2016 – Rich Hill throws seven perfect innings against the Marlins, but is pulled by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts because of concern over a previous blister problem. Joe Blanton takes over in the 8th, but after two outs he gives up a single to Jeff Francoeur. Dee Gordon adds another single with two outs in the 9th, but the Dodgers win, 5 – 0. In the 7th, RF Yasiel Puig had kept Hill’s bid alive with a superb diving catch, depriving Martin Prado of a likely extra-base hit. It’s the second time Roberts removes a pitcher with a no-hit bid going late in a game, having done the same to rookie Ross Stripling back in April.

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2016 – Rich Hill throws seven perfect innings against the Marlins, but is pulled by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts because of concern over a previous blister problem. Joe Blanton takes over in the 8th, but after two outs he gives up a single to Jeff Francoeur. Dee Gordon adds another single with two outs in the 9th, but the Dodgers win, 5 – 0. In the 7th, RF Yasiel Puig had kept Hill’s bid alive with a superb diving catch, depriving Martin Prado of a likely extra-base hit. It’s the second time Roberts removes a pitcher with a no-hit bid going late in a game, having done the same to rookie Ross Stripling back in April.

2016 – Rick Porcello of the Red Sox becomes the first twenty-game winner in the majors this season as he defeats the Blue Jays, 13 – 3. He is the first pitcher to reach the total for the Red Sox since Josh Beckett in 2007, and the win puts Boston two games ahead of Toronto in the AL East.

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2016 – Rick Porcello of the Red Sox becomes the first twenty-game winner in the majors this season as he defeats the Blue Jays, 13 – 3. He is the first pitcher to reach the total for the Red Sox since Josh Beckett in 2007, and the win puts Boston two games ahead of Toronto in the AL East.

2016 – The Mets sign former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback Tim Tebow to a minor league contract. At 29, he is set to begin his baseball career in the Florida Instructional League.

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2016 – The Mets sign former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback Tim Tebow to a minor league contract. At 29, he is set to begin his baseball career in the Florida Instructional League.

2016 – The Twins lose again, 10 – 3, to the Royals, but Brian Dozier is red hot. He homers in his fifth straight game, tying a team record, and now has 39, tying the American League record for a second baseman set by Alfonso Soriano. Dozier has hit 25 homers since the All-Star break, but the Twins won only two of their last 17 games and have the worst record in the majors.

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2016 – The Twins lose again, 10 – 3, to the Royals, but Brian Dozier is red hot. He homers in his fifth straight game, tying a team record, and now has 39, tying the American League record for a second baseman set by Alfonso Soriano. Dozier has hit 25 homers since the All-Star break, but the Twins won only two of their last 17 games and have the worst record in the majors.

Josh Donaldson has the first three-homer game of his career to lead the Blue Jays to a 9 – 6 win over Minnesota. His second shot, off Pat Light in the 7th, puts Toronto ahead to stay, while after his third, off Alex Wimmers in the 8th, fans at Rogers Centre deluge the field with hats, hockey-style. The Jays maintain a hold on first place in the AL East with the win, but for the Twins, it’s a tenth straight loss.

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Josh Donaldson has the first three-homer game of his career to lead the Blue Jays to a 9 – 6 win over Minnesota. His second shot, off Pat Light in the 7th, puts Toronto ahead to stay, while after his third, off Alex Wimmers in the 8th, fans at Rogers Centre deluge the field with hats, hockey-style. The Jays maintain a hold on first place in the AL East with the win, but for the Twins, it’s a tenth straight loss.

2016 – Matt Moore of the Giants comes within one out of throwing a no-hitter against the Dodgers, but Corey Seager singles to right with two outs in the 9th to end the bid. Moore immediately leaves the game, but the Giants win, 4 – 0, bringing them back to within two games of their first-place rivals. Before the game, Los Angeles trades C A.J. Ellis and minor leaguer Tommy Bergjans to the Phillies for veteran Carlos Ruiz. Ellis was the personal catcher of ace Clayton Kershaw, but as he is currently sidelined with an injury and Ellis is batting south of the Mendoza Line, the Dodgers feel it necessary to make a move to strengthen the position.

