The White Sox are ahead, 6 – 0, in the top of the 6th inning when the Tigers’ bats get to work. Miguel Cabrera, Ryan Raburn and Austin Jackson all homer in an eight-run frame, as Detroit wins, 10 – 8. The Tigers get a scare in the bottom of the 9th, however, when closer Jose Valverde retires the first two Sox hitters, then begins to feel tightness in his back; he gives up a pair of hits and has to leave the game. Veteran Octavio Dotel steps in, and while he gives up a two-run double to Alexei Ramirez, he retires Dayan Viciedo to end the game and pick up his first save as a Tiger. He has now recorded a save for 9 of the record 13 teams for which he has pitched.

ByThis Day in Baseball

The White Sox are ahead, 6 – 0, in the top of the 6th inning when the Tigers’ bats get to work. Miguel Cabrera, Ryan Raburn and Austin Jackson all homer in an eight-run frame, as Detroit wins, 10 – 8. The Tigers get a scare in the bottom of the 9th, however, when closer Jose Valverde retires the first two Sox hitters, then begins to feel tightness in his back; he gives up a pair of hits and has to leave the game. Veteran Octavio Dotel steps in, and while he gives up a two-run double to Alexei Ramirez, he retires Dayan Viciedo to end the game and pick up his first save as a Tiger. He has now recorded a save for 9 of the record 13 teams for which he has pitched.

The Baltimore Orioles become the first team in American League history to lead off the game with three consecutive homers

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The Baltimore Orioles become the first team in American League history to lead off the game with three consecutive homers, as Ryan Flaherty, J.J. Hardy and Nick Markakis go deep to open the bottom of the 1st; it has been done three times in the National League. The last team to homer in its first three at-bats was the Milwaukee Brewers on September 9, 2007. Hardy also was the middle man in that spree. Colby Lewis, who surrenders the three longs balls, exits with an unusual pitching line: 7 innings pitched, 5 hits – all home runs – one walk and 12 strikeouts. Adam Jones and Wilson Betemit also homer off Lewis, the latter following the lone walk, issued to Matt Wieters. Baltimore wins, 6 – 5, with Wei-Yin Chen getting the win over Lewis.

The Phillies defeat the Nationals, 9 – 3, as Hunter Pence hits a pair of two-run homers in support of Cole Hamels’ pitching. Washington’s sole highlight comes in the the 1st, when rookie Bryce Harper pulls off a steal of home on a pick-off throw to first; Harper had reached base on a hit-by-pitch which Hamels later admits was a deliberate gesture aimed at the phenom’s cocky attitude after barely a week in the bigs; he will be suspended for five games as a result. In the 6th inning, RF Jayson Werth breaks his wrist in attempting a sliding catch in the outfield and will be out until August, a tough break for the Nats who have managed to stay in first place in spite of the absence of two other key players, Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse, who are both injured.

The Phillies defeat the Nationals, 9 – 3, as Hunter Pence hits a pair of two-run homers in support of Cole Hamels’ pitching. Washington’s sole highlight comes in the the 1st, when rookie Bryce Harper pulls off a steal of home on a pick-off throw to first; Harper had reached base on a hit-by-pitch which Hamels later admits was a deliberate gesture aimed at the phenom’s cocky attitude after barely a week in the bigs; he will be suspended for five games as a result. In the 6th inning, RF Jayson Werth breaks his wrist in attempting a sliding catch in the outfield and will be out until August, a tough break for the Nats who have managed to stay in first place in spite of the absence of two other key players, Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse, who are both injured.

ByThis Day in Baseball

The Phillies defeat the Nationals, 9 – 3, as Hunter Pence hits a pair of two-run homers in support of Cole Hamels’ pitching. Washington’s sole highlight comes in the the 1st, when rookie Bryce Harper pulls off a steal of home on a pick-off throw to first; Harper had reached base on a hit-by-pitch which Hamels later admits was a deliberate gesture aimed at the phenom’s cocky attitude after barely a week in the bigs; he will be suspended for five games as a result. In the 6th inning, RF Jayson Werth breaks his wrist in attempting a sliding catch in the outfield and will be out until August, a tough break for the Nats who have managed to stay in first place in spite of the absence of two other key players, Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse, who are both injured.

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana wins his first game since undergoing shoulder surgery towards the end of the 2010 season, defeating the Diamondbacks, 4 – 3. Santana had pitched well for the Mets in his previous 5 starts this season, but the team failed to score in his first four outings, then his bullpen blew a 4 – 0 lead in the 8th inning in his fifth start.

