The Rays have been experimenting with “bullpen days” all season, when the starting pitcher is not expected to go deep into the game, going all out for 3 or 4 innings before handing the ball over to another reliever, but today they take it even further. Short reliever Sergio Romo starts today’s game against the Angels, his first start in the majors after 588 appearances out of the bullpen, and is only asked to pitch one inning before handing the ball over to Ryan Yarbrough. The plan works perfectly as Romo strikes out the three men he faces – Zack Cozart, Mike Trout and Justin Upton, all righthanders – then hands the ball over to lefty Yarbrough in the 2nd. Yarbrough pitches scoreless ball until allowing a run in the 8th as Tampa Bay wins, 5 – 3. It is the first time a starting pitcher leaves after a perfect 1st inning since Ernie Shore had done so on October 5, 1915. Manager Kevin Cash is so pleased with how the scheme goes that he picks Romo to start the next day’s game as well.

ByBaseball

The Rays have been experimenting with “bullpen days” all season, when the starting pitcher is not expected to go deep into the game, going all out for 3 or 4 innings before handing the ball over to another reliever, but today they take it even further. Short reliever Sergio Romo starts today’s game against the Angels, his first start in the majors after 588 appearances out of the bullpen, and is only asked to pitch one inning before handing the ball over to Ryan Yarbrough. The plan works perfectly as Romo strikes out the three men he faces – Zack Cozart, Mike Trout and Justin Upton, all righthanders – then hands the ball over to lefty Yarbrough in the 2nd. Yarbrough pitches scoreless ball until allowing a run in the 8th as Tampa Bay wins, 5 – 3. It is the first time a starting pitcher leaves after a perfect 1st inning since Ernie Shore had done so on October 5, 1915. Manager Kevin Cash is so pleased with how the scheme goes that he picks Romo to start the next day’s game as well.

In a case of how the mighty have fallen, the Dodgers, coming off an appearance in the World Series and winners of five straight division titles, enter today’s game against the Marlins, who have just gone through an off-season fire sale, with an identically bad record of 16-26. Worse, the Dodgers have just lost six straight against the two worst teams in the National League, the Marlins and the Reds. They manage to stop the bleeding with a 7 – 0 win, thanks to 5 RBIs from Justin Turner in just his third game back after missing six weeks due to an injury sustained at the end of spring training, and 8 solid innings by Kenta Maeda. While they may look like they are already out of the postseason race given how much ground they have lost, they will turn things around to win the division again and return to the World Series.

ByBaseball

In a case of how the mighty have fallen, the Dodgers, coming off an appearance in the World Series and winners of five straight division titles, enter today’s game against the Marlins, who have just gone through an off-season fire sale, with an identically bad record of 16-26. Worse, the Dodgers have just lost six straight against the two worst teams in the National League, the Marlins and the Reds. They manage to stop the bleeding with a 7 – 0 win, thanks to 5 RBIs from Justin Turner in just his third game back after missing six weeks due to an injury sustained at the end of spring training, and 8 solid innings by Kenta Maeda. While they may look like they are already out of the postseason race given how much ground they have lost, they will turn things around to win the division again and return to the World Series.

Two days after being sidelined by a broken bone in his hand, 2B Robinson Cano of the Mariners is suspended for 80 days for testing positive for a banned substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

ByBaseball

Two days after being sidelined by a broken bone in his hand, 2B Robinson Cano of the Mariners is suspended for 80 days for testing positive for a banned substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

The Padres remain the only franchise in the majors never to have seen one of their pitchers throw a no-hitter, as the latest bid, by Jordan Lyles, falls short against the Rockies. He retires 22 straight batters, the last being a strikeout of Carlos Gonzalez to open the 8th inning, but sees his dream snapped when Trevor Story follows with a single to left. The Padres win, 4 – 0, and many believe the team has been cursed since July 21, 1970, when manager Preston Gomez took the fateful decision of lifting Clay Kirby for a pinch-hitter after allowing a run but no hits through 8 innings against the Mets, only to see reliever Jack Baldschun allow 2 runs on 3 hits in the 9th to spoil the bid. Only two San Diego pitchers have made it as far as the 9th inning without allowing a hit since that day.

ByThis Day in Baseball

The Padres remain the only franchise in the majors never to have seen one of their pitchers throw a no-hitter, as the latest bid, by Jordan Lyles, falls short against the Rockies. He retires 22 straight batters, the last being a strikeout of Carlos Gonzalez to open the 8th inning, but sees his dream snapped when Trevor Story follows with a single to left. The Padres win, 4 – 0, and many believe the team has been cursed since July 21, 1970, when manager Preston Gomez took the fateful decision of lifting Clay Kirby for a pinch-hitter after allowing a run but no hits through 8 innings against the Mets, only to see reliever Jack Baldschun allow 2 runs on 3 hits in the 9th to spoil the bid. Only two San Diego pitchers have made it as far as the 9th inning without allowing a hit since that day.

Called up from AAA earlier in the day, Joey Rickard has a great game for the Orioles against the Rays as he homers twice and drives in 4 runs in a 17 – 1 rout. Danny Valencia and Trey Mancini also homer for the last-place Birds and Dylan Bundy pitches 7 scoreless innings in his first start since allowing 7 runs and 4 homers without retiring anyone in a start against the Royals on May 8th.