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2016 – Matt Moore of the Giants comes within one out of throwing a no-hitter against the Dodgers, but Corey Seager singles to right with two outs in the 9th to end the bid. Moore immediately leaves the game, but the Giants win, 4 – 0, bringing them back to within two games of their first-place rivals. Before the game, Los Angeles trades C A.J. Ellis and minor leaguer Tommy Bergjans to the Phillies for veteran Carlos Ruiz. Ellis was the personal catcher of ace Clayton Kershaw, but as he is currently sidelined with an injury and Ellis is batting south of the Mendoza Line, the Dodgers feel it necessary to make a move to strengthen the position.

The Astros and Orioles engage in a slugfest in Baltimore, with Houston coming out on top, 15 – 8. After George Springer leads off the game with a homer off Wade Miley, the Orioles set a modern record by hitting four home runs before making an out in their first turn at-bat. Facing Collin McHugh, Adam Jones homers on the first pitch, then Hyun Soo Kim singles, and Manny Machado, Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo all homer in succession for a quick 5 – 1 lead. However, the Astros score 5 runs in the 2nd, and keep going from there to win the game. Springer goes 4 for 5 and José Altuve homers and has 5 RBIs for Houston as 8 long balls are hit overall.

ByThis Day in Baseball

2016 – The Astros and Orioles engage in a slugfest in Baltimore, with Houston coming out on top, 15 – 8. After George Springer leads off the game with a homer off Wade Miley, the Orioles set a modern record by hitting four home runs before making an out in their first turn at-bat. Facing Collin McHugh, Adam Jones homers on the first pitch, then Hyun Soo Kim singles, and Manny Machado, Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo all homer in succession for a quick 5 – 1 lead. However, the Astros score 5 runs in the 2nd, and keep going from there to win the game. Springer goes 4 for 5 and José Altuve homers and has 5 RBIs for Houston as 8 long balls are hit overall.

At their mid-year meeting in Houston, TX, Major League Baseball owners approve the sale of the Seattle Mariners to a group led by John Stanton and consisting of former minority owners of the team’s stock, with Nintendo of America only retaining a small share. On the meeting’s margin, Commissioner Rob Manfred states that he is considering some radical rule changes to speed up the game and increase offence, such as limiting pitching changes and defensive shifts, and introducing a pitch clock as has been done in the minor leagues.

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At their mid-year meeting in Houston, TX, Major League Baseball owners approve the sale of the Seattle Mariners to a group led by John Stanton and consisting of former minority owners of the team’s stock, with Nintendo of America only retaining a small share. On the meeting’s margin, Commissioner Rob Manfred states that he is considering some radical rule changes to speed up the game and increase offence, such as limiting pitching changes and defensive shifts, and introducing a pitch clock as has been done in the minor leagues.

The Orioles put on a power display in defeating the Astros, 13 – 5, hitting 6 homers, two each by J.J. Hardy and Chris Davis. Hyun Soo Kim adds four hits as the O’s jump on rookie starter Joe Musgrove. The win puts Baltimore in a second-place tie with Boston in the AL East, 1 1/2 games behind first-place Toronto in what has been a year-long see-saw race among the three teams.

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The Orioles put on a power display in defeating the Astros, 13 – 5, hitting 6 homers, two each by J.J. Hardy and Chris Davis. Hyun Soo Kim adds four hits as the O’s jump on rookie starter Joe Musgrove. The win puts Baltimore in a second-place tie with Boston in the AL East, 1 1/2 games behind first-place Toronto in what has been a year-long see-saw race among the three teams.

The Commissioner’s office issues an indefinite suspension against Astros minor league outfielder Danry Vasquez, one day after the release of a tape from a surveillance camera showing him assaulting his girlfriend in a stairwell at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, TX. The Astros immediately announce that he has been handed his unconditional release, as teams no longer show any tolerance for serious incidents of family violence.

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The Commissioner’s office issues an indefinite suspension against Astros minor league outfielder Danry Vasquez, one day after the release of a tape from a surveillance camera showing him assaulting his girlfriend in a stairwell at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, TX. The Astros immediately announce that he has been handed his unconditional release, as teams no longer show any tolerance for serious incidents of family violence.