CHICAGO - The Cubs rank 10th out of 15 National League teams in scoring. So when an opportunity to secure a precious run arises in the eighth inning of a tight ballgame, extreme caution is advised.
Entering Thursday night, Jose Valverde had lost 12 games since he joined the Tigers at the start of 2010. Nine of those 12 losses had come when Valverde entered a tied game at home.
Reid Ryan choked back tears as he was introduced as president of his beloved Astros, the team he grew up watching in the days when his Hall of Fame father, Nolan Ryan, starred as a pitcher for Houston.
Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel has been the beneficiary of strong run support this season, which explains his 5-1 record entering Friday night despite some rocky recent outings. In Hammel's last start, the Orioles came back from an early six-run hole in Minnesota to win.
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Mike Scioscia isn't going anywhere and nor should he be. Not based on where the Angels are today, at least.
Nick Tepesch tries to keep the Texas Rangers rolling on Friday when they continue a four-game set against the Detroit Tigers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
David Freese hit a grand slam as part of a five-run first inning, while Matt Holliday's RBI single in the fourth proved to be the difference as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-6, in the opener of a three-game set at Busch Stadium.
The major league debut of Burch Smith didn't go as planned for the San Diego Padres, so they'll send him out again Friday versus the Washington Nationals in the continuation of a four-game series.
Jimmy Paredes was charged with an error that allowed the winning run to score with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Pittsburgh Pirates slipped past the Houston Astros, 5-4, in the opener of a three-game interleague set at PNC Park.
One of the great entrances by a newly acquired Cub came at the end of spring training in 2005 when left-hander Cliff Bartosh joined the team from the Indians.
The Chicago White Sox rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to edge the LA Angels on Anaheim 5-4 in the opener of a four-game set at Angels Stadium.
Oakland Athletics pitcher Brett Anderson won't return to action for at least another month.
DENVER - The San Francisco Giants looked lost during two games on the tricky turf in Toronto, but on Thursday, they finally embraced their environment.
The Kansas City Royals place outfielder Jarrod Dyson on the 15-day DL Friday with a sprained right ankle and recalled outfielder David Lough from Triple-A Omaha.
The Braves were finally home Friday night, playing in front of a crowd of 43,238 plus, with their lineup at full strength for the first time all season. The stage was set. All they needed was something to shock them back into a groove. Enter Justin Upton.
ANAHEIM, Calif.-Josh Hamilton said he was assured by doctors this week that the allergies that lead to occasional sinus and throat discomfort and dizziness were not caused or exacerbated by his heavy cocaine use from 2002-2005.
Unbeaten southpaw Tony Cingrani and the streaking Cincinnati Reds hope to keep the momentum going on Friday night when they visit Citizens Bank Park to begin a three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Jason Kipnis hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Cleveland Indians over the Seattle Mariners, 6-3, in the opener of a four-game series.
It took a rally, but the San Francisco Giants were able to stretch their series winning streak over the Colorado Rockies to 10 straight games.
Kelly Johnson finished 3-for-5 with a three- run homer, four RBI and two runs scored as Tampa Bay withstood a late Baltimore charge and escaped with a 12-10 victory in the opener of a three- game set from Camden Yards.
Brandon Phillips drove in the go-ahead run as part of a three-run rally in the 10th inning and the Cincinnati Reds swept the Miami Marlins with a 5-3 win on Thursday.
ANAHEIM, Calif. - A night after the Angels got blown out, they might have actually played a worse game Thursday.
Matt Harvey drove the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and pitched 7 1/3 solid frames as the New York Mets defeated the Chicago Cubs, 3-2, in the opener of a three-game series.
MIAMI - Winning was the worst thing that could have happened to pitcher Kevin Slowey.
LOS ANGELES-Going, going ... not gone, just dormant.
