Baseball Guide for 1968 (St. Louis: The Sporting News, 1968), 262. Tiant won a 2-1 pitchers’ duel in Cleveland on July 3, 1968, setting an AL record for a 10-inning game by fanning 19 Twins. C.C. Johnson Spink, Chris Roewe, and Paul MacFarlane, Official Baseball Guide for 1969 (St. Louis: The Sporting News, 1969), 266.

8 Sid Hartman, “Griffith Calls Twins Better,” Minneapolis Tribune, April 6, 1970: 30.

9 Hartman, Minneapolis Tribune, March 29, 1970: 39. Roseboro’s age was likely a factor. He was 36 and after being signed by the Washington Senators in December 1969, was released on August 19, 1970.

10  Doug Brown, “Old Man Minnie? He’s Hitting Like Kid,” The Sporting News, February 14, 1970: 34. This article reported that Orioles’ scout Frank Lane said Tiant was overweight and had been suspended for 10 days by his winter league manager; Sid Hartman, Self-Titled Sports Column, Minneapolis Tribune, March 25, 1970: 26.

11 Sid Hartman, Self-Titled Sports Column, Minneapolis Tribune, March 29, 1970: 39.

12 Tiant lasted only 4 1/3 innings, walking four and surrendering five hits, in a 6-4 Twins win in Chicago on April 9. On April 18 in Oakland, he went eight innings in an 11-5 Twins victory, in which he gave up all the A’s runs, including two home runs.

13 “Tiant Win Key: Fast (Ball, Pace),” Minneapolis Tribune, April 23, 1970: 37.

14  Jon Roe, “Tiant Hurls, Hits Twins Past Tigers,” Minneapolis Tribune, April 27, 1970: 33.

15  This was Tiant’s first three-hit game in the majors. The second and last was on May 28, 1970, against Milwaukee.

16  Roe.

17  Bob Fowler, “Tiant heroic as Twins Belt Tigers,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, April 27, 1970: 26.

18  Sid Hartman, Self-Titled Sports Column, Minneapolis Tribune, April 27, 1970: 34.

19  Jim Hawkins, “Goodby 1st! Tigers Lose,” Detroit Free Press, April 27, 1970: 35.

20  Tom Briere, “Blyleven Replaces Injured Tiant,” Minneapolis Tribune, June 2, 1970: 21.

21  Bob Fowler, “Tiant and Pascual New Objects of Rigney Affection,” The Sporting News, March 6, 1971: 34.

22  Jon Roe, “Cards Rip Tiant, Kaat in 13-2 Twin Loss,” Minneapolis Tribune, March 29, 1971: 27. The Cardinals’ Joe Torre hit three home runs in the game, two off Tiant and one off Jim Kaat.

23  Dan Stoneking, “Twins Release Boswell, Tiant,” Minneapolis Star, March 31, 1971: 57.

24  A similar situation developed in August 1973, after Griffith failed to make a trade for pitcher Jim Kaat, also roughed up in the March 28, 1971, spring-training game. Kaat was released but pitched 10 more years and won 93 more games in the majors, including two 20-win seasons for the White Sox.