televised Monday Night baseball game on NBC. Bobby Bonds hit a walk-off grand slam into the right field seats to win the game for the Giants. September 6 – Brothers Felipe Alou and Matty Alou are released by the New York Yankees. Felipe is sold to the Montreal Expos and Matty goes to the St. Louis Cardinals. September 7 – Future Hall of Fame pilot Whitey Herzog is fired from his first MLB managerial assignment by the Texas Rangers with the club in the American League West cellar at 47-91. Del Wilber serves as interim manager for one game before owner Bob Short names Billy Martin, fired by the Tigers only ten days earlier, as Herzog's permanent replacement. September 17 – The Montreal Expos achieved something they never done before. first place this late in the season and they did in Game 1 of a doubleheader they beat the St. Louis Cardinals on a 9th inning rally scoring 2 runs in the 9th 5-4. But they lost first place in Game 2 as they lose to the Cards in 12 innings. September 19 – The Pittsburgh Pirates lose the first game of a crucial three-game series at Shea for first place 7–3 to the New York Mets when Cleon Jones has just the second two home run performance of his career (the first time was on April 6, in the season opener against the Philadelphia Phillies). September 20 – At Shea Stadium, in the top of the thirteenth inning, with Richie Zisk on first, the Pittsburgh Pirates' Dave Augustine belts what appears to be a home run over the left field wall. New York Mets left fielder Cleon Jones turns to play the ball off the wall and the ball hits the top of the wall and goes right into Jones' glove on the fly. He turns and throws to relay man Wayne Garrett, who throws home to catcher Ron Hodges to nail Zisk at the plate. Following the "Ball on the Wall" play, the Mets win the game in the bottom half of the inning to move within half a game of the first place Pirates. September 27 – Capping a memorable season, Nolan Ryan strikes out 16 Minnesota Twins en route to a 5–4, 11-inning win for the California Angels. Rich Reese is Ryan's final strikeout, his 383rd of the season, which breaks Sandy Koufax's season record. September