Chris Sale strikes out 17 batters in 7 innings for the Red Sox against the Rockies, but a high pitch count costs him a chance to try to match or beat the record of 20 Ks in 9 innings. He has to settle for a no-decision as Brandon Workman gives up a two-run homer to Charlie Blackmon in the 8th. The Sox’s pitchers end up with 24 strikeouts in 11 innings, but Colorado still wins, 5 – 4.

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Chris Sale strikes out 17 batters in 7 innings for the Red Sox against the Rockies, but a high pitch count costs him a chance to try to match or beat the record of 20 Ks in 9 innings. He has to settle for a no-decision as Brandon Workman gives up a two-run homer to Charlie Blackmon in the 8th. The Sox’s pitchers end up with 24 strikeouts in 11 innings, but Colorado still wins, 5 – 4.

The Yankees officially retire uniform number 2 in honor of Derek Jeter and unveil a plaque in his name in Monument Park at New Yankee Stadium between games of a doubleheader against the Astros. They win the opener, 11 – 6, thanks to a bases-loaded triple by Chase Headley and homers by Starlin Castro, Aaron Judge and Brett Gardner. In the nitecap, Masahiro Tanaka gives up three 1st-inning homers, including a grand slam by Alex Bregman as New York goes down, 10 – 7. George Springer homers twice for Houston which leads 9 – 0 before the Yankees score some late runs to make the game appear closer than it is. Before the games, they place closer Aroldis Chapman on the disabled list with inflammation in his left shoulder.

ByBaseball

The Yankees officially retire uniform number 2 in honor of Derek Jeter and unveil a plaque in his name in Monument Park at New Yankee Stadium between games of a doubleheader against the Astros. They win the opener, 11 – 6, thanks to a bases-loaded triple by Chase Headley and homers by Starlin Castro, Aaron Judge and Brett Gardner. In the nitecap, Masahiro Tanaka gives up three 1st-inning homers, including a grand slam by Alex Bregman as New York goes down, 10 – 7. George Springer homers twice for Houston which leads 9 – 0 before the Yankees score some late runs to make the game appear closer than it is. Before the games, they place closer Aroldis Chapman on the disabled list with inflammation in his left shoulder.

In his final season, David Ortiz is still a master of the clutch hit. Today, he hits a two-out 9th-inning triple off Luke Gregerson to drive in Xander Bogaerts and tie the game for the Red Sox against the Astros, then hits a two-out double in the 11th off Michael Feliz that again drives in Bogaerts and gives the Sox a 6 – 5 win. The double is the 600th of his career, making him only the third player after Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds to hit 500 homers and 600 doubles; he had hit homer #513 in the 3rd inning.

ByBaseball

In his final season, David Ortiz is still a master of the clutch hit. Today, he hits a two-out 9th-inning triple off Luke Gregerson to drive in Xander Bogaerts and tie the game for the Red Sox against the Astros, then hits a two-out double in the 11th off Michael Feliz that again drives in Bogaerts and gives the Sox a 6 – 5 win. The double is the 600th of his career, making him only the third player after Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds to hit 500 homers and 600 doubles; he had hit homer #513 in the 3rd inning.

Masahiro Tanaka pitches his first major league shutout as the Yankees defeat the Mets, 4 – 0. The Japanese off-season signee is now 6-0 with a 2.17 ERA after 8 starts in the majors. The Yankees’ win follows 6 straight losses to the Mets, dating back to last season.

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Masahiro Tanaka pitches his first major league shutout as the Yankees defeat the Mets, 4 – 0. The Japanese off-season signee is now 6-0 with a 2.17 ERA after 8 starts in the majors. The Yankees’ win follows 6 straight losses to the Mets, dating back to last season.

Carlos Gonzalez has five hits, including a pair of homers, in leading the Rockies to a 9 – 4 win over the Cubs. Troy Tulowitzki pitches in with two doubles among his three hits and Eric Young homers as part of a 17-hit attack. Jeff Francis is the winner over Carlos Villanueva.

ByBaseball

Carlos Gonzalez has five hits, including a pair of homers, in leading the Rockies to a 9 – 4 win over the Cubs. Troy Tulowitzki pitches in with two doubles among his three hits and Eric Young homers as part of a 17-hit attack. Jeff Francis is the winner over Carlos Villanueva.

Tampa Bay’s Matt Moore gives up three 1st-inning runs, but nothing else over the next five innings, to become the first American League pitcher to seven wins, earning a 5 – 3 victory over the Red Sox. He is the first pitcher in Rays history to start a season 7-0.

