Clay Hensley is the winner in his first start since 2008 as he beats the Mets, 4 – 1, allowing only one hit over five innings. Mike Stanton drives in two runs for the Marlins, who move to within a half game of catching the Mets and escaping the NL East cellar. It is the Fish’s 9th win in their last 10 games and they are now 15-9 since Jack McKeon took over as their manager.

The Indians sweep a doubleheader from the Twins in sweltering weather at Target Field, 5 – 2, and 6 – 3. Fausto Carmona wins the nitecap in his return from the disabled list after David Huff, just called up from the minors, earns the win in the opener with 7 shutout innings in an emergency spot start. The Indians like what they see from Huff enough to send down Jeanmar Gomez instead of him after the first game in order to activate Carmona for the game 2 start. The Twins also have to scramble for starters in the twin bill, using reliever Anthony Swarzak in the opener, and Scott Diamond, who makes his major league debut in the second game. Both pitch decently but end up with losses.

Luis Mendoza of the Omaha Royals seemingly throws a no-hitter against the Memphis Redbirds. However, right after the game ends, the official scorer changes a 9th-inning error by Omaha LF David Lough into a hit for Tyler Greene, taking the no-hitter away. An hour later, he changes his mind again, returning the no-hitter. Two days later, the Pacific Coast League will decide that it was in fact a hit for Greene, again costing Mendoza the no-hitter.

The Rangers extend their winning streak to 11 games with a 3 – 1 win over Seattle, which has now lost 9 straight to fall out of contention. Matt Harrison allows just one run in 7 2/3 innings. Mitch Moreland hits a three-run home run in the 2nd inning off Blake Beavan to account for all of the Rangers’ runs.

It takes 16 innings in a nationally televised Sunday night game, but the Red Sox finally defeat the Rays, 1 – 0, when Dustin Pedroia drives in Josh Reddick from third base with a single for the game’s only run. Reddick had reached base on the 12th walk given up by Rays pitchers, as their moundsmen’s unwitting generosity finally costs them. Adam Russell, Tampa Bay’s 9th pitcher, is the loser, while Alfredo Aceves is the winner with 3 scoreless innings and Jonathan Papelbon picks up his 21st save. Both Rays manager Joe Maddon and bench coach Dave Martinez are long gone by the time the game is decided, having been ejected in separate incidents in the 11th inning for having words with home plate umpire Chad Fairchild.

Chris Hatcher makes his debut as a major league pitcher, pitching a perfect inning for the Marlins as they defeat the Cubs, 13 – 3, at Wrigley Field. Hatcher’s first outing on the mound comes the year after he played his first major league game as a catcher; Art Doll, with the Boston Bees in 1936 was the last person to debut as a pitcher the year after breaking into the big leagues as a catcher.

The Minnesota Twins retire Bert Blyleven’s uniform number 28, a week before the pitcher is to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, NY.

UCLA pitcher Trevor Bauer is named recipient of the 2011 Golden Spikes Award. The third overall pick of last June’s amateur draft went 13-2 with a 1.25 ERA and 203 strikeouts in his last season as a collegiate player.

Jeff Karstens needs only 83 pitches to throw a shutout as Pittsburgh defeats Houston, 4 – 0. The win moves the Pirates into first place in the NL Central as the Cardinals and Brewersboth lose; they have not been in first this late in a season since 1997.

The Braves defeat Washington, 11 – 1, behind the pitching of Tim Hudson, to claim the 10,000th win in franchise history, dating back to the 1876 Boston Red Caps. They are the third team to reach the milestone, following the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs. Martin Prado hits a three-run homer in his first game since June 9th.