MLB Notebook: Machado's encore a rare performance

On Sept. 14, 1951, a 24-year-old left fielder named Bob Nieman played in his first Major League game. Nieman -- batting fifth in the St. Louis Browns' lineup -- came to the plate for the first time in the second inning and hit a solo homer against Red Sox southpaw Mickey McDermott. Then, in the third inning, Nieman came to the plate for the second time in his career and hit a two-run home run.

Nieman couldn't hit a third in that game, singling once in his final three at-bats. He would have to be satisfied with becoming just the second player in the Major League history (after Charlie Reilly in 1889 in the American Association) to homer twice in his Major League debut.

Friday night, while playing in his second career game, Orioles third baseman Manny Machado homered twice in a 7-1 win over the Royals.

Machado was the 15th player since 1918 to have a multihomer performance in his first or second Major League game, and the second to do it this season. On June 30, San Diego's Yasmani Grandal hit two in his second game.

Since 1918, Machado is the third player in Browns/Orioles history to do it. Besides the Browns' Nieman hitting two in his Major League debut, the Orioles' Curt Blefary on April 17, 1965, had a pair in his second game.

At 20 years and 35 days, Machado was the youngest of the 15 players to homer twice in their first or second Major League game, and the 12th-youngest player since 1918 to have a multihomer game.

White Sox
The White Sox got four solo home runs to beat the Athletics, 4-3. The first was by A.J. Pierzynski, his 22nd of the season. The last, a game-winner in the bottom of the ninth, was the first of Jordan Danks' career.

Also worth noting:

• Pierzynski's 22 home runs are tied for the fourth most by a catcher in his age-35 season or older. Mike Piazza had 22 in 2006, and Jorge Posada matched that total in '09. The only catcher ahead of this trio was Carlton Fisk, who hit 37 in his age-37 season in 1985, 26 in his age-35 season, and 23 in his age-39 season.

• This game marked the fifth in the liveball era in which the White Sox hit at least four home runs with all of them being solo shots and accounting for the team's total run output in the game.

Ichiro and Jeter
Ichiro Suzuki and Derek Jeter each collected two hits in the Yankees' 10-4 win over the Blue Jays. Ichiro (783) and Jeter (656) are ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in multihit games since the start of the 2001 season.

Suzuki, who also tied a career high with five RBIs, owns the most hits in history for any player through his first 12 seasons. His 2,551 comfortably lead Paul Waner's second-highest total of 2,473.

Jeter's two knocks gave him 952 career multihit games, moving him past Tony Gwynn for the fifth most since 1918.

Tigers
Austin Jackson tripled and homered, Prince Fielder drove in three with his 20th home run of the season and the Tigers beat the Rangers, 6-2.

The game marked the seventh this season in which Jackson collected at least two extra-base hits from the leadoff spot. Those seven tie him with Shin-Soo Choo for the second most in the Majors, behind only Ian Kinsler's nine.

Fielder's 20th homer gave him 248 since the start of the 2006 season -- the third most in the Majors. The three runs driven in gave him 730 since the start of '06, which ranks fifth in the Majors over that span.

Headley
San Diego's Chase Headley homered twice -- once from each side of the plate -- and tied a career high with five RBIs in a 9-8 win vs. Pittsburgh.

Headley owns 40 extra-base hits, has drawn 62 walks (fourth in the National League) and has stolen 12 bases -- a fairly unusual array of numbers. He is one of three players to reach those baselines, joining fellow third baseman David Wright and outfielder/second baseman Ben Zobrist.

Maholm
Left-hander Paul Maholm threw a three-hitter to lead the Braves to a 4-0 win vs. the Mets.

Maholm was the first Braves southpaw to toss a shutout on three hits or fewer since Horacio Ramirez in 2005. He has gone 6-1 in his past nine games (eight starts) and owns a 1.18 ERA in 61 innings during this stretch.

Strasburg
Stephen Strasburg walked four but allowed only one hit and one run in six innings to lower his ERA to 2.90.

Strasburg, who is 13-5 this season, has made 40 appearances in his career. He has gone at least six innings and finished with more innings pitched than baserunners allowed in 12 of them. Those 12 through a pitcher's first 40 tie Strasburg with a host of others for the 17th most since 1918. Dwight Gooden, with 19, had the most.

Trout
Mike Trout homered and tied a career high with five RBIs in the Angels' 6-5 win over the Mariners. Trout's OPS has been above 1.000 since July 20 and is currently sitting at 1.010. His OPS+ is currently at 183.

In the modern era, the highest OPS+ for a qualifying player at the end of his age-20 season or younger was Ty Cobb's 167 in 1907. Entering this season, only three qualifying players finished an age-20 season (or younger) with a raw OPS of at least 1.000: Mel Ott (1.084 in 1929), Ted Williams (1.045 in '39) and Alex Rodriguez (1.045 in '96).