David Price sets a Tampa Bay franchise record with 14 strikeouts in 7 innings in the Rays’ 12 – 0 rout of the Blue Jays. Desmond Jennings sets the tone by homering on the first pitch of the game from Brandon Morrow, then Sean Rodriguez and he go back-to-back in the 2nd inning. Two Rays relievers strike out four more batters over the last two innings, for a total of 18 whiffs on the day.

Zack Greinke improves to 10-0 at home this season as the Brewers beat the Cubs, 3 – 2, to complete a three-game sweep. The Brewers have won 24 of 26 games in August to run away with the NL Central lead, which now stands at 10 1/2 games in front of the Cardinals.

2010 – Tim Hudson sets a career high with 13 strikeouts in a 12 – 3 Braves win over the Marlins, snapping a four-game losing streak. The Braves give him an early lead with a six-run 2nd inning highlighted by Matt Diaz’s home run and Brian McCann’s three-run double.

John Hester, appearing as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning, homers in his first major league at-bat in Arizona’s 14-7 victory over Houston. The 25 year-old catcher becomes the 101st player to accomplish the feat, and the second Diamondback player this season, joining Gerardo Parra, who also went deep in his first big league plate appearance in May.

The Angels acquire Scott Kazmir, the winningest pitcher in Tampa Bay Rays history, in a trade for P Alex Torres, IF Matt Sweeney and a player to be named later (IF Sean Rodriguez). Also on the trade front, Minnesotaobtains reliever Jon Rauch from the Diamondbacks for a player to be named later.

Pinch-hitting in the 6th inning, John Hester hits a home run in his first major league at bat to help Arizona beat Houston, 14 – 7. He hits the homer off Wilton Lopez, who is also making his major league debut.

The Cubs game against the Phillies at Wrigley Field becomes the first contest to be played with the use of video replay available to umpires to review calls in regards to fair or foul home runs, balls in or out of the ballpark, and fan interference determinations. The new technology, which doesn’t need to be employed in any of the three ballparks going online today, will be used by all major league clubs starting tomorrow.

In the 11-2 victory over the Dodgers, Cristian Guzman becomes the second player in Nationals history to hit for the cycle, joining Brad Wilkerson, who accomplished the feat in 2005, the team’s first year in Washington, D.C. The 30 year-old shortstop completes his cycle with an eighth inning triple.

The Red Sox’ last regular season game at Yankee Stadium is a fitting finale for the two rivals at the 85 year-old historic ballpark. Trailing 2-0, the Bronx Bombers rally late in the game, thanks to Jason Giambi’s seventh-inning pinch-hit two-run homer and his walk-off single in the ninth, to beat Boston, 3-2, avoiding a sweep and keeping their wild-card hopes alive.

Atop of his right-field foul pole perch at Yankee Stadium, a not-so-shy squirrel watches the Bronx Bombers beat the Red Sox, 5-3. The bushy-tailed good luck charm has become a fan favorite, receiving standing ovations and cheers as he is shown on the scoreboard video screen scampering up and down on the pole.