2011 – The Oakland A’s take an early 7 – 1 lead against the Yankees, but it’s all Bronx Bombers after that. Robinson Cano hits a grand slam in the 5th inning, Russell Martin follows suit in the 6th, they put up another 6 runs in the 7th, and in the 8th, Curtis Granderson also homers with the bases loaded to make the Yanks the first team ever to hit three grand slams in one game. Andruw Jones follows Granderson’s blast with a solo homer to make the final score 22 – 9. Martin has a career day, going 5 for 5 with a walk and 6 RBI and also hitting a solo shot to complement his slam as the Yankees bat around in their final four innings. It is the most runs given up by an Athletics team since 1955; their pitchers help the cause by surrendering 22 hits and issuing 13 walks in the rout. In the 9th inning, DH Jorge Posada takes the field at second base; it is his first major league appearance at the position he played in the lower minors 20 years ago.

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2011 – The Oakland A’s take an early 7 – 1 lead against the Yankees, but it’s all Bronx Bombers after that. Robinson Cano hits a grand slam in the 5th inning, Russell Martin follows suit in the 6th, they put up another 6 runs in the 7th, and in the 8th, Curtis Granderson also homers with the bases loaded to make the Yanks the first team ever to hit three grand slams in one game. Andruw Jones follows Granderson’s blast with a solo homer to make the final score 22 – 9. Martin has a career day, going 5 for 5 with a walk and 6 RBI and also hitting a solo shot to complement his slam as the Yankees bat around in their final four innings. It is the most runs given up by an Athletics team since 1955; their pitchers help the cause by surrendering 22 hits and issuing 13 walks in the rout. In the 9th inning, DH Jorge Posada takes the field at second base; it is his first major league appearance at the position he played in the lower minors 20 years ago.

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2010 – Chris Johnson gets his fourth single of the night to drive in Hunter Pence with the winning run in a 4-2, 16-inning marathon at Philadelphia. Carlos Lee’s two-run blast gives Houston the lead until Jimmy Rollins homers with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The Phillies insert former Astro Roy Oswalt in left field after Ryan Howard is ejected in the 14th. Oswalt comes to bat as the last hope in the 16th before tapping out to third. The surprising Astros sweep the Phils and push all the way to third in the division before a late swoon leaves them with a 76-86 record and a fourth place finish. 

ByTom

2010 – Chris Johnson gets his fourth single of the night to drive in Hunter Pence with the winning run in a 4-2, 16-inning marathon at Philadelphia. Carlos Lee’s two-run blast gives Houston the lead until Jimmy Rollins homers with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The Phillies insert former Astro Roy Oswalt in left field after Ryan Howard is ejected in the 14th. Oswalt comes to bat as the last hope in the 16th before tapping out to third. The surprising Astros sweep the Phils and push all the way to third in the division before a late swoon leaves them with a 76-86 record and a fourth place finish. 

2010 – The Astros win a marathon match with the Phillies, needing 16 innings and 5 hours to complete a 4 – 2 win in Philadelphia. After 1B Ryan Howard is ejected in the 14th inning, P Roy Oswalt is forced to play in LF for the Phils, who have no position players left. Howard’s tossing caps a dreadful day for him, in which he goes 0 for 7 with 5 strikeouts. In the top of the 16th, the Astros scrap out two runs against loser David Herndon on a single, a hit by pitch, a walk, and two ground balls to the infield; in the bottom of the inning, Oswalt grounds out with two on for the game’s final out.

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2010 – The Astros win a marathon match with the Phillies, needing 16 innings and 5 hours to complete a 4 – 2 win in Philadelphia. After 1B Ryan Howard is ejected in the 14th inning, P Roy Oswalt is forced to play in LF for the Phils, who have no position players left. Howard’s tossing caps a dreadful day for him, in which he goes 0 for 7 with 5 strikeouts. In the top of the 16th, the Astros scrap out two runs against loser David Herndon on a single, a hit by pitch, a walk, and two ground balls to the infield; in the bottom of the inning, Oswalt grounds out with two on for the game’s final out.

Bud Selig, former Brewers owner and baseball’s current commissioner, is honored with the unveiling of a bronze, seven-foot statue at Miller Park. Brian Maughan’s piece of art, which portrays Selig with his right arm extended with his hand holding a baseball, joins the sculptures of Robin Yount and Hank Aaron in front of the Milwaukee ballpark.

