1B Mike Jacobs, currently playing for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in the Pacific Coast League, is the first North American professional athlete to test positive for human growth hormone. He receives a 50-game suspension from Major League Baseball, and is released by the parent Colorado Rockies.

The Rays get their third straight stellar performance by a starting pitcher as David Price throws eight scoreless innings, giving up only three hits, in a 4 – 0 win over the Red Sox. Price’s gem follows a complete game three-hitter by James Shields, and a three-hit shutout by Jeff Niemann in the first two games of the series at Fenway Park. The Sox still manage to save something, winning the opener, 3 – 1, in spite of Shields’s great effort. It is the first time in Red Sox history they have been held to three hits or less in three straight games at home.

The injury-ravaged Giants, missing their top two relievers, closer Brian Wilson and set-up man Sergio Romo, build an early 7 – 1 lead over the Braves behind the pitching of Matt Cain. Things get more difficult when the bullpen takes over in the 9th and gives up four runs until Jeremy Affeldt manages to strike out Brian McCann, representing the tying run, for the last out in a 7 – 5 win. The slumping Giants manage to pick up a game on the Diamondbacks in the NL West race.

Rangers president Nolan Ryan announces a bronze artwork depicting Shannon Stone and his six year-old son attending a game will most likely be placed outside the home plate entrance to the Arlington ballpark at the start of next season. The 39 year-old firefighter died after falling more than 20 feet while attempting to catch a ball tossed by Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton during a game in July.

At Petco Park, Jason Isringhausen becomes the 23rd major league pitcher to record 300 career saves when the Mets defeat San Diego in 10 innings, 5-4. The 38 year-old right-handed closer is the third pitcher, along with John Franco (1996) and Billy Wagner (2006), to achieve his 300th save wearing a Mets uniform.

With 23 of 33 first round picks in the 2011 amateur draft still unsigned when the last day to sign drafted players begins, there is a flurry of signings today. Both the top and second picks in the draft, Gerrit Cole and Danny Hultzen, accept deals. Cole gets $8 million from the Pirates in what becomes the largest minor league contract in history, and Hultzen agrees to $8.5 million from the Mariners and a major league contract. When the dust settles, only Tyler Beede, picked 21st by Toronto, has failed to sign.

The Brewers turn the sixth triple play in team history in the 2nd inning of their 3 – 0 win over the Dodgers. With two on and none out, James Loney hits a ground ball up the middle that 2B Josh Wilson ranges to his right to field, and then flips to SS Yuniesky Betancourt with his glove for the first out. Betancourt throws to 1B Prince Fielder for the second out. Prince then sees Matt Kemp trying to score from third base and fires to C George Kottaras who tags out Kemp to end the inning. “You find weird ways to win when you’re hot”, comments winning pitcher Randy Wolf after the game.

The Minnesota Twins trade OF Delmon Young to the Detroit Tigers for Class A pitcher Cole Nelson and a player to be named later.