In a pregame ceremony before a nationally televised game with Boston, the Yankees celebrate the 50th anniversary of Roger Maris’s record-breaking 61st home run. The festivities include New York captain Derek Jeter carrying to home plate the bat that the Rajah used to hit the Tracy Stallard pitch on October 1, 1961, and Sal Durante, the 19 year-old fan who caught the historic homer in the right field stands, bringing the ball onto the field.

Dillon Gee becomes the first Mets rookie to win 13 games in a season in 27 years when New York defeats Washington, 6-3. In 1984, Dwight Gooden compiled a 17-9 record as a freshman in 31 starts for the team.

After getting the first two outs on strikeouts, Mariano Rivera records his 600th career save when catcher Russell Martin throws out Ichiro Suzuki trying to steal second base for the final out of the game. The 41 year-old Yankee closer is one save shy of tying Trevor Hoffman’s major league career record.

Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers continue to steamroll over opponents. Verlander picks up his 23rd win – the first pitcher to reach that total since Barry Zito in 2002 – when he pitches 7 shutout innings over the White Sox, for a 5 – 0 win. Verlander has won his last 11 starts, something no one has done for the Bengals since Hal Newhouser in 1946. The win is also Detroit’s 11th straight this month.

It took him eight tries since he recorded his last win on July 24th, but 45-year-old Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, the major leagues’ active win leader, finally records victory number 200. He pitches 6 innings and leaves with a 6 – 5 lead over the Blue Jays, then his teammates get to work padding that cushion, as the game ends 18 – 6. In the 9th inning, P Junichi Tazawa makes his return to the majors two years after an injury interrupted a promising major league debut.