Jeff Niemann pitches a two-hit complete game shutout against the Blue Jays. Tampa Bay wins, 9 – 0, as Carlos Pena leads the attack with two homers, including a grand slam.

Cole Hamels throws six no-hit innings against the Padres, but his slumping Phillies teammates can’t give him any support, being stymied by lefty Wade LeBlanc. In the 7th, Adrian Gonzalez and Scott Hairston hit back-to-back solo homers to open the scoring, and Gonzalez connects again in the 9th for a 3 – 1 win by San Diego.

The Brewers swallow hard and release pitcher Jeff Suppan, who has been struggling badly, eating the remaining $8.1 million on his contract, in addition to $2 million to buy out an option for next season.

As had been expected for months, the Washington Nationals select catcher Bryce Harper with the first overall pick in the 2010 amateur draft. While only 17, Harper has been playing in junior college for the past two years and has outrageously dominated older competition. The Nationals announce that they plan to move him to the outfield, but expect arduous negotiations with agent Scott Boras. Selecting second, the Pirates take Texas high school pitcher Jameson Taillon. 18-year-old shortstop Manny Machado is the third pick, by the Orioles, in a draft that is skewed towards very young talent.

Carlos Silva allows one run to the Pirates over 7 innings to improve his record to 8-0. It is the best start to a season by a Cubs pitcher since Ken Holtzman went 9-0 in 1967. Ryan Theriot scores four times for Chicago.

The Baltimore Orioles end a ten-game losing streak and give interim manager Juan Samuel his first victory as a major league skipper when they defeat Boston, 4 – 3, in 11 innings. Nick Markakis bloops a single to score Cesar Izturis from second base, making David Hernandez a winner.

Major League Baseball is investigating an injury to under-performing Mets pitcher Oliver Perez, who was placed on the disabled list with tendinitis in his right knee on June 5th; he is 0-3, 6.28 this season. The suspicions come because the injury is very convenient to the Mets: Perez has refused an assignment to the minors, and manager Jerry Manuel has stated that he will not use him in games that have not already been decided. Had the injury not appeared, the Mets would have had to choose between two equally unpalatable options: release Perez and swallow the remainder of his $12 million a year contract; or waste a valuable roster spot on a player who cannot contribute to the team.

The Nationals announce the team is donating the hat Stephen Strasburg wore in his major league debut to the Hall of Fame. The 21 year-old rookie right-hander struck out 14 batters in Washington’s 5-2 victory over Pittsburgh.

Rookie pitcher Mike Leake allows only an unearned run in 7 innings as the Reds defeat the Nationals, 5 – 1. Leake, who is now 5-0, is the first starting pitcher in team history to go undefeated in his first 11 starts, and the first since Santo Alcala in 1976 to win his first five decisions.

The surprising Blue Jays keep giving their main rivals trouble. In tonight’s game against the Yankees, the Jays’ bullpen pitches 6 scoreless innings and Aaron Hill drives in Edwin Encarnacion with a single against Chad Gaudin in the 14th inning for a 3 – 2 win. Vernon Wells and Alex Gonzalez hit solo homers, bringing Toronto’s major league-leading home run total to 96. For the Yankees, the struggling Mark Teixeira goes 0 for 6 with 5 strikeouts to see his batting average fall to .215.