Walker's 2-run HR helps Diamondbacks sweep Braves, 4-1  —  Christian Walker continues late-innings magic with 2-run homer as Diamondbacks beat Braves 4-1 to complete 3-game sweep  —  Christian Walker had no reason to panic when he struck out in his first three at-bats.

MLB Headlines  —  WASHINGTON (AP) Now this is what the Washington Nationals were looking for when they plunked down $140 million to add Patrick Corbin to the rotation.  —  Corbin took a one-hitter into the eighth inning to earn his first win with Washington, and the Nationals beat …

Verlander, Astros ready to hit reset button vs. Rangers  —  At some point, the Astros were bound to appear mortal, sure to taste defeat again, and likely to resemble something other than a juggernaut steamrolling the rest of the American League.  —  With a 2-1 loss at Oakland on Wednesday …

Tucker Barnhart says 'it's just a matter of time' before the Cincinnati Reds break out offensively  —  SAN DIEGO - Looking around the clubhouse, Reds hitters feel like they can break out of their offensive struggles at any time.  They feel like they have too many proven hitters to stay in a funk.

Red Sox's Pedroia (knee) placed on injured list  —  Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday with irritation in his surgically repaired left knee.  —  Pedroia came out of Wednesday night's loss to the Yankees after 1½ innings …

Detroit Tigers observations: Sloppy defense stings, but Tigers set season high in runs  —  In an ugly game threatened by rain clouds in the distance, the Detroit Tigers' offense woke up in earnest, coming back twice to beat the White Sox, 9-7, at Comerica Park.  —  The nine runs scored are a season-high for the Tigers.

On Deck: Blue Jays at Athletics  —  TORONTO BLUE JAYS at OAKLAND ATHLETICS  —  STARTING PITCHERS  —  RHP Marcus Stroman (0-3, 1.99 ERA) vs. RHP Aaron Brooks (2-1, 4.24 ERA)  —  Brooks has two quality starts in his three games this season.  Over his career, he's 0-2 …

Extending Khris Davis was the first step the A's needed to make  —  Oakland Athletics must follow Khris Davis extension with more financial investment  —  The Oakland A's are an organization that is defined by missteps, but on Thursday, they made a significant move in the right direction.

Mets survive first trip through the rough and tumble NL East  —  Now that the Mets have pocketed a first-look at their competition, how do they square up in the gritty National League East?  —  In the stretch of the Mets' first 18 games (10-8), only two meetings - against the Twins - were outside of the division.

Bellinger, Muncy, Urias lead Dodgers past Brewers 3-1  —  Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich chatted in the outfield after batting practice ended.  Once Thursday's game started, the bats of the National League home run co-leaders kept the exchange going.  —  Bellinger hit his 10th home run …

Real or not?  World Series hangovers are a bunch of nonsense  —  Last spring training, after the Astros had won the World Series, then-Houston starter Dallas Keuchel was asked about the possibility of a World Series hangover.  Keuchel's response: “We're not the Cubs.”

Indians prospect Benson hits 4 HRs in A-ball  —  Cleveland Indians prospect Will Benson hit four home runs for Class-A Lake County on Thursday night.  —  He's the first minor leaguer to hit four homers in a game since 2014, when Yankees prospect Mike Ford hit four for Class-A Charleston …

For Dodgers' Rich Hill, no taking it easy in a rehab stint  —  The veteran left-hander strikes out eight in four innings for Rancho Cucamonga against Lake Elsinore  —  LAKE ELSINORE — Lake Elsinore's leadoff man put Rich Hill and his left knee to the test almost immediately Wednesday night.

Yankees dump Kate Smith's ‘God Bless America’ from rotation over singer's racist songs  —  The Yankees have taken a stand against racism for their seventh-inning stretch.  —  For 18 years, Yankee Stadium regularly used Kate Smith's 1939 recording of “God Bless America” in the middle of the seventh inning.

Carlos Zambrano discusses his comeback attempt at 37 with the Chicago Dogs: ‘I want to come back to the big leagues’  —  Former Carlos Zambrano signs autographs at the 2018 Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand Chicago.  Zambrano, 37, is attempting a comeback, pitching this year for the Chicago Dogs …