The Atlanta Braves had lost six straight games in Cincinnati dating back to 2011. Andrelton Simmons made sure the streak wouldn’t reach seven. The 23-year-old shortstop went 3-for-4 with two home runs and a career-high four RBIs on Monday, as the Braves defeated the Reds, 7-4, at Great American Ball Park.

Mark Reynolds launched a pitch deep into the Cleveland night on Monday, sending a fifth-inning blast three rows shy of the top of the left-field bleachers. The jaw-dropping display of power highlighted a four-homer attack that propelled the Indians to a 7-3 victory over the A’s in the opener of a four-game series.

Roy Halladay will visit Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Tuesday in Los Angeles, where he expects to learn more about his injured right shoulder. The Phillies placed Halladay on the 15-day disabled list Monday with what they called inflammation, but nobody knows exactly what it is.

Tiffany, a member of South Korea’s Girls’ Generation — Asia’s No. 1