With his sixth-inning double in the 3-2 loss to the Cubs, Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols becomes only the third player in history to drive in 100 runs during his first eight major league seasons. The two other big leaguers to reach the plateau are Red sox outfielder Ted Williams, who also accomplished the feat for eight seasons from 1939-42, 46-49, and starting in 1924, fly-chaser Al Simmons did it for 11 years playing for the A’s (9) and the White Sox (2) .

Junichi Tazawa, expected to be a first-round pick in the Nippon Pro Baseball amateur draft, announces that he does not want to be selected so he can sign with a Major League Baseball club. Tazawa was named MVP of the 2008 industrial league tournament and pitched for Japan in the 2007 Baseball World Cup. He will sign with the Boston Red Sox and make his major league debut in 2009.

With a 4-2 victory over the visiting Yankees, the Angels clinch the division flag on the earliest date in the history of the American League West. The Halos, the first club this season to secure a postseason spot, have finished in first place four times in the past five seasons.

In a 3-2 Astros loss at Citizens Bank Park, Charlton Jimerson, pinch hitting for Roger Clemens, homers off Phillies’ southpaw Cole Hamels. The sixth-inning blast to center field makes the Houston rookie the third player in franchise history to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat.

Removed from the starting lineup when his cab is stuck in traffic en route to Fenway Park, Dan Johnson, called up today from the Triple-A minor league Durham Bulls, pinch hits in the ninth inning with the Rays trailing 4-3, and belts a game-tying home run off closer Jonathan Papelbon. The homer, which comes in his first at-bat with the team and is his first pinch hit in 16 major league attempts, is believed to be the turning point of Tampa Bay’s season, as the timely round-tripper helps to snap a four-game losing streak and prevents the Red Sox from taking over first place.

Derek Jeter passes the legendary Babe Ruth on the Yankees’ all-time hits list, adding a first inning single during the 7-1 victory over the Angels in Anaheim to run his career total to 2,519 hits. Lou Gehrig (2,721) is now the only Bronx Bomber with more hits than the club’s current shortstop.

The Red Sox break the Cleveland Indians’ attendance record with their 456th consecutive regular-season sellout at Fenway Park. To commemorate the streak, which began on May 15, 2003, team owners, current players as well as club icon Johnny Pesky greet and thank fans entering the ballpark prior to the game against the Rays.