The Brewers and Corey Hart agree to a $26.5 million, three-year contract extension keeping the All-Star outfielder in Milwaukee through the 2013 season. The 28 year-old fly chaser, who had an unproductive 2009 season and a poor spring training, had been the subject of recent trade rumors.

ByBaseball

The Brewers and Corey Hart agree to a $26.5 million, three-year contract extension keeping the All-Star outfielder in Milwaukee through the 2013 season. The 28 year-old fly chaser, who had an unproductive 2009 season and a poor spring training, had been the subject of recent trade rumors.

The Reds retake 1st place in the NL Central with a 4 – 0 win over Pittsburgh, combined with the Cardinals’ 9 – 4 loss at home to Houston. Rookie Travis Wood pitches 7 shutout innings in Cincinnati’s victory, but starting SS Orlando Cabrera strains a muscle on a 9th-inning swing and is headed for the disabled list.

ByBaseball

The Reds retake 1st place in the NL Central with a 4 – 0 win over Pittsburgh, combined with the Cardinals’ 9 – 4 loss at home to Houston. Rookie Travis Wood pitches 7 shutout innings in Cincinnati’s victory, but starting SS Orlando Cabrera strains a muscle on a 9th-inning swing and is headed for the disabled list.

The Brewers bang out 26 hits in beating the Cubs, 18 – 1, at Wrigley Field. Prince Fielder drives in 5 runs on 5 hits, Ryan Braun also collects 5 hits and Corey Hart has 4 in support of Yovani Gallardo’s 12 strikeouts; Casey McGehee hits a three-run homer in the rout. “Nothing worked”, comments Cubs acting manager Alan Trammell, filling in for Lou Piniella, who is in Florida to attend a funeral. It ties the Cubs’ franchise record for hits allowed, set back in the 1950s.

ByBaseball

The Brewers bang out 26 hits in beating the Cubs, 18 – 1, at Wrigley Field. Prince Fielder drives in 5 runs on 5 hits, Ryan Braun also collects 5 hits and Corey Hart has 4 in support of Yovani Gallardo’s 12 strikeouts; Casey McGehee hits a three-run homer in the rout. “Nothing worked”, comments Cubs acting manager Alan Trammell, filling in for Lou Piniella, who is in Florida to attend a funeral. It ties the Cubs’ franchise record for hits allowed, set back in the 1950s.

Washington backstop Ivan Rodriguez becomes the fifth player to collect 300 home runs while catching when he goes deep off Rodrigo Lopez leading off the second inning of the Nationals’ 3-1 victory in Arizona. Pudge joins Hall of Famers Mike Piazza, Carlton Fisk, Johnny Bench, and Yogi Berra as the only catchers in baseball history to reach the plateau while playing behind the dish.

ByBaseball

Washington backstop Ivan Rodriguez becomes the fifth player to collect 300 home runs while catching when he goes deep off Rodrigo Lopez leading off the second inning of the Nationals’ 3-1 victory in Arizona. Pudge joins Hall of Famers Mike Piazza, Carlton Fisk, Johnny Bench, and Yogi Berra as the only catchers in baseball history to reach the plateau while playing behind the dish.

Meanwhile, in New York, the Blue Jays lash out a record-tying 6 doubles in the 5th inning, including 2 by Travis Snider, to beat the Yankees, 8 – 6. Brandon Morrow beats former Jay A.J. Burnett, while Kevin Gregg retires Alex Rodriguez after giving up a solo homer to Nick Swisher to end the game and earn his 24th save.

ByBaseball

Meanwhile, in New York, the Blue Jays lash out a record-tying 6 doubles in the 5th inning, including 2 by Travis Snider, to beat the Yankees, 8 – 6. Brandon Morrow beats former Jay A.J. Burnett, while Kevin Gregg retires Alex Rodriguez after giving up a solo homer to Nick Swisher to end the game and earn his 24th save.

It’s a day of strong pitching performances in the major leagues. In St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay’s James Shields keeps the Yankees off the scoreboard for seven innings in a 3 – 0 win that brings the Rays within a game of the AL East leaders. Matt Cain of the Giants needs 124 pitches to go through 7 2/3 innings, but he registers his first career win over the Dodgers, 2 – 0, to complete a three-game sweep. Finally, Francisco Liriano gives up only 2 hits and strikes out 11 in seven innings in the Twins’ 4 – 0 victory over Seattle.

ByBaseball

It’s a day of strong pitching performances in the major leagues. In St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay’s James Shields keeps the Yankees off the scoreboard for seven innings in a 3 – 0 win that brings the Rays within a game of the AL East leaders. Matt Cain of the Giants needs 124 pitches to go through 7 2/3 innings, but he registers his first career win over the Dodgers, 2 – 0, to complete a three-game sweep. Finally, Francisco Liriano gives up only 2 hits and strikes out 11 in seven innings in the Twins’ 4 – 0 victory over Seattle.

