Ibanez went 4-for-5 on Thursday, hitting his 21st homer and driving in three to raise his RBI total to 49. He’s the only 40-something to have at least 20 homers and 40 RBIs before the All-Star break.

Take a look around. Surprises are popping up all over the big league map. The surprises of the season keep on coming, with more on the way in what figures to be one dramatic second half.

The midway point of the season has arrived and among the things we have learned are: the Pirates are for real, struggling teams are getting hot, Clayton Kershaw is historically great, last year’s phenoms were no one-year wonders and strikeouts are in.

Deadlines force action, or at least contemplation. And the non-waiver Trade Deadline prompts action and/or contemplation that often impacts much more than just the short term.

Every lineup, every day, as they are made public by the clubs.

Legendary broadcaster Vin Scully spoke with MLB.com about his stellar career and the Dodgers of yesterday and today. You may be surprised at some of his answers.

Josh Hamilton hit a game-tying two-run homer in the ninth inning and Erick Aybar delivered a walk-off victory over the St. Louis Cardinals with a two-out single on Thursday night at Angel Stadium.

On the verge being swept at home by a NL West rival and a 10-game intra-division road trip on the horizon, the Rockies’ 9-5 win over the Dodgers on Thursday night seemed like a much-needed breath of optimism for the struggling club.

Adrian Beltre went deep twice, sparking a four-run seventh in a 5-4 win against the Mariners in front of 46,476 on Thursday. It was his 24th career multihomer game and sent him past Joe DiMaggio for 75th all-time with 362 career home runs.

Donovan Solano provided the late-inning heroics on Thursday night, lining an RBI single in the ninth inning off Craig Kimbrel to lift the Marlins to a 4-3 comeback win over the Braves at Turner Field.

Justin Verlander returned to the place where he threw his second no-hitter two years ago and looked about as close to that form as he has all season, blanking the Blue Jays for seven innings in an 11-1 rout on Thursday.

All the votes have been cast for the 2013 All-Star Game’s starting spots, and the baseball world now awaits Saturday evening’s announcement of the final tallies at 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

Rick Porcello, who is appealing his six-game suspension for hitting the Rays’ Ben Zobrist with a pitch on Sunday, will take the mound for the Tigers opposite of Justin Masterson in the opener of a four-game series.

Patriotism was on display throughout Major League Baseball on Thursday, as teams and fans celebrated our nation’s 237th birthday on Independence Day.

After blowing a pair of leads in extra innings, the D-backs were able to make a 5-4 advantage hold up in the 15th inning Thursday at Citi Field.

Yankees captain Derek Jeter said on Thursday that he feels close to being cleared to begin a Minor League rehabilitation assignment.

Ichiro Suzuki and Travis Hafner each had three hits and Vernon Wells drove in three runs to power the Yankees’ Independence Day attack in a 9-5 victory over the Twins on Thursday at Target Field, completing a four-game sweep.