INDEPENDENCE DAY DOUBLEHEADER AND MATCHUPS WITH EVERY FIRST-PLACE CLUB INCLUDED IN MLB NETWORK’S JULY GAME SCHEDULE
MLB Network Showcase Games to Feature Yankees at Red Sox, Angels at Yankees, Giants at Braves, White Sox at Red Sox and Dodgers at Cardinals
Brian Kenny, Al Leiter and Bill Ripken to Make MLB Network Showcase Announcing Debuts in July
Secaucus, N.J., June 26, 2012 – A Fourth of July doubleheader and every first-place club will be featured during MLB Network’s live game schedule from Sunday, July 1 through Tuesday, July 31. MLB Network kicks off the Independence Day doubleheader with Buster Posey and the San Francisco Giants visiting the nation’s capital to play Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals at 11:00 a.m. ET. At 3:00 p.m. ET, AL East foes clash as Derek Jeter and the AL East first-place New York Yankees face the Tampa Bay Rays.
The first MLB Network Showcase game of the month features Bob Costas and John Smoltz calling the action between the Yankees and Boston Red Sox from Fenway Park on Friday, July 6 at 7:00 p.m. ET. The schedule continues on Friday, July 13 at 7:00 p.m. ET as Mike Trout, who leads the AL with a .338 batting average, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim take on the Yankees in both teams’ first contest after the All-Star break. Brian Kenny, in the broadcast booth for the first time with MLB Network, will have the call along with Smoltz. Al Leiter, also making his MLB Network Showcaseannouncing debut, will be joined in the booth by Matt Vasgersian on Tuesday, July 17 at 7:00 p.m. ET as the Giants face the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Two days later, Paul Konerko brings his .337 batting average to Boston as the Chicago White Sox play the Red Sox on Thursday, July 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Vasgersian will be on the call along with Bill Ripken, who will be making his first appearance in the broadcast booth for MLB Network Showcase as well.The final MLB Network Showcase game of the month features the Dodgers visiting the 2011 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals, with Vasgersian and Smoltz calling the action, on Tuesday, July 24 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The game will feature the NL’s top two run producers: Carlos Beltran of the Cardinals, who leads the NL with 57 RBI’s, and Andre Ethierof the Dodgers, who is second in the NL with 55 RBI’s.
The remainder of the schedule includes the Cincinnati Reds and Joey Votto, who is second in the MLB with a .355 batting average, visiting the San Diego Padres on Saturday, July 7 at 10:00 p.m. ET. Another Saturday night telecast features the Chicago White Sox, led by Adam Dunn and his 23 home runs, against MLB’s RBI leader, Josh Hamilton, and the two-time defending AL champion Texas Rangers on July 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
MLB Network’s complete game schedule for the remainder of June is available here. The complete game schedule from July 1 through July 31 is available here. Games will be blacked out in each team’s home television territory unless otherwise announced. Viewers in areas subject to blackouts will be provided with an alternate game telecast or other programming.