The unthinkable a few months ago unfolded Monday in Miller Park, where the Bucs moved a game ahead of the Cardinals, who lost to the Reds, with a 5-2 win against the Brewers sparked by leadoff hitter Jose Tabata and protected by Charlie Morton.

Ian Kennedy pitched six solid innings and Nick Hundley homered as the Padres took the opener of a three-game series, 4-1, against the San Francisco Giants on Monday at Petco Park.

Henderson Alvarez hit his first Major League home run — a three-run shot in the second — to go along with a quality start to lift the Marlins to a 4-3 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Monday.

Though Doug Fister battled his control for much of the game Monday afternoon, he kept the Red Sox at bay for seven innings, long enough for Andy Dirks to triple in Victor Martinez with Detroit’s first run in 16 innings. Two more insurance tallies provided the final margin in a 3-0 shutout at Fenway Park.

The Reds opened a crucial four-game series vs. the Cardinals with a 7-2 victory on Monday afternoon. Mat Latos notched his fourth career complete game in the win. Cincinnati remains 3 1/2 games back of the first-place Pirates in the NL Central.

Tom Gorzelanny faced one batter and threw only two pitches in the seventh inning Monday before exiting the game against the Pirates with left shoulder tightness.

One day after Freddy Garcia shut out the Marlins in an impressive long-relief appearance to spare the rest of the Braves’ bullpen 4 2/3 innings of work in a lopsided loss, the Braves selected the contract of right-hander Kameron Loe from Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday. Loe will start in Julio Teheran’s place during Wednesday’s series finale against the Mets.

After being shut out for just the second time since June 22 in Sunday’s loss to the Marlins, the Braves erupted for 17 hits on their way to a 13-5 win over the Mets in Monday afternoon’s series opener at Turner Field, with Freddie Freeman tying a career high with five RBIs.

Jordan Schafer had already constructed his most impressive performance of the season before he was forced to exit Monday afternoon’s 13-5 win over the Mets with a lower back strain. The Braves announced his status as day to day.

Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez was removed from Monday’s start against the Royals for precautionary reasons because of a lower back cramp, and he’s optimistic that there will be no lingering effects.

The Yankees piled it on during an eight-run fourth inning and cruised to a 9-1 victory over the a sloppy White Sox club at Yankee Stadium on Monday. Derek Jeter and Austin Romine each had two RBIs, and all but one starter had at least one hit.

Chris Colabello hit a go-ahead grand slam in the ninth to cap the come-from-behind win, his second homer of the game, as the Astors prevailed, 10-6, on a Labor Day matinee at Minute Maid Park.

Josh Hamilton is still not ready to play the outfield, but he returned to the Angels’ lineup as the designated hitter on Monday.

The Royals, getting a superb relief performance from left-hander Will Smith, defeated Felix Hernandez and the Mariners, 3-1, in the first meeting of the two clubs this season on Monday at Kauffman Stadium.

Henderson Alvarez left Monday’s 4-3 win over the Cubs in the seventh inning with a tight right hamstring. He is listed as day to day.

In the second inning of Cleveland’s game against the Orioles on Monday, rotation leader Justin Masterson exited with soreness on the left side of his ribcage.

Carlos Gonzalez, who has been out since Aug. 4 with a sprained right middle finger, may make his long-awaited return to the Rockies’ lineup Tuesday night against the Dodgers.