Lou Piniella retires after 23 seasons as a manager. In his last game at the helm, his Cubs lose, 16 – 5, at home to the Atlanta Braves. Piniella missed some time earlier this year to be with his ailing mother, and had announced that this season would be his last. Coach Mike Quade will take over as interim manager for the remainder of the season. Piniella retires with a lifetime record of 1,835-1,712.

In a battle of pitchers who threw no-hitters earlier this year, Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza outpitches Dallas Braden of Oakland in a 4 – 3 win. The Rays need the win to keep within one game of the Yankees, who sink the Mariners, 10 – 0. Robinson Cano hits a grand slam and drives in 6 runs in support of CC Sabathia’s league-leading 17th win, his 15th straight win at New Yankee Stadium.

One day after being battered 20 – 11 by the Yankees, the Red Sox get a measure of revenge with a 14 – 1 pasting of their rivals. Kevin Youkilis homers twice and drives in six, while Junichi Tazawa pitches six scoreless innings for the win. For his part, New York starter A.J. Burnett gives up a career-high nine runs in the loss.

In the 14th inning of the 1-0 Mariners’ victory over Chicago, Adri�n Beltre, who scores the winning run, is hit below the belt by a ninth-inning ground ball scorched by Alexei Ramirez. The Seattle third baseman, who doesn’t wear a protective cup because it makes him feel uncomfortable, will be placed on the disabled list with a torn right testicle, much to the chagrin of his manager.

Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger gives up only three hits in 7 innings to lead the Dodgers to a 2 – 0 blanking of the Cubs. Helped by homers by Matt Kemp and Casey Blake against Ted Lilly, Haeger picks up his first win in a Dodger uniform, while George Sherrill has his first save for the Blue.

In an 18-3 rout of the Braves, the Cardinals collect 26 hits, tying a franchise record established in 1930. All but five of the hits were singles, two shy of the major league record set by the Astros in 1976.

Joining Lou Gehrig (2,721) and Babe Ruth (2,518), Derek Jeter becomes the third player to collect 2,500 hits in a Yankee uniform. The milestone safety is a first-inning bloop single off Radhames Liz in New York’s 9-4 comeback victory over the Orioles in Baltimore.

Appearing as the skipper in his 4,409th game, Tony La Russa passes Bucky Harris for third place on the all-time list for the total number of contests managed in the major leagues. Only Connie Mack (7,755 games) and John McGraw (4,769) have spent more time in the dugout as a manager than the current Cardinal field boss.

Brandon Webb’s scoreless streak ends at 42 innings in the first frame of the Diamondbacks’ 3-2 victory at Chase Field. The 2006 NL Cy Young Award winner, who had thrown three straight shutouts, falls 17 innings short of Orel Hershiser’s 1988 major league record of 59 straight shutout innings.

The Rangers rout the Orioles, 30 – 3, to set an American League record for runs. They score 9 more in the nightcap to set the AL record for runs in a doubleheader, breaking the previous mark of 36 held by the 1937 Tigers. The 1950 Red Sox and 1955 White Sox had previously held the single-game AL record of 29. No team had scored 30 in the major leagues since the Chicago Colts in 1897. Travis Metcalf, just back from the minors, drives in 8 in the twin bill. In the first game, Metcalf and Marlon Byrd both homer. David Murphy goes 5 for 7 with 5 runs. #8 hitter Jarrod Saltalamacchia and #9 hitter Ramon Vazquez both homer twice and drive in 7. Every Ranger scores at least once with Murphy and Saltalamacchia both crossing home five times. Vazquez scores the 30th run with a 3-run 9th-inning homer off Paul Shuey.