1981 – Bob Knepper hurls a three-hitter as Houston blanks the Mets, 8-0, to take over first place in the second-half standings. Knepper adds a two-run double to his cause. Alan Ashby and Tony Scott deliver four hits each in the 16-hit assault. Their victim? A lad named Mike Scott.
2018 – The Dodgers take over first place in the NL West as Matt Kemp hits a two-run game-ending double in the 9th for a 3 – 2 win over the Diamondbacks. Kemp victimizes Archie Bradley for the second straight night, as he had hit a go-ahead three-run homer off him in the 8th inning the previous day.
Back home at Minute Maid Park after having had to move their last series to Tropicana Field because of flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey, the Astros give their home city of Houston, TX some relief by sweeping a doubleheader from the Mets, 12 – 8 and 4 – 1.
The Indians win their 10th straight game, 5 – 2 over Detroit behind the pitching of Corey Kluber who improves to 14-4.
2015 – Clayton Kershaw strikes out 15 batters, tying a career best for most in a game and setting a new personal best with 251 on the season. He pitches a complete game as the Dodgers defeat the Giants, 2 – 1, to increase their lead in the NL West to 6 1/2 games. Kershaw ends the game by striking out Marlon Byrd with two runners on base.
2013 – The Athletics defeat the Rangers, 4 – 2, to move into a tie with Texas for first place in the AL West. The game turns in the 5th inning, when David Murphy hits a game-tying two-run homer for Texas, only to see the A’s Coco Crisp hit a ball in the bottom of the frame that hits the bottom of the left field foul pole and is ruled a two-run homer after a video review.
The Orioles move to within 2 games of the Yankees with an 8 – 3 win at New Yankee Stadium. Starter Chris Tillman has to leave the game after only 3 innings because of stiffness in his elbow, but the O’s rally behind Mark Reynolds, who hits two homers and drives in 4 runs; they then add 3 more runs in the 8th, as the Yankees use five pitchers in the inning in a vain attempt to keep within striking distance. Randy Wolf is the winner in his first game for the Birds.
Justin Verlander allows a homer to lead-off hitter Alejandro de Aza, but then settles down, as the Tigers win, 4 – 2, over the White Sox. They are now even with Chicago atop the AL Central. Delmon Young hits a three-run homer off Chris Sale, who is charged with the loss.
The Giants begin a key series with the Diamondbacks with a 6 – 2 victory. Carlos Beltran goes 4 for 4 with a homer and Cody Ross homers as well while Matt Cain bests Joe Saunders. The win pulls San Francisco to within 5 games of Arizona.
The Rangers crush the Red Sox, 10 – 0, to record a team-record 23rd shutout on the season. Derek Holland gives up only a pair of singles in 7 innings, and relievers Merkin Valdez and Mike Gonzalez toss a hitless inning each to complete the job. The Rangers score 6 runs against loser Andrew Miller in the first two innings and never look back. The Rangers have scored an average of 7.52 runs per game in Holland’s starts, giving him the best run support in the majors, and he is now 13-5.