On the eve of the Joy in Mudville All-Star Game, three of the four division races remain tight.
The Detroit Tigers continue to hold down first place in the American League East. Despite just three wins in its last 10 games, Detroit still leads Baltimore by 3.5 games. Cleveland has moved to within four of the Tigers.
In the AL West, the Texas Rangers have jumped back to the top of the standings. Texas has won five straight and leads second-place Kansas City by three games.
Meanwhile, the New York Mets have built the JIM's biggest division lead. The Mets lead the National League East by seven games over Philadelphia. New York has won eight of its last 10.
The Houston Astros boast the best record in baseball at 53-36. However, San Diego has sliced Houston's lead to 3.5 games in the NL West.
Diamond JIM Notes: Philadelphia slugger
Oscar Gamble became the eighth player in JIM history to hit three home runs in a single game. Gamble accomplished his feat in a 12-3 rout of Los Angeles July 5. Gamble drove home seven runs in the game . . . Texas was dealt a severe blow when outfielder
Willie Crawford tore his labrum. Crawford will miss the rest of the season. The 29-year-old was hitting .276 with five homers and 19 RBIs for the Rangers . . . After batting just .190 with Baltimore, short stop
Chris Speier is 5-for-20 (.250) with Texas. However, Speier did commit two errors in nine games for the Rangers. He was errorless with the Orioles . . .
Baltimore is just 9-19 in one-run games . . . Chicago White Sox right-hander
John "The Count" Montefusco hurled his fifth shutout of the season in a July 8 victory over the New York Yankees. Montefusco allowed just two hits while notching his 12th victory of the year.
Major League 1970 07-11-1976
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