With runners taking off from first and second base, Pirates’ shortstop Jack Wilson Reds third baseman Edwin Encarnacion’s turns soft liner into a triple play. The triple killing is the Bucs’ first since 1993, and the team’s first on the road in 41 years.

Aaron Harang of the Cincinnati Reds pitches the first shutout of the season when he disposes of the Pirates, 2 – 0, on three hits. Brandon Phillips hits a two-run homer for the Reds. Pittsburgh pulls off a triple play in the 8th inning in going down in defeat. It is the first triple play by Pittsburgh in 16 years and their first one on the road since 1968, when Gene Alley and Bill Mazeroski teamed with Donn Clendenon on one, also against Cincinnati.

For the second time in a week, a team draws four bases-loaded walks in one inning. This time, it’s the Chicago Cubs who profit, in a game in which four Brewer pitchers issue 10 free passes and hit two batters. The Cubs score 4 runs in the top of the 4th inning thanks to Milwaukee’s generosity, but the key play in the 9 – 5 victory happens in the bottom of the 5th when Reed Johnson robs Prince Fielder of a grand slam by climbing over the right field fence at Miller Park. Ryan Dempster is the winner in the nationally-televized contest. On April 8th, the Phillies had also drawn four bases-loaded walks in an inning.

In St. Louis, Kyle Lohse of the Cardinals joins Harang with a three-hit shutout of his own in beating Houston. After giving up a single to leadoff hitter Kazuo Matsui, Lohse sets down the next 24 batters in order on his way to a 3 – 0 victory.