Alex Ramirez becomes the first player in Nippon Pro Baseball to drive in 100 runs for eight straight seasons, breaking Sadaharu Oh’s record set from 1963 to 1969. Ramirez’s three-run homer off Kazuki Yoshimi in the 1st puts him over the century mark in a 10 – 4 Yomiuri Giants win over the Chunichi Dragons.

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Alex Ramirez becomes the first player in Nippon Pro Baseball to drive in 100 runs for eight straight seasons, breaking Sadaharu Oh’s record set from 1963 to 1969. Ramirez’s three-run homer off Kazuki Yoshimi in the 1st puts him over the century mark in a 10 – 4 Yomiuri Giants win over the Chunichi Dragons.

Felix Hernandez collects his 1000th strikeout when he fans David Ortiz in the sixth inning of the Mariners’ 4-2 victory over Boston at Safeco Field. The 24 year-old Seattle starter, the fourth youngest ever to reach the milestone, joins Randy Johnson (2,162), Jamie Moyer (1,239), and Mark Langston (1,078) as the fourth pitcher in franchise history to accomplish the feat.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Felix Hernandez collects his 1000th strikeout when he fans David Ortiz in the sixth inning of the Mariners’ 4-2 victory over Boston at Safeco Field. The 24 year-old Seattle starter, the fourth youngest ever to reach the milestone, joins Randy Johnson (2,162), Jamie Moyer (1,239), and Mark Langston (1,078) as the fourth pitcher in franchise history to accomplish the feat.

The Reds blow a nine-run lead over San Francisco, but manage to tie the game in the ninth on Paul Janish’s single and get a 12-11 victory on Joey Votto’s two-out, tie-breaking hit in the 12th inning. Earlier in the day, the Braves squander the same size lead at Coors Field, but lose the game, 12-10, to the Rockies, who match their largest comeback in franchise history.

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The Reds blow a nine-run lead over San Francisco, but manage to tie the game in the ninth on Paul Janish’s single and get a 12-11 victory on Joey Votto’s two-out, tie-breaking hit in the 12th inning. Earlier in the day, the Braves squander the same size lead at Coors Field, but lose the game, 12-10, to the Rockies, who match their largest comeback in franchise history.

2011 – The Oakland A’s take an early 7 – 1 lead against the Yankees, but it’s all Bronx Bombers after that. Robinson Cano hits a grand slam in the 5th inning, Russell Martin follows suit in the 6th, they put up another 6 runs in the 7th, and in the 8th, Curtis Granderson also homers with the bases loaded to make the Yanks the first team ever to hit three grand slams in one game. Andruw Jones follows Granderson’s blast with a solo homer to make the final score 22 – 9. Martin has a career day, going 5 for 5 with a walk and 6 RBI and also hitting a solo shot to complement his slam as the Yankees bat around in their final four innings. It is the most runs given up by an Athletics team since 1955; their pitchers help the cause by surrendering 22 hits and issuing 13 walks in the rout. In the 9th inning, DH Jorge Posada takes the field at second base; it is his first major league appearance at the position he played in the lower minors 20 years ago.

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2011 – The Oakland A’s take an early 7 – 1 lead against the Yankees, but it’s all Bronx Bombers after that. Robinson Cano hits a grand slam in the 5th inning, Russell Martin follows suit in the 6th, they put up another 6 runs in the 7th, and in the 8th, Curtis Granderson also homers with the bases loaded to make the Yanks the first team ever to hit three grand slams in one game. Andruw Jones follows Granderson’s blast with a solo homer to make the final score 22 – 9. Martin has a career day, going 5 for 5 with a walk and 6 RBI and also hitting a solo shot to complement his slam as the Yankees bat around in their final four innings. It is the most runs given up by an Athletics team since 1955; their pitchers help the cause by surrendering 22 hits and issuing 13 walks in the rout. In the 9th inning, DH Jorge Posada takes the field at second base; it is his first major league appearance at the position he played in the lower minors 20 years ago.

In the California League, Lancaster defeats Lake Elsinore, 3 – 1, in 10 innings, as five pitchers combine on a no-hitter. Starter Robert Donovan goes 5 2/3 innings before running out of gas and giving way to Edwin Walker. Lake Elsinore ties the game at 1 in the 8th against David Berner, the result of a walk and two sacrifice bunts that both result in throwing errors by Berner. David Carpenter succeeds him, finishes the 8th and pitches a perfect 9th to get credit for the win when his teammates score two in the top of the 10th inning. Another reliever, Jose Trinidad, completes the unusual no-no by pitching the bottom of the 10th, allowing only a walk.

