The first Africa Cup Baseball Championship in 18 years kicks off. Host South Africa sets the tone for the event, routing Uganda, 18 – 0, as Rowan Ebersohn hits a three-run, 1st-inning homer off Allan Kabenge and Robert Lewis-Walker and Lloyd Stevens don’t allow anyone past second base. Zimbabwe beats newcomer Burkina Faso behind the pitching of Cliff Vint and Hloniphani Ngulube, 11 – 5.

Ryan Goins drives in two runners on a sacrifice fly in the 6th inning of Toronto’s 7 – 1 win over the Yankees. Jacoby Ellsbury catches his fly to deep center at New Yankee Stadium, but crashes into the fence and falls to the ground, allowing Devon Travis to score from second base, behind Justin Smoak. It is the first two-RBI sac fly in team history. Goins adds a two-run homer, as does Jose Bautista, to help the Jays win their third straight after a very tough month of April.

Clayton Kershaw does it all by himself, as he pitches a three-hit shutout against the Padres, strikes out 14, and drives in the only run of the game with a 3rd-inning single off Drew Pomeranz. Thanks to his superhuman performance, the Dodgers end a six-game losing streak with the 1 – 0 win.

Alex Rodriguez ties Willie Mays for fourth place on the all-time home run list when he hits number 660 against the Red Sox. The homer comes as a pinch-hitter in the 8th inning against Junichi Tazawa and gives the Yankees a 3 – 2 lead that will hold for the rest of the game.

“Congratulations to Alex Rodriguez on his 660th home run. Milestones in baseball are meant to be broken and I wish him continued success throughout his career” – WILLIE MAYS>, congratulating A-Rod on tying him for fourth on the all-time home run list. Amidst very audible boos at Fenway Park, Alex Rodriguez blasts a 3-0 fastball over the Green Monster for his 660th career home run, tying Willie Mays for fourth on the all-time home run list. The eighth-inning round-tripper, the first pinch-hit homer of A-Rod’s career, proves to be the difference in the Yankees’ 3-2 victory over the Red Sox.

Three doubleheaders are played today, a result of recent inclement weather, and they all end in sweeps. The Dodgers win both ends of a twinbill for the first time since 2002 in defeating the Twins, 9 – 4 and 4 – 3. The second game takes 12 innings before Drew Butera and Scott Van Slyke homer off Brian Duensing, but in the bottom of the inning, Kenley Jansen loads the bases with none out before escaping with his 11th save. The first game begins just past noon at Target Field, and the second ends at before 11:22 pm on what was supposed to be a getaway day for the Dodgers.

In the other interleague doubleheader, the Orioles win two from the Pirates, 5 – 1 and 6 -5, with Matt Wieters hitting a 10th-inning walk-off homer in the nitecap; 3B Manny Machado makes his return to the field in the second game after missing the first month of the season. Finally, the Rays defeat Boston twice in Fenway Park, 2 – 1 and 6 – 5, as Red Sox pitchers issue 18 walks in the two games.

The Giants complete a three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks with a come-from-behind 9 – 6 win. Brandon Belt hits a three-run homer off David Hernandez in the 8th inning to put the Giants ahead for good.

Clay Buchholz improves to 6-0 as Boston beats Toronto, 10 – 1. Buchholz throws seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball, while his teammates bang out five homers, including two by Mike Napoli.

The sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers from Frank McCourt to “Guggenheim Baseball Management” becomes official. Mark Walter is the controlling partner, Stan Kasten is named team President, while basketball star Magic Johnson is a part owner and one of the public faces of the new ownership group. The group paid a record $2.15 billion for the team. The Dodgers then start the new era on the right foot, beating Colorado, 7 – 6, in spite of nearly blowing a 7 – 0 6th-inning lead. Dee Gordon hits his first major league homer, Mark Ellis has four hits, and A.J. Ellis has a homer and 3 RBI for L.A.