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Bud Selig, former Brewers owner and baseball’s current commissioner, is honored with the unveiling of a bronze, seven-foot statue at Miller Park. Brian Maughan’s piece of art, which portrays Selig with his right arm extended with his hand holding a baseball, joins the sculptures of Robin Yount and Hank Aaron in front of the Milwaukee ballpark.

The Rangers come within two outs of throwing the 6th no-hitter of the season with a collective effort against the Twins. Rich Harden, Matt Harrison, Darren O’Day and Neftali Feliz keep Minnesota hitless into the 9th inning, until Joe Mauer singles with one out. Feliz then finishes the 4 – 0 win. Harden has to leave the game after 6 2/3 innings as he is coming off the disabled list and has already thrown 111 pitches by that point.

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The Rangers come within two outs of throwing the 6th no-hitter of the season with a collective effort against the Twins. Rich Harden, Matt Harrison, Darren O’Day and Neftali Feliz keep Minnesota hitless into the 9th inning, until Joe Mauer singles with one out. Feliz then finishes the 4 – 0 win. Harden has to leave the game after 6 2/3 innings as he is coming off the disabled list and has already thrown 111 pitches by that point.

Brandon Morrow, no stranger himself to having a no-hitter broken up in the 9th, has another strong outing against the Yankees, although reliever Scott Downs is credited with the 3 – 2 Blue Jays’ win. The game is decided in the 8th when José Bautista hits his second home run of the game, off David Robertson, to break a 2 – 2 tie. Bautista is the first player to reach 40 homers this year.

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Brandon Morrow, no stranger himself to having a no-hitter broken up in the 9th, has another strong outing against the Yankees, although reliever Scott Downs is credited with the 3 – 2 Blue Jays’ win. The game is decided in the 8th when José Bautista hits his second home run of the game, off David Robertson, to break a 2 – 2 tie. Bautista is the first player to reach 40 homers this year.

The Rays take advantage of the Yankees’ loss to catch them for the AL East lead, by defeating the Angels, 4 – 3. Rafael Soriano strikes out the side on 9 pitches in the 9th to earn his 38th save. It is the 44th time the feat has been accomplished in the majors, being last done by Ross Ohlendorf of the Pirates last September.

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The Rays take advantage of the Yankees’ loss to catch them for the AL East lead, by defeating the Angels, 4 – 3. Rafael Soriano strikes out the side on 9 pitches in the 9th to earn his 38th save. It is the 44th time the feat has been accomplished in the majors, being last done by Ross Ohlendorf of the Pirates last September.

Lou Piniella retires after 23 seasons as a manager. In his last game at the helm, his Cubs lose, 16 – 5, at home to the Atlanta Braves. Piniella missed some time earlier this year to be with his ailing mother, and had announced that this season would be his last. Coach Mike Quade will take over as interim manager for the remainder of the season. Piniella retires with a lifetime record of 1,835-1,712.

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Lou Piniella retires after 23 seasons as a manager. In his last game at the helm, his Cubs lose, 16 – 5, at home to the Atlanta Braves. Piniella missed some time earlier this year to be with his ailing mother, and had announced that this season would be his last. Coach Mike Quade will take over as interim manager for the remainder of the season. Piniella retires with a lifetime record of 1,835-1,712.

In a battle of pitchers who threw no-hitters earlier this year, Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza outpitches Dallas Braden of Oakland in a 4 – 3 win. The Rays need the win to keep within one game of the Yankees, who sink the Mariners, 10 – 0. Robinson Cano hits a grand slam and drives in 6 runs in support of CC Sabathia’s league-leading 17th win, his 15th straight win at New Yankee Stadium.

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In a battle of pitchers who threw no-hitters earlier this year, Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza outpitches Dallas Braden of Oakland in a 4 – 3 win. The Rays need the win to keep within one game of the Yankees, who sink the Mariners, 10 – 0. Robinson Cano hits a grand slam and drives in 6 runs in support of CC Sabathia’s league-leading 17th win, his 15th straight win at New Yankee Stadium.

Josh Bell hits the first two homers of his major league career, and teammates Ty Wigginton and Luke Scott join him in going yard, as the Orioles rough up Texas’s Cliff Lee, 8 – 6. It is the first time this season Lee fails to complete 6 innings, being chased after pitching 5 2/3 innings.

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Josh Bell hits the first two homers of his major league career, and teammates Ty Wigginton and Luke Scott join him in going yard, as the Orioles rough up Texas’s Cliff Lee, 8 – 6. It is the first time this season Lee fails to complete 6 innings, being chased after pitching 5 2/3 innings.