Turner homers twice, Nationals rally past Marlins  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Trea Turner hit two homers, including his first career grand slam, and drove in eight runs to help the Washington Nationals rally from a nine-run deficit and defeat the Miami Marlins 14-12 in a wild slugfest Thursday night to end a five-game losing streak.

Michael Lorenzen outhomered fellow Gatorade ad actor Bryce Harper in June  —  We don't know for sure whether Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper homers off of Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Michael Lorenzen in a Gatorade ad featuring the pair.  (It looks like he might.)

Chris Sale gets nod as first-place Boston Red Sox visit Kansas City Royals  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Boston Red Sox and the Kansas City Royals, two diametrically opposite clubs, meet in a three-game series beginning Friday night at Kauffman Stadium.  —  To say they are polar extremes would not be an exaggeration.

MLB: LeBlanc agrees to extension  —  Pitcher Wade LeBlanc is guaranteed $2.75 million under a new contract with the Seattle Mariners covering 2019.  The deal contains three options that would be worth $31.3 million over four years if he pitches 180 innings or more each season.

Carlos Rodon faces Astros' ace Justin Verlander as White Sox return to Minute Maid Park  —  White Sox reliever Joakim Soria explains why he thinks hot weather can benefit pitchers on Wednesday, July 4, 2018.  (Phil Thompson/Chicago Tribune)  —  Chicago Tribune

Launch angle, Goodrum's bat cost Dixon Machado spot on Detroit Tigers  —  Niko Goodrum forced the issue.  —  The Detroit Tigers' designating-for-assignment of infielder Dixon Machado had as much to do with Goodrum's production as it had to do with Machado's offensive struggles.

Despite easy second-half schedule, Yankees still have no room for error  —  The Yankees have played .712 baseball since their 9-9 start (47-19), and play 43 of their next 51 games against .500 or worse teams (as of the W-L standings heading into Thursday's matchups).

Bye-bye, Buffalo: Why the Rays will trade Wilson Ramos  —  NEW YORK — Wilson Ramos is the best catcher the Rays have ever had.  —  And they are not likely to have him for much longer.  —  Sure, it's a matter of dollars.  —  But also one of sense.  —  The season and a half Ramos …

Scooter Gennett, Eugenio Suárez are Cincinnati Reds who deserve to make NL All-Star team  —  Two for sure.  —  Possibly three, but it's a bit of a long shot.  —  We're talking Cincinnati Reds on the National League All-Star team.  No one is likely to be voted in.

Surging Philadelphia Phillies open long road trip vs. skidding Pittsburgh Pirates  —  Teams from opposite ends of Pennsylvania and heading in opposite directions face off this weekend when the Philadelphia Phillies visit the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.  —  Philadelphia (47-37) …

Who's in charge of rebuilding the Orioles at the trade deadline?  —  THE ALL-STAR GAME hasn't even arrived, and the Baltimore Orioles are already 33½ games out of first place in the American League East.  But that mind-bending reality can't convey the magnitude of the challenge at Camden Yards …

Mike Trout and Mookie Betts have opposite approaches — and both are perfect  —  Something has been gnawing at me about Mike Trout and Mookie Betts.  —  Both are practically perfect hitters, and in practically identical ways.  It's not just that they both hit the ball hard and far …

Column: Cubs need insurance for the rotation and bullpen, no matter how small the upgrade  —  Joe Maddon on Wednesday's 5-2 victory: “Nice job by everybody.  Kind of a team win.”  (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)  —  Chicago Tribune  —  A season-high six-game winning streak coupled …