After having made every European Championship since 1962 (the longest run of any country), Sweden is on the verge of missing out on the 2016 European Championship. They trail Israel 5-4 going into the 9th, having gotten moderate offense against Dean Kremer. Against Israel’s bullpen, though, they score five times in the 9th. Israel strikes back against a tiring Jakob Claesson (going the distance with 145 pitches) for 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th and puts the tying run in scoring position but Nate Fish grounds out to end the game. Sweden will then rally in the 9th again tomorrow against host Austria to win the Vienna round of the 2015 B-Level European Championship and retain a spot in the Euros. Veteran Björn Johannessen is named the MVP of the qualifier.

ByBaseball

After having made every European Championship since 1962 (the longest run of any country), Sweden is on the verge of missing out on the 2016 European Championship. They trail Israel 5-4 going into the 9th, having gotten moderate offense against Dean Kremer. Against Israel’s bullpen, though, they score five times in the 9th. Israel strikes back against a tiring Jakob Claesson (going the distance with 145 pitches) for 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th and puts the tying run in scoring position but Nate Fish grounds out to end the game. Sweden will then rally in the 9th again tomorrow against host Austria to win the Vienna round of the 2015 B-Level European Championship and retain a spot in the Euros. Veteran Björn Johannessen is named the MVP of the qualifier.

The trading deadline frenzy of activity continues as in the early hours of the morning, the Reds send P Mike Leake to the Giants for prospects Adam Duvall and Keury Mella. There are no other blockbuster trades today, but players on the move include OF Yoenis Cespedes, from Detroit to the Mets; P J.A. Happ, from Seattle to Pittsburgh; OF Ben Revere, from the Phillies to Toronto; P Mark Lowe, from Seattle to Toronto; OF Gerardo Parra, from Milwaukee to Baltimore; and P Jonathan Broxton, from Milwaukee to the Cardinals. There are also a couple of minor trades between contenders, with Pittsburgh swapping OF Jose Tabata with the Dodgers for OF/1B Mike Morse and Baltimore sending P Tommy Hunter to the Cubs for utility player Junior Lake.

ByBaseball

The trading deadline frenzy of activity continues as in the early hours of the morning, the Reds send P Mike Leake to the Giants for prospects Adam Duvall and Keury Mella. There are no other blockbuster trades today, but players on the move include OF Yoenis Cespedes, from Detroit to the Mets; P J.A. Happ, from Seattle to Pittsburgh; OF Ben Revere, from the Phillies to Toronto; P Mark Lowe, from Seattle to Toronto; OF Gerardo Parra, from Milwaukee to Baltimore; and P Jonathan Broxton, from Milwaukee to the Cardinals. There are also a couple of minor trades between contenders, with Pittsburgh swapping OF Jose Tabata with the Dodgers for OF/1B Mike Morse and Baltimore sending P Tommy Hunter to the Cubs for utility player Junior Lake.

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2015 – Jason Castro belts a dramatic three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth that knocks out Anaheim, 3-0, to push Houston two games in front in the AL West chase. Newly-acquired Scott Kazmir blanks the Halos for 7-2/3rd innings but it is Luke Gregerson who inherits the win. The Astros also ship four prospects to Milwaukee for outfielder Carlos Gomez and pitcher Mike Fiers. 

ByTom

2015 – Jason Castro belts a dramatic three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth that knocks out Anaheim, 3-0, to push Houston two games in front in the AL West chase. Newly-acquired Scott Kazmir blanks the Halos for 7-2/3rd innings but it is Luke Gregerson who inherits the win. The Astros also ship four prospects to Milwaukee for outfielder Carlos Gomez and pitcher Mike Fiers. 

2015 – In a whirlwind day of trading, the Blue Jays once again make the biggest splash, acquiring P David Price from Detroit for prospects Matt Boyd, Jairo Labourt and Daniel Norris, two days after landing SS Troy Tulowitzki. Detroit also trades P Joakim Soria to Pittsburgh for IF JaCoby Jones. The Astros add P Mike Fiers and OF Carlos Gomez from Milwaukee in return for four prospects, while the Dodgers complete a transaction started a day earlier with the Marlins, sending three minor leaguers to complete their deal for OF Mike Morse and P Mat Latos, and landing a competitive balance pick which they flip to the Braves along with three players in order to acquire Ps Alex Wood, Jim Johnson, Luis Avilan and Bronson Arroyo and IF Jose Peraza. The Yankees send Ramon Flores and José Ramírez to Seattle to obtain IF/OF Dustin Ackley, while the Indians trade OF/1B Brandon Moss to St. Louis for P Rob Kaminsky.

ByThis Day in Baseball

2015 – In a whirlwind day of trading, the Blue Jays once again make the biggest splash, acquiring P David Price from Detroit for prospects Matt Boyd, Jairo Labourt and Daniel Norris, two days after landing SS Troy Tulowitzki. Detroit also trades P Joakim Soria to Pittsburgh for IF JaCoby Jones. The Astros add P Mike Fiers and OF Carlos Gomez from Milwaukee in return for four prospects, while the Dodgers complete a transaction started a day earlier with the Marlins, sending three minor leaguers to complete their deal for OF Mike Morse and P Mat Latos, and landing a competitive balance pick which they flip to the Braves along with three players in order to acquire Ps Alex Wood, Jim Johnson, Luis Avilan and Bronson Arroyo and IF Jose Peraza. The Yankees send Ramon Flores and José Ramírez to Seattle to obtain IF/OF Dustin Ackley, while the Indians trade OF/1B Brandon Moss to St. Louis for P Rob Kaminsky.

