Junichi Tazawa, expected to be a first-round pick in the Nippon Pro Baseball amateur draft, announces that he does not want to be selected so he can sign with a Major League Baseball club. Tazawa was named MVP of the 2008 industrial league tournament and pitched for Japan in the 2007 Baseball World Cup. He will sign with the Boston Red Sox and make his major league debut in 2009.

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Junichi Tazawa, expected to be a first-round pick in the Nippon Pro Baseball amateur draft, announces that he does not want to be selected so he can sign with a Major League Baseball club. Tazawa was named MVP of the 2008 industrial league tournament and pitched for Japan in the 2007 Baseball World Cup. He will sign with the Boston Red Sox and make his major league debut in 2009.

With his sixth-inning double in the 3-2 loss to the Cubs, Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols becomes only the third player in history to drive in 100 runs during his first eight major league seasons. The two other big leaguers to reach the plateau are Red sox outfielder Ted Williams, who also accomplished the feat for eight seasons from 1939-42, 46-49, and starting in 1924, fly-chaser Al Simmons did it for 11 years playing for the A’s (9) and the White Sox (2) .

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With his sixth-inning double in the 3-2 loss to the Cubs, Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols becomes only the third player in history to drive in 100 runs during his first eight major league seasons. The two other big leaguers to reach the plateau are Red sox outfielder Ted Williams, who also accomplished the feat for eight seasons from 1939-42, 46-49, and starting in 1924, fly-chaser Al Simmons did it for 11 years playing for the A’s (9) and the White Sox (2) .

Jack Cust whiffs in his first two plate appearances and K’s again in the eighth inning to bring his strikeout total this season to 176. The A’s outfielder/DH breaks the franchise record previously held by Jose Canseco, who fanned 175 times in 1986.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Jack Cust whiffs in his first two plate appearances and K’s again in the eighth inning to bring his strikeout total this season to 176. The A’s outfielder/DH breaks the franchise record previously held by Jose Canseco, who fanned 175 times in 1986.

In a 3-2 Astros loss at Citizens Bank Park, Charlton Jimerson, pinch hitting for Roger Clemens, homers off Phillies’ southpaw Cole Hamels. The sixth-inning blast to center field makes the Houston rookie the third player in franchise history to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat.

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In a 3-2 Astros loss at Citizens Bank Park, Charlton Jimerson, pinch hitting for Roger Clemens, homers off Phillies’ southpaw Cole Hamels. The sixth-inning blast to center field makes the Houston rookie the third player in franchise history to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat.

With a 4-2 victory over the visiting Yankees, the Angels clinch the division flag on the earliest date in the history of the American League West. The Halos, the first club this season to secure a postseason spot, have finished in first place four times in the past five seasons.

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With a 4-2 victory over the visiting Yankees, the Angels clinch the division flag on the earliest date in the history of the American League West. The Halos, the first club this season to secure a postseason spot, have finished in first place four times in the past five seasons.

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For the first time in National League history, instant replay is used to help officiate a game.

ByTom

2008 – For the first time in National League history, instant replay is used to help officiate a game. Hunter Pence’s double in the sixth inning is reviewed to see if it might have been a home run but replays set up in New York back the umpire’s call. Nonetheless, Houston drops the Pirates, 9-3, to suddenly climb within four games of the faltering Brewers in the wild card race. Lance Berkman homers and drives in four to reach 100 RBIs for the sixth time in his 10-year career. 

Removed from the starting lineup when his cab is stuck in traffic en route to Fenway Park, Dan Johnson, called up today from the Triple-A minor league Durham Bulls, pinch hits in the ninth inning with the Rays trailing 4-3, and belts a game-tying home run off closer Jonathan Papelbon. The homer, which comes in his first at-bat with the team and is his first pinch hit in 16 major league attempts, is believed to be the turning point of Tampa Bay’s season, as the timely round-tripper helps to snap a four-game losing streak and prevents the Red Sox from taking over first place.

ByTom

Removed from the starting lineup when his cab is stuck in traffic en route to Fenway Park, Dan Johnson, called up today from the Triple-A minor league Durham Bulls, pinch hits in the ninth inning with the Rays trailing 4-3, and belts a game-tying home run off closer Jonathan Papelbon. The homer, which comes in his first at-bat with the team and is his first pinch hit in 16 major league attempts, is believed to be the turning point of Tampa Bay’s season, as the timely round-tripper helps to snap a four-game losing streak and prevents the Red Sox from taking over first place.

Derek Jeter passes the legendary Babe Ruth on the Yankees’ all-time hits list, adding a first inning single during the 7-1 victory over the Angels in Anaheim to run his career total to 2,519 hits. Lou Gehrig (2,721) is now the only Bronx Bomber with more hits than the club’s current shortstop.

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Derek Jeter passes the legendary Babe Ruth on the Yankees’ all-time hits list, adding a first inning single during the 7-1 victory over the Angels in Anaheim to run his career total to 2,519 hits. Lou Gehrig (2,721) is now the only Bronx Bomber with more hits than the club’s current shortstop.

Gary Sheffield’s second home run of the game is the 250,000th round-tripper in major league history. The Tigers slugger, who needs only four more to reach a personal milestone of 500 homers, hit the round-tripper that set the record for the number of home runs hit in the major league in a season, bringing the total to 4,458 blasts.

Bypittsburgh

Gary Sheffield’s second home run of the game is the 250,000th round-tripper in major league history. The Tigers slugger, who needs only four more to reach a personal milestone of 500 homers, hit the round-tripper that set the record for the number of home runs hit in the major league in a season, bringing the total to 4,458 blasts.

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Gary Sheffield hits a grand slam for the official 250,000th homer in major league history. The blow is Sheffield’s 2nd homer of the day and his 13th career grand slam. Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera and Mike Hessmanalso homer as the Tigers outslug the A’s, 14 – 8.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Gary Sheffield hits a grand slam for the official 250,000th homer in major league history. The blow is Sheffield’s 2nd homer of the day and his 13th career grand slam. Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera and Mike Hessmanalso homer as the Tigers outslug the A’s, 14 – 8.