Stuck in last place in the AL West in spite of spending lavishly in the off-season free agent market, the Angels make a couple of moves, releasing veteran OF Bobby Abreu and replacing closer Jordan Walden with Scott Downs. They call up top prospect Mike Trout to take Abreu’s place.

Chipper Jones drives in three runs in Atlanta’s 7 – 0 win over San Diego, moving past Mickey Mantle on the all-time RBI list with 1,512. Among switch-hitters, only Eddie Murray has more RBI than Jones with 1,917. Tommy Hanson is the winner over Mat Latos, who falls to 0-4.

Justin Smoak, back from the bereavement list following the death of his father, homers and drives in five runs as Seattle routs Detroit, 10 – 1, to earn Erik Bedard his first win since June 7, 2009.

With a 3-16 record coming into the game, the Orioles win at home for the first time this year, beating the Yankees, 5 – 4. It’s hard slogging, though, as the Yankees score two unearned runs in the 9th and Alfredo Simon records the first save of his career in his first appearance since reconstructive elbow surgery last May. Alberto Castillo is the winner in relief. The Orioles now have a two-game winning streak, but their record is still four games worse than any other team in the majors.

With the help of a five-run ninth inning fueled by Ryan Doumit’s grand slam and Ronny Cedeno’s solo shot off Trevor Hoffman, the Pirates snap a 22-game losing streak in Milwaukee with a 7-3 comeback victory over the Brewers at Miller Park. The Brew Crew’s hometown hex over the Bucs was the longest held by one team over another since the Browns / Orioles lost 27 consecutive contests to the Indians in Cleveland from 1952-54.

Francisco Liriano continues to display the form that made him a rookie sensation before arm surgery in 2006. The Twins’ starter pitches a third consecutive game in which he does not allow a run, going 8 innings in a 2 – 0 win over Detroit. He has an 0.93 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 29 innings this year.

David Wright, with an RBI single to right field off Ramon Troncoso in the fifth inning of New York’s 10-5 victory over L.A. at Citi Field, becomes the eighth and quickest player to accumulate 1,000 hits in a Mets uniform. The 27 year-old third baseman, who surpasses Mike Piazza’s mark of 935 games to reach the milestone, accomplishes the feat in his 868th career contest with the club.

Rookie Dexter Fowler steals five bases against San Diego to lead the Rockies to a 12 – 7 victory. The Rocks steal eight bases overall against the battery of Chris Young and Nick Hundley. As part of the madness on the base paths, Brad Hawpe is hit in the head by catcher Hundley’s pick-off attempt at second base and is knocked out of the game. Fowler ties the post-1900 rookie record for steals in a game.

Raul Ibanez hits a grand slam off Joel Hanrahan in the 8th inning to lead Philadelphia to a 13 – 11 win over Washington. Ibanez’s blast follows another grand slam by Ryan Howard off Shairon Martis in the 5th. The Nationals are up 6 – 2 and 11 – 7, but cough up the lead twice, negating a five-home run performance by their hitters.