Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner Hit Grand Slams for Giants

It would seem by now that just about every “first” in Major League Baseball would have been done by now, but here’s a new one.  Catcher Buster Posey and pitcher Madison Bumgarner of the San Francisco Giants became the first pitcher and catcher combination to his grand slam home runs in the same game.  It happened at home in AT & T Park against the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 13th, and it’s worth a look:

The Giants won the game 8-4.  Bumgarner is on the National League All Star team, but since he pitched on Sunday the 13th, two days before the All Star Game, he won’t pitch, but maybe they can use him as a pinch hitter.  Prior to 2014, Bumgarner had hit no higher than .179, but this year in 47 plate appearances he has two doubles, three home runs, and 12 RBIs to go along with a .275 batting average.

Any time a pitcher hits a grand slam it’s worth noting, but there is one performance at the plate by a pitcher that stands above the rest.  On July 3rd, 1966, Tony Cloninger of the Atlanta Braves hit two grand slams in one game against the Giants in old Candlestick Park in San Francisco.  Cloninger hit only .192 in his 12 year career, but he did hit 11 home runs, including five in 1966.