2019 – Mike Leake of the Mariners takes a perfect game into the 9th inning before giving up a single to Luis Rengifo of the Angels. He settles for a one-hitter in a 10 – 0 win.
For the second straight day, a player who appeared in the 2018 All-Star Game is traded as San Diego deals Brad Hand and fellow reliever Adam Cimber to Cleveland in return for top prospect C Francisco Mejia.
The only game played today features the Cubs hosting the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. The Cubs win, 9 – 6, handing interim Cards manager Mike Shildt his first loss as a skipper. Jason Heyward, who ended the first half very hot, has 3 hits and 2 RBIs, Victor Caratini scores three times and Ian Happ adds a two-run homer. Pedro Strop picks up the save after the Cubs place closer Brandon Morrow on the disabled list before the game.
Alex Meyer allows only one hit and one walk in 7 scoreless innings, and David Hernandez and Jose Alvarez both pitch a hitless inning as the Angels defeat Washington, 7 – 0, on a one-hitter. Meyer is a former first-round draft choice of the Nationals whose struggles with control have kept him from harnessing his raw talent until now. Mike Trout and C.J. Cron both hit two-run homers for Los Angeles.
Nolan Arenado leads the charge by going 5-for-6 with 3 homers and 7 RBIs in an 18 – 4 Rockies win over the Padres. Coming to bat in the 8th with a chance at a four-homer game, he flies out to left against Kirby Yates. His three homers tie the club record, last set in 2004, while he is one shy of the team mark for RBIs.
After a two-and-a-half-hour delay, the Angels finally call off their game against the Red Sox, making the postponement the team’s first home game canceled because of inclement weather in twenty years. The last rainout in Anaheim occurred on June 16, 1995, covering a span of 1,609 consecutive games, when the Halos and White Sox were washed out.
Zack Greinke of the Dodgers extends his streak of shutout innings to 43 2/3 by tossing 8 innings without allowing a run in defeating the Nationals, 5 – 0. It is the longest such streak in the majors since Orel Hershiser pitched 59 straight innings without allowing a run in 1988 to set the major league record.
With five strikeouts in his first appearance of more than one inning this year, Aroldis Chapman of the Reds becomes the fastest pitcher to reach 500 for his career, doing so in 292 innings. Craig Kimbrel had set the record earlier this year by recording number 500 in his 305th inning. But the Reds lose the game to the Indians, 5 – 3, in 11 innings as their pitchers walk in a run four times, including Yan Gomes to drive in the go-ahead run.
The Mets strand 25 baserunners but manage to defeat the Cardinals, 3 – 1, in 18 innings. Ruben Tejada drives in the winning run with a sacrifice fly and Eric Campbell follows with a successful squeeze bunt as the Mets go 1-for-26 with runners in scoring position. Starter Carlos Martinez is pressed into service for the Cards and takes the loss, pitching 4 innings. The game is scoreless for 12 innings, until Kevin Plawecki drives in a run for the Mets in the 13th, but Kolten Wong replies with a solo homer.
Houston’s Brandon Barnes, who goes 5-for-5, scores three times and drives in two runs in the Astros’ 10-7 loss to Seattle at Minute Maid Park, and collects the eighth cycle in franchise history. The Astros center fielder joins Cesar Cedeno (1972, 1976), Bob Watson (1977), Andujar Cedeno (1992), Jeff Bagwell (2001), Craig Biggio (2002), and Luke Scott (2006) when his eighth-inning double completes the historic accomplishment.