2017 – Max Scherzer of the Nationals records the 2,000th strikeout of his career, beating out Clayton Kershaw, who reached the milestone less than a week ago, as the third fastest pitcher to the mark. He leaves after 7 1/3 innings having struck out 10 Rangers batters and with the score tied at 1, but all he receives for his efforts is a loss when the bullpen allows the two inherited runners he leaves on base to score, and then lets in two more runs for a 5 – 1 loss.

On June 11, 2017 2017 – Max Scherzer of the Nationals records the 2,000th strikeout of his career, beating out Clayton Kershaw, who reached the milestone less than a week ago, as the third fastest pitcher to the mark. He leaves after 7 1/3 innings having struck out 10 Rangers batters and with the score tied at 1, but all he receives for his efforts…

Scooter Gennett of the Reds has a night for the ages as he homers four times and drives in 10 runs in a 13 – 1 drubbing of the Cardinals

2017 – Scooter Gennett of the Reds has a night for the ages as he homers four times and drives in 10 runs in a 13 – 1 drubbing of the Cardinals. The usually light-hitting infielder goes 5-for-5 after entering the game with 3 homers on the year and having just come out of an 0-for-19 slump the day before. He starts things off innocently enough with a run-scoring single in the 1st, then hits a grand slam in the 3rd, a two-run shot in the 4th, a solo homer in the 6th and another two-run homer in the 8th. Gennett is the 17th player in major league history to perform the feat, the last having been Josh Hamilton in 2012.

Edinson Volquez of the Marlins throws the first no-hitter of the year, defeating the Diamondbacks, 3 – 0. He allows a pair of walks, but both baserunners are erased on double plays, so he faces the minimum 27 batters in his masterpiece. He almost leaves the game after one batter, after he collides with Rey Fuentes at first base and turns his ankle, but he stays in and pitches the game of his life.

Edinson Volquez of the Marlins throws the first no-hitter of the year, defeating the Diamondbacks, 3 – 0. He allows a pair of walks, but both baserunners are erased on double plays, so he faces the minimum 27 batters in his masterpiece. He almost leaves the game after one batter, after he collides with Rey Fuentes at first base and turns his ankle, but he stays in and pitches the game of his life.

Albert Pujols becomes the ninth major leaguer to hit 600 home runsand the only player to reach the milestone with a grand slam. The 37 year-old Los Angeles DH, the fourth youngest to accomplished the feat, behind only Babe Ruth, Alex Rodrigues, and Henry Aaron, goes deep in the fourth inning off Ervin Santana in the team’s 7-4 victory over the Twins at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

Albert Pujols becomes the ninth major leaguer to hit 600 home runsand the only player to reach the milestone with a grand slam. The 37 year-old Los Angeles DH, the fourth youngest to accomplished the feat, behind only Babe Ruth, Alex Rodrigues, and Henry Aaron, goes deep in the fourth inning off Ervin Santana in the team’s 7-4 victory over the Twins at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

Albert Pujols becomes the ninth major leaguer to hit 600 home runsand the only player to reach the milestone with a grand slam. The 37 year-old Los Angeles DH, the fourth youngest to accomplished the feat, behind only Babe Ruth, Alex Rodrigues, and Henry Aaron, goes deep in the fourth inning off Ervin Santana in the team’s 7-4 victory over the Twins at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

2017 – Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers records his 2,000th career strikeout, the victim being Jonathan Villar, one of 14 K’s on the night for Kershaw. He is the third fastest pitcher to the mark, needing 1,837 2/3 innings, after only Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson. Max Scherzer is about to catch him, however, as he only needs 19 Ks to reach the mark while having pitched 100 fewer innings than Clayton. The Dodgers win the game, 2 – 1, in 12 innings, while recording a team-record 26 strikeouts and both teams combine for a National League record 42 whiffs. Cody Bellinger homers in the top of the 12th for Los Angeles, while winner Kenley Jansen has now struck out 36 batters without issuing a single walk this year, a major league record.

2017 – Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers records his 2,000th career strikeout, the victim being Jonathan Villar, one of 14 K’s on the night for Kershaw. He is the third fastest pitcher to the mark, needing 1,837 2/3 innings, after only Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson. Max Scherzer is about to catch him, however, as he only needs 19 Ks to reach the mark while having pitched 100 fewer innings than Clayton. The Dodgers win the game, 2 – 1, in 12 innings, while recording a team-record 26 strikeouts and both teams combine for a National League record 42 whiffs. Cody Bellinger homers in the top of the 12th for Los Angeles, while winner Kenley Jansen has now struck out 36 batters without issuing a single walk this year, a major league record.

