Oakland Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden has left his latest start because of heat-related cramps. Braden bent over after a pitch in the sixth inning Thursday at Yankee Stadium. He was checked by a trainer and slowly walked off the field. New York led the A's 1-0 at the time.

Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher has made an early exit against Oakland because of stiffness in his left knee. Swisher grounded out in the first inning Thursday, then left the game. Curtis Granderson took Swisher's spot in the batting order, and the Yankees repositioned their outfield. The Yankees say Swisher is day to day.

Darren Ford arrived from Double-A in the second inning following a delayed flight and missed connection. Then, he got thrown right into a tie game and a pennant race in his major league debut. Manager Bruce Bochy gambled with a speedy yet nervous rookie -- and it paid off, for ace Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants.

Danny Valencia is a rookie who doesn't lack confidence. Consider the T-shirt the proud University of Miami product was wearing after the game, blaring "The 'U' invented swagger" on the front. Minnesota's up-and-coming third baseman couldn't have expected to do this well, though.

Nyjer Morgan once again found himself in the middle of trouble. The speedy Washington leadoff man charged the mound after a pitch sailed behind him Wednesday night, triggering a bench-clearing brawl during the Florida Marlins' 16-10 win over the Nationals. "There's nothing good I can say about someone who doesn't play the game the right way and doesn't respect the integrity of...

Good pitching, even better defense and just enough offense to win another one-run game. The Tampa Bay Rays have been doing it all season and aren't about to apologize for their style. "That's what we are," second baseman Sean Rodriguez said Wednesday night after making a couple of nice defensive plays, smacking a solo homer and finishing a double shy of the cycle in a 2-1 victory...

After A.J. Burnett had a tough outing last week, he found pitching coach Dave Eiland. "He said, 'That's it. No more of these,"' Eiland said. "I said, 'Let's get to work."' Five days later, the Yankees' right-hander has a key September win -- he held Oakland to three runs in six innings and New York beat the Athletics 4-3 to stay in first place in the AL...

No. 1 for Aroldis Chapman. Eight and counting for his new team. The Cuban left-hander hit 103 mph on the radar gun during another sizzling inning Wednesday night, then got his first big-league win when the Cincinnati Reds rallied for a 6-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that pushed their NL Central lead to eight games.

Tracking the ball against the tough-to-pick-up backdrop of spacious Chase Field, Brandon Allen sprinted to the corner and leaped in the air, snaring Chase Headley's slicing fly ball just before careening off the chain-link fence. The first ball hit to him in his first big-league game as a left fielder, Allen made it look like he'd been there all along.

Nyjer Morgan of the Washington Nationals has charged the mound after a pitch from Florida's Chris Volstad sailed behind him, setting off a wild brawl between the teams. Morgan took a big swing that appeared to graze Volstad's face in the fifth inning Wednesday night. Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez clothes-lined Morgan, knocking off his batting helmet and sending him to the ground.

Roy Oswalt has been one of baseball's most consistent winners down the stretch -- which is exactly what the Philadelphia Phillies were bargaining for when they obtained him just before the July 31 trade deadline. Oswalt pitched one-hit ball into the seventh and the Phillies used leadoff homers by Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino in the first two innings to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 on...

Even their opponents are surprised by the St. Louis Cardinals' slide. Hunter Pence hit a three-run homer and the Houston Astros completed a sweep of St. Louis with a 5-2 victory Wednesday, handing the slumping Cardinals their fifth straight defeat. "Their backs are against the wall, not ours, and it didn't look like they wanted to come out and beat us," Blum said.

The New York Yankees reinstated designated hitter Lance Berkman from the 15-day disabled list and called up three players from the minors to take advantage of expanded September rosters. Right-handed reliever Jonathan Albaladejo and outfielder Greg Golson were recalled from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and catcher Chad Moeller's contract was purchased from the Triple-A club.

The Minnesota Twins have scratched designated hitter Jim Thome from the lineup because of tightness in his back. Thome told manager Ron Gardenhire he felt fine swinging, but he felt tightness jogging before Wednesday's game. Jose Morales replaced Thome, who hasn't played since leaving Saturday's game due to discomfort.

The Washington Nationals say Rob Dibble will no longer work as a TV analyst for the team's games, a split that comes after the former reliever made comments critical of rookie pitcher Stephen Strasburg. Dibble lashed out at Strasburg last week for not pitching through pain. Dibble said on Sirius XM Radio that "You can't have the cavalry come in and save your butt every time you feel a...

Josh Hamilton was held out of the Texas Rangers lineup Wednesday after receiving a shot the previous night for his sore right knee. Hamilton, who leads the majors with a .361 batting average, was the designated hitter the previous two games at Kansas City. He hit .435 with five home runs and 16 RBIs in his past 12 games and said he planned to play the outfield Friday.

Manny Ramirez packed his equipment into three large, blue travel bags with script "Dodgers" on the sides. Dressed in a pink shirt and plaid suit, he fiddled with his dreadlocked hair, for the moment safe from a barber's scissors. His dragged-out debut for Chicago finally over, Ramirez left Cleveland for Boston, the next stop on his first road trip with his new team.

The Kansas City Royals have reinstated pitcher Gil Meche and infielder Josh Fields from the 60-day disabled list. The Royals also said Wednesday they've called up catcher Lucas May from Omaha. Pitcher Luke Hochevar and outfielder David DeJesus were moved to the 60-day DL to make room on the 40-man roster.

The NL East-leading Atlanta Braves have put touted prospect Freddie Freeman in the starting lineup for his major league debut. Freeman was among the players called up Wednesday, when teams can expand their rosters for the final month of the regular season. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox decided to start the 20-year-old against the New York Mets as the Braves go for their fifth straight win.

The Chicago Cubs rededicated a statue of late broadcaster Harry Caray outside Wrigley Field on Wednesday. The ceremony was held before Chicago's home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Caray's wife, Dutchie Caray, was among those on hand. The statue is located outside the entrance to Wrigley Field's bleachers and features the Hall of Fame announcer leading crowds in a rendition of...