April 15

Christian Yelich has a memorable day. First, before that night’s game against the Cardinals, he hand-delivers a new puppy to a couple of young girls, the result of a sign, which has since gone viral, that they had brought to the ballpark on March 30th. the sign stated that their dad would buy the older sister a puppy if Yelich hit a homer that day – which he had done. He then pads his home run total some more with the first three-homer game of his career, also driving in 7 runs, as the Brewers win, 10 – 7.

Bartolo Colon, the oldest pitcher in the majors at 44, shows the kids how it’s done in a nationally televized Sunday night game pitting the Rangers against the Astros. Colon tosses 7 perfect innings against the defending World Champions before allowing a walk to Carlos Correa to lead off the bottom of the 8th, followed by a double by Josh Reddick. Correa scores on a sacrifice fly by Yuli Gurriel and Colon leaves after 7 2/3 innings. His opponent on the mound, Justin Verlander, is no slouch either as he gives up just one hit – a solo homer by Robinson Chirinos – in eight innings. The Rangers win the game, 3 – 1, with 2 runs in the 10th, both scoring on a double by Chirinos.

Two weeks into the major league season, a pitcher finally records a complete game win as the Twins’ Ervin Santana tosses a one-hit shutout at the White Sox. The only two complete games before that this year had been of the eight-inning variety, and both had resulted in losses.

This year, the annual Civil Rights Game is played on “Jackie Robinson Day” with the host Dodgers defeating the Mariners, 5 – 2, in an interleague game as the memory of the man who broke the color barrier is honored before the game. Los Angeles jumps on Taijuan Walker for 5 runs in 4 innings. For Seattle, Nelson Cruz homers in his fifth straight game.

The Red Sox defeat the Rays, 3 -2, in the traditional late-morning game played on Patriots’ Day. Trailing 2 – 1 after being shut down on two hits through 8 innings by Ryan Dempster and Koji Uehara, the Rays tie the game in the top of the 9th against Andrew Bailey, deputizing for ineffective closer Joel Hanrahan. The Red Sox come back immediately, as Dustin Pedroia draws a two-out walk off Joel Peralta and Mike Napoli lines a double off the Green Monster to end the game. Shortly after the game ends, twin explosions rock downtown Boston, MA, causing numerous casualties near the finish line of the annual Boston Marathon.

Vin Scully is back in the broadcast booth for a record 63rd season after missing a week with a bad cold, as the Dodgers improve their major league-best record to 9-1 with a 5 – 4 win over the Padres. The Dodgers turn a strange triple play in the top of the 9th, when C A.J. Ellis picks up Jesus Guzman’s short bunt with runners on first and second base. Somehow, the Padres think that home plate umpire Dale Scott called the ball foul and do not run, being easy pickings for Ellis, who relays to Juan Uribe at third base to start the triple killing. San Diego manager Bud Black comes out to argue vehemently, but only succeeds in getting himself tossed from the game. In the bottom of the inning, Dee Gordon hits a bases-loaded single off Brad Brach to give Los Angeles the walk-off win.

The Marlins defeat the Astros, 5 – 4, in 11 innings in a game featuring a couple of milestones in the history of newly-inaugurated Marlins Park. Omar Infante is the first Marlins player to set off the gaudy mechanical flamingoes sculpture in the outfield when he homers off J.A. Happ in the 2nd, and P Anibal Sanchez, sporting a career .087 average with no extra-base hits, hits the first triple in park annals in the 5th. Hanley Ramirez drives in pinch-runner Brett Hayes with a single off David Carpenter to give the Marlins a walk-off win.

The Cardinals rout the Dodgers, 11 – 2, with a 19-hit attack. It is the first time in 81 years that the Cardinals have gotten 14 or more hits in five straight games. Lance Berkman homers twice.