ByBaseball

Tampa Bay’s Matt Moore gives up three 1st-inning runs, but nothing else over the next five innings, to become the first American League pitcher to seven wins, earning a 5 – 3 victory over the Red Sox. He is the first pitcher in Rays history to start a season 7-0.

Major League Baseball fires arbitrator Shyam Das after 13 years on the job. The Commissioner’s office was incensed at Das for overturning Ryan Braun’s suspension for PED use on a technicality on February 23rd, and the last straw comes when the same ruling is used today to justify ending Eliezer Alfonzo’s 100-game suspension early.

ByBaseball

Major League Baseball fires arbitrator Shyam Das after 13 years on the job. The Commissioner’s office was incensed at Das for overturning Ryan Braun’s suspension for PED use on a technicality on February 23rd, and the last straw comes when the same ruling is used today to justify ending Eliezer Alfonzo’s 100-game suspension early.

The Rays keep on winning, in spite of resembling an infirmary more than a baseball team. With six players already on the disabled list, the Rays add OF Desmond Jennings, victim of a knee problem, prior to today’s game against the Blue Jays. In the 1st inning, starter Jeff Niemann takes a ground ball off the bat of Adam Lind in the lower leg; he manages to throw Lind out and finish the inning, but is removed from the game; x-rays then reveal a fracture that will have him join the hobbled crowd for a number of weeks. Cesar Ramos succeeds Niemann on the mound and earns his first career victory as the Rays prevail, 7 – 1.

ByBaseball

The Rays keep on winning, in spite of resembling an infirmary more than a baseball team. With six players already on the disabled list, the Rays add OF Desmond Jennings, victim of a knee problem, prior to today’s game against the Blue Jays. In the 1st inning, starter Jeff Niemann takes a ground ball off the bat of Adam Lind in the lower leg; he manages to throw Lind out and finish the inning, but is removed from the game; x-rays then reveal a fracture that will have him join the hobbled crowd for a number of weeks. Cesar Ramos succeeds Niemann on the mound and earns his first career victory as the Rays prevail, 7 – 1.

It wouldn’t be the Yankees without a bit of soap opera. Today, Jorge Posada asks to be taken out of the line-up 40 minutes before the game, after being listed as the 9th-place hitter against the Red Sox. Hitting .165, the DH claims he has a bad back, something which Yankees GM Brian Cashman denies, and after the game explains that he feels “a little bit disrespected”. With Andruw Jones taking Posada’s place, the Yankees lose the game, 6 – 0, to the Sox, with a two-run double by Jacoby Ellsbury and a three-run homer by Adrian Gonzalez against CC Sabathia providing the key blows in support of Josh Beckett’s six scoreless innings. Jones hits 9th in the game, the second #9 hitter in MLB history with 400+ homers to his credit – the prior one was Jimmie Foxx from his days as a pitcher at the tail end of his career.

ByBaseball

It wouldn’t be the Yankees without a bit of soap opera. Today, Jorge Posada asks to be taken out of the line-up 40 minutes before the game, after being listed as the 9th-place hitter against the Red Sox. Hitting .165, the DH claims he has a bad back, something which Yankees GM Brian Cashman denies, and after the game explains that he feels “a little bit disrespected”. With Andruw Jones taking Posada’s place, the Yankees lose the game, 6 – 0, to the Sox, with a two-run double by Jacoby Ellsbury and a three-run homer by Adrian Gonzalez against CC Sabathia providing the key blows in support of Josh Beckett’s six scoreless innings. Jones hits 9th in the game, the second #9 hitter in MLB history with 400+ homers to his credit – the prior one was Jimmie Foxx from his days as a pitcher at the tail end of his career.

For the first time since 1914, the Dodgers are defeated after allowing just one hit, losing to the visiting Diamondbacks,1-0. Chad Billingsley, the hard-luck loser, gives up a leadoff double in the second to Stephen Drew, who scores the game’s only run when shortstop Jamey Carroll fails to cover the bag in an attempted pick-off play.

ByThis Day in Baseball

For the first time since 1914, the Dodgers are defeated after allowing just one hit, losing to the visiting Diamondbacks,1-0. Chad Billingsley, the hard-luck loser, gives up a leadoff double in the second to Stephen Drew, who scores the game’s only run when shortstop Jamey Carroll fails to cover the bag in an attempted pick-off play.