Contreras keeps on slugging, Cubs pound White Sox 11-2  —  CHICAGO (AP) - Willson Contreras had two homers, two doubles and drove in a career-high seven runs on his bobblehead day, and the Chicago Cubs pounded the crosstown White Sox 11-2 on Friday.  —  Contreras capped a five-run …

Phillies ace Aaron Nola and his complementary pitches are killing opponents softly |  Brookover  —  Sure Aaron Nola wishes he had Noah Syndergaard's fastball.  He has stood in the batter's box and watched Thor's pitches zoom by him like a cheetah in the savanna.

Wainwright will start Sunday, rookie Flaherty scores Tuesday vs. Twins  —  SAN DIEGO  • After talking with veteran righthander Adam Wainwright on Friday afternoon and determining how he recovered from Thursday's bullpen session, the Cardinals decided he will start Sunday in the series finale against San Diego.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Washington Nationals … Right-hander Troy Scribner will start for the Diamondbacks on Saturday against the Nationals at Chase Field, manager Torey Lovullo said on Friday.  —  Scribner, 26, was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels in early April.

Gardy party: Tigers manager talks injuries, video games & ‘Karate Kid’  —  Albert Pujols picked up his 3,000th hit on May 4.  Which active player will be the next one to reach the milestone?  Video by Ryan Ford/DFP Wochit  —  CONNECT  —  Detroit Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire addressed injury updates …

Gabe Kapler can relate to Mets manager Mickey Callaway's gaffe  —  Rough week for New York Mets rookie manager Mickey Callaway?  —  Gabe Kapler can sympathize.  —  In case you missed it, Callaway took the blame — and plenty of heat in the Big Apple — for the Mets batting out of order Wednesday.

Kevin Gausman pitches 7 1/3 innings, helps Orioles earn season-best third straight win  —  Kevin Gausman doesn't need reminding how fleeting success at this level can be, not when he's specialized at false dawns over his six years as a big leaguer.  —  Even he would characterize everything …

Pirates deal Giants fifth straight loss, spoil McCutchen's return  —  PITTSBURGH-After Giants left fielder Gregor Blanco flew out to lead off Friday's contest, the game took a dramatic, emotional and positively perfect pause.  —  The man who put baseball back on the map in Pittsburgh stepped …

Amaya's walk leads South Bend to 5-1 win over Clinton  —  SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Miguel Amaya drew a bases-loaded walk in the first inning, leading the South Bend Cubs to a 5-1 win over the Clinton LumberKings on Friday.  —  Brian Glowicki allowed a run, but got Eugene Helder to fly …

Miller returns but allows Perez HR as Royals beat Indians  —  Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez, right, and Lucas Duda celebrate after Perez hit a two-run home run off Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Andrew Miller during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Cleveland.

How improved is Cardinals infield defense?  Ask Mikolas.  He's grounded  —  SAN DIEGO  • Outside of the first walk he allowed in almost a month, there wasn't much to Miles Mikolas' pitching line late Thursday that would have indicated what confessed afterward.

Matt Harvey allows one hit over four scoreless innings against Dodgers  —  LOS ANGELES — Matt Harvey cruised through four scoreless innings in his Cincinnati Reds debut Friday night, limiting the Los Angeles Dodgers to only one hit — on a fly ball that should have been caught — and striking out two batters.

HummeL Cards, D'backs winning with averages under .230  —  Surely, the numbers will rise across the board but, as baseball hit the weekend and nearly the one-fourth station of the season gone, the Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks were on an historic pace.  —  That last word could be …

Reyes leads Greenville to 6-4 win over Kannapolis  —  GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Denyi Reyes allowed just two hits over five innings, leading the Greenville Drive over the Kannapolis Intimidators in a 6-4 win on Friday.  —  Reyes allowed two runs while striking out five.

Ramos leads Rome to 6-2 win over Augusta  —  NORTH AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Jefrey Ramos singled three times as the Rome Braves beat the Augusta GreenJackets 6-2 on Friday.  —  Down 1-0, the Braves took the lead for good with five runs in the fourth inning.  The Braves sent 10 men to the plate …

Dustin Pedroia set to take another step in rehab from knee surgery  —  Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, still recovering from offseason knee surgery, will start a rehab assignment for Triple-A Pawtucket early next week, manager Alex Cora said Friday.

Sierra's single leads Quad Cities to 8-1 win over Lake County  —  DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Miguelangel Sierra hit a run-scoring single in the sixth inning, leading the Quad Cities River Bandits to an 8-1 win over the Lake County Captains on Friday.  —  The single by Sierra, part of a two-run inning …