The Padres use a 9th-inning rally, capped by a three-run homer by Ryan Ludwick against his former teammates, as they defeat St. Louis, 8 – 4, and regain a half-game lead over San Francisco in the NL West. The Rockies are only a game back of both teams after they win their 20th in their last 26 games, 12 – 2 over Los Angeles. Red-hot Troy Tulowitzki hits two more homers and has now gone long 14 times in his last 15 games.

ByBaseball

The Padres use a 9th-inning rally, capped by a three-run homer by Ryan Ludwick against his former teammates, as they defeat St. Louis, 8 – 4, and regain a half-game lead over San Francisco in the NL West. The Rockies are only a game back of both teams after they win their 20th in their last 26 games, 12 – 2 over Los Angeles. Red-hot Troy Tulowitzki hits two more homers and has now gone long 14 times in his last 15 games.

At Citi Field, Luis Hernandez falls to the ground in obvious pain when he fouls a ball off his right foot, and after a lengthy discussion, dismisses the team trainer to resume his turn at-bat. The Mets second baseman hits a home run on the next pitch he sees, but severely limps rounding the bases, reminiscent of Kirk Gibson, barely making it home due to the broken foot that will end his season.

ByBaseball

At Citi Field, Luis Hernandez falls to the ground in obvious pain when he fouls a ball off his right foot, and after a lengthy discussion, dismisses the team trainer to resume his turn at-bat. The Mets second baseman hits a home run on the next pitch he sees, but severely limps rounding the bases, reminiscent of Kirk Gibson, barely making it home due to the broken foot that will end his season.

Troy Tulowitzki, with two round-trippers in the Rockies’ 12-2 rout of LA, ties a major-league record with 14 homers in a 15-game span. The Colorado shortstop, who has four multi-homer games in the previous ten contests, joins sluggers Albert Belle (1995) and Barry Bonds (2001) as the third player to accomplish the feat.

ByBaseball

Troy Tulowitzki, with two round-trippers in the Rockies’ 12-2 rout of LA, ties a major-league record with 14 homers in a 15-game span. The Colorado shortstop, who has four multi-homer games in the previous ten contests, joins sluggers Albert Belle (1995) and Barry Bonds (2001) as the third player to accomplish the feat.

Ubaldo Jimenez wins his 19th game of the year as the Rockies defeat the Dodgers, 7 – 5, to gain a game on the Giants and Padres, who both lose today. Troy Tulowitzki hits a two-run homer in the 1st, his 12th in 14 games, for the winners, who are now 1 1/2 games back of San Francisco and a half-game behind San Diego in the tight NL West race.

ByBaseball

Ubaldo Jimenez wins his 19th game of the year as the Rockies defeat the Dodgers, 7 – 5, to gain a game on the Giants and Padres, who both lose today. Troy Tulowitzki hits a two-run homer in the 1st, his 12th in 14 games, for the winners, who are now 1 1/2 games back of San Francisco and a half-game behind San Diego in the tight NL West race.

Joe Torre, announces he will be retiring at the end of the month

ByBaseball

Joe Torre, who will compile a 2326-1997 (.538.) managerial record during his 30 seasons as a skipper with Mets, Braves, Cardinals, Yankees, and the Dodgers, announces he will be retiring at the end of the month. Los Angeles immediately hires the team’s hitting coach Don Mattingly to replace the 70 year-old.

Jose Bautista sets a Toronto Blue Jays franchise record by hitting his 48th home run of the season, passing the 47 hit by George Bell in 1987, in the 6th inning of Toronto’s 11 – 9 win over Boston. The Jays lead the game 10 – 2 at that point, but the Red Sox make it close by scoring two runs in the 8th and 2 more in the 9th at Fenway Park. Kevin Gregg retires C Victor Martinez, author of two homers earlier in the game, on a pop-up with a runner on base to end the game.

ByBaseball

Jose Bautista sets a Toronto Blue Jays franchise record by hitting his 48th home run of the season, passing the 47 hit by George Bell in 1987, in the 6th inning of Toronto’s 11 – 9 win over Boston. The Jays lead the game 10 – 2 at that point, but the Red Sox make it close by scoring two runs in the 8th and 2 more in the 9th at Fenway Park. Kevin Gregg retires C Victor Martinez, author of two homers earlier in the game, on a pop-up with a runner on base to end the game.

Nyjer Morgan, following appeals, will serve an eight-game suspension in place of the two original bans that totaled 15 games. The Nationals outfielder had been given a seven-game suspension when the commissioner’s office alleged he had deliberately thrown a baseball into the stands, resulting in a Philadelphia fan getting hit, and then a week later was handed an eight-game suspension for his instigation and participation in a brawl with Florida.

ByBaseball

Nyjer Morgan, following appeals, will serve an eight-game suspension in place of the two original bans that totaled 15 games. The Nationals outfielder had been given a seven-game suspension when the commissioner’s office alleged he had deliberately thrown a baseball into the stands, resulting in a Philadelphia fan getting hit, and then a week later was handed an eight-game suspension for his instigation and participation in a brawl with Florida.

2010 – The Rays take back first place in their see-saw battle with the Yankees for top spot in the AL East with a 4 – 3 win at Tropicana Field. Dan Johnson hits a pair of two-run homers off Phil Hughes to account for all of Tampa Bay’s runs.

ByBaseball

2010 – The Rays take back first place in their see-saw battle with the Yankees for top spot in the AL East with a 4 – 3 win at Tropicana Field. Dan Johnson hits a pair of two-run homers off Phil Hughes to account for all of Tampa Bay’s runs.

Derek Jeter, giving a performance worthy of an Oscar, is awarded first base when the umpires determine the New York shortstop was hit by a pitch thrown by Chad Qualls. Video replay of the at-bat, that clearly shows the fastball hit the knob of the bat, prompts a national debate about the ethics demonstrated by the usually squeaky-clean Yankees captain, who admitted after the 4-3 loss to Tampa that he pretended to get hit by the pitch to get on base.

Derek Jeter, giving a performance worthy of an Oscar, is awarded first base when the umpires determine the New York shortstop was hit by a pitch thrown by Chad Qualls. Video replay of the at-bat, that clearly shows the fastball hit the knob of the bat, prompts a national debate about the ethics demonstrated by the usually squeaky-clean Yankees captain, who admitted after the 4-3 loss to Tampa that he pretended to get hit by the pitch to get on base.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Derek Jeter, giving a performance worthy of an Oscar, is awarded first base when the umpires determine the New York shortstop was hit by a pitch thrown by Chad Qualls. Video replay of the at-bat, that clearly shows the fastball hit the knob of the bat, prompts a national debate about the ethics demonstrated by the usually squeaky-clean Yankees captain, who admitted after the 4-3 loss to Tampa that he pretended to get hit by the pitch to get on base.

The Cubs beat the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, 7-3, to complete their first three-game sweep in St. Louis in more than twenty years. The victory marks the first time since June 12, 1988 that the visiting Chicago fans can break out the brooms in the Gateway City.

ByBaseball

The Cubs beat the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, 7-3, to complete their first three-game sweep in St. Louis in more than twenty years. The victory marks the first time since June 12, 1988 that the visiting Chicago fans can break out the brooms in the Gateway City.