The sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers from Frank McCourt to “Guggenheim Baseball Management” becomes official. Mark Walter is the controlling partner, Stan Kasten is named team President, while basketball star Magic Johnson is a part owner and one of the public faces of the new ownership group. The group paid a record $2.15 billion for the team. The Dodgers then start the new era on the right foot, beating Colorado, 7 – 6, in spite of nearly blowing a 7 – 0 6th-inning lead. Dee Gordon hits his first major league homer, Mark Ellis has four hits, and A.J. Ellis has a homer and 3 RBI for L.A.

ByBaseball

The sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers from Frank McCourt to “Guggenheim Baseball Management” becomes official. Mark Walter is the controlling partner, Stan Kasten is named team President, while basketball star Magic Johnson is a part owner and one of the public faces of the new ownership group. The group paid a record $2.15 billion for the team. The Dodgers then start the new era on the right foot, beating Colorado, 7 – 6, in spite of nearly blowing a 7 – 0 6th-inning lead. Dee Gordon hits his first major league homer, Mark Ellis has four hits, and A.J. Ellis has a homer and 3 RBI for L.A.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter wins his 1,000th game as a major league skipper when the O’s defeat the Yankees, 7 – 1. Brian Matusz wins his first game in 11 months while Chris Davis and J.J. Hardy homer off loser Phil Hughes. Matusz had gone 0-12, 10.47 in 14 starts since beating the Athletics on June 6, 2011.

ByBaseball

Orioles manager Buck Showalter wins his 1,000th game as a major league skipper when the O’s defeat the Yankees, 7 – 1. Brian Matusz wins his first game in 11 months while Chris Davis and J.J. Hardy homer off loser Phil Hughes. Matusz had gone 0-12, 10.47 in 14 starts since beating the Athletics on June 6, 2011.

With the final payment received on the record $2.15-billion purchase price, Frank McCourt’s turbulent era of the Dodger ownership comes to an end. The team’s new ownership group, fronted by Magic Johnson and incoming club president Stan Kasten, includes Mark Walter, chief executive of the Chicago-based Guggenheim Financial, who arranged the financing and holds a controlling interest in the franchise.

ByTom

With the final payment received on the record $2.15-billion purchase price, Frank McCourt’s turbulent era of the Dodger ownership comes to an end. The team’s new ownership group, fronted by Magic Johnson and incoming club president Stan Kasten, includes Mark Walter, chief executive of the Chicago-based Guggenheim Financial, who arranged the financing and holds a controlling interest in the franchise.

2012 – Ryan Braun hits three homers and a two-run triple, driving in 6 runs, in Milwaukee’s 8 – 3 win over the Padres. He is the first player to smash three long balls in a game in pitcher-friendly PETCO Park. No player had hit 3 homers and a triple in a game since Fred Lynn in 1975.

ByThis Day in Baseball

2012 – Ryan Braun hits three homers and a two-run triple, driving in 6 runs, in Milwaukee’s 8 – 3 win over the Padres. He is the first player to smash three long balls in a game in pitcher-friendly PETCO Park. No player had hit 3 homers and a triple in a game since Fred Lynn in 1975.

Bryce Harper makes his much-anticipated major league debut for the Nationals, but it’s the Dodgers’ Matt Kemp who steals the show, leading off the 10th inning with a walk-off homer off Tom Gorzelanny to give Los Angeles a 4 – 3 win. The 19-year-old Harper, the youngest player in the majors, hits a double in the 7th and then a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 9th, but Washington’s bullpen blows a 3 – 1 lead, when Henry Rodriguez throws three wild pitches and gives up two runs to send the game into extra innings. Harper will go on to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

ByTom

Bryce Harper makes his much-anticipated major league debut for the Nationals, but it’s the Dodgers’ Matt Kemp who steals the show, leading off the 10th inning with a walk-off homer off Tom Gorzelanny to give Los Angeles a 4 – 3 win. The 19-year-old Harper, the youngest player in the majors, hits a double in the 7th and then a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 9th, but Washington’s bullpen blows a 3 – 1 lead, when Henry Rodriguez throws three wild pitches and gives up two runs to send the game into extra innings. Harper will go on to win the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

Stuck in last place in the AL West in spite of spending lavishly in the off-season free agent market, the Angels make a couple of moves, releasing veteran OF Bobby Abreu and replacing closer Jordan Walden with Scott Downs. They call up top prospect Mike Trout to take Abreu’s place.