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Two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana wins his first game since undergoing shoulder surgery towards the end of the 2010 season, defeating the Diamondbacks, 4 – 3. Santana had pitched well for the Mets in his previous 5 starts this season, but the team failed to score in his first four outings, then his bullpen blew a 4 – 0 lead in the 8th inning in his fifth start.

An anonymous bidder pays $418,250 for the baseball hit by Mookie Wilson that rolled through the legs of Bill Buckner, allowing the Mets to cap a two-out rally with a 6-5 walk-off victory in the tenth inning in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. The historic horsehide was the centerpiece of memorabilia being offered by Heritage Auctions from the collection of Los Angeles songwriter Seth Swirsky, which also included Reggie Jackson’s third home run ball from Game 6 of the 1977 Fall Classic ($65,725), the Ranger cap that Jose Canseco was wearing in 1993 when a ball bounced off his head over the wall for a homer ($11,950), and a 1965 baseball signed by the Beatles from the Shea Stadium concert ($65,725).

ByThis Day in Baseball

An anonymous bidder pays $418,250 for the baseball hit by Mookie Wilson that rolled through the legs of Bill Buckner, allowing the Mets to cap a two-out rally with a 6-5 walk-off victory in the tenth inning in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. The historic horsehide was the centerpiece of memorabilia being offered by Heritage Auctions from the collection of Los Angeles songwriter Seth Swirsky, which also included Reggie Jackson’s third home run ball from Game 6 of the 1977 Fall Classic ($65,725), the Ranger cap that Jose Canseco was wearing in 1993 when a ball bounced off his head over the wall for a homer ($11,950), and a 1965 baseball signed by the Beatles from the Shea Stadium concert ($65,725).

2012 – Ryan Braun hits three homers and a two-run triple, driving in 6 runs, in Milwaukee’s 8 – 3 win over the Padres. He is the first player to smash three long balls in a game in pitcher-friendly PETCO Park. No player had hit 3 homers and a triple in a game since Fred Lynn in 1975.

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2012 – Ryan Braun hits three homers and a two-run triple, driving in 6 runs, in Milwaukee’s 8 – 3 win over the Padres. He is the first player to smash three long balls in a game in pitcher-friendly PETCO Park. No player had hit 3 homers and a triple in a game since Fred Lynn in 1975.

The Mets defeat the Marlins, 2 – 1, in a game marking the return of star shortstop Jose Reyes to New York after leaving the Big Apple for Miami as a free agent the previous off-season. Johan Santana strikes out 11 in 6 2/3 innings for the Mets, but leaves the game trailing, 1 – 0, as his teammates have yet to score a run in support of his pitching this year. The Mets score two late runs to win the game, but it is reliever Jon Rauch who gets the W. Before the game, the Mets place two key players on the disabled list, LF Jason Bay who has a broken rib, and starting P Mike Pelfrey, who has swelling in his elbow.

ByThis Day in Baseball

The Mets defeat the Marlins, 2 – 1, in a game marking the return of star shortstop Jose Reyes to New York after leaving the Big Apple for Miami as a free agent the previous off-season. Johan Santana strikes out 11 in 6 2/3 innings for the Mets, but leaves the game trailing, 1 – 0, as his teammates have yet to score a run in support of his pitching this year. The Mets score two late runs to win the game, but it is reliever Jon Rauch who gets the W. Before the game, the Mets place two key players on the disabled list, LF Jason Bay who has a broken rib, and starting P Mike Pelfrey, who has swelling in his elbow.

Fenway Celebrates its 100th Birthday – Yankees Spoil Party

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The Red Sox celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park by inviting 200 former players and coaches, including the likes of team icons Johnny Pesky, Luis Tiant, Carl Yastrzemski, Bill Buckner, and Pedro Martinez joining the celebration, to come on the field for pre-game celebrations. Caroline Kennedy, the great-granddaughter of Boston’s former mayor known as Honey Fitz, who threw out the first pitch on opening day in 1912, tosses one of the three ceremonial first pitches. However, the Yankees spoil the party by hitting five homers, including two by Eric Chavez, on their way to a 6 – 2 win. For Ivan Nova, it is his 15th consecutive victory, dating back to last season. The victory moves the right-hander ahead of Whitey Ford (1961) and Steve Sundra (1938-39), and one shy of the franchise record of 16 consecutive wins, established last season by Roger Clemens.