The D-backs clinched their three-game series against the Padres with a 8-6 win at Chase Field on Sunday.

Clayton Kershaw became MLB’s first 19-game winner this year in a 4-2 Dodgers victory Sunday. Matt Kemp’s clutch two-run homer in the sixth inning secured the series rubber game that restored the Dodgers’ National League West lead to three games and trimmed the magic number for clinching the division to 11.

After surrendering four runs and blowing the Phillies’ three-run lead in the ninth of Sunday’s 5-4 loss, Jonathan Papelbon kept his gaze on the fans above the Phillies’ dugout as he began to walk off the field. Midway through his trek from the mound to the dugout, he made a not-so-subtle gesture that sent an already fired-up Citizens Bank Park crowd into a frenzy.

Relieving Jason Vargas in a tight spot, Aaron Crow gave up a go-ahead grand slam as the Royals fell to the Red Sox, 8-4, on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.

While the Tigers have momentum in the American League Central once again, they face lingering questions about whether they have their catcher. A week after Alex Avila returned from concussion symptoms, he left Sunday’s 6-4 win over the Indians with what the team classified as lightheadedness.

Left-hander Mike Minor, who entered the game with six straight quality starts, couldn’t stop the bleeding during a six-run fifth inning for the Rangers, who handed the Braves a 10-3 loss at Globe Life Park on Sunday afternoon.

Chris Davis, who is serving a 25-game suspension for using Adderall without a therapeutic use exemption, will go down to the Orioles’ spring facility in Sarasota, Fla., soon to continue working out.

St. Louis used the combination of strong pitching, timely power and good defense to take the first two games in the series. On Sunday, the pitching was there, Jhonny Peralta supplied the power and Peter Bourjos provided the defense as the Cardinals completed the sweep of the Rockies with a 4-1 win in front of 44,598 at sold-out Busch Stadium.

It’s been a bizarre season for Ubaldo Jimenez, one far from what he could have expected when he signed a four-year, $50 million contract with the Orioles in the offseason. He struggled through injury and inconsistency for 20 starts before moving to the bullpen in August for the first time in his career.

For the second day in a row, a two-run go-ahead home run gave Detroit a clutch victory. On Sunday afternoon at Comerica Park, it was Ian Kinsler who played the hero, lifting the Tigers to a 6-4 win over the Indians to extend their division lead to 1 1/2 games.

Wilson Ramos’ two-run homer in the seventh was enough to back Jordan Zimmermann’s 6 2/3 scoreless frames, as the Nationals blanked the Mets, 3-0, at Citi Field on Sunday.

A stagnant Marlins’ offense woke up in the ninth inning on Sunday against Jonathan Papelbon. Jordany Valdespin, Christian Yelich and Justin Bour each collected RBIs in the ninth inning, and Papelbon’s wild pitch with two outs allowed the decisive run to race home in the Marlins’ improbable 5-4 comeback victory on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.

Matt Garza continued his dominance of the Reds and late-season callup Matt Clark belted his third home run in five days to pace the Brewers to a 9-2 victory Sunday as Milwaukee kept pace for the second NL Wild Card spot. The Brewers remained 1 1/2 games behind the Pirates and five back of the NL Central-leading Cardinals.

The Pirates trailed the Cubs early in Sunday’s series finale at PNC Park, but a triple play in the fourth inning turned the momentum in a 7-3 Bucs victory. Josh Harrison had two RBIs in a six-run fifth inning.

If the Rays aren’t going to make the playoffs, they can ruin the chances of other teams. That seems to be the Rays’ mantra heading into the final stretch of the season. Sunday afternoon’s 6-5 Rays win over the Blue Jays in 10 innings certainly didn’t help the Blue Jays’ cause.

Jose Abreu doesn’t have a clear recollection of meeting Ron Kittle. He has been introduced to so many people in this first year with the White Sox that it’s difficult to remember everyone. But with one more home run over the 2014 season’s final two weeks, Abreu will pass Kittle for the franchise single-season rookie record in long balls.

The Pirates turned their first triple play in 14 seasons at PNC Park on Sunday, when third baseman Josh Harrison combined with Neil Walker and Andrew Lambo to go 5-4-3 on a Chris Valaika grounder.