ByTom

Stuck in last place in the AL West in spite of spending lavishly in the off-season free agent market, the Angels make a couple of moves, releasing veteran OF Bobby Abreu and replacing closer Jordan Walden with Scott Downs. They call up top prospect Mike Trout to take Abreu’s place.

Yankee right-hander Ivan Nova fails to tie the franchise mark of 16 consecutive wins established last season by Roger Clemens when he doesn’t get a decision in the team’s 7-6 victory over Detroit. The 26 year-old hurler, who moved ahead of Whitey Ford (1961) and Steve Sundra (1938-39) in his last start, gives up six earned runs on 11 hits in his 5.1 innings of work in New York’s walk-off win in the Bronx ballpark.

ByTom

Yankee right-hander Ivan Nova fails to tie the franchise mark of 16 consecutive wins established last season by Roger Clemens when he doesn’t get a decision in the team’s 7-6 victory over Detroit. The 26 year-old hurler, who moved ahead of Whitey Ford (1961) and Steve Sundra (1938-39) in his last start, gives up six earned runs on 11 hits in his 5.1 innings of work in New York’s walk-off win in the Bronx ballpark.

The Tigers’ Delmon Young is arrested in Manhattan after a confrontation outside the Hilton Hotel in the early morning. He is charged with aggravated harassment but also with a hate crime for hurling anti-semitic insults and attacking a group of passers-by while visibly intoxicated.

ByTom

The Tigers’ Delmon Young is arrested in Manhattan after a confrontation outside the Hilton Hotel in the early morning. He is charged with aggravated harassment but also with a hate crime for hurling anti-semitic insults and attacking a group of passers-by while visibly intoxicated.

Mets left fielder Scott Hairston became the tenth player in franchise history to hit for the cycle with his sixth inning double, plating Rueben Tejada and David Wright. The outfielder’s four hits, which drive in four runs, aren’t enough when Colorado routs New York, scoring 11 times in the fifth, in the Coors Field’s contest, 18-9.

ByTom

Mets left fielder Scott Hairston became the tenth player in franchise history to hit for the cycle with his sixth inning double, plating Rueben Tejada and David Wright. The outfielder’s four hits, which drive in four runs, aren’t enough when Colorado routs New York, scoring 11 times in the fifth, in the Coors Field’s contest, 18-9.

The Rockies reverse a 6 – 2 deficit with an 11-run 5th-inning outburst against the Mets, then pull out with an 18 – 9 win at Coors Field. Eric Young starts the ball rolling by beating P Chris Schwinden’s throw on a comebacker to the mound; 3 walks, 7 hits, 4 errors and a hit batsman later, the Rockies are cruising to an easy win; Carlos Gonzalez drives in 5 runs during the frame, then Ramon Hernandez adds a grand slam in the 7th. For the Mets, Scott Hairston hits for the cycle in a losing cause, while the two teams combine for 36 hits in the slugfest.

ByTom

The Rockies reverse a 6 – 2 deficit with an 11-run 5th-inning outburst against the Mets, then pull out with an 18 – 9 win at Coors Field. Eric Young starts the ball rolling by beating P Chris Schwinden’s throw on a comebacker to the mound; 3 walks, 7 hits, 4 errors and a hit batsman later, the Rockies are cruising to an easy win; Carlos Gonzalez drives in 5 runs during the frame, then Ramon Hernandez adds a grand slam in the 7th. For the Mets, Scott Hairston hits for the cycle in a losing cause, while the two teams combine for 36 hits in the slugfest.