Andrew McCutchen has the second three-homer game of his career to lead the Pirates to a 9 – 4 win over the Rockies. He’s only the fourth player in Bucs history with a pair of three-homer games; the others are Hall of Famers Ralph Kiner, Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell.

2014 – The Swedish Elitserien is the last summer league to kick off, as usual. Stockholm BSK beats the Leksand Lumberjacks, 6 – 5, in the opener, rallying in the bottom of the 9th to win.

Jordan Zimmermann of the Nationals pitches his first career shutout in defeating the Reds, 1 – 0, on a one-hitter. Xavier Paul’s leadoff single in the 3rd is the only safety. Yesterday, Gio Gonzalez had given up only one hit in 8 innings and combined with Rafael Soriano for another one-hitter over the Reds.

The injury-plagued Yankees lose two more players, but continue to win. First, catcher Francisco Cervelli breaks his right hand when hit by a foul tip off Rajai Davis’s bat on the fifth pitch of the game, then starter Ivan Nova has to leave after two innings with pain in his elbow. David Phelps steps in ably, giving one run in 4 innings and striking out 9, as the Yanks defeat the Blue Jays, 6 – 4. Cervelli’s replacement, Chris Stewart, pitches in by throwing out a pair of Jays baserunners.

Anibal Sanchez sets a new Tigers record by striking out 17 batters in 8 innings in beating the Braves, 10 – 0. Mickey Lolich held the previous record with 16. Sanchez strikes out out the side in the 8th to set the record, but having thrown 121 pitches, is not allowed to go out in the 9th to attempt to tie the all-time record of 20.

Anibal Sanchez breaks Mickey Lolich’s franchise record of 16 strikeouts when he retires the side on strikes in the eighth inning of the Tigers’ 10-0 rout of Atlanta. In his eight innings of work, the 29 year-old Venezuelan right-hander gives up just five hits en route to his 17-strikeout performance in the Comerica Park contest.

In his first start since throwing a perfect game on April 21st, the White Sox’s Philip Humber comes crashing down to earth. He walks leadoff batter Mike Aviles, then yields a career-high 9 runs in 5 innings of work to be tagged with a 10 – 3 loss to the Red Sox. Kevin Youkilis hits a grand slam, while Jarrod Saltalamacchia homers twice to lead Boston. Humber breaks Catfish Hunter’s 44-year-old record of 8 runs allowed in the start after a perfect game. “This game will humble you, man,” Humber states after the shelling.

Pinch-hitter Brandon Allen hits a walk-off two-run homer off Los Angeles Angels closer Jordan Walden to give Tampa Bay a 4 – 3 win. Allen’s first hit of the season extends the Rays’ winning streak to five games.

Using a home-grown starting lineup for the first time since 1971, New York beats Miami when Heath Bell walks four batters in the ninth inning, including Justin Turner’s 13-pitch at-bat that results in a game-tying bases-loaded base-on-balls, and before giving up a game-winning two-out single to the rookie Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Forty-one years ago, Gil Hodges used a lineup of all former Mets farmhands that included Ed Kranepool, Bud Harrelson, Tim Foli, Ted Martinez, Mike Jorgensen, Duffy Dyer, John Milner, and Jerry Koosman.

The Marlins are quietly off to the best start in franchise history, moving to 15-7 with a 4 – 2 win over the Dodgers. Hanley Ramirez breaks out of a 3 for 28 slump with two hits and two runs scored while Gaby Sanchez homers in support of Chris Volstad. For Los Angeles, Andre Ethier extends his hitting streak to 23 games, the longest-ever in April, with an RBI double in the 1st; teammate James Loney comes into the game hitting .170 but goes 4 for 4 in the first four-hit game of his career.