Trevor Plouffe led the bats with two doubles and a triple while Phil Hughes picked up his first win with the Twins as the offense supported him nicely in Minnesota’s 8-3 romp over the Royals on Sunday.

A’s left fielder Yoenis Cespedes left Sunday’s 4-1 win against the Astros after just six innings because of a bruised right heel.

Rick Porcello gave up three first-inning singles, but just two hits for the next six innings, pitching his way through a duel with Hector Santiago for a 2-1 Tigers win Sunday afternoon in the rubber match of the three-game series at Comerica Park.

Christian Yelich extended his hitting streak to 14 games by sparking the eighth-inning rally as the Marlins defeated the Mariners, 3-2, in front of 20,228 at Marlins Park, securing the Marlins’ third consecutive victory and a 4-2 homestand.

Michael Brantley and David Murphy — who hit the go-ahead, three-run double in the sixth — helped Cleveland overcome a rough outing from starter Carlos Carrasco and pick up a 6-4 victory over the Blue Jays, salvaging a victory to wrap up what had been a disappointing series.

On the eve of the 2014 Boston Marathon, the Red Sox put together a stirring pregame ceremony on Sunday night in recognition of those affected by the tragic bombings that took place at the finish line last April.

Marlins manager Mike Redmond leapt out of the dugout before Christian Yelich had much of a chance to even complain about a close call at home plate in Sunday’s 3-2 win over the Mariners. A few minutes later, Redmond and the Marlins were awarded a reversal in their favor for the second time this weekend.

Barry Bonds was in the Astros’ clubhouse on Saturday and Sunday at O.co Coliseum, visiting with his friend, Dexter Fowler, whom Bonds has been helping with his swing for about a year.

Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin will continue his recovery process later this week when he heads to Arizona to get some on-field work at the club’s Spring Training facility.

Rockies right fielder Michael Cuddyer missed his third consecutive start Sunday as he continues to recover from a left hamstring cramp. Cuddyer understands the decision day is looming for the Rockies to determine whether or not he needs to be placed on the DL to make room for another player.

After throwing a three-inning simulated game at max effort on Sunday, Clayton Kershaw expects to begin a Minors rehab assignment next.

A day after his most productive rehab start to date, Rangers lefty Matt Harrison was as eager as ever to get back on a Major League mound — and he may get his chance within the next week.

There will be a lot of attention paid to Mike Trout playing against fellow young superstar Bryce Harper for the first time in Washington, D.C., next week, although they don’t necessarily match up against one another.

Walking the leadoff hitter in four straight innings certainly isn’t a conducive recipe for success on most afternoons or evenings at the ballpark. But that exact formula worked for White Sox starter Erik Johnson during an 16-2 victory over the Rangers in Sunday afternoon’s series finale at Globe Life Park.

Just as Nationals manager Matt Williams said after Saturday’s game, left fielder Bryce Harper was right back in the team’s lineup for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals. Harper was batting second a day after getting pulled to start the seventh inning for not hustling to first base on a ground ball back to the mound.

Alex Gonzalez’s tenure as Tigers shortstop is over after three weeks. The Tigers released the 37-year-old on Sunday morning and called up infielder Danny Worth from Triple-A Toledo.

The O’s tied the game in the sixth when a call was overturned, but it was a temporary setback for the Red Sox on their way to a 4-2 win over Baltimore on Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park.