2018 – After another great performance by Max Scherzer, the Nationals go into the bottom of the 9th with a 3 – 0 lead in a Sunday night game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, only to see rookie David Bote hit a two-out pinch-hit walk-off grand slam off Ryan Madson for a 4 – 3 win.

Barry Bonds gets a measure of redemption, 11 years after breaking Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record amidst rumors of steroid use. Before today’s game, his number 25 is officially retired by the Giants and he is met with thundering cheers, in contrast with the almost indifference which greeted his record-breaking feat. At 87, all-time great Willie Mays, who has known Bonds since he was a small child, steals the show by calling for a statue of him to be erected alongside his outside AT&T Park and for Bonds’s election to the Hall of Fame.

2018 – The Orioles’ awful season continues as they blow an early 8 – 3 lead against Boston to lose, 19 – 12. This puts them 46 1/2 games back of the division-leading Red Sox, with 46 games remaining, meaning they are mathematically eliminated. It matches the earliest date this has happened in baseball history, set by the 1932 Red Sox and copied by the 1962 Mets, two notoriously awful teams, and the 46 games left to play at the time of elimination is a new record in the divisional era.

2018 – P Brett Kennedy of the Padres gets a rough introduction to the big leagues in his debut as he surrenders consecutive home runs to Jesus Aguilar, Travis Shaw and Eric Thames in the 1st inning, the first of these coming with two men on base. He allows one more run before departing after 4 innings as Milwaukee cruises to an 8 – 4 win.

The Indianapolis Indians have two players hit for the cycle in a 12 – 5 win over Lehigh Valley in the International League. In the 8th inning, Kevin Newman completes a 5-for-5 day with a homer. Three batters later, Jacob Stallings hits his first triple in three years to complete his own cycle.

45-year-old Bartolo Colon sets a new record for wins by a pitcher from Latin America as the Rangers defeat the Mariners for his 246th career victory, moving him past Dennis Martinez.

The Clearwater Threshers of the Florida State League are no-hit but still manage to win a game against the Tampa Tarpons. In the second game of a doubleheader, Deivi Garcia is perfect through the seven regulation innings for Tampa, striking out 12, but the 8th starts with a runner on second base against reliever Christian Morris, courtesy of the Schiller Rule. A throwing error and a fielder’s choice lead to a run, and Alberto Tirado shuts down the Tarpons in the bottom of the 8th to give Clearwater a 1 – 0 win.

The Red Sox complete a four-game sweep of the Yankees thanks a stunning 9th-inning comeback against closer Aroldis Chapman who allows three runs by walking the bases loaded with two outs, then allows a two-run single to J.D. Martinez and sees the tying run score on an error by 3B Miguel Andujar. Andrew Benintendi then gives Boston a 5 – 4 win with a run-scoring single in the 10th. Boston now has a lead of 9 1/2 games after the two teams were neck-and-neck until late June.

The Red Sox begin a four-game series against the Yankees at home with an emphatic 15 – 7 win at Fenway Park. Steve Pearce homers three times and drives in six to lead the offense, as the Sox pound the Yankees’ bullpen for 13 runs after CC Sabathia leaves with a 4 – 2 lead after battling through the first three innings. Jonathan Holder is the worst offender, as he retires none of the 7 batters he faces and they all cross the plate as Boston scores 8 times in the 4th.

The surprising Athletics move into a tie for the second wild card spot in the American League by defeating the Blue Jays, 8 – 3, completing a season sweep of their seven games with the Jays. The A’s are 30-10 since June 16th and have made up 11 games on the Mariners during that span. Sean Manaea records his 10th win of the year.