ByBaseball

Called up from AAA earlier in the day, Joey Rickard has a great game for the Orioles against the Rays as he homers twice and drives in 4 runs in a 17 – 1 rout. Danny Valencia and Trey Mancini also homer for the last-place Birds and Dylan Bundy pitches 7 scoreless innings in his first start since allowing 7 runs and 4 homers without retiring anyone in a start against the Royals on May 8th.

|

In a game in Cincinnati, the Mets gave a lineup card to the home plate umpire that was not the same as the one they posted in the dugout. The official one had Astrubal Cabrera hitting second and Wilmer Flores third, but the one in the dugout had them in the reverse order. In the top of the first, Brandon Nimmo led off and struck out. Flores came up next, out of order, and also fanned. Naturally, the Reds did not object. Cabrera then hit a ground rule double. When Jay Bruce, the #4 hitter on both lineup cards came up, the Reds pointed out that Bruce should have hit after Flores because an accepted out of turn play resets the position in the lineup, and Bruce followed Flores on the umpire’s card. Bruce, the correct batter was called out, and Cabrera’s double was eliminated effectively meaning that Cabrera did not bat in the first inning. Adrian Gonzalez, the #5 hitter, correctly led off in the top of the second and singled. The Reds asked about it, and the umpire ruled properly that the single stood. For the rest of the game, Cabrera batted in the #2 slot as he should have in the first.

ByTom

In a game in Cincinnati, the Mets gave a lineup card to the home plate umpire that was not the same as the one they posted in the dugout. The official one had Astrubal Cabrera hitting second and Wilmer Flores third, but the one in the dugout had them in the reverse order. In the top of the first, Brandon Nimmo led off and struck out. Flores came up next, out of order, and also fanned. Naturally, the Reds did not object. Cabrera then hit a ground rule double. When Jay Bruce, the #4 hitter on both lineup cards came up, the Reds pointed out that Bruce should have hit after Flores because an accepted out of turn play resets the position in the lineup, and Bruce followed Flores on the umpire’s card. Bruce, the correct batter was called out, and Cabrera’s double was eliminated effectively meaning that Cabrera did not bat in the first inning. Adrian Gonzalez, the #5 hitter, correctly led off in the top of the second and singled. The Reds asked about it, and the umpire ruled properly that the single stood. For the rest of the game, Cabrera batted in the #2 slot as he should have in the first.

The Yankees take sole possession of first place in the AL East with a 9 – 6 win over the Red Sox, their 17th win in their last 18 games. Boston has a 6 – 5 lead going into the bottom of the 8th, but relievers Matt Barnesand Craig Kimbrel get tagged for four runs, on a two-run triple by Brett Gardner and a homer by Aaron Judge. Gardner, who was hitting just .198 coming into the game, adds a pair of doubles and scores three runs.

ByBaseball

The Yankees take sole possession of first place in the AL East with a 9 – 6 win over the Red Sox, their 17th win in their last 18 games. Boston has a 6 – 5 lead going into the bottom of the 8th, but relievers Matt Barnesand Craig Kimbrel get tagged for four runs, on a two-run triple by Brett Gardner and a homer by Aaron Judge. Gardner, who was hitting just .198 coming into the game, adds a pair of doubles and scores three runs.

James Paxton of the Mariners becomes only the second-ever Canadian-born pitcher to throw a no-hitter, after Dick Fowler in 1945, turning the trick against the Blue Jays in a 5 – 0 win. The three no-hitters pitched so far this season have been accomplished in three different countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada, and no Canadian pitcher had ever pitched one on Canadian soil before Paxton. In what is overall an awful day for the Blue Jays, closer Roberto Osuna is arrested in the early hours of the morning on charges of assault against a woman and is immediately placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball.

ByBaseball

James Paxton of the Mariners becomes only the second-ever Canadian-born pitcher to throw a no-hitter, after Dick Fowler in 1945, turning the trick against the Blue Jays in a 5 – 0 win. The three no-hitters pitched so far this season have been accomplished in three different countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada, and no Canadian pitcher had ever pitched one on Canadian soil before Paxton. In what is overall an awful day for the Blue Jays, closer Roberto Osuna is arrested in the early hours of the morning on charges of assault against a woman and is immediately placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball.

At the other end of the pitching spectrum, Dylan Bundy of the Orioles has just about as poor a start as can be, as he gives up four homers, two walks and a single while retiring nobody. All seven Royals baserunners come to score on their way to putting up 10 1st-inning runs. Bundy is the first pitcher ever to give up four homers without recording an out, as Jorge Soler, Mike Moustakas, Salvador Perez and Alex Gordon all take him deep before he is mercifully removed from the game. Kansas City wins handily, 15 – 7.

ByBaseball

At the other end of the pitching spectrum, Dylan Bundy of the Orioles has just about as poor a start as can be, as he gives up four homers, two walks and a single while retiring nobody. All seven Royals baserunners come to score on their way to putting up 10 1st-inning runs. Bundy is the first pitcher ever to give up four homers without recording an out, as Jorge Soler, Mike Moustakas, Salvador Perez and Alex Gordon all take him deep before he is mercifully removed from the game. Kansas City wins handily, 15 – 7.

First Irleand born player to record a win in 73 years

ByTom

“It’s something special. He’s going down in the record books, in the Wikipedia book, which is amazing. A little kid from Belfast done good.” – PATRICK CONLON, commenting on his son’s major league debut. Belfast native Patrick Conlon becomes the first Irish-born player to appear in a major league game in 73 years when he starts, going 3. 2 innings in the Mets’ 7-6 victory over the Reds at Great American Ball Park. The 24 year-old southpaw, known as PJ, follows fellow countryman Joe Cleary, who was born in Cork and played one game for the Senators in 1945.