After placing two of their starting pitchers, John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka, on the disabled list earlier this week, the Red Sox sign Kevin Millwood to a minor league contract and acquire Franklin Morales from the Rockies for a player to be named later; they also designate for assignment Japanese reliever Hideki Okajima. The veteran Millwood spent a month in the Yankees’ system earlier this year but asked for his release when it became clear that there was little chance he would be called up to the majors in the near future.

After sitting on the bench for most of the season so far, veteran 1B Jason Giambi has the first three-homer game of his career in the Rockies’ 7 – 1 win over Philadelphia. He hits homers in his first three at-bats, driving in all 7 of his team’s runs, but fails in his last two at-bats to become only the 16th player to hit four dingers in one game. Giambi entered the game hitting .115 with 1 homer and 4 RBI; at 40, he is the second-oldest player to hit three home runs in a game, after Stan Musial who was 41 when he accomplished the feat on July 8, 1962.

Five different games end in shutouts today. The most remarkable performance is a three-hitter thrown by Jake Peavy of the White Sox, making only his second appearance since undergoing shoulder surgery 10 months earlier. He wins 1 – 0 over Cleveland, with Justin Masterson being saddled with the loss in spite a solid performance of his own. Boston also wins 1 – 0, over Detroit, with Clay Buchholz getting the win, and, in another whitewash, Charlie Morton of Pittsburgh notches his second career shutout. The Mets and Mariners also win with combined shutouts.

Brian McCann becomes the 11th major leaguer to hit a game-tying pinch homer and a game-winning, extra-inning homer in the same game. He provides all of the Braves’ offense in a 3 – 1 win over Houston.

The battle for AL West supremacy ends in a knock-out. Oakland romps over Los Angeles, 14 – 0, as Gio Gonzalez pitches 7 one-hit innings. Mark Ellis has 3 hits and 4 RBI for the A’s while Tyler Chatwood has the worst start of his young career, giving up 7 runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Harmon Killebrew, one of the great sluggers of the 1960s with 573 career home runs, passes away from cancer at 74 in Scottsdale, AZ. The gentle and universally-like “Killer”, who spent the bulk of his career with the Minnesota Twins, was the 1969 AL MVP and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984.

Drayton McLane sells the Astros for approximately $685 million to a group led by Jim Crane, who failed in his attempts to buy this team in 2008, the Cubs in 2009, and the Rangers with Mark Cuban in 2010. During McLane’s tenure with Houston, which started in 1992, the club appeared in the postseason six times, including a losing trip to the World Series in 2005.

The Indians pound the Royals, 19 – 1, collecting 20 hits and 8 walks. Reliever Vin Mazzaro bears the brunt of the damage: he gives up 10 runs in the 4th inning, and a team-record 14 runs overall as he takes one for the team. He is then sent down to AAA Omaha immediately after the game, his ERA having ballooned to 22.74. He is only the fourth pitcher since World War II to give up 14 runs in a game. Michael Brantley and Matt LaPortadrive in 4 runs each, while Travis Hafner and Orlando Cabrera chip in with 3 RBIs apiece. Kyle Davies is the loser, retiring only one batter on a nightmarish evening for Kansas City’s pitchers.

The Red Sox beat the Yankees, 7 – 5, at New Yankee Stadium, to complete a three-game sweep and bring their record to .500 for the first time after starting the year 0-6. Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz and Jarrod Saltalamacchia homer for the Sox. The Yankees have now lost 9 of their last 12 as the standings in the AL East are completely bunched up, with all five teams within 3 1/2 games of each other.

The red-hot José Bautista slams three more home runs, bringing his major league-leading total to 16, helping Toronto to an 11 – 3 drubbing of the Twins at Target Field. The Jays have now won 5 straight; for its part, Minnesota has lost 14 of 17 and has the worst record in baseball.