In St. Louis, Kyle Lohse of the Cardinals joins Harang with a three-hit shutout of his own in beating Houston. After giving up a single to leadoff hitter Kazuo Matsui, Lohse sets down the next 24 batters in order on his way to a 3 – 0 victory.

ByTom

In St. Louis, Kyle Lohse of the Cardinals joins Harang with a three-hit shutout of his own in beating Houston. After giving up a single to leadoff hitter Kazuo Matsui, Lohse sets down the next 24 batters in order on his way to a 3 – 0 victory.

For the second time in a week, a team draws four bases-loaded walks in one inning. This time, it’s the Chicago Cubs who profit, in a game in which four Brewer pitchers issue 10 free passes and hit two batters. The Cubs score 4 runs in the top of the 4th inning thanks to Milwaukee’s generosity, but the key play in the 9 – 5 victory happens in the bottom of the 5th when Reed Johnson robs Prince Fielder of a grand slam by climbing over the right field fence at Miller Park. Ryan Dempster is the winner in the nationally-televized contest. On April 8th, the Phillies had also drawn four bases-loaded walks in an inning.

ByTom

For the second time in a week, a team draws four bases-loaded walks in one inning. This time, it’s the Chicago Cubs who profit, in a game in which four Brewer pitchers issue 10 free passes and hit two batters. The Cubs score 4 runs in the top of the 4th inning thanks to Milwaukee’s generosity, but the key play in the 9 – 5 victory happens in the bottom of the 5th when Reed Johnson robs Prince Fielder of a grand slam by climbing over the right field fence at Miller Park. Ryan Dempster is the winner in the nationally-televized contest. On April 8th, the Phillies had also drawn four bases-loaded walks in an inning.

With runners taking off from first and second base, Pirates’ shortstop Jack Wilson Reds third baseman Edwin Encarnacion’s turns soft liner into a triple play. The triple killing is the Bucs’ first since 1993, and the team’s first on the road in 41 years.

ByTom

With runners taking off from first and second base, Pirates’ shortstop Jack Wilson Reds third baseman Edwin Encarnacion’s turns soft liner into a triple play. The triple killing is the Bucs’ first since 1993, and the team’s first on the road in 41 years.

Aaron Harang of the Cincinnati Reds pitches the first shutout of the season when he disposes of the Pirates, 2 – 0, on three hits. Brandon Phillips hits a two-run homer for the Reds. Pittsburgh pulls off a triple play in the 8th inning in going down in defeat. It is the first triple play by Pittsburgh in 16 years and their first one on the road since 1968, when Gene Alley and Bill Mazeroski teamed with Donn Clendenon on one, also against Cincinnati.

ByTom

Aaron Harang of the Cincinnati Reds pitches the first shutout of the season when he disposes of the Pirates, 2 – 0, on three hits. Brandon Phillips hits a two-run homer for the Reds. Pittsburgh pulls off a triple play in the 8th inning in going down in defeat. It is the first triple play by Pittsburgh in 16 years and their first one on the road since 1968, when Gene Alley and Bill Mazeroski teamed with Donn Clendenon on one, also against Cincinnati.

Mike Hartley becomes perhaps the first former major leaguer to play in the Bundesliga. The 46-year-old player-coach throws two relief innings, walking two, striking out two and allowing one unearned run in a 10 – 8 win for the Heidenheim Heideköpfe over the Mainz Athletics. Simon Gühring, a former Brewers minor leaguer, gets 3 hits to lead Heidenheim’s offense.

ByTom

Mike Hartley becomes perhaps the first former major leaguer to play in the Bundesliga. The 46-year-old player-coach throws two relief innings, walking two, striking out two and allowing one unearned run in a 10 – 8 win for the Heidenheim Heideköpfe over the Mainz Athletics. Simon Gühring, a former Brewers minor leaguer, gets 3 hits to lead Heidenheim’s offense.

Twenty-two year-old college senior Jeffrey Maier hits a third-inning two-bagger against Bates to become the all-time career hits leader at Wesleyan, with 169, surpassing the 2003 mark set by Bill Robinson. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound third baseman gained national notoriety a decade ago as a 12 year-old young fan when he leaned over the Yankee Stadium fence to catch Derek Jeter’s fly ball ‘homer’, which prevented Orioles outfielder Tony Tarasco from catching the ball during the 1996 ALCS.

ByTom

Twenty-two year-old college senior Jeffrey Maier hits a third-inning two-bagger against Bates to become the all-time career hits leader at Wesleyan, with 169, surpassing the 2003 mark set by Bill Robinson. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound third baseman gained national notoriety a decade ago as a 12 year-old young fan when he leaned over the Yankee Stadium fence to catch Derek Jeter’s fly ball ‘homer’, which prevented Orioles outfielder Tony Tarasco from catching the ball during the 1996 ALCS.

At the Giants’ home opener at SBC Park, the torch is passed both literally and figuratively as Barry Bonds hit his 660th career homer to tie his godfather, Willie Mays, for third on the all-time home run list. The 72 year-old Hall of Famer Mays greets his godson at home plate with a torch studded with $18,000 of diamonds forming the numbers 660, 25, which is Barry’s number, and 1, the number to needed move ahead.

ByTom

At the Giants’ home opener at SBC Park, the torch is passed both literally and figuratively as Barry Bonds hit his 660th career homer to tie his godfather, Willie Mays, for third on the all-time home run list. The 72 year-old Hall of Famer Mays greets his godson at home plate with a torch studded with $18,000 of diamonds forming the numbers 660, 25, which is Barry’s number, and 1, the number to needed move ahead.

|

The Phillies play their first game in Citizens Bank Park

ByTom

In front of a sellout crowd of 41,626 fans, the Phillies play their first game in their $458 million Pattison Avenue ballpark. On a cloudy day, the Citizens Bank Park history begins with a 4-1 loss to the Reds with right fielder Bobby Abreu hitting the park’s first homer, accounting for Philadelphia’s only run.

A ten-foot bronze statue of Richie Ashburn is unveiled at Citizens Bank Park, the new home of the Phillies. Zenos Frudakis’s work of the five-time All-Star, located behind centerfield in Ashburn Alley, which features the team’s Walk of Fame.

ByTom

A ten-foot bronze statue of Richie Ashburn is unveiled at Citizens Bank Park, the new home of the Phillies. Zenos Frudakis’s work of the five-time All-Star, located behind centerfield in Ashburn Alley, which features the team’s Walk of Fame.

Fenway’s Green Monster, the left field wall in the major league’s smallest park, has a new look. In the place of a net that was used to collect home runs balls that cleared the wall, the fans now occupy the space, sitting 310 feet away and 40 feet above the field, as they watch Red Sox right-hander Pedro Martinez give up ten runs in 4.1 innings in a 13-6 loss to the Orioles.

ByTom

Fenway’s Green Monster, the left field wall in the major league’s smallest park, has a new look. In the place of a net that was used to collect home runs balls that cleared the wall, the fans now occupy the space, sitting 310 feet away and 40 feet above the field, as they watch Red Sox right-hander Pedro Martinez give up ten runs in 4.1 innings in a 13-6 loss to the Orioles.