Cruz's homer leads Mariners to 6-3 win over Athletics  —  Nelson Cruz's loud and towering two-out, three-run homer on the first pitch he saw in the fifth inning broke a taut tie and propelled Seattle to a 6-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.  —  The Mariners held …

Astros, Giles take one on chin as Sanchez lifts Yanks  —  HOUSTON (AP) Not long after Gary Sanchez delivered a knockout blow for the New York Yankees on Tuesday night with a three-run homer off Ken Giles in the ninth inning, the Houston closer landed a shot of his own.

Next Slide  —  At Comerica Park on Tuesday night.  —  What happened: The Detroit Tigers (12-16) defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, 2-1. ...  James McCann scored on an RBi single to right by Leonys Martin in the fifth to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. ...  The Tigers took a 1- lead in the third …

Voit comes up, Mayers goes down  —  The Cardinals reduced their number of relievers from nine to eight Tuesday when Mike Mayers was sent back to Memphis and first baseman Luke Voit was recalled as an extra hitter.  Greg Holland, signed to a one-year, $14 million contract when the season opened …

Mets GM isn't thrilled with reliever Matt Harvey partying in Los Angeles  —  NEW YORK — Matt Harvey can't stay out of the headlines.  —  The embattled starter-turned-reliever partied in Los Angeles on Thursday night, a day before the Mets faced the Padres in San Diego, as first reported by the New York Post.

Justin Upton's walk-off single puts Angels past Orioles, 3-2  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Baltimore Orioles intentionally walked Mike Trout three times to get to Justin Upton.  Each time, Upton couldn't make them pay.  —  When Trout drew his fourth walk to load the bases in the ninth inning …

Moved to top of order, slumping Harper homers for Nationals  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Slumping Bryce Harper was moved to the leadoff spot for the first time since 2013 and responded with a three-run homer that helped Max Scherzer win his fifth straight start as the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-4 Wednesday night.

Diamondbacks outfielder Steven Souza … The Diamondbacks will send right-hander Sam McWilliams and lefty Colin Poche to the Tampa Bay Rays as the two players to be named later in the February trade that brought them outfielder Steven Souza Jr., sources said Tuesday.  —  Both are well-regarded prospects.

Orioles not yet willing to consider trading Machado; shortstop says he'd like to stay all year  —  Orioles beat writer Eduardo Encina on the season-ending injury to Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager and the speculation that Orioles Manny Machado could be a potential fit.  (Kevin Richardson / Baltimore Sun video)

Here's the reason Willie Calhoun isn't on the Rangers' roster.  It's not what many think  —  CLEVELAND  —  For those wanting to get under Jon Daniels' skin, here's a tip:  —  Accuse him of trying to manipulate a player's service clock  —  Thursday marks the day the Texas Rangers …

Phillies' Jake Arrieta: ‘I bet on myself to get the job done’  —  After an offseason of uncertainty, pitcher Jake Arrieta has a new home and a new outlook.  —  “There's not many like me.  That's just how it is, man,” Arrieta told the Chicago Sun-Times.  “I view myself as very different than most.

Remember me?  Five guys on the comeback trail  —  Especially in April and May, much of baseball fandom comes down to recognizing and appreciating what's shiny and new.  We're forever on the hunt for the best new rookies, or the most improved young players.

Morales, Blue Jays speed past Twins 7-4 in 10th inning  —  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Twelve years into his major league career, Toronto Blue Jays slugger Kendrys Morales has the self-assurance to endure a weeklong slump.  —  The Minnesota Twins are starting to lose some of theirs, more than one month into this once-promising season.

Alex Bregman, baseball's best sixth-best player  —  Alex Bregman had no other path.  It was baseball or the imponderable.  —  The Astros' blossoming third baseman was born into the game, with ties that extend back to the Splendid Splinter himself.  His grandfather, Stanley …

Yadiel Rivera's single in 10th gives Marlins fourth straight victory  —  Marlins infielder Yadiel Rivera talks about his pinch-hit, walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning on Tuesday night against Philadelphia.  —  Sun Sentinel  —  Through the first five innings of an eventual 2-1 win …

Cubs' Kyle Hendricks feels squeezed in 3-1 loss to Rockies  —  Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks discusses the team's 3-1 loss to the Rockies on Tuesday, May 1, 2018.  (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Kyle Hendricks pitched a season-high 7 2/3 innings and allowed only four hits Tuesday night.

Radical Ideas Series: What if MLB players were paid on commission?  —  Welcome back to the Radical Ideas Series, in which we “fix” baseball not merely by limiting mound visits or even instituting pitch clocks but by revolutionizing the game's competitive structure with way-out-there — yet at least vaguely plausible — changes.

Phillies get a dose of reality |  Extra Innings  —  I'll take the blame for this one.  Last Saturday, I was watching batting practice at Citizens Bank Park when I told some fellow writers that I had a feeling the Phillies were going to somehow, someway make the playoffs.