The Giants acquire 1B Ryan Garko from Cleveland in return for pitching prospect Scott Barnes, who is 12-3, 2.85, with 99 Ks in 98 innings in Class A.

With a 5 – 2 win over the Reds, the Cubs move into first place in the tight NL Central race. Rich Harden, who had not won at Wrigley Field since August 24, 2008, is the winner.

The White team beats the Red, 6 – 5, in the CPBL All-Star Game. Chih-Sheng Lin, fresh off a home run derby title, hits a three-run homer off Ko-Chien Lin to pick up MVP honors. Wei-Lun Pan gets the win.

After dropping five straight All-Star Games, the West beats the East, 7 – 3, in the Korea Baseball Organization midsummer Classic. Jae-kyun Hwang hits a two-run homer for the West, as does Chi-hong An. An, at age 19, becomes the youngest rookie ever to be named All-Star Game MVP.

The Philadelphia Phillies defeat the St. Louis Cardinals, 14 – 6, at Citizens Bank Park for the 9,000th regular season win in team history. Jimmy Rollins, with a grand slam, and Shane Victorino hit back-to-back home runs in the 6th inning to propel the Phils to the milestone victory.

Down 9 – 1 coming into the 7th, the Rays tie the game on 9th-inning solo homers by Carlos Pena and Willy Aybar off Blue Jays closer Scott Downs, then add a run in the 12th on a double by Jason Bartlett for a 10 – 9 win. The Jays load the bases with one out in the bottom of the 12th, but Joe Nelson wiggles out of the jam to save J.P. Howell’s victory. It is the biggest comeback win in Rays history.

The Yankees extend their winning streak to 8 games with an 8 – 3 defeat of the A’s. Joba Chamberlain is the winner.

2009 – Mark Buehrle of the White Sox pitches the 18th perfect game in major league history in shutting down the Rays, 5 – 0. Dewayne Wise, inserted as a defensive substitute in the 9th, saves the gem by reaching over the left-center field fence to deprive Gabe Kapler of a home run. It is the second career no-hitter for Buehrle, who threw one on April 18, 2007. After the game, he receives a congratulatory phone call from President Barack Obama, a staunch White Sox fan.

Thanks to a spectacular grab by defensive replacement DeWayne Wise of Gabe Kapler’s bid for a leadoff home run in the ninth inning, Mark Buehrle tosses the 18th perfect game in major league history, a 5-0 gem over the Rays at U.S. Cellular Field. The 30 year-old southpaw, who received a congratulatory call from President Obama, a big White Sox fan, becomes the second pitcher in franchise history to throw two hitless games for the team, matching Frank Smith’s accomplishment when the right-hander did it against the 1905 Tigers and the 1908 A’s.

Boston is in a dealing mode today. They first acquire 1B Adam LaRoche from Pittsburgh for two minor leaguers, then send SS Julio Lugo, who was designated for assignment on July 17th, to St. Louis for OF Chris Duncan, who heads to AAA Pawtucket. The Sox are in the midst of a five-game losing streak and fall two games back of the Yankees with a 3 – 1 loss to Texas. Dustin Nippert, making an emergency start for the flu-ridden Vicente Padilla, and Doug Mathis, who earns his first career save, combine their efforts for the Rangers’ win.