Diamondbacks' Yoshihisa Hirano riding splitter to big-league success  —  With the game on the line at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night, Diamondbacks reliever Yoshihisa Hirano went to the pitch he taught himself to throw as a young pitcher in Japan more than a decade ago.  Over and over, Hirano fired splitters.

Pham returns to the lineup, but former Padre Gyorko does not  —  SAN DIEGO  • If there was one bat, one hitter, one Cardinal that the San Diego Padres were braced to see early and often during this four-day visit to Petco Park, it was the one they knew best.

Evan Longoria: Rays might be better off leaving Tampa Bay  —  PHILADELPHIA — At a critical juncture when Rays, business and government leaders are trying to secure the long term future of baseball in the Tampa Bay area by building a new stadium, the greatest player in franchise history said they may be wasting their time.

Reds Promote Nick Krall To General Manager  —  The Reds announced this afternoon that assistant general manager Nick Krall has been named the club's new general manager.  President of baseball operations Dick Williams will continue to oversee the club's entire baseball operations department, per the announcement.

White Sox reliever Danny Farquhar says ‘thank you’ to fans in Instagram post  —  White Sox reliever Nate Jones discusses seeing fellow reliever Danny Farquhar in the clubhouse again on Tuesday, May 8, 2018.  (Teddy Greenstein/Chicago Tribune)  —  Chicago Tribune

Gabe Kapler's young Phillies unfazed by deficits and difficult defeats  —  This was another test of the Phillies' emergency downcast system.  Four days earlier, they dressed quietly in the visiting clubhouse at Nationals Park after watching what would have been their best win of the season dissolve into their worst loss.

David Price expects to be OK for Saturday start vs. Blue Jays  —  Boston Red Sox left-handed pitcher David Price says he expects to start Saturday against the Blue Jays in Toronto.  —  “I'm pitching for the rest of the season,” he told reporters at Yankee Stadium before Thursday night's game against the Yankees.

Castellanos, Greene emerge as leaders in Tigers' clubhouse  —  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  —  It's become a familiar sight with the Detroit Tigers this season …

Orioles Notes: Machado, Brach, O'Day, Vielma  —  In his latest Inside Baseball notes column, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports writes that while many expect the Orioles to focus on pitching help in the seemingly inevitable event that they shop Manny Machado to contending clubs …

MLB hires former pitcher Chris Young for executive role  —  NEW YORK — Former pitcher Chris Young has been hired by Major League Baseball as an executive.  —  Young's title will be Vice President, On-Field Operations, Initiatives & Strategy.  The move was announced Thursday, and Young will begin Monday.

Mejias-Brean hits walk-off homer, Arkansas beats Springfield 9-6  —  LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Seth Mejias-Brean hit a walk-off three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning, as the Arkansas Travelers beat the Springfield Cardinals 9-6 on Thursday.  —  The Travelers tied the game 6-6 …

Perez, Rojas carry Corpus Christi to 9-2 win over Midland  —  CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — Josh Rojas homered and had two hits, driving in three, and Cionel Perez threw five scoreless innings as the Corpus Christi Hooks beat the Midland RockHounds 9-2 on Thursday.

Rays calling up LHP Anthony Banda  —  Left-hander Anthony Banda, the promising prospect acquired from Arizona in the Steven Souza Jr. trade, has been called up, the Times has learned.It was not immediately clear if he would be added to t

Chacin contains his former team, Brewers beat Rockies 5-2  —  Lorenzo Cain homered on the first pitch of the game, Jhoulys Chacin kept his former team in check into the sixth inning and the  —  Colorado Rockies 5-2 on Thursday night.  —  Cain lined a fastball from German Marquez to deep center for his second career leadoff homer.

Gonzalez hits grand slam, leads Augusta over Rome  —  NORTH AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Jacob Gonzalez hit a grand slam in the seventh inning, leading the Augusta GreenJackets to a 15-1 win over the Rome Braves on Thursday.  The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the GreenJackets and a three-game winning streak for the Braves.

Mendoza, Fiedler lead Palm Beach to 7-5 win over Bradenton  —  BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Evan Mendoza hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, and Matt Fiedler hit a two-run home run and had two hits as the Palm Beach Cardinals defeated the Bradenton Marauders 7-5 on Thursday.

Phillies demote Zac Curtis, going with right-handed pitchers only  —  PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies have demoted their only left-handed pitcher, optioning reliever Zac Curtis to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and recalling right-hander Jake Thompson.  —  The move Thursday left the Phillies with 13 right-handed pitchers on the 25-man roster.

Nationals' Adam Eaton has ankle surgery, no return timetable  —  PHOENIX (AP) — Washington Nationals center fielder Adam Eaton had surgery on his troublesome left ankle Thursday with no timetable given for his return.  —  The arthroscopic surgery was performed in Green Bay by the Packers' orthopedist …

Albies hits a slam, Braves roll past Marlins 9-2  —  Ozzie Albies hit Atlanta's first grand slam of the season to highlight a seven-run sixth inning,  —  Freddie Freeman had a career-high five hits and the NL East-leading  —  Miami Marlins 9-2 on Thursday night.