In his last start for the Phillies before being dealt to the Rangers, Cole Hamels throws a no-hitter against the Cubs, marking the first time Chicago has been no-hit since 1965. The 31 year-old southpaw joins Cliff Chambers (1951 Pirates) and Edwin Jackson (2010 Diamondbacks) as the only pitchers traded before their next start after hurling a no-no for their team.

2014 – Yasiel Puig hits three of the Dodgers’ five triples to lead Los Angeles to an 8 – 1 win in the opening game of a three-game series with the Giants with leadership of the NL West at stake. Puig adds a double as well and ties a team record with his three-base hits, as do the five hit by the team. Zack Greinke gets the win and also records a four-strikeout inning in the 3rd.

The Athletics crush the Blue Jays, 16 – 0, for their 7th straight win, handing the Jays the most lopsided loss in team history. Coco Crisp homers twice in support of A.J. Griffin as the A’s erupt for 8 runs in the 2nd inning off Ricky Romero. If that isn’t enough, Brandon Inge fouls a ball off C J.P. Arencibia’s bare right hand, breaking a bone, then RF Josh Reddick rubs some salt in the wound by making a Spiderman catch in the bottom of the frame, climbing the fence and holding on with his right hand for a pair of seconds before catching the ball, robbing Travis Snider of extra bases.

Cole Hamels becomes the best paid Phillies player in history when he signs a guaranteed six-year, $144 million contract. The deal, the second richest contract for a pitcher, only behind the Yankees agreement with CC Sabathia, includes an option for a seventh season that could pay the 28 year-old southpaw as much as $162 million through 2019.

Deals continue to be announced ahead of the trading deadline, with Los Angeles acquiring 3B Hanley Ramirez and P Randy Choate from Miami in return for Ps Nathan Eovaldi and Scott McGough. In other moves, the Phillies sign P Cole Hamels to a six-year extension worth $144 million, taking him off the market, while the Rays release veteran DH Hideki Matsui, who is hitting only .147, to make room for Ryan Roberts, who was acquired in a trade yesterday.

In his first game for the Dodgers, Hanley Ramirez goes 2 for 4 with a walk, a run and a RBI, but the Cardinals win, 3 – 2, as Rafael Furcal singles home the winning run in the 12th inning.

One day after being shut out at home on four singles by Brett Cecil, the Rangers explode for 27 hits in a 20 – 6 drubbing of the Minnesota Twins. They score at least three runs in each of the first five innings, a scoring feat only accomplished two other times since 1900, to cruise to the highest run total in the American League this year. Lead-off hitter Ian Kinsler drives in 5 runs for Texas, while All-Star RF Michael Cuddyer of the Twins moves to the mound in the 8th inning and escapes without allowing a run after loading the bases.

The Yankees extend the Mariners’ franchise-worst losing streak to 16 games with a 10 – 3 win in New York. Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira homer and have three RBI each.

The Pirates get another good performance from James McDonald to stay in the middle of the tight NL Central division race. McDonald strikes out 9 in 5 2/3 innings, a career high and the most by a Bucs pitcher in almost two years, as the Pirates defeat the Braves, 3 – 1. Pittsburgh is tied with St. Louis atop the division, half a game ahead of Milwaukee.

Michael Cuddyer becomes the first Twins’ position player to pitch since outfielder John Moses hurled against California in 1990. Moving from right field to the mound in the eighth inning, the starting first baseman gives up a double to Mike Napoli, a single to Mitch Moreland, and after Endy Chavez grounds out, the right-hander walks Ian Kinsler to load the bases, but then gets Elvis Andrus to fly out and David Murphy to pop-up for a scoreless frame in the 20-6 loss in Texas.