The Red Sox pull out a thrilling victory over the Tigers after blowing a three-run lead in the 9th inning. Jed Lowrie leads off the bottom of the 9th with an infield single and Eric Patterson walks before Marco Scutaro drops a bunt towards rookie pitcher Robbie Weinhardt; his throw to first base is off target, allowing pinch runner Darnell McDonald to score the winning run in the 4 – 3 win. Jonathan Papelbon is the winner, in spite of spoiling a great performance by starter Clay Buchholz, who held the Tigers scoreless for 8 innings.

ByBaseball

The Red Sox pull out a thrilling victory over the Tigers after blowing a three-run lead in the 9th inning. Jed Lowrie leads off the bottom of the 9th with an infield single and Eric Patterson walks before Marco Scutaro drops a bunt towards rookie pitcher Robbie Weinhardt; his throw to first base is off target, allowing pinch runner Darnell McDonald to score the winning run in the 4 – 3 win. Jonathan Papelbon is the winner, in spite of spoiling a great performance by starter Clay Buchholz, who held the Tigers scoreless for 8 innings.

Taiwan wins its second Gold Medal ever at a World Junior Championship, beating Australia, 8 – 4, in the finale of the 2010 World Junior Championship. Australia’s Silver marks its best finish ever, while Cuba tops Canada in the Bronze Medal game. Tourney MVP Tzu-Wei Lin hits a 3-run homer and drives in four.

ByBaseball

Taiwan wins its second Gold Medal ever at a World Junior Championship, beating Australia, 8 – 4, in the finale of the 2010 World Junior Championship. Australia’s Silver marks its best finish ever, while Cuba tops Canada in the Bronze Medal game. Tourney MVP Tzu-Wei Lin hits a 3-run homer and drives in four.

Needing a home run to complete the sixth cycle in franchise history, Carlos Gonzalez, the leading hitter in the National League, belts a game-ending round-tripper that gives the Rockies a 6-5 comeback victory over Chicago. ‘CarGo,’ who becomes the fifth player to complete the cycle with a walk-off home run, smashes the first pitch thrown in the bottom of the ninth into the third-deck, making it the 29th long ball to land there in the 11-year history of Coors Field.

ByBaseball

Needing a home run to complete the sixth cycle in franchise history, Carlos Gonzalez, the leading hitter in the National League, belts a game-ending round-tripper that gives the Rockies a 6-5 comeback victory over Chicago. ‘CarGo,’ who becomes the fifth player to complete the cycle with a walk-off home run, smashes the first pitch thrown in the bottom of the ninth into the third-deck, making it the 29th long ball to land there in the 11-year history of Coors Field.

Once again, the last day before the trading deadline is a busy one as contenders try to plug holes before the last stretch of the pennant race. The Dodgers get P Ted Lilly and 2B Ryan Theriot from the Cubs for IF Blake DeWitt and two minor leaguers, and add P Octavio Dotel from the Pirates for P James McDonald and a minor leaguer. The Pirates send another member of their bullpen, Javier Lopez, to the Giants for P Joe Martinez. The Yankees complete yesterday’s rumored deal with Houston for Lance Berkman and also add reliever Kerry Wood from Cleveland, not giving up any major leaguers in the process. The Braves add veterans P Kyle Farnsworthand OF Rick Ankiel from the Royals for Jesse Chavez, Gregor Blanco and Tim Collins, and in a three-team deal, the Padres get OF Ryan Ludwick from the Cardinals, while the Cards add pitcher Jake Westbrook, taken from Cleveland, which receives two prospects from San Diego.

ByBaseball

Once again, the last day before the trading deadline is a busy one as contenders try to plug holes before the last stretch of the pennant race. The Dodgers get P Ted Lilly and 2B Ryan Theriot from the Cubs for IF Blake DeWitt and two minor leaguers, and add P Octavio Dotel from the Pirates for P James McDonald and a minor leaguer. The Pirates send another member of their bullpen, Javier Lopez, to the Giants for P Joe Martinez. The Yankees complete yesterday’s rumored deal with Houston for Lance Berkman and also add reliever Kerry Wood from Cleveland, not giving up any major leaguers in the process. The Braves add veterans P Kyle Farnsworthand OF Rick Ankiel from the Royals for Jesse Chavez, Gregor Blanco and Tim Collins, and in a three-team deal, the Padres get OF Ryan Ludwick from the Cardinals, while the Cards add pitcher Jake Westbrook, taken from Cleveland, which receives two prospects from San Diego.