In a case of how the mighty have fallen, the Dodgers, coming off an appearance in the World Series and winners of five straight division titles, enter today’s game against the Marlins, who have just gone through an off-season fire sale, with an identically bad record of 16-26. Worse, the Dodgers have just lost six straight against the two worst teams in the National League, the Marlins and the Reds. They manage to stop the bleeding with a 7 – 0 win, thanks to 5 RBIs from Justin Turner in just his third game back after missing six weeks due to an injury sustained at the end of spring training, and 8 solid innings by Kenta Maeda. While they may look like they are already out of the postseason race given how much ground they have lost, they will turn things around to win the division again and return to the World Series.

In a case of how the mighty have fallen, the Dodgers, coming off an appearance in the World Series and winners of five straight division titles, enter today’s game against the Marlins, who have just gone through an off-season fire sale, with an identically bad record of 16-26. Worse, the Dodgers have just lost six straight against the two worst teams in the National League, the Marlins and the Reds. They manage to stop the bleeding with a 7 – 0 win, thanks to 5 RBIs from Justin Turner in just his third game back after missing six weeks due to an injury sustained at the end of spring training, and 8 solid innings by Kenta Maeda. While they may look like they are already out of the postseason race given how much ground they have lost, they will turn things around to win the division again and return to the World Series.

The Padres remain the only franchise in the majors never to have seen one of their pitchers throw a no-hitter, as the latest bid, by Jordan Lyles, falls short against the Rockies. He retires 22 straight batters, the last being a strikeout of Carlos Gonzalez to open the 8th inning, but sees his dream snapped when Trevor Story follows with a single to left. The Padres win, 4 – 0, and many believe the team has been cursed since July 21, 1970, when manager Preston Gomez took the fateful decision of lifting Clay Kirby for a pinch-hitter after allowing a run but no hits through 8 innings against the Mets, only to see reliever Jack Baldschun allow 2 runs on 3 hits in the 9th to spoil the bid. Only two San Diego pitchers have made it as far as the 9th inning without allowing a hit since that day.

The Padres remain the only franchise in the majors never to have seen one of their pitchers throw a no-hitter, as the latest bid, by Jordan Lyles, falls short against the Rockies. He retires 22 straight batters, the last being a strikeout of Carlos Gonzalez to open the 8th inning, but sees his dream snapped when Trevor Story follows with a single to left. The Padres win, 4 – 0, and many believe the team has been cursed since July 21, 1970, when manager Preston Gomez took the fateful decision of lifting Clay Kirby for a pinch-hitter after allowing a run but no hits through 8 innings against the Mets, only to see reliever Jack Baldschun allow 2 runs on 3 hits in the 9th to spoil the bid. Only two San Diego pitchers have made it as far as the 9th inning without allowing a hit since that day.

Two days after being sidelined by a broken bone in his hand, 2B Robinson Cano of the Mariners is suspended for 80 days for testing positive for a banned substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Two days after being sidelined by a broken bone in his hand, 2B Robinson Cano of the Mariners is suspended for 80 days for testing positive for a banned substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Called up from AAA earlier in the day, Joey Rickard has a great game for the Orioles against the Rays as he homers twice and drives in 4 runs in a 17 – 1 rout. Danny Valencia and Trey Mancini also homer for the last-place Birds and Dylan Bundy pitches 7 scoreless innings in his first start since allowing 7 runs and 4 homers without retiring anyone in a start against the Royals on May 8th.

Called up from AAA earlier in the day, Joey Rickard has a great game for the Orioles against the Rays as he homers twice and drives in 4 runs in a 17 – 1 rout. Danny Valencia and Trey Mancini also homer for the last-place Birds and Dylan Bundy pitches 7 scoreless innings in his first start since allowing 7 runs and 4 homers without retiring anyone in a start against the Royals on May 8th.