“He brings out the best in his players and exemplifies what the sport of baseball is supposed to be about — hustle, grit, loyalty and determination.” – U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), praising Braves’ manager Bobby CoxAt the United States Capitol, Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) present Bobby Cox framed copies of their statements submitted into the Congressional Record on April 20 honoring the Braves’ skipper. The 68 year-old skipper has announced he will be retiring at the end of the season, after 51 seasons in professional baseball.

During the seventh-inning stretch in a game against Detroit, the fans honor Ernie Harwell with a standing ovation upon hearing of the broadcasting icon’s death. In September, the 92 year-old Hall of Fame announcer, who started his major league career with Brooklyn in 1948 and spent 42 years broadcasting Tiger games, shared with the public of diagnosis with inoperable cancer of the bile duct.

Philadelphia police use a taser gun to subdue a 17-year-old fan who runs onto the field in the 8th inning of a game between the Phillies and Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. The police justify the use of the controversial weapon by pointing to injuries sustained during previous similar incidents, most notoriously when two fans assaulted Kansas City first base coach Tom Gamboa in Chicago in 2002. Criticized for having used excessive force, the Phillies announce a day later that from now on, they will call for police assistance only if team security is unable to handle a situation by itself. The Phillies win the game, 2 – 1, on a 10th-inning walk-off home run by Carlos Ruiz.

Ernie Harwell, one of the greatest broadcasters in baseball history, dies at the age of 92 after a year-long bout with cancer. He was the radio and television voice of the Detroit Tigers for 42 years, retiring from the booth in 2002. He received the Ford Frick Award in 1981 and was a member of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame.

Brett Cecil, feeling dizzy and congested, pitches the best game of his career as he throws six perfect innings in Toronto’s 5 – 1 win over Cleveland. A one-out walk to Grady Sizemore in the 7th breaks the perfecto and is followed by Jhonny Peralta’s single. Cecil is the fourth different Blue Jays pitcher to carry a no-hitter into the 7th inning this year; he allows just the one hit in 8 innings and strikes out 10.

Ubaldo Jimenez becomes the first six-game winner in the majors this year with a 5 – 2 win by the Rockies over San Diego. He strikes out a career-high 13 in the game, including All-Star 1B Adrian Gonzalez three times.

Zack Greinke, the 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner, falls to 0-3 on the year with a 1 – 0 loss to the league-leading Tampa Bay Rays. Wade Davis gets the win with 7 shutout innings. Greinke has a 2.27 ERA in 6 starts, but has not received any run support from his Kansas City teammates.

Ty Wigginton hits a game-winning double off closer Jonathan Papelbon in the bottom of the 10th to give Baltimore a 3 – 2 win over Boston, completing a three-game sweep, their first at home over the Red Sox since 1974. At 7-18, Baltimore still has the worst record in the majors though.

Roy Halladay throws his second shutout in three starts when the Phillies stop the Mets’ winning streak at 8 games with a 10 – 0 win. Mets starter Mike Pelfrey’s scoreless innings streak is stopped at 27 as he is charged with his first loss of the season.