On a rain-soaked day at Fenway Park, the Red Sox manage to complete a doubleheader sweep of the A’s, 9 – 3 and 4 – 0, in spite of a series of rain delays totalling over three hours. The Sox jump on Guillermo Moscosofor 8 runs in 4 innings in the opener, including a two-run homer by Jason Varitek as Jon Lester is the winner. David Ortiz, who is 5 for 8 on the day, smacks a 2nd-inning homer off Graham Godfrey in the nitecap that sends the Sox on the way to victory. Erik Bedard pitches four scoreless innings but remains winless for the Sox, having to give way to Alfredo Aceves (9-1) after yet another lengthy delay. The teams were anxious to get the two games in, with Hurricane Irene about to hit Boston; the storm is responsible for cancelling five other games today, and is expected to wipe out the entire schedule in the Northeast tomorrow.

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On a rain-soaked day at Fenway Park, the Red Sox manage to complete a doubleheader sweep of the A’s, 9 – 3 and 4 – 0, in spite of a series of rain delays totalling over three hours. The Sox jump on Guillermo Moscosofor 8 runs in 4 innings in the opener, including a two-run homer by Jason Varitek as Jon Lester is the winner. David Ortiz, who is 5 for 8 on the day, smacks a 2nd-inning homer off Graham Godfrey in the nitecap that sends the Sox on the way to victory. Erik Bedard pitches four scoreless innings but remains winless for the Sox, having to give way to Alfredo Aceves (9-1) after yet another lengthy delay. The teams were anxious to get the two games in, with Hurricane Irene about to hit Boston; the storm is responsible for cancelling five other games today, and is expected to wipe out the entire schedule in the Northeast tomorrow.

Justin Verlander wins 20th in August for the first time since 1990

Justin Verlander wins 20th in August for the first time since 1990

ByThis Day in Baseball

Justin Verlander does not pitch one of his better starts, giving up four runs, including a pair of solo homers to Luke Hughes and Jason Repko, and leaves after giving up his second hit of the day to Drew Butera, who is hitting well below the Mendoza Line, with no out in the 6th, but his teammates pick him up and he gets credit for the Tigers’ 6 – 4 win over the Twins. This makes him the major leagues’ first 20-game winner this year, the first in the majors to reach the mark in August since Curt Schilling did it with Arizona in 2002, and the first 20-game winner for the Tigers since Bill Gullickson in 1990. Jose Valverde picks up the save with a perfect 9th inning. He has now converted 40 straight save opportunities over two seasons, tying Dennis Eckersley for the second-longest streak in American League history, but still 14 behind Tom Gordon’s record of 54.

Braves starter Tommy Hanson, who begins the game without having given up a homer in his last 47.2 innings on the mound, sees his streak end when Marlin leadoff hitter Cameron Maybin drills the first pitch of the game into the left-field seats at Turner Field. Logan Morrison, the next batter, then connects off the Atlanta right-hander for his first major league round-tripper, making it the first time in franchise history that Florida has led off a game with back-to-back homers.

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Braves starter Tommy Hanson, who begins the game without having given up a homer in his last 47.2 innings on the mound, sees his streak end when Marlin leadoff hitter Cameron Maybin drills the first pitch of the game into the left-field seats at Turner Field. Logan Morrison, the next batter, then connects off the Atlanta right-hander for his first major league round-tripper, making it the first time in franchise history that Florida has led off a game with back-to-back homers.

The Nationals announce 22 year-old right-hander Stephen Strasburg will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament, which will require about 12 to 18 months of rehabilitation. The rookie sensation, whose presence on the mound earlier in the season brought President Obama, along with his two daughters, to Nationals Park to watch the phenom pitch against the White Sox, finishes his freshman year with a 5-3 won-loss record in his 12 starts, striking out 92 batters in 68 innings while compiling an ERA of 2.91.

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The Nationals announce 22 year-old right-hander Stephen Strasburg will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament, which will require about 12 to 18 months of rehabilitation. The rookie sensation, whose presence on the mound earlier in the season brought President Obama, along with his two daughters, to Nationals Park to watch the phenom pitch against the White Sox, finishes his freshman year with a 5-3 won-loss record in his 12 starts, striking out 92 batters in 68 innings while compiling an ERA of 2.91.

Jay Bruce hits three home runs in Cincinnati’s 7 – 1 win over the Cubs. Chris Valaika also homers off Cubs starter Tom Gorzelanny for his first major league long ball as Johnny Cueto picks up the win.

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Jay Bruce hits three home runs in Cincinnati’s 7 – 1 win over the Cubs. Chris Valaika also homers off Cubs starter Tom Gorzelanny for his first major league long ball as Johnny Cueto picks up the win.

The Twins strengthen their bullpen for the postseason, picking up Brian Fuentes from the Angels in return for a player to be named later, a few days after claiming Randy Flores on waivers from the Rockies.

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The Twins strengthen their bullpen for the postseason, picking up Brian Fuentes from the Angels in return for a player to be named later, a few days after claiming Randy Flores on waivers from the Rockies.

2009 – Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn hit home runs in Washington’s 5 – 4 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Washington is 20-21 since Jim Riggleman took over for Manny Acta as manager, while Chicago has gone 6-15 since August 5th, when the Cubs were in a first-place tie with St. Louis in the NL Central. In the game, Nats CF Nyjer Morgan breaks a bone in his left hand sliding into third base and will miss the remainder of the season.

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2009 – Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn hit home runs in Washington’s 5 – 4 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Washington is 20-21 since Jim Riggleman took over for Manny Acta as manager, while Chicago has gone 6-15 since August 5th, when the Cubs were in a first-place tie with St. Louis in the NL Central. In the game, Nats CF Nyjer Morgan breaks a bone in his left hand sliding into third base and will miss the remainder of the season.

2008 – Major League Baseball places Pedro Alvarez on the restricted list for failing to sign the contract he verbally agreed to prior to the August 15th signing deadline. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Alvarez second overall in the 2008 amateur draft.

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2008 – Major League Baseball places Pedro Alvarez on the restricted list for failing to sign the contract he verbally agreed to prior to the August 15th signing deadline. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Alvarez second overall in the 2008 amateur draft.

Citing the need for a fresh start, Drayton McLane, owner of the last place Astros, fires skipper Phil Garner and GM Tim Purpura. Bench coach Cecil Cooper is named interim manager, with long-time team executive Tal Smith appointed as Houston’s general manager, also on an interim basis.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Citing the need for a fresh start, Drayton McLane, owner of the last place Astros, fires skipper Phil Garner and GM Tim Purpura. Bench coach Cecil Cooper is named interim manager, with long-time team executive Tal Smith appointed as Houston’s general manager, also on an interim basis.

Jake Peavy becomes the Padres leader in career strikeouts when he punches out Orlando Hudson looking at an inside fastball in the first inning of a 3-1 San Diego victory over the Diamondbacks at Petco Park. The right-handed fireballer, who fans 11 in the game, moves past Andy Benes, who had struck out 1036 batters, pitching for the Friars from 1989 to 1995.

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Jake Peavy becomes the Padres leader in career strikeouts when he punches out Orlando Hudson looking at an inside fastball in the first inning of a 3-1 San Diego victory over the Diamondbacks at Petco Park. The right-handed fireballer, who fans 11 in the game, moves past Andy Benes, who had struck out 1036 batters, pitching for the Friars from 1989 to 1995.