The Red Sox acquire Expos’ reliever Ugueth Urbina for two minor league pitchers, Tomo Ohka and Rich Rundles. The hard-throwing closer was nearly traded to the Yankees earlier in the season, but a failed physical nixed the deal for the Caracas, Venezuela native.

The trading deadline produces a frenzy of deal-making as 31 players change teams in a total of 12 deals in the last two days. A total of 68 players were involved in 24 deals in all of July. The deals today include one in which the Red Sox acquire Expos reliever Ugueth Urbina for two minor league pitchers, Tomo Ohka and Rich Rundles. The hard-throwing closer was nearly traded to the Yankees earlier in the season, but the deal was nixed when the Caracas, Venezuela native failed a physical. Also, the Indians get OF Milton Bradley from the Expos for P Zach Day

Brewers manager Davey Lopes is suspended for two games and fined by the commissioner’s office for threatening to have his pitchers hit Rickey Henderson. Lopes became upset when Henderson took off for second base in the 7th inning of the Padres’ 12 – 5 win on Sunday.

The Giants obtain P Jason Schmidt and OF John Vander Wal from the Pirates in exchange for OF Armando Rios and P Ryan Vogelsong.

The Twins get Met starter Rick Reed for outfielder and leadoff batter Matt Lawton. Reed, 36, who was a member of the National League All-Star team, was 8-6 with a 3.86 ERA this season.

The Cubs get P David Weathers and P Roberto Miniel from the Brewers for P Ruben Quevedo and OF Peter Zoccolillo.

The Yankees reacquire P Sterling Hitchcock from the Padres, sending San Diego P Brett Jodie and OF Darren Blakely.

In Arlington, Craig Monroe homers in his first major league game. The rookie right fielder’s fifth-inning blast contributes to the Rangers’ 2-0 victory over the Devil Rays.

2001 – A career utility player who’s making the most of his opportunity to play this year in place of the injured Edgardo Alfonzo, second baseman Desi Relaford makes several key contributions to a dramatic, back-and-forth, 6 – 5 nailbiter between the Mets and Phillies. After Relaford’s tremendous over-the-shoulder inning-ending grab robs Philly of two runs in the 6th, he goes to even greater lengths to break the tie he’s just preserved: after his one-out, 7th-inning, hit-and-run single moves Lenny Harris to third and brings up Mike Piazza, New York’s number one run producer produces a tailor-made 4-6-3, inning-ending double play grounder. Long before Relaford can reach second, shortstop Jimmy Rollins receives the throw and crosses the bag, continuing on another 10 to 12 feet past the bag and at least 7 feet clear of the baseline before turning and making the transfer from glove to hand. As the unsuspecting shortstop winds up to throw, Relaford, his left arm dragging the baseline to which his fully-extended body is perfectly perpendicular, suddenly enters the picture, sliding/tumbling past on his way to second base. Just as Rollins is about to unload, Desi fully extends his right toe, hooks Rollins’ right shin and completely turns him around. When he comes to rest, the Phillies’ shortstop is facing the now unoccupied third base as its previous tenant, Lenny Harris, crosses home plate. The resulting 3 – 2 Mets lead will last exactly two batters into the next half-inning as John Franco coughs it up on Scott Rolen’s no-out, two-run homer. Tsuyoshi Shinjohits a towering, two-run homer in the 8th, but New York’s Armando Benitez blows the save and Relaford must come to the rescue yet again, turning a double play to get Benitez out of further trouble, thus setting the stage for redemption in the form of Mike Piazza’s walk-off home run.

Oriole outfielder Melvin Mora’s wife, Gisel, gives birth to quintuplets. The three boys and two girls, who all weighed in under two and half pounds, are doing well.