Nolan Arenado leads the charge by going 5-for-6 with 3 homers and 7 RBIs in an 18 – 4 Rockies win over the Padres. Coming to bat in the 8th with a chance at a four-homer game, he flies out to left against Kirby Yates. His three homers tie the club record, last set in 2004, while he is one shy of the team mark for RBIs.

Alex Meyer allows only one hit and one walk in 7 scoreless innings, and David Hernandez and Jose Alvarez both pitch a hitless inning as the Angels defeat Washington, 7 – 0, on a one-hitter. Meyer is a former first-round draft choice of the Nationals whose struggles with control have kept him from harnessing his raw talent until now. Mike Trout and C.J. Cron both hit two-run homers for Los Angeles.

2017 – The trading deadline frenzy heats up two weeks early this year as the Yankees pull off a big trade, acquiring 3B Todd Frazier and RP David Robertson, two former All-Stars, as well as P Tommy Kahnle from the White Sox for P Tyler Clippard and prospects Blake Rutherford, Ian Clarkin and Tito Polo. The Diamondbacks also make a move, getting OF J.D. Martinez from Detroit for three prospects. Both trades will prove vert profitable for

Hosting the Cleveland Indians for a make-up game, the Giants fail to sell out AT&T Park for the first time since 2010, ending the longest streak of sell-outs in National League history at 530 games. They still draw over 39,000 fans, just short of the ballpark’s capacity of 41,500. The Indians add to the Giants’ miserable season with a 5 – 3 win as Matt Moore loses his fifth straight home start.

The Nationals move to address the team’s main area of concern – the bullpen – by sending P Blake Treinen and prospects Sheldon Neuse and Jesus Luzardo to the Athletics in return for two relievers with proven track records, Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle.

Cody Bellinger continues his outstanding season by becoming the first rookie in Dodgers history to hit for the cycle in a 7 – 1 win over the Marlins. Alex Wood is the winner, improving to 11-0 on the year.

It takes 16 innings for the Yankees to defeat Boston, 4 – 1, at Fenway Park. The Yankees are trailing 1 – 0 in the top of the 9th after an excellent start by Chris Sale, but Matt Holliday ties the game with a homer against Craig Kimbrel. A line drive single by Didi Gregorius against Doug Fister in the 16th finally puts New York ahead in a game that ends just short of six hours to complete.

Cody Bellinger becomes the first Dodger rookie to hit for the cycle when he collects a seventh-inning triple in the team’s 7-1 victory over the Marlins in Miami. The 22-year old freshman goes 4-for-5, driving in three runs en route to his historic accomplishment.

The Red Sox put an end to a disastrous episode when they designate 3B Pablo Sandoval for assignment. Signed to a $95 million five-year contract before the 2015 season, he played only 161 games over two and a half seasons, with little production. Boston’s decision leaves them on the hook for over $48 million, the second largest buy-out in major league history.

As play is about to resume following the All-Star break, the two Chicago teams pull off a rare trade, with the White Sox sending P José Quintana to the Cubs in return for four prospects: P Dylan Cease, OF Eloy Jimenez and IFs Matt Rose and Bryant Flete. In another trade, this one between contenders, the Yankees sent P Tyler Webb to the Brewers in return for 1B Garrett Cooper, in a deal designed to provide some depth at a position where the Yankees have become very thin.