The Rockies’ 9-2 win over Milwaukee assures the team of a wild card berth in the postseason and puts the team in position to still win the NL West by sweeping the Dodgers this weekend in L.A. Although the team was 12 games under .500 on June 3, today’s victory, their 91st – a club record – puts Colorado 23 games over .500, another first in the 17-year history of the franchise.
Tony La Russa moves past John McGraw into second place for the most games managed in major league history. With his 4,770 contests as a manager, the Cardinal skipper now trails only Connie Mack, who amassed a total of 7755 during his 53 years in the dugout.
Chris Carpenter does it both ways in the Cardinals’ 13 – 0 trashing of the Reds. He pitches 5 scoreless innings to bring his record to 17-4 and hits a grand slam and drives in 6 runs.
Cecil Cooper is replaced by Dave Clark, the team’s third base coach, as the manager of the slumping Astros. ‘Coop’, who had signed a contract extension to manage until the end of the 2010 season, piloted his club to a 171-170 record, including a disappointing 70-79 mark this season, during his two-year tenure in the Houston dugout.
The Cubs suspend Milton Bradley for the rest of the year, a day after the turbulent outfielder criticizes the team in a newspaper interview, citing there wasn’t a “positive environment” in the organization, and he could see why the club hasn’t won a championship in the last century. The decision whether Chicago brings back the 32 year-old, who still has two years remaining on a $30 million, three-year contract he signed as a free agent last offseason, will be general manager Jim Hendry’s call, according to manager Lou Piniella.
In the Brewers’ 7-2 victory over Houston, Prince Fielder sets the team’s RBI mark with his eighth inning sacrifice fly. The Milwaukee first baseman’s league-leading 127 RBI total surpasses the 1983 club record established by Cecil Cooper, the Astros’ manager who watches his record be broken from the opposing bench.
In the seventh inning of the Pirates’ 2-1 loss to St. Louis at PNC Park, Ross Ohlendorf strikes out the side on nine pitches, becoming only the 41st pitcher in major league history to accomplish the feat. The 27 year-old right-hander’s victims during his immaculate inning are Redbirds Kevin Greene, Julio Lugo, and Jason LaRue, all who are retired at first base after swinging at pitches in the dirt.
Pedro Martinez, tossing seven innings of one-hit ball at Citizens Bank Park in the Phillies’ 2-1 victory over the Giants, becomes just the tenth pitcher in major league history to win 100 games in both leagues. The right-hander compiled a 117-37 (.760) record pitching for Boston during his seven-year stint in the American League.
2009 – In a battle of National League wild card contenders at Coors Field, Colorado defeats San Francisco, 6 – 4, in 14 innings on a grand slam by Ryan Spilborghs. The score is tied 1 – 1 until the 14th, when the Giants score three on a two-run triple by Eugenio Velez and a groundout by Juan Uribe. But the Rocks rally off Brandon Medders and Justin Miller, who walks P Adam Eaton with the bases loaded to make it 4 – 2. Merkin Valdez then comes in to face Spilborghs and is greeted by the game-ending blast. The Rockies also announce today the signing of former MVP Jason Giambi, who was recently released by the Oakland A’s.
Hideki Matsui hits a pair of three-run homers and drives in 7 as the Yankees destroy the Red Sox, 20 – 11, at Fenway Park. The only highlight for the Sox comes when Jacoby Ellsbury steals his 54th base of the season in the 1st, breaking the franchise record held by Tommy Harper.
Enjoy our free trial and start listening to games, interviews and shows! Ruth, Mantle, Aaron, and Seaver!