For the second consecutive game, the Brewers score 18 runs against the Cards, winning, 18 – 4. IF Aaron Miles makes the fourth pitching appearance of his career, tossing a scoreless 9th inning for St. Louis; he is their only pitcher not to allow any runs over the past two days.

ByBaseball

For the second consecutive game, the Brewers score 18 runs against the Cards, winning, 18 – 4. IF Aaron Miles makes the fourth pitching appearance of his career, tossing a scoreless 9th inning for St. Louis; he is their only pitcher not to allow any runs over the past two days.

The Royals and Athletics are involved in a strange play tonight. With the Royals’ Mitch Maier on third and Yunieski Betancourt on first base with none out in the 7th, Gregor Blanco lays a bunt down the third base line. C Kurt Suzuki fields it and catches Maier in a rundown between third and home. When P Jerry Blevins runs Maier back to the third sack, Betancourt is already standing there. Blevins tags both runners and umpire Bill Hohn calls Betancourt out for being on an occupied base, while Blanco advances to second. However, the umpires then confer, and crew chief Gary Darling rules Maier out for stepping off the bag after being tagged, thus abandoning his effort, making Betancourt’s presence on the bag legal. A’s manager Bob Geren comes out to argue that both runners should then be out and when he insists too much, he is ejected. In the end, the unusual play doesn’t figure in the final score as the Royals win, 3 – 2.

ByBaseball

The Royals and Athletics are involved in a strange play tonight. With the Royals’ Mitch Maier on third and Yunieski Betancourt on first base with none out in the 7th, Gregor Blanco lays a bunt down the third base line. C Kurt Suzuki fields it and catches Maier in a rundown between third and home. When P Jerry Blevins runs Maier back to the third sack, Betancourt is already standing there. Blevins tags both runners and umpire Bill Hohn calls Betancourt out for being on an occupied base, while Blanco advances to second. However, the umpires then confer, and crew chief Gary Darling rules Maier out for stepping off the bag after being tagged, thus abandoning his effort, making Betancourt’s presence on the bag legal. A’s manager Bob Geren comes out to argue that both runners should then be out and when he insists too much, he is ejected. In the end, the unusual play doesn’t figure in the final score as the Royals win, 3 – 2.

Two of the top first basemen in th majors go on the disabled list today: the Phillies’ Ryan Howard is the victim of a sprained ankle, while Boston’s Kevin Youkilis has a thumb injury. Also going on the DL are Cleveland C Carlos Santana and DH Travis Hafner, who have respectively a sprained knee suffered in a collision at home plate, and inflammation in the shoulder.

ByBaseball

Two of the top first basemen in th majors go on the disabled list today: the Phillies’ Ryan Howard is the victim of a sprained ankle, while Boston’s Kevin Youkilis has a thumb injury. Also going on the DL are Cleveland C Carlos Santana and DH Travis Hafner, who have respectively a sprained knee suffered in a collision at home plate, and inflammation in the shoulder.

Meanwhile, the Rays take sole possession of first place in the AL East with a 6 – 4 win over Minnesota. Sean Rodriguez and B.J. Upton both hit three-run homers, while Jeff Niemann notches his 10th win, the fourth Rays starter to reach the mark already this year.

ByBaseball

Meanwhile, the Rays take sole possession of first place in the AL East with a 6 – 4 win over Minnesota. Sean Rodriguez and B.J. Upton both hit three-run homers, while Jeff Niemann notches his 10th win, the fourth Rays starter to reach the mark already this year.

Toronto keeps banging out homers by the bushel, hitting four more in today’s 8 – 2 win over the Yankees at New Yankee Stadium. Aaron Hill, Vernon Wells, Travis Snider and José Bautista connect for the Jays. Starter Ricky Romero gives up a two-run shot to Mark Teixeira in the 1st, then limits the Bronx Bombers to an infield single the rest of the way to take the win with a complete game two-hitter. The Jays have now hit a major league-leading 167 home runs.

ByBaseball

Toronto keeps banging out homers by the bushel, hitting four more in today’s 8 – 2 win over the Yankees at New Yankee Stadium. Aaron Hill, Vernon Wells, Travis Snider and José Bautista connect for the Jays. Starter Ricky Romero gives up a two-run shot to Mark Teixeira in the 1st, then limits the Bronx Bombers to an infield single the rest of the way to take the win with a complete game two-hitter. The Jays have now hit a major league-leading 167 home runs.

