With more than twenty-five percent of its membership born outside of the United States, the Major League Baseball players’ union issues a statement condemning Arizona’s new law that requires proof of identity be shown to any state or local official who is suspicious of a person’s immigration status. Michael Weiner, the head of the MLBPA, said the organization would consider “additional steps” if the edict is not repealed or modified.

Mariano Rivera�ties Eric Gagne’s major league mark when he gets his�51st consecutive save at home, working a perfect ninth inning in the Yankees’ 6-4 victory over Chicago.�The Panamanian closer also fans two batters to move ahead of Roger Clemens for 10th on the team’s all-time strikeout list with 1,015.

Scott Sizemore and Brennan Boesch both hit their first major league home run in the 4th inning as Detroit beats the Angels, 10 – 6. Another rookie, Austin Jackson, goes 5 for 5 for Detroit. Sizemore’s dinger follows one by Gerald Laird, while Boesch’s is a grand slam during the 8-run inning.

Matt Garza pitches six perfect innings before giving up a weakly-hit single up the middle to Jacoby Ellsbury to lead off the 7th, Boston’s only hit in a 13 – 0 loss. Michel Hernandez goes 4 for 5 with his first major league home run for the Rays. Things get so bad for the Sox that with one out in the 8th, manager Terry Francona calls right-fielder Jonathan Van Every to the mound to spell struggling reliever Javier Lopez, who finishes the game in the outfield.

Julio Franco announces his retirement as a player at age 49. He had been playing with the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League and had last played in the major leagues in 2007.

The Phillies shatter their team home run mark for April when Chase Utley hits the team’s 39th dinger of the month in the team’s 4-2 loss to San Diego at Citizens Bank Park. The eventual World Champions had established the previous record of 29 set in 2006.

Major league players are asked by Commissioner Bud Selig to agree to a 50-game suspension for the first offense, a 100-game suspension for the second offense and a lifelong ban after the third offense for the use of steroids. In addition to the harsher “three-strike” rule, the commissioner is also seeking a ban on amphetamines.

With an enthusiastic RFK crowd chanting “Let’s go, ground crew” the inexperienced group puts on quite a show of ineptitude when they struggle putting the tarp on a very soggy field during the second rain delay of the rain-shortened 5-3 victory over the Mets. New York files a protest after the game is called off in the bottom of the eighth, claiming the field became unplayable due to Washington’s inability to cover the field during the 37-minute stoppage of play.

Al Leiter cruises through seven three-hit innings in the Mets’ 10 – 1 victory over the Diamondbacks to become the first pitcher to beat all 30 teams in major league history.

Texas Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez becomes the second-youngest player to reach 250 home runs in a 10 – 3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Only Jimmie Foxx was younger.