On July 3, 2013 Jeff Locke of the Pirates is not quite in the same universe, but still wins his 8th straight decision as the Bucs defeat the Phillies, 6 – 5. Locke lost his first start of the year before embarking on the streak. Andrew McCutchenreaches bases five times and scores twice for Pittsburgh. Source Baseball Reference July 3

In his final attempt to play major league baseball after being given a 100-game suspension in 2011 for taking performance-enhancing drugs, Manny Ramirez agrees to a minor league deal with the Rangers. After experiencing a lack of production due to his decreased bat speed while playing for the PCL’s Round Rock Express, the 41 year-old outfielder/DH will be released by Texas next month, effectively ending his controversial 19-year major league career with a lifetime .312 batting average.

On July 3, 2012 The Brewers win a wild one, 13 – 12 over the Marlins in 10 innings. The Brewers manage to blow a 9 – 2 lead in the 7th and 8th innings, and the Marlins pull ahead on Jose Reyes’s solo homer in the top of the 10th. With two outs in the bottom of the same…

On July 3, 2012 The Pirates move in to a surprising tie for first place with Cincinnati in the NL Central thanks to an 8 – 7 win over the Astros. Drew Sutton, playing for his third organization this year, hits a walk-off home run while Andrew McCutchen goes 3 for 4 with a homer to improve to .360, the best batting average in the majors. Source Baseball Reference…

On July 3, 2012 Chipper Jones celebrates being named an All-Star in replacement of the injured Matt Kemp by going 5 for 5 with 4 RBI and 2 doubles in the Braves’ 10 – 3 win over the Cubs. The 40-year-old third baseman even steals his first base of the season. Source Baseball Reference July 3

On July 3, 2012 The White Sox rout the Rangers, 19 – 2, behind the pitching of Chris Sale, who wins his 10th game of the year. The Sox score 9 runs in the 5th inning – 7 of them unearned -, capped by A.J. Pierzynski’s three-run homer. Source Baseball Reference July 3

On July 3, 2011 Rosters for the 2011 All-Star Game, to be played July 12th in Phoenix, AZ, are announced. Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista leads all vote-getters with 7.4 million votes, the most-ever in All-Star balloting. Left off the roster is Ichiro Suzuki, ending a streak of 10 straight appearances in the mid-summer classic. Source Baseball Reference July 3

On July 3, 2011 Jose Bautista hits his 27th homer as the Blue Jays snap Cliff Lee’s streak of scoreless innings at 34 in beating the Phillies, 7 – 4. Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Eric Thames all connect off Lee in the 8th inning, after he had thrown shutouts in his three previous starts. Source Baseball Reference July 3

On July 3, 2011 The Red Sox complete a three-game sweep of the Astros with a 2 – 1 win, courtesy of a 9th-inning bases-loaded walk to Kevin Youkilis, scoring pinch-hitter Drew Sutton, who had himself walked to start the inning. Josh Beckett fans 11 in 8 innings for the win. Source Baseball Reference July 3