Neil Diamond shows up unannounced at Fenway Park to ask the Red Sox if he can sing Sweet Caroline at the first game played at the ballpark since the bombing at the Boston Marathon

Neil Diamond shows up unannounced at Fenway Park to ask the Red Sox if he can sing Sweet Caroline at the first game played at the ballpark since the bombing at the Boston Marathon

ByTom

After flying from Los Angeles, Neil Diamond shows up unannounced at Fenway Park to ask the Red Sox if he can sing Sweet Caroline at the first game played at the ballpark since the bombing at the Boston Marathon. The crowd and the rest of the nation are truly ‘Boston Strong’ after his eighth-inning performance of the team’s

Boston Red Sox play first game after Marathon Bombings

ByThis Day in Baseball

2013 – The Red Sox play their first home game since the tragic events at the Boston Marathon, defeating Kansas City, 4 – 3. David Ortiz, playing his first game of the year, gives a rousing speech thanking municipal authorities and police before the game. Ortiz sums up the mood of the city when he tells the capacity crowd, “This jersey that we wear today, it doesn’t say Red Sox. It says Boston. This is our f’***ng city, and nobody’s going to dictate our freedom. Stay Strong.” Neil Diamond comes in person to sing “Sweet Caroline” in the 8th inning. Daniel Nava has the key blow, a three-run homer in the bottom of the 8th. The Red Sox would hang a uniform in the club house for the remainder of the season “617” was the number and Boston Strong was the name. They used this energy and theme to propel them to the 2013 World title.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Matt Harvey becomes the first pitcher in modern major league history to win his first four games while giving up less than a total of ten hits. The 24 year-old Mets right-hander easily outduels his mound opponent, Washington’s former phenom, Stephen Strasburg, prompting the Citi Field crowd to start chanting, “Har-vee’s be-tter, “Har-vee’s be-tter.”

ByTom

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Matt Harvey becomes the first pitcher in modern major league history to win his first four games while giving up less than a total of ten hits. The 24 year-old Mets right-hander easily outduels his mound opponent, Washington’s former phenom, Stephen Strasburg, prompting the Citi Field crowd to start chanting, “Har-vee’s be-tter, “Har-vee’s be-tter.”

Boston’s game against the Royals at Fenway Park is postponed as the city is in lockdown while a massive police chase takes place to find the second of two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings.

ByTom

Boston’s game against the Royals at Fenway Park is postponed as the city is in lockdown while a massive police chase takes place to find the second of two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings.

Jean Segura becoming the first player to have stolen second and then is caught stealing the same bag in the same inning.

ByTom

Jean Segura channels the ghost of Germany Schaefer in a bizarre 8th-inning play in the Brewers’ 5 – 4 win over the Cubs. Segura singles and steals second base, and Ryan Braun follows by drawing a walk. Cubs pitcher Shawn Camp then picks Segura off second base, and he is caught in a rundown; Braun moves to second on the play, but Segura manages to escape the pickle and ends up on the base as well. The Cubs tag both runners, and umpire Phil Cuzzi correctly calls Braun out, as the lead runner is entitled to the bag. However, Segura misunderstands the call and, thinking he is out, starts walking back towards the dugout, before the first base coach tells him to stop at first base. As the play was the result of a mistake, and not an attempt to sew confusion, Segura is allowed to remain at first base. He then attempts to steal second base again, but is thrown out. Schaefer is of course famous for stealing first base in a game on August 4, 1911.

The Yankees get some bad news when they learn that SS Derek Jeter will not be back until the second half of the year after x-rays reveal a small fracture in the surgically-repaired ankle he broke in last year’s ALCS.

ByBaseball

The Yankees get some bad news when they learn that SS Derek Jeter will not be back until the second half of the year after x-rays reveal a small fracture in the surgically-repaired ankle he broke in last year’s ALCS.

Matt Wieters hits a walk-off grand slam off Brandon Gomes in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Orioles a 10 – 6 win over Tampa Bay. It is Baltimore’s 17th consecutive win in extra innings, including 16 last season.

ByBaseball

Matt Wieters hits a walk-off grand slam off Brandon Gomes in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Orioles a 10 – 6 win over Tampa Bay. It is Baltimore’s 17th consecutive win in extra innings, including 16 last season.

The Tigers and Mariners combine for 40 strikeouts in 14 innings, three short of the major league record set by the Angels and A’s on July 9, 1971, in 20 innings. Prince Fielder leads the pack with five strikeouts, while Austin Jackson and Franklin Gutierrez both earn golden sombreros. Starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Felix Hernandez post almost identical pitching lines, both striking out 12 and giving up a single run in eight innings of work. The Tigers top the M’s, 2 – 1, with the game ending when Justin Smoak is tagged out at home by the Bengals’ Brayan Pena while trying to score the tying run from first base on Dustin Ackley’s double.

ByBaseball

The Tigers and Mariners combine for 40 strikeouts in 14 innings, three short of the major league record set by the Angels and A’s on July 9, 1971, in 20 innings. Prince Fielder leads the pack with five strikeouts, while Austin Jackson and Franklin Gutierrez both earn golden sombreros. Starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Felix Hernandez post almost identical pitching lines, both striking out 12 and giving up a single run in eight innings of work. The Tigers top the M’s, 2 – 1, with the game ending when Justin Smoak is tagged out at home by the Bengals’ Brayan Pena while trying to score the tying run from first base on Dustin Ackley’s double.

Author of a no-hitter when he was a raw youth of 24, the now 36-year-old A.J. Burnett come close to another while leading the Pirates to a 5 – 0 win over the Cardinals. Carlos Beltranbreaks up the no-no with a double with two outs in the 7th. Burnett’s 8 strikeouts on the night include the 2000th of his career, Beltran being the victim in the 2nd inning.

ByBaseball

Author of a no-hitter when he was a raw youth of 24, the now 36-year-old A.J. Burnett come close to another while leading the Pirates to a 5 – 0 win over the Cardinals. Carlos Beltranbreaks up the no-no with a double with two outs in the 7th. Burnett’s 8 strikeouts on the night include the 2000th of his career, Beltran being the victim in the 2nd inning.

The Reds need only 9 minutes to record a win, as Jay Bruce singles with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th for a 1 – 0 victory over the Phillies. The game was suspended by rain while still scoreless after 8 1/2 innings the previous night. Two hours later, after the few spectators who made the trip to witness the end of the suspended game have been cleared, the regularly scheduled game starts, and Cincinnati completes a sweep with an 11 – 2 win over Philly. Mike Leake is the hero, pitching seven scoreless innings while collecting three hits and scoring three runs.

ByBaseball

The Reds need only 9 minutes to record a win, as Jay Bruce singles with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th for a 1 – 0 victory over the Phillies. The game was suspended by rain while still scoreless after 8 1/2 innings the previous night. Two hours later, after the few spectators who made the trip to witness the end of the suspended game have been cleared, the regularly scheduled game starts, and Cincinnati completes a sweep with an 11 – 2 win over Philly. Mike Leake is the hero, pitching seven scoreless innings while collecting three hits and scoring three runs.