April 16

Cold, wind, snow and sleet continue to wreak havoc with the major league schedule, as three more postponements today bring the total to 24 since the start of the season. Boston’sannual Patriots Day late-morning game is a victim of the elements today, and even the Blue Jays, in spite of playing in a dome, have to re-schedule a game because falling ice from the nearby CN Tower damages the roof at the Rogers Centre, potentially endangering fans.

Seemingly back from whatever injury ailed him last year, Bryce Harper hits a pair of homers, including a walk-off blast in the 9th, to lead the Nationals to a 6 – 4 win over the Phillies. His three-run drive with two outs off Joaquin Benoit gives him 5 RBIs on the day.

Giancarlo Stanton becomes the Marlins’ all-time home run leader when he goes deep off Dillon Gee in the first inning of the team’s 7-5 loss to New York at Citi Field. The 25 year-old right fielder’s two-run blast, his 155th round-tripper for Miami, surpasses the franchise mark established in 2010 by Dan Uggla.

The Yankees sweep a doubleheader from the Cubs behind strong performances from two newcomers. In the opener, Masahiro Tanaka strikes out 10 and allows only two singles on bunts in 8 innings in a 3 – 0 win, and in the nitecap, Michael Pineda gives up four hits over 6 innings for a 2 – 0 win that completes the double blanking. It is the first time a team has two shutouts in one day since June 26, 1988.

The Rockies battle the elements to sweep the Mets in a doubleheader at home. The opener is delayed by two hours as an 8-inch snowfall has to be removed from the field, with Colorado owner Dick Monfort pitching in by manning a shovel, and the day concludes when Jordan Pacheco singles home the winning run in the 10th inning of the second game, for a 9 – 8 win. The Rockies also win the opener, 8 – 4, as the games are played in frigid conditions and occasional snow flurries. Reporters quip that there are more snowmen than fans at Coors Field.

The Braves hit five solo homers to win their 10th straight game, 6 – 3, over Kansas City. Jason Heyward, Justin Upton and Dan Uggla all homer to put the Braves ahead in the 8th, following two earlier long balls by Juan Francisco. The final run is driven in by Chris Johnson after the barrage of dingers in the 8th. It is the Braves’ longest winning streak since 2000.

In tribute to the victims of yesterday’s Boston Marathon bombings, the fans at Yankee Stadium sing Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline, the anthem of their American League East rivals. Before the contest against Arizona, the Bronx Bombers display their logo next to the Red Sox emblem with the words “United We Stand” on an outside video board.

Kendrys Morales hits his first homer since breaking his ankle celebrating a walk-off grand slam on May 29, 2010. Morales missed the rest of 2010 and all of 2011 recovering from the injury. His three-run blast off Brandon McCarthy in the 1st comes in support of a strong performance by Jered Weaver, who tosses 6 2/3 scoreless innings and records his 1000th career strikeout in the game. Three relievers succeed Weaver to complete the Angels’ 6 – 0 combined shutout of the Athletics.

Roy Halladay records his first-ever victory over the Giants in Philadelphia’s 5 – 2 win, also helping his own cause with an RBI single in the 4th. “Doc” has now recorded wins against 29 of the 30 major league teams, the only one missing from his trophy list being the Phillies.

Johnny Damon walk-off single accounts for winning run in the Rays’ 4-3 victory over Minnesota at Tropicana Field. The 37 year-old designated hitter’s accomplishment marks the first time in nine years a batter collects five consecutive game-winning RBIs.