Jordan Schafer hits his first career grand slam off the Dodgers’ Chad Billingsley, who had already given up a two-run shot to Carlos Lee in the 1st. Staked to this comfortable early lead, Wandy Rodriguez cruises to a 12 – 0 win for the Astros, allowing only 3 hits in 7 innings.

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Jordan Schafer hits his first career grand slam off the Dodgers’ Chad Billingsley, who had already given up a two-run shot to Carlos Lee in the 1st. Staked to this comfortable early lead, Wandy Rodriguez cruises to a 12 – 0 win for the Astros, allowing only 3 hits in 7 innings.

The Marlins’ Anibal Sanchez comes close to throwing the second no-hitter of his career, beating the Rockies, 4 – 1. The Rockies’ lone run, which scores on a walk and a two-base error in the 1st, is unearned; Dexter Fowleris the only batter to get a hit off Sanchez with a 9th-inning single. Sanchez, who pitched a no-hitter in 2006, strikes out a career-high 9 batters in the one-hitter.

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The Marlins’ Anibal Sanchez comes close to throwing the second no-hitter of his career, beating the Rockies, 4 – 1. The Rockies’ lone run, which scores on a walk and a two-base error in the 1st, is unearned; Dexter Fowleris the only batter to get a hit off Sanchez with a 9th-inning single. Sanchez, who pitched a no-hitter in 2006, strikes out a career-high 9 batters in the one-hitter.

The Rangers hit five home runs by five different batters in five consecutive innings to down the Royals, 11 – 6. Mike Napoli, Ian Kinsler, David Murphy, Adrian Beltre and Mitch Moreland all take advantage of windy conditions at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington to go deep between the 3rd and 7th innings.

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The Rangers hit five home runs by five different batters in five consecutive innings to down the Royals, 11 – 6. Mike Napoli, Ian Kinsler, David Murphy, Adrian Beltre and Mitch Moreland all take advantage of windy conditions at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington to go deep between the 3rd and 7th innings.

The Brewers beat the Astros, 14 – 7, with Yovani Gallardo hitting his 9th career home run. It has taken him only 177 at-bats – the last major league pitcher to reach 9 homers that fast was Don Drysdale (144 AB, 1958).

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The Brewers beat the Astros, 14 – 7, with Yovani Gallardo hitting his 9th career home run. It has taken him only 177 at-bats – the last major league pitcher to reach 9 homers that fast was Don Drysdale (144 AB, 1958).

The Pirates suffer the most lopsided loss in team history, falling 20 – 0 to the Brewers, who complete a three-game sweep in which they outscored Pittsburgh 36 – 1. Milwaukee collects 25 hits; Ryan Braun, Prince Fielderand George Kottaras go deep, for the benefit of Randy Wolf.

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The Pirates suffer the most lopsided loss in team history, falling 20 – 0 to the Brewers, who complete a three-game sweep in which they outscored Pittsburgh 36 – 1. Milwaukee collects 25 hits; Ryan Braun, Prince Fielderand George Kottaras go deep, for the benefit of Randy Wolf.

The Tampa Bay Rays improve their record to 12-4, the best in the majors, after completing a 9-1 road trip with a 10 – 2 win over the Chicago White Sox. James Shields is the winner as Carlos Pena drives in four runs.

ByBaseball

The Tampa Bay Rays improve their record to 12-4, the best in the majors, after completing a 9-1 road trip with a 10 – 2 win over the Chicago White Sox. James Shields is the winner as Carlos Pena drives in four runs.

Former major league manager Kevin Kennedy, now working as a broadcaster for the Tampa Bay Rays, is suddenly thrust into the limelight, as he intervenes to stop a deranged man who threatens to blow up a flight between Los Angeles, CA and Tampa, FL. Kennedy is one of ten passengers who subdue the madman as the Delta Air Lines flight is diverted to Albuquerque, NM.

ByBaseball

Former major league manager Kevin Kennedy, now working as a broadcaster for the Tampa Bay Rays, is suddenly thrust into the limelight, as he intervenes to stop a deranged man who threatens to blow up a flight between Los Angeles, CA and Tampa, FL. Kennedy is one of ten passengers who subdue the madman as the Delta Air Lines flight is diverted to Albuquerque, NM.

The Yankees turn their first triple play in 42 years

The Yankees turn their first triple play in 42 years

ByThis Day in Baseball

The Yankees turn their first triple play in 42 years when Alex Rodriguez steps on third to start a 5-4-3 around-the-horn play that results in three outs in a 4-2 loss to the A’s in Oakland. The team’s last triple killing occurred in June of 1968, on a 1-5-3 ground ball hit by Minnesota’s John Roseboro, a play started by pitcher Dooley Womack, continued by third baseman Bobby Cox, and finished by Mickey Mantle, who was playing first base.

Boston sweeps a day-night doubleheader with the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park. Tim Wakefield pitches a seven-inning rain-shortened complete game in the opener as the Red Sox win, 10 – 1, then Brad Penny earns the 7 – 3 win in the nitecap. In the second game, in his first at-bat since being recalled from AAA to replace the injured Rocco Baldelli, Jeff Bailey hits a three-run homer off Francisco Liriano, who falls to 0-4 for the year.

ByBaseball

Boston sweeps a day-night doubleheader with the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park. Tim Wakefield pitches a seven-inning rain-shortened complete game in the opener as the Red Sox win, 10 – 1, then Brad Penny earns the 7 – 3 win in the nitecap. In the second game, in his first at-bat since being recalled from AAA to replace the injured Rocco Baldelli, Jeff Bailey hits a three-run homer off Francisco Liriano, who falls to 0-4 for the year.

John Smoltz becomes the 16th major league pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters

John Smoltz becomes the 16th major league pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters

ByThis Day in Baseball

John Smoltz becomes the 16th major league pitcher to strike out 3,000 batters. The 40-year-old Braves hurler gets Felipe Lopez swinging on a 2-2 offering in the 3rd for his 3,000th K. He is the 6th-quickest to the mark in terms of innings pitched (3,386). Smoltz fans 10 in 7 innings in this win, showing that age has not yet caught up to him.