Reds 3, @Dodgers 4 -Dodger left-hander Hyun-jin Ryu flirted with perfection for 7 innings, one day after teammate Josh Beckett had tossed a no-hitter in Philadelphia. Whether it was the 30 minute-plus Dodger ABs in the bottom of the 7th or something else, Ryu was off the mark in the 8th and barely escaped with the lead, much less a no-hit game. Brian Wilson got the second out of the inning but then allowed a two-run double and two walks, leaving the bases loaded for closer Kenley Jansen, who struck out Brandon Phillips to end the threat.

This was Jansen’s first “long” save of the season, joining 20 other closers this season who have had a save of more than 3 outs, three of them with two such saves. That’s up slightly from 2013 when there had been only 19 pitchers who had recorded a long save in the first 55 games of the season, and only one pitcher had more than one (Ernesto Frieri had 5 of them!)

No team has ever had two no-hitters in consecutive games, though teams have been “involved” in consecutive no-hitters.

• Ernie Koob and Bob Groom tossed no-hitters for the Browns against the White Sox on consecutive days (May 5–6) in 1917. But, not in consecutive games, as Groom’s gem came in the second game of a double-header.
• The Giants’ Gaylord Perry no-hit St.Louis on Sep 17, 1968. The Cardinals’ Ray Washburn did the same to San Francisco the next day.
• Jim Maloney of the Reds no-hit the Astros on Apr 30, 1969. Houston’s Don Wilson returned the favor the next day.

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Yankees 6, @Cardinals 4 (12 inn) – New York prevailed in a battle of bullpens as former closer Jason Motte couldn’t bail teammate Randy Choate out of a one-out bases loaded jamb, instead allowing two of those runners to score. While Cardinal closer Trevor Rosenthal had come in to pitch the 10th, Joe Girardi kept his powder dry, enabling him to bring on David Robertson to close things out.

In the 18th season of inter-league play, this is only the second visit for the Yankees to St. Louis. The fans would evidently like to see more – every game has drawn at least 45,000.

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Tigers 0, @Athletics 10 – After falling silent in Toronto, Oakland’s bats came alive again at home as Detroit’s recent pitching woes continued. The Tigers have been outscored 34-6 over their last 3 games, their 15th searchable streak of 3+ games allowing 10+ runs. The As offense was powered by home runs by 5 different players, the 17th searchable game that that has happened, now including 3 times against Detroit, more often than any other opponent.

Derek Norris‘s 8th inning granny off Phil Coke was the first of his career. It was also the first grand slam that Coke has allowed in 55 bases loaded PA.

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Rockies 0, @Phillies 9 – Kyle Kendrick notched his first W of the season after 5 losses. After twice being shutout by the Dodgers, Phillie bats came alive as 3 players logged 3 hits for the 3rd time this season, matching the number of such games for all of 2013.

Ryan Howard drove in 5 runs for the 12th time in his career, and first since 2012. He needs 7 more RBI for 1000 for his career, when he will join these players in reaching that milestone in his first 5500 PA.

To the above list you can add the following players who reached both 1000 RBI and 5500 PA in mid-season, but did get to the former before the latter.

• Albert Pujols (2009)
• Mike Piazza (2002)
• Johnny Mize (1948)
• Bill Dickey (1939)
• Chuck Klein (1937)
• Mel Ott (1936) Ott drove in his 1000th run in his 5500th PA exactly, in this game
• Jim Bottomley (1931)
• Bob Meusel (1929)
• Babe Ruth (1926)

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Red Sox 8, @Braves 6 – Boston notched its first W in 11 tries, breaking a 6-6 tie with 7th inning RBIs from David Ortiz and A.J. Pierzynski. Ortiz had earlier cranked a 3-run homer in a 5-run 5th inning, as the Red Sox battled back from an early 6-1 deficit.

Pierzynski last week reached the 1500 career milestone for complete games caught, moving past Yogi Berra (1497) and coming up fast on Gabby Hartnett (1521) on the all-time list.

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Rays 5, @Blue Jays 10 – The teams entered the game riding winning streaks of 4 and 6 games. Toronto kept theirs going as their offensive juggernaut rolled on with 3 more home runs. With four games in the month still to play (all at home), the Blue Jays have 44 team home runs in May, within range of the team record of 54, and with an outside shot at the major league May record of 58, held by the Orioles (1987) and Mariners (1999).

Edwin Encarnacion set a new Blue Jay record with his 13th home run in May on Monday, and added another on Tuesday to tie Jose Bautista‘s team record for any calendar month.

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Orioles 7, @Brewers 6 (10 inn) – Baltimore rallied from two down, two outs and nobody on in the 9th, tying the game with HR, single, double, and then winning in the 10th with double, single after the Brewers had retired the first two batters. Francisco Rodriguez blew his second save of the season. After reeling off 14 straight saves through May 2nd, Rodriguez has converted only 3 of 5 opportunities since.

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Marlins 3, @Nationals 2 – Giancarlo Stanton‘s 15th home run put Miami ahead 3-0 in the 3rd, and the Marlins held on for the win, with 3 relievers retiring the last 8 Nats in order after Adam LaRoche made the game close with a 2-run 6th inning blast off starter Nathan Eovaldi. It was Washington’s 6th loss in 8 games, with 5 of those 6 losses by a single run.