Phillies slugger Ryan Howard agrees to a $125 million, five-year contract extension that could keep the infielder with the team until 2017. The 30 year-old first baseman’s $25 million guaranteed average salary during the new deal is the second-highest amount in the major leagues, trailing behind only Alex Rodriguez’s ten-year contract with the Yankees that averages $27.5 million per season.

3B Luke Hughes of the Minnesota Twins homers in his first major league at-bat off the Tigers’ Max Scherzer in the 3rd inning of an 11 – 6 loss. The Australian is the fifth Twin to accomplish the feat, but the first since Andre David in 1984. The Tigers trail 6 – 1 in the 4th and then score 10 unanswered runs. The key play occurs when Denard Span drops a fly ball hit by Johnny Damon in a six-run 6th inning.

Major League Baseball announces a number of changes to the rules that govern the All-Star Game that have been agreed with the Players’ union: the designated hitter will now be used in all games, not just those played in American League parks; a pitcher who started a game on the last Sunday before the All-Star break will not be eligible to play in the game and will be replaced on the roster, although he will still be recognized as an All-Star (this will become known as the Sunday Starter rule); rosters are expanded to 34 players, adding one position player; one of the position players will be designated as being able to re-enter the game in case of injury – catchers are already allowed to do so in those circumstances.

David Wright, with an RBI single to right field off Ramon Troncoso in the fifth inning of New York’s 10-5 victory over L.A. at Citi Field, becomes the eighth and quickest player to accumulate 1,000 hits in a Mets uniform. The 27 year-old third baseman, who surpasses Mike Piazza’s mark of 935 games to reach the milestone, accomplishes the feat in his 868th career contest with the club.

With the help of a five-run ninth inning fueled by Ryan Doumit’s grand slam and Ronny Cedeno’s solo shot off Trevor Hoffman, the Pirates snap a 22-game losing streak in Milwaukee with a 7-3 comeback victory over the Brewers at Miller Park. The Brew Crew’s hometown hex over the Bucs was the longest held by one team over another since the Browns / Orioles lost 27 consecutive contests to the Indians in Cleveland from 1952-54.

Francisco Liriano continues to display the form that made him a rookie sensation before arm surgery in 2006. The Twins’ starter pitches a third consecutive game in which he does not allow a run, going 8 innings in a 2 – 0 win over Detroit. He has an 0.93 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 29 innings this year.

With a 3-16 record coming into the game, the Orioles win at home for the first time this year, beating the Yankees, 5 – 4. It’s hard slogging, though, as the Yankees score two unearned runs in the 9th and Alfredo Simon records the first save of his career in his first appearance since reconstructive elbow surgery last May. Alberto Castillo is the winner in relief. The Orioles now have a two-game winning streak, but their record is still four games worse than any other team in the majors.

Josh Johnson pitches a three-hitter and strikes out 12 as the Marlins beat the Padres, 10 – 1. For good measure, Johnson matches the Padres’ hit total by himself and drives in 3 runs.