At Coors Field, Carlos Gonzalez sets a franchise record and becomes the 22nd major league to hit a home run in his fourth straight at-bat. The Rockies outfielder’s first frame three-home run off Houston pitcher Bud Norris comes on the heels of CarGo’s three round-trippers in the fifth, sixth, and eighth innings of yesterday’s contest.

With a 1st-inning three-run homer off Bud Norris of the Astros, Colorado’s Carlos Gonzalez sets a franchise record with his 4th consecutive long ball. He had hit homers in his last three at-bats in the Rockies’ 13 – 5 win over Houston the previous day. The shaken Astros walk him intentionally the next time he comes to the plate in the 2nd inning. Colorado goes on to to win, 11 – 5, completing a four-game sweep.

Jason Hammel gives up four solo homers, then accuses the Blue Jays of stealing signs as they complete a three-game sweep of the Orioles, 4 – 1. Brandon Morrow is the winner.

Normally one of the weakest-hitting team in the majors, the Mariners explode for 21 runs in beating Texas, 21 – 8. Justin Smoak hits a pair of three-run homers, Dustin Ackley also hits a three-run shot, Jesus Monterohomers, and Kyle Seager adds 4 hits and 2 RBI in the outburst. The 21 runs are the most scored by a team this season.

The Cubs beat the Padres, 5 – 3, with James Russell getting the save. He joins father Jeff Russell as the fourth father-son duo to both save a game in the majors.

Jeremy Hefner homers for his first career hit and wins his first game in the majors, beating the Phillies, 6 – 3. No pitcher had gotten his first homer and first win in the same game in 10 years, since Dennis Tankersley had done it. Tankersley never got another homer or win, though.

The Rangers sign free agent pitcher Roy Oswalt, who has been inactive so far this year, for the remainder of the season for $5 million. Ironically, the signing comes on the day his former team, the Phillies, place their ace Roy Halladay on the disabled list, but the Phils’ renewed interest in Oswalt’s services comes too late.

With the Red Sox and Blue Jays both winning today, all five teams in both the AL East and NL East are now above .500. It is the first time this has happened since June 23, 1995, when the NL West and AL West both had all of their four teams above .500 simultaneously.

The Angels lose their ace, Jered Weaver, after only 12 pitches when he is forced to leave his start against the Yankees with a back injury in the 1st inning, but they hold on for a hard-fought 9 – 8 win, capped by Mark Trumbo’s walk-off home run. The win puts the Angels at .500 for the first time since April 9th. Howie Kendrick and Kendry Morales drive in 3 runs each and Mike Trout homers to lead the offense. Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira homer for New York, and Russell Martin hits a two-run double in the 7th to tie the game at 8-all, but Trumbo’s 9th-inning homer off Cory Wade ends it, giving struggling closer Jordan Walden his first win of the year.

The Cubs end a 12-game losing streak, their longest since 1997, with an 11 – 7 win over the Padres at Wrigley Field. Alfonso Soriano goes 3 for 4 with a homer and 3 RBI, his 7th-inning homer putting the Cubs ahead to stay against Alex Hinshaw; Ian Stewart, Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney also homer for Chicago, while David DeJesus hits a pair of triples. For their part, the Padres hit four long balls on a day when the wind is blowing towards the fences, with Chase Headley connecting twice, and Everth Cabrera and Will Venable once each.