The Brewers bang out 26 hits in beating the Cubs, 18 – 1, at Wrigley Field. Prince Fielder drives in 5 runs on 5 hits, Ryan Braun also collects 5 hits and Corey Hart has 4 in support of Yovani Gallardo’s 12 strikeouts; Casey McGehee hits a three-run homer in the rout. “Nothing worked”, comments Cubs acting manager Alan Trammell, filling in for Lou Piniella, who is in Florida to attend a funeral. It ties the Cubs’ franchise record for hits allowed, set back in the 1950s.

ByBaseball

The Brewers bang out 26 hits in beating the Cubs, 18 – 1, at Wrigley Field. Prince Fielder drives in 5 runs on 5 hits, Ryan Braun also collects 5 hits and Corey Hart has 4 in support of Yovani Gallardo’s 12 strikeouts; Casey McGehee hits a three-run homer in the rout. “Nothing worked”, comments Cubs acting manager Alan Trammell, filling in for Lou Piniella, who is in Florida to attend a funeral. It ties the Cubs’ franchise record for hits allowed, set back in the 1950s.

The Reds retake 1st place in the NL Central with a 4 – 0 win over Pittsburgh, combined with the Cardinals’ 9 – 4 loss at home to Houston. Rookie Travis Wood pitches 7 shutout innings in Cincinnati’s victory, but starting SS Orlando Cabrera strains a muscle on a 9th-inning swing and is headed for the disabled list.

ByBaseball

The Reds retake 1st place in the NL Central with a 4 – 0 win over Pittsburgh, combined with the Cardinals’ 9 – 4 loss at home to Houston. Rookie Travis Wood pitches 7 shutout innings in Cincinnati’s victory, but starting SS Orlando Cabrera strains a muscle on a 9th-inning swing and is headed for the disabled list.

Meanwhile, in New York, the Blue Jays lash out a record-tying 6 doubles in the 5th inning, including 2 by Travis Snider, to beat the Yankees, 8 – 6. Brandon Morrow beats former Jay A.J. Burnett, while Kevin Gregg retires Alex Rodriguez after giving up a solo homer to Nick Swisher to end the game and earn his 24th save.

ByBaseball

Meanwhile, in New York, the Blue Jays lash out a record-tying 6 doubles in the 5th inning, including 2 by Travis Snider, to beat the Yankees, 8 – 6. Brandon Morrow beats former Jay A.J. Burnett, while Kevin Gregg retires Alex Rodriguez after giving up a solo homer to Nick Swisher to end the game and earn his 24th save.

Jeremy Hellickson, making his first major league start in a one-game stint in Tampa Bay, leads the club to a tie for 1st place in the AL East with a 4 – 2 win over the Twins. Making a spot start to give Tampa’s starters a rest – none of the five starters had yet missed a turn on the mound this year – Hellickson retires the first 10 batters he faces and gives up only 2 runs in 7 innings to best Carl Pavano. After the game, the Rays purchase the contract of 1B Dan Johnson and option Hellickson back to AAA.

ByBaseball

Jeremy Hellickson, making his first major league start in a one-game stint in Tampa Bay, leads the club to a tie for 1st place in the AL East with a 4 – 2 win over the Twins. Making a spot start to give Tampa’s starters a rest – none of the five starters had yet missed a turn on the mound this year – Hellickson retires the first 10 batters he faces and gives up only 2 runs in 7 innings to best Carl Pavano. After the game, the Rays purchase the contract of 1B Dan Johnson and option Hellickson back to AAA.

Washington backstop Ivan Rodriguez becomes the fifth player to collect 300 home runs while catching when he goes deep off Rodrigo Lopez leading off the second inning of the Nationals’ 3-1 victory in Arizona. Pudge joins Hall of Famers Mike Piazza, Carlton Fisk, Johnny Bench, and Yogi Berra as the only catchers in baseball history to reach the plateau while playing behind the dish.

ByBaseball

Washington backstop Ivan Rodriguez becomes the fifth player to collect 300 home runs while catching when he goes deep off Rodrigo Lopez leading off the second inning of the Nationals’ 3-1 victory in Arizona. Pudge joins Hall of Famers Mike Piazza, Carlton Fisk, Johnny Bench, and Yogi Berra as the only catchers in baseball history to reach the plateau while playing behind the dish.