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Twins Split Doubleheader with Red Sox as Killebrew Homers Four Times

Sept. 21, 1963 - Harmon Killebrew of the Twins hit four home runs today — three in the first game and one in the second — to take the American League lead from Boston’s Dick Stuart, 44-42. The Twins divided their doubleheader with the Red Sox, winning the first game 13-4 and losing the second 11-2, before 13,787 chilled customers at Fenway Park. The four-homer splurge by Killebrew tied an American League record for home runs in a doubleheader held by seven others. Stan Musial of the Cardinals holds the major league mark at five. Carl Yastrzemski of Boston, gunning for the A.L. batting title, went 1-for-4 and 2-for-3 at the plate to lift his leading average to .323. Minnesota used five homers — three by Killebrew — to bludgeon Boston in the first game. Harmon hit No. 41 to tie Stuart for the A.L. lead in the first inning off Bill Monbouquette. He hit No. 42, to take the pinnacle alone, off Pete Smith in the fifth. Stuart, however, came back for a tie with his No. 42 in the sixth inning off Lee Stange. So, Killebrew cracked No. 43 into the left-field screen in the Twins’ six-run eighth off Arnold Earley to regain sole possession of the lead. For the game, Harmon knocked in five runs to skyrocket his total to 94. “It was,” said Killebrew, “the best home run day I ever had. I’ve never hit four in one day before — in the majors, minors, high school or sandlot days. It’s a funny thing, I’ve never had great success here.” He had hit only one home run at Fenway previously, on May 20. Killebrew has one game left at Boston, one in Cleveland, and three in New York. “Cleveland is okay for homers,” Harmon said, “but Yankee Stadium can be a little tough with that long left field, particularly at left center. Stuart has the best of it by finishing at home. But now that I’ve got the lead, I’d like to hold it.”


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