2017 – The first-place Brewers defeat the struggling Mets, 2 – 1, behind a strong pitching performance by Chase Anderson who tosses seven scoreless innings. There is an unusual play in the 4th inning: with the bases loaded and one out, Milwaukee’s Eric Sogard lifts a pop-up near the third base line. The Mets’ batboy tries to get out of the way, taking his chair with him, but in doing so impedes 3B Wilmer Flores’ path to the ball. Third base umpire Fieldin Culbreth first calls the batter out, but the umpires reverse themselves after conferring, as there is no provision in the rules for “batboy interference”. Manager Terry Collins comes out to argue and is ejected, but he shouldn’t have bothered, as Sogard then grounds into an inning-ending double play.

2017 – The first-place Brewers defeat the struggling Mets, 2 – 1, behind a strong pitching performance by Chase Anderson who tosses seven scoreless innings. There is an unusual play in the 4th inning: with the bases loaded and one out, Milwaukee’s Eric Sogard lifts a pop-up near the third base line. The Mets’ batboy tries to get out of the way, taking his chair with him, but in doing so impedes 3B Wilmer Flores’ path to the ball. Third base umpire Fieldin Culbreth first calls the batter out, but the umpires reverse themselves after conferring, as there is no provision in the rules for “batboy interference”. Manager Terry Collins comes out to argue and is ejected, but he shouldn’t have bothered, as Sogard then grounds into an inning-ending double play.

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2017 – The Astros complete a 22-7 month with a 17-6 destruction of the Twins, totaling 40 runs in the three-game sweep. George Springer muscles two homers including a 473-foot blast that just missed the third deck. At 38-16, Houston owns the best record in the majors. 

2017 – The Astros complete a 22-7 month with a 17-6 destruction of the Twins, totaling 40 runs in the three-game sweep. George Springer muscles two homers including a 473-foot blast that just missed the third deck. At 38-16, Houston owns the best record in the majors. 

The Astros continue their torrid pace with a 17 – 5 beatdown of the Twins at Target Field, their seventh straight win. They hit a season-high six homers, including a pair by George Springer, and now have 38 wins, five more than any other major league team. Their lead in the AL West is already 11 games.

The Astros continue their torrid pace with a 17 – 5 beatdown of the Twins at Target Field, their seventh straight win. They hit a season-high six homers, including a pair by George Springer, and now have 38 wins, five more than any other major league team. Their lead in the AL West is already 11 games.

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2017 – Down 8-2 in the eighth, Houston explodes for 11 runs on their way to a 16-8 thrashing of the Twins in Minnesota. Carlos Beltran leads the offense with four hits but Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Marwin Gonzalez each chips in three in the 18-hit attack. 

2017 – Down 8-2 in the eighth, Houston explodes for 11 runs on their way to a 16-8 thrashing of the Twins in Minnesota. Carlos Beltran leads the offense with four hits but Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Marwin Gonzalez each chips in three in the 18-hit attack. 

A big brawl erupts in the 8th inning of a game between the Nationals and Giants. With Washington leading 3 – 0, Hunter Strickland plunks Bryce Harper on the hip with a 98 mph fastball, angering the young superstar who charges the mound, triggering a bench-clearing brawl. Not many punches land, but an angry Strickland has to be dragged off the field by three teammates. The Nats claim the pitch is in retaliation for an incident during the 2014 Division Series, when Harper homered twice off Strickland and the two exchanged words; they had not faced one another since then. Harper will receive a four-game suspension and Strickland one of six games for their part in the fracas.

A big brawl erupts in the 8th inning of a game between the Nationals and Giants. With Washington leading 3 – 0, Hunter Strickland plunks Bryce Harper on the hip with a 98 mph fastball, angering the young superstar who charges the mound, triggering a bench-clearing brawl. Not many punches land, but an angry Strickland has to be dragged off the field by three teammates. The Nats claim the pitch is in retaliation for an incident during the 2014 Division Series, when Harper homered twice off Strickland and the two exchanged words; they had not faced one another since then. Harper will receive a four-game suspension and Strickland one of six games for their part in the fracas.