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).

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.

Fowler seeks more playing time  —  SAN FRANCISCO  • Drawn into a tempest this past week that stretched from St. Louis in the present to Chicago of the past, from his place on the team to his comfort level in the city, Dexter Fowler returned to the Cardinals clubhouse with some pointed comments of his own, and one simple request.

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 …

Bruised knee sidelines Mariners' Mitch Haniger; Mike Zunino placed on DL  —  Seattle Mariners right fielder Mitch Haniger was scratched from Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Angels with a bruised right knee.  —  EDITOR'S PICKS  —  If you snooze, you lose, but that's not an issue …

Giants Activate Johnny Cueto  —  The Giants announced that they've activated Johnny Cueto from the 60-day disabled list on Thursday.  Infielder Kelby Tomlinson was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento in order to open a spot on the active roster.  Cueto's activation will also require a 40-man move …

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) …

Veteran pitcher Casey Coleman returning to Iowa Cubs  —  Triple-A baseball came to Des Moines in 1968 with the Iowa Oaks, and the Iowa Cubs have carried the torch since 1982.  Here's a collection of some of the biggest names and best players during that time.  Mark Marturello and Michael Zamora/The Register

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 …