Stephen Strasburg undergoes reconstructive elbow surgery in which Dr. Lewis Yocum takes a piece of ligament from the 22 year-old right-hander’s left leg and transplants it into the rookie’s pitching elbow. The ‘Tommy John’ surgery might keep the Nationals’ much-heralded phenom out of the starting rotation until the start of the 2012 season.

2010 – Chase Utley hits a grand slam and drives in 6 runs as the Phillies use a nine-run 7th inning to defeat Colorado, 12 – 11, in a make-up game for a May rainout. Both teams need to travel to Denver just for the occasion. The Rockies collect 20 hits, including a homer by Carlos Gonzalez, who hits an extra-base hit for the 10th consecutive game, but they waste a good start by Jhoulys Chacin, who gives up a single earned run in 5 1/3 innings. The Rox bullpen is ripped apart by the Phillies’ bats, with Manny Delcarmen giving up four hits and four runs while retiring only one batter in his first appearance after being acquired from Boston. Besides Utley, Ryan Howardand Jayson Werth hit homers for Philly, while Chris Iannetta and Dexter Fowler join Gonzalez for Colorado.

Already appealing a seven-game suspension for throwing a baseball into the crowd in anger and hitting a fan in Philadelphia on August 21st, Nationals OF Nyjer Morgan is at the center of a bench-clearing brawl in today’s 16 – 10 loss to the Florida Marlins. The brawl starts when Chris Volstad thows a ball behind Morgan, who has already been hit by a pitch earlier in the game; Morgan charges the mound and throws a punch at Volstad before 1B Gaby Sanchez tackles him. He needs to be escorted from the field, with his shirt ripped and his face bruised, but pounds his chest and screams at the crowd as he departs. He, Volstad, Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez and reliever Jose Veras are all ejected from the game after the dust settles, then one inning later, Nats manager Jim Riggleman and P Doug Slaten are also thrown out when Sanchez is hit by a pitch. The trouble started the day before, when Morgan slammed into Marlins catcher Brett Hayes in the 10th inning, separating his shoulder; he infuriates his opponents further when, after his hit-by-pitch, he steals second and third base even though his team trails, 14 – 3. In two days, the National League will hand out suspensions to all involved, including 8 games for Morgan, 6 for Volstad and shorter suspensions for both managers, Nats coach Pat Listach, Slaten, Sanchez and Marlins reliever Alex Sanabia, while Veras escapes with a simple fine and warning. The league cites the succession of incidents in which Morgan has been involved in recent days to explain the unusually long verdict. Morgan will appeal, but now faces the prospect of two weeks of forced inaction.

Brandon Allen, just recalled form AAA Reno, hits a grand slam to lead the Diamondbacks to a 5 – 2 win over San Diego for the Padres’ 7th consecutive loss. The Pads waste a ten-strikeout effort by starter Mat Latos, who is lifted for a pinch-hitter in the 7th as they take a short-lived 2 – 1 lead.