Another trade almost gets consumed, as the Mets are on the verge of trading IF Wilmer Flores and P Zack Wheeler to Milwaukee for OF Carlos Gomez. The rumor of the deal sweeps through the stands at Citi Field, and Flores breaks into tears on the field as he does not want to leave a team that has grown into a contender. The trade falls through, however, and the Mets lose, 7 – 3, to San Diego in spite of three homers by Lucas Duda.

ByBaseball

Another trade almost gets consumed, as the Mets are on the verge of trading IF Wilmer Flores and P Zack Wheeler to Milwaukee for OF Carlos Gomez. The rumor of the deal sweeps through the stands at Citi Field, and Flores breaks into tears on the field as he does not want to leave a team that has grown into a contender. The trade falls through, however, and the Mets lose, 7 – 3, to San Diego in spite of three homers by Lucas Duda.

It’s another day of deals as the trading deadline is getting nearer. The biggest name to move is P Cole Hamels, who goes from the Phillies to the Rangers along with reliever Jake Diekman in return for P Matt Harrison and five prospects. The Dodgers land a couple of big names, as P Mat Latos and OF/1B Mike Morse come over from Miami; however, by the time this trade is finalized a day later, it will have turned into a three-team extravaganza involving 13 players. The Royals also continue their fine-tuning, sending P Joe Blanton, who is now supernumerary after the acquisition of Johnny Cueto a few days ago, to the Pirates for cash considerations.

ByBaseball

It’s another day of deals as the trading deadline is getting nearer. The biggest name to move is P Cole Hamels, who goes from the Phillies to the Rangers along with reliever Jake Diekman in return for P Matt Harrison and five prospects. The Dodgers land a couple of big names, as P Mat Latos and OF/1B Mike Morse come over from Miami; however, by the time this trade is finalized a day later, it will have turned into a three-team extravaganza involving 13 players. The Royals also continue their fine-tuning, sending P Joe Blanton, who is now supernumerary after the acquisition of Johnny Cueto a few days ago, to the Pirates for cash considerations.

The Rangers feel good after scoring 5 runs and chasing Chris Capuano in the 1st inning, but it doesn’t last as the Yankees answer by scoring 11 times in the 2nd, the most by any team in any inning this season. The inning features 10 hits including a bases-clearing triple by Didi Gregorius. Chris Young then piles on with a grand slam in the 3rd. The Yankees end up winning, 21 – 5, as Diego Moreno records his first career win by pitching 5 1/3 hitless innings in relief of Capuano.

ByBaseball

The Rangers feel good after scoring 5 runs and chasing Chris Capuano in the 1st inning, but it doesn’t last as the Yankees answer by scoring 11 times in the 2nd, the most by any team in any inning this season. The inning features 10 hits including a bases-clearing triple by Didi Gregorius. Chris Young then piles on with a grand slam in the 3rd. The Yankees end up winning, 21 – 5, as Diego Moreno records his first career win by pitching 5 1/3 hitless innings in relief of Capuano.

For the second time this year, Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia tests positive for a banned steroid, a few weeks after completing an 80-game suspension. This time, he is suspended for an entire season.

ByBaseball

For the second time this year, Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia tests positive for a banned steroid, a few weeks after completing an 80-game suspension. This time, he is suspended for an entire season.

In other moves today, the Nationals acquire reliever Jonathan Papelbon from the Phillies for P Nick Pivetta. Papelbon had stated clearly that he wanted out of Philadelphia, and he will now displace Drew Storen as the Nats’ closer. The Angels stock up on outfielders because of concerns over the health of CF Mike Trout; one day after acquiring Shane Victorino, they get David DeJesus from the Rays and David Murphy from the Indians to shore up the position. Finally, the Athletics trade Ben Zobrist to the Royals in return for two prospects, Aaron Brooks and Sean Manaea.

ByBaseball

In other moves today, the Nationals acquire reliever Jonathan Papelbon from the Phillies for P Nick Pivetta. Papelbon had stated clearly that he wanted out of Philadelphia, and he will now displace Drew Storen as the Nats’ closer. The Angels stock up on outfielders because of concerns over the health of CF Mike Trout; one day after acquiring Shane Victorino, they get David DeJesus from the Rays and David Murphy from the Indians to shore up the position. Finally, the Athletics trade Ben Zobrist to the Royals in return for two prospects, Aaron Brooks and Sean Manaea.

In the small hours of the morning, the Blue Jays acquire SS Troy Tulowitzki from the Rockies in return for their own starting SS, Jose Reyes and pitching prospects Miguel Castro, Jeff Hoffman and Jesus Tinoco. Veteran reliever LaTroy Hawkins accompanies Tulowitzki to Canada. The deal is considered a surprise, as the hard-hitting Jays were thought to be looking for pitching in their quest to end a 22-season postseason drought.

ByBaseball

In the small hours of the morning, the Blue Jays acquire SS Troy Tulowitzki from the Rockies in return for their own starting SS, Jose Reyes and pitching prospects Miguel Castro, Jeff Hoffman and Jesus Tinoco. Veteran reliever LaTroy Hawkins accompanies Tulowitzki to Canada. The deal is considered a surprise, as the hard-hitting Jays were thought to be looking for pitching in their quest to end a 22-season postseason drought.