The Associated Press

Five grand slams were hit Monday night, the first time that’s happened in 129 years of major league baseball<!—->.

Tuesday, August 10, 1999

Five grand slams were hit Monday night, the first time that’s happened in 129 years of major league baseball

Fernando Tatis of the St. Louis Cardinals and Jose Vidro of the Montreal Expos got it started early. Mike Lowell of the Florida Marlins connected, Bernie Williams of the New York Yankees followed and Jay Buhner of the Seattle Mariners set the record.

Four grand slams had been hit in one day many times since major league baseball began in 1871, but never five. The last time four had been hit was July 28, 1998.

This has been a season of slams in the big leagues. The five raised the majors’ total to 96 – the record of 141 was set in 1996.

After becoming the first player to hit two slams in the same inning on April 23 at Los Angeles, Tatis hit the third of his career on Billy Brewer’s first pitch in the fourth during a 12-6 win at Philadelphia.

With three slams this year, Tatis tied Jim Bottomley (1925) and Keith Hernandez (1977) for the Cardinals’ record.

Vidro connected on his first pitch from Carlos Almanzar in the sixth inning of the Expos’ 8-0 win over visiting San Diego. It was his first grand slam in the majors and Montreal’s first since last Aug. 27.

Lowell hit his first career grand slam on a 3-1 pitch in the eighth inning against San Francisco’s John Johnstone, who had just relieved starter Livan Hernandez.

Williams’ sixth career slam came at Oakland on a full-count pitch by reliever Mike Oquist, capping an eight-run second inning that gave the New York Yankees an 8-0 lead over the Athletics. Williams started toward first after taking a 2-2 pitch for a ball, then returned to the plate as his teammates laughed in the Yankees dugout.

Buhner connected in the sixth inning at Safeco Field on a 3-1 pitch from John Snyder of the Chicago White Sox, giving the Mariners a 6-3 lead.

The three grand slams in one day tied the AL record, last accomplished last Aug. 14.

There have been 57 slams in the AL this season and 39 in the NL. Both leagues set records in 1996, with 81 slams in the AL and 60 in the NL.