In front of the smallest crowd in the three-year history of new Yankee Stadium, Mariano Rivera retires Trevor Plouffe, Michael Cuddyer, and Chris Parmelee to finish New York’s 6-4 win over Minnesota. The save, the 602nd in the closer’s career, breaks Trevor Hoffman’s major league mark.

Nationals Park hosts a simulcast of the Washington National Opera’s production of Verdi’s dramatic musical play, ‘The Masked Ball,’ being performed at the Kennedy Center. The annual free program, called Opera in the Outfield, features special events, kids activities, and prizes to introduce the genre to a broader audience, especially children.

Standing on third base, Tyler Colvin’s chest is punctured by a piece of Welington Castillo’s shattered maple bat. The Cubs’ rookie outfielder, who will not play another game this season, scores on his teammate’s double, but leaves the game in the bottom half of the inning to be taken to a hospital.

Randy Johnson pitches for the first time in two months, facing three Dodger batters in making his first regular-season relief appearance since he set a record with 16 strikeouts in completing a suspended game on July 18, 2001. Things don’t go as well this time, as he gives up two doubles, and the Giants are crushed by Los Angeles, 12 – 1. Combined with Colorado’s 10 – 4 defeat of the Diamondbacks, the Giants now trail the Rockies by 3 1/2 games in the wild card race.

In the only other playoff race that’s still up in the air, the Twins beat the Tigers, 6 – 2, thanks to their quirky ballpark. Trailing 2 – 1 in the 8th against Detroit ace Justin Verlander in one of the last-ever regular-season games to be played in the Metrodome, Orlando Cabrera hits a routine fly ball that LF Don Kelly loses against the roof and lets bounce for a double. Two batters later, Jason Kubel hits a two-run single as Minnesota rallies for five runs to win the game and reduce the Tigers’ lead in the AL Central to 2 games.

The first reversal determined by baseball’s new instant replay system occurs when Carlos Pena’s two two-run double is changed to a three-run homer during the fourth inning in the Rays’ 11-1 rout of the Twins at Tropicana Field. Umpire Mike DiMuro at first had signaled fan interference but changes the call after reviewing the video of the Tampa Bay’s first baseman’s line drive.

2008 – Marlins rookie Cameron Maybin goes 4 for 5 with two steals to extend his streak to 10 consecutive times reaching base before being retired. Maybin, now hitting .818 since being acquired from Detroit, ties the Florida Marlins franchise record for consecutive times on base. Led by Maybin, the Marlins top Philadelphia, 14 – 8, to break a seven-game winning streak by the Phils, knocking them from first place in the NL East.

For the tenth consecutive season, the Devil Rays lose their 90th game. Tampa Bay is the only team in big league history to lose as many as 90 games each year over the span of a decade.

Driving in Jose Reyes with a third inning single, David Wright becomes the first Mets player in franchise history to collect 100 RBIs in three consecutive seasons. The 24 year-old third baseman will finish the season with 107 ribbies.