Thanks to a new-fangled lineup and a stellar start from Jeremy Guthrie, the Royals cruised to a 7-1 win over the Red Sox to stay a half-game back of the Tigers in the American League Central.

With Detroit down a run in the eighth, Alex Avila launched a two-run shot to take down Cleveland, 5-4, on Saturday night at Comerica Park. The Royals won as well, so the Tigers still hold a half-game lead in the AL Central.

The celebration of the 200th anniversary of our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” is on, as Francis Scott Key’s memory is honored for his poetic description of the “dawn’s early light” of Sept. 14, 1814, at the height of the War of 1812. With that in mind, two centuries later, we go around the horn with nine things to know about the song that is now eternally connected to the Grand Old Game.

Left-hander Felix Doubront threw six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out one, and Javier Baez hit a two-run homer, his ninth, and Matt Szczur clubbed his first big league homer to carry the Cubs to a 6-4 victory over the Pirates on Saturday night at PNC Park.

Citizens Bank Park has been the only home Kyle Kendrick has even known in baseball. The 30-year-old righty looked right at home in Philadelphia’s 2-1 victory over Miami on an autumn-like Saturday night.

Once again, Tim Lincecum literally cemented his place in Giants lore Saturday as a plaque commemorating his June 25 no-hitter against San Diego was unveiled on the club’s History Walk.

Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu will have an MRI on his sore left shoulder Monday in Los Angeles, with Carlos Frias being prepared to make Ryu’s start Wednesday in Colorado.

Shane Greene picked up his fifth big league win with 5 1/3 innings of solid ball, Brian McCann homered and Chris Young stole home as the Yankees posted a 3-2 victory over the Orioles on Saturday at Camden Yards.

Don’t rule out a Giancarlo Stanton return just yet. The All-Star right fielder is scheduled to get his stitches removed on Tuesday, and undergo more tests. If there is any chance of a return to the lineup this season, more will be known then.

Adam Lind broke out of a deep homer slump in a major way on Saturday afternoon to help the Blue Jays past the Rays. Lind smacked his first homer since late June in the seventh, and Edwin Encarnacion followed with one of his own on the next pitch as Toronto beat Tampa Bay, 6-3, at Rogers Centre, setting the table for the rubber match on Sunday.

Lisalverto Bonilla earned his first Major League victory in his first start, as the Rangers won their second straight with a 3-2 victory over the Braves on Saturday afternoon at Globe Life Park.

The thunder rolled through Chicago on Friday night, postponing the series opener between the White Sox and Twins. But it was dry enough during the day for recording artists Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood to visit a few friends at U.S. Cellular Field.

Derek Jeter reported no issues with his sore left elbow after the second game of Friday’s day-night doubleheader, a 5-0 Yankees loss, so New York manager Joe Girardi is ready to proceed as normal for the rest of the captain’s final voyage.

Former Milwaukee Braves and Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Frank Torre died on Saturday. He was 82. The brother of Hall of Famer Joe Torre, Frank Torre played seven years in the Major Leagues and won the 1957 World Series with Milwaukee.

Royals closer Greg Holland is ready to resume pitching, manager Ned Yost said before Friday night’s game against the Red Sox. Holland sat out a week after getting his 42nd save on Sept. 3 against Texas because of a tight right triceps.

As chants of “Beat L.A.” cascaded down from the AT&T Park stands and 41,000 orange rally towels were being waived in celebratory fashion, the Giants batted around as part of a four-run first Friday night en route to a 9-0 victory against the Dodgers. Madison Bumgarner tossed seven innings as the Giants slashed the Dodgers’ lead in the NL West in half, to just one game — the slimmest the margin has been since Aug. 4.

The Cardinals needed a stopper on Friday night at Busch Stadium, and Adam Wainwright was up to the task, pitching St. Louis to a 5-1 win against the Rockies in front of 45,108 at Busch Stadium. Matt Holliday hit a long three-run homer in the first.