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In the California League, Lancaster defeats Lake Elsinore, 3 – 1, in 10 innings, as five pitchers combine on a no-hitter. Starter Robert Donovan goes 5 2/3 innings before running out of gas and giving way to Edwin Walker. Lake Elsinore ties the game at 1 in the 8th against David Berner, the result of a walk and two sacrifice bunts that both result in throwing errors by Berner. David Carpenter succeeds him, finishes the 8th and pitches a perfect 9th to get credit for the win when his teammates score two in the top of the 10th inning. Another reliever, Jose Trinidad, completes the unusual no-no by pitching the bottom of the 10th, allowing only a walk.

Félix Hernández of the Mariners beats the Red Sox in the second game of a doubleheader, fanning nine. That makes him the fourth-youngest hurler to 1,000 career strikeouts, following Bob Feller, Bert Blyleven and Dwight Gooden. David Ortiz is his 1,000th victim.

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Félix Hernández of the Mariners beats the Red Sox in the second game of a doubleheader, fanning nine. That makes him the fourth-youngest hurler to 1,000 career strikeouts, following Bob Feller, Bert Blyleven and Dwight Gooden. David Ortiz is his 1,000th victim.

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2010 – Chris Johnson gets his fourth single of the night to drive in Hunter Pence with the winning run in a 4-2, 16-inning marathon at Philadelphia. Carlos Lee’s two-run blast gives Houston the lead until Jimmy Rollins homers with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The Phillies insert former Astro Roy Oswalt in left field after Ryan Howard is ejected in the 14th. Oswalt comes to bat as the last hope in the 16th before tapping out to third. The surprising Astros sweep the Phils and push all the way to third in the division before a late swoon leaves them with a 76-86 record and a fourth place finish. 

ByTom

2010 – Chris Johnson gets his fourth single of the night to drive in Hunter Pence with the winning run in a 4-2, 16-inning marathon at Philadelphia. Carlos Lee’s two-run blast gives Houston the lead until Jimmy Rollins homers with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The Phillies insert former Astro Roy Oswalt in left field after Ryan Howard is ejected in the 14th. Oswalt comes to bat as the last hope in the 16th before tapping out to third. The surprising Astros sweep the Phils and push all the way to third in the division before a late swoon leaves them with a 76-86 record and a fourth place finish. 

Bud Selig, former Brewers owner and baseball’s current commissioner, is honored with the unveiling of a bronze, seven-foot statue at Miller Park. Brian Maughan’s piece of art, which portrays Selig with his right arm extended with his hand holding a baseball, joins the sculptures of Robin Yount and Hank Aaron in front of the Milwaukee ballpark.

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Bud Selig, former Brewers owner and baseball’s current commissioner, is honored with the unveiling of a bronze, seven-foot statue at Miller Park. Brian Maughan’s piece of art, which portrays Selig with his right arm extended with his hand holding a baseball, joins the sculptures of Robin Yount and Hank Aaron in front of the Milwaukee ballpark.

2010 – The Astros win a marathon match with the Phillies, needing 16 innings and 5 hours to complete a 4 – 2 win in Philadelphia. After 1B Ryan Howard is ejected in the 14th inning, P Roy Oswalt is forced to play in LF for the Phils, who have no position players left. Howard’s tossing caps a dreadful day for him, in which he goes 0 for 7 with 5 strikeouts. In the top of the 16th, the Astros scrap out two runs against loser David Herndon on a single, a hit by pitch, a walk, and two ground balls to the infield; in the bottom of the inning, Oswalt grounds out with two on for the game’s final out.

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2010 – The Astros win a marathon match with the Phillies, needing 16 innings and 5 hours to complete a 4 – 2 win in Philadelphia. After 1B Ryan Howard is ejected in the 14th inning, P Roy Oswalt is forced to play in LF for the Phils, who have no position players left. Howard’s tossing caps a dreadful day for him, in which he goes 0 for 7 with 5 strikeouts. In the top of the 16th, the Astros scrap out two runs against loser David Herndon on a single, a hit by pitch, a walk, and two ground balls to the infield; in the bottom of the inning, Oswalt grounds out with two on for the game’s final out.

The Rays take advantage of the Yankees’ loss to catch them for the AL East lead, by defeating the Angels, 4 – 3. Rafael Soriano strikes out the side on 9 pitches in the 9th to earn his 38th save. It is the 44th time the feat has been accomplished in the majors, being last done by Ross Ohlendorf of the Pirates last September.

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The Rays take advantage of the Yankees’ loss to catch them for the AL East lead, by defeating the Angels, 4 – 3. Rafael Soriano strikes out the side on 9 pitches in the 9th to earn his 38th save. It is the 44th time the feat has been accomplished in the majors, being last done by Ross Ohlendorf of the Pirates last September.