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The Grand Slam: Madison Bumgarner hits another grand slam, makes history

 
 

Pitcher Madison Bumgarner earned his 10th win of the season Sunday for the San Francisco Giants, a start good enough to make him an All-Star. But pitching two days before the MLB summer showdown meant that Bumgarner had to bow out of the All-Star game itself.

Could he be a Home Run Derby alternate, though?

In addition to earning that 10th win, Bumgarner also hit his second grand slam of the season in the Giants' 8-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Two grand slams! From a pitcher! Yo Troy Tulowitzki, if something happens to Justin Morneau, you know where to look for a replacement.

Bumgarner launched grand slam No. 1 on April 11 against the Colorado Rockies. Getting a second one in the same season makes him only the second pitcher in history to accomplish the feat. The other was Tony Cloninger of the Braves in 1966.

Catcher Buster Posey also hit a grand slam for the Giants on Sunday, accounting for the other four runs as well as this piece of history:

Bumgarner has the most homers this season of any pitcher in baseball (three) and also leads all pitchers in RBIs (which makes perfect sense) with 12.

O'S BEAT YANKS IN RAIN-SHORTENED AFFAIR
The Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees were the last teams to start their All-Star break, matched up in the nationally televised Sunday night game. They ended up having to wait even longer, because of a two-hour rain delay that eventually ended their game early. It was called after 4 1/2 innings, giving the Orioles a 3-1 win.

Chris Davis provided all the offense the Orioles needed with a two-run homer in the fourth, while Kevin Gausman pitched a "complete game" as it were, giving up four hits in five innings. Technically, it was Gausman's first MLB complete game.

The first-place Orioles go into the All-Star break with a four-game lead in the AL East. It's the first time the Orioles have been in first place at the All-Star break since 1997.

DODGERS BEAT PADRES 1-0 THANKS TO PUIG SINGLE
The Los Angeles Dodgers enter the All-Star break where most people assumed they'd be — and where their monster payroll ought to have them — first place in the NL West. The Dodgers have a one-game lead over the San Francisco Giants, making it closer than a lot of people predicted.

It would have been closer if not for the Yasiel Puig single you see in highlight form above. Puig's base hit in the sixth brought home the only run of the game as the Dodgers beat the Padres 1-0. L.A. starter Hyun-Jin Ryu bested San Diego pitcher Tyson Ross. Ryu had 10 strikeouts, giving up two hits in six innings. Ross, meanwhile, struck out nine in seven innings.

BREWERS END 7-GAME LOSING STREAK, BEAT CARDS
The Milwaukee Brewers, the most unlikely first-place team in baseball compared to preseason predictions, went into the All-Star break on a good note. The Brewers snapped a seven-game losing streak and held onto first in the NL Central by beating the St. Louis Cardinals in an 11-2 rout.

The Brewers break with a one-game lead over the second-place Cards, but just a week ago, the Brewers were up 4 1/2 games in the division. Obviously not all is well, but Sunday was better than most recent games. Elian Herrera had a 5-for-5 day for Milwaukee, while Carlos Gomez, Ryan Braun and Scooter Gennett each had two RBIs.

For the rest of Sunday's results, check out our scoreboard.

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Mike Oz is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!