Dontrelle Willis’s comeback continues as he pitches his best game since joining the Detroit Tigers before the 2008 season. He gives up only 4 hits and no runs in 7 innings as Detroit blanks Minnesota, 3 – 0. He picks up his first win of the year – which is only his second for the Bengals. In the contest, Magglio Ordonez hits the 300th home run of his career, four years to the day after hitting number 200.

The Atlanta Braves complete an 0-7 road trip by falling to the St. Louis Cardinals, 10 – 4. David Freese hits his first home run of the year and drives in 6 runs to give Adam Wainwright his 4th win. Atlanta has now lost 9 in a row after a strong start.

Roy Halladay loses his third consecutive complete game, a 1-0 defeat at Boston’s Fenway Park. The hard-luck Blue Jays right-hander is the first pitcher to suffer such an indignity since Randy Johnson lost three straight complete-game decisions in 1999, and becomes the first Toronto hurler since Jim Clancy had a similar streak in 1982.

During the Diamondbacks game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, scores of protesters wave signs and chant, “Boycott Arizona! Boycott Arizona!” on the sidewalk outside the ballpark. The demonstration is in response to the state’s recently enacted illegal-immigration law, with organizers hoping the movement will inspire baseball fans to stay away from contests that feature the team from The Grand Canyon State.

Phillies slugger Ryan Howard agrees to a $125 million, five-year contract extension that could keep the infielder with the team until 2017. The 30 year-old first baseman’s $25 million guaranteed average salary during the new deal is the second-highest amount in the major leagues, trailing behind only Alex Rodriguez’s ten-year contract with the Yankees that averages $27.5 million per season.

Changes recommended by baseball’s special committee for on-field matters, including the expansion of All-Star rosters to 34 players, including 13 pitchers, will be implemented for this season’s Mid-Summer classic scheduled to be played at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. Other new adopted rules include the use of a designated hitter every year, making a pitcher who starts on the final Sunday prior to the break ineligible to play, and allowing re-entry into a game if the last available position player at any position is injured.

Major League Baseball announces a number of changes to the rules that govern the All-Star Game that have been agreed with the Players’ union: the designated hitter will now be used in all games, not just those played in American League parks; a pitcher who started a game on the last Sunday before the All-Star break will not be eligible to play in the game and will be replaced on the roster, although he will still be recognized as an All-Star (this will become known as the Sunday Starter rule); rosters are expanded to 34 players, adding one position player; one of the position players will be designated as being able to re-enter the game in case of injury – catchers are already allowed to do so in those circumstances.

3B Luke Hughes of the Minnesota Twins homers in his first major league at-bat off the Tigers’ Max Scherzer in the 3rd inning of an 11 – 6 loss. The Australian is the fifth Twin to accomplish the feat, but the first since Andre David in 1984. The Tigers trail 6 – 1 in the 4th and then score 10 unanswered runs. The key play occurs when Denard Span drops a fly ball hit by Johnny Damon in a six-run 6th inning.