The Twins set a Target Field record for runs in defeating Baltimore, 19 – 7. They stake starter Scott Diamond to an early lead with a seven-run outburst against Chris Tillman in the 1st inning, capitalizing on a costly error by 1B Mark Reynolds who lets a ground ball skip by him with the bases loaded and two outs. Justin Morneau goes 4 for 5 with 3 runs and a pair of doubles for the Twins.

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The Twins set a Target Field record for runs in defeating Baltimore, 19 – 7. They stake starter Scott Diamond to an early lead with a seven-run outburst against Chris Tillman in the 1st inning, capitalizing on a costly error by 1B Mark Reynolds who lets a ground ball skip by him with the bases loaded and two outs. Justin Morneau goes 4 for 5 with 3 runs and a pair of doubles for the Twins.

Ben Sheets makes a successful return to the big leagues, a few days short of two years since his last game before undergoing Tommy John surgery. He keeps the Mets scoreless over 6 innings as the Braves win, 6 – 1. The game features the ejection of Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen, who starts arguing with home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor during a 6th-inning mound visit; the Braves score all their runs in that inning, highlighted by Freddie Freeman’s three-run homer off Johan Santana.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Ben Sheets makes a successful return to the big leagues, a few days short of two years since his last game before undergoing Tommy John surgery. He keeps the Mets scoreless over 6 innings as the Braves win, 6 – 1. The game features the ejection of Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen, who starts arguing with home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor during a 6th-inning mound visit; the Braves score all their runs in that inning, highlighted by Freddie Freeman’s three-run homer off Johan Santana.

An incident over pine tar marks Washington’s 4 – 0 win over Miami at Marlins Park. Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen objects to the amount of the black substance on rookie Bryce Harper’s bat in the 1st inning, complaining to umpire Marty Foster, who asks Harper to use another weapon next time. When Harper comes back to the plate in the 4th, he mockingly points his bat at Guillen, who explodes with a string of shouts in his direction. After the game, the fiery skipper explains that he found Harper’s gesture disrespectful and unprofessional.

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An incident over pine tar marks Washington’s 4 – 0 win over Miami at Marlins Park. Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen objects to the amount of the black substance on rookie Bryce Harper’s bat in the 1st inning, complaining to umpire Marty Foster, who asks Harper to use another weapon next time. When Harper comes back to the plate in the 4th, he mockingly points his bat at Guillen, who explodes with a string of shouts in his direction. After the game, the fiery skipper explains that he found Harper’s gesture disrespectful and unprofessional.

There’s another wild finish in Los Angeles, as the Padres are one out away from losing, 6 – 5, but have Everth Cabrera on third base and Will Venable on second. Cabrera takes advantage of P Kenley Jansen having his back turned to steal home, and when Jansen notices, he throws over catcher A.J. Ellis’s head, allowing Venable to score as well. Huston Street then sets down the Dodgers in the bottom of the inning for the save. It’s not all bad for L.A., though, as OFs Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, both just off the disabled list, have three hits each.

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There’s another wild finish in Los Angeles, as the Padres are one out away from losing, 6 – 5, but have Everth Cabrera on third base and Will Venable on second. Cabrera takes advantage of P Kenley Jansen having his back turned to steal home, and when Jansen notices, he throws over catcher A.J. Ellis’s head, allowing Venable to score as well. Huston Street then sets down the Dodgers in the bottom of the inning for the save. It’s not all bad for L.A., though, as OFs Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, both just off the disabled list, have three hits each.

Ryan Dempster ties the Cubs’ franchise record by extending his scoreless streak to 33 innings in defeating the Diamondbacks, 4 – 1. Dempster tosses 6 scoreless frames before leaving, matching the record set by Ken Holtzman in 1969.

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Ryan Dempster ties the Cubs’ franchise record by extending his scoreless streak to 33 innings in defeating the Diamondbacks, 4 – 1. Dempster tosses 6 scoreless frames before leaving, matching the record set by Ken Holtzman in 1969.

Taylor Teagarden is the hero in his first game for the Orioles this season, after spending the first half on the disabled list. Entering the game as a substitute in the 10th, he hits a walk-offtwo-run homer off Joaquin Benoit in the 13th inning for an 8 – 6 win over the Tigers; J.J. Hardy had earlier tied the score with a solo shot off Benoit, negating Quintin Berry’s two-out RBI single in the top of the inning. The Orioles had already come back from a 5 – 4 deficit in the 11th, rallying against closer Jose Valverde. Nick Markakis hits three doubles for the O’s.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Taylor Teagarden is the hero in his first game for the Orioles this season, after spending the first half on the disabled list. Entering the game as a substitute in the 10th, he hits a walk-offtwo-run homer off Joaquin Benoit in the 13th inning for an 8 – 6 win over the Tigers; J.J. Hardy had earlier tied the score with a solo shot off Benoit, negating Quintin Berry’s two-out RBI single in the top of the inning. The Orioles had already come back from a 5 – 4 deficit in the 11th, rallying against closer Jose Valverde. Nick Markakis hits three doubles for the O’s.

Chipper Jones ties Mike Schmidt for second place on the all-time list for RBI by a third baseman, knocking in his 1,595th run with a homer in Atlanta’s 7 – 5 win over the Mets. Jones is now one RBI behind George Brett among players who played the majority of their careers at the hot corner. C David Ross filling in for Brian McCann, who is on paternity leave, drives in 4 runs for the Braves, who also benefit from 11 walks issued by New York pitchers.

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Chipper Jones ties Mike Schmidt for second place on the all-time list for RBI by a third baseman, knocking in his 1,595th run with a homer in Atlanta’s 7 – 5 win over the Mets. Jones is now one RBI behind George Brett among players who played the majority of their careers at the hot corner. C David Ross filling in for Brian McCann, who is on paternity leave, drives in 4 runs for the Braves, who also benefit from 11 walks issued by New York pitchers.

C Russell Martin guns down Howie Kendrick on a steal attempt at second base to preserve the Yankees’ 6 – 5 win over the Angels to begin the season’s second half. It is the third runner that Martin catches in a steal attempt tonight, and he also drives in the winning run in the 8th. Mark Teixeira drives in the other 5 runs for the Yankees with a pair of homers.

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C Russell Martin guns down Howie Kendrick on a steal attempt at second base to preserve the Yankees’ 6 – 5 win over the Angels to begin the season’s second half. It is the third runner that Martin catches in a steal attempt tonight, and he also drives in the winning run in the 8th. Mark Teixeira drives in the other 5 runs for the Yankees with a pair of homers.

Zack Greinke of the Brewers becomes the first pitcher since Red Faber in 1917 to start three consecutive games for his team, when he faces the Pirates today. Greinke had been ejected after only four pitches on July 7th for spiking the ball into the ground, then started the next day’s game, lasting three innings. The All-Star break then intervened, allowing him to start the Brewers’ first game of the second half, but he pitches only 5 innings with a no-decision. Faber had done so under more demanding circumstances, starting both ends of a doubleheader before pitching a complete game the next day.

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Zack Greinke of the Brewers becomes the first pitcher since Red Faber in 1917 to start three consecutive games for his team, when he faces the Pirates today. Greinke had been ejected after only four pitches on July 7th for spiking the ball into the ground, then started the next day’s game, lasting three innings. The All-Star break then intervened, allowing him to start the Brewers’ first game of the second half, but he pitches only 5 innings with a no-decision. Faber had done so under more demanding circumstances, starting both ends of a doubleheader before pitching a complete game the next day.

The National League romps past the American League, 8 – 0, in the 2012 All-Star Game, for its third straight All-Star Game win. 11 pitchers combine on a six-hitter, with starter Matt Cain getting the win. Melky Cabrera hits a two-run homer and is named the game’s MVP, while a third member of the Giants, Pablo Sandoval, cracks a three-run triple in the 1st. AL starter Justin Verlander is shellacked for five runs in that opening frame.

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The National League romps past the American League, 8 – 0, in the 2012 All-Star Game, for its third straight All-Star Game win. 11 pitchers combine on a six-hitter, with starter Matt Cain getting the win. Melky Cabrera hits a two-run homer and is named the game’s MVP, while a third member of the Giants, Pablo Sandoval, cracks a three-run triple in the 1st. AL starter Justin Verlander is shellacked for five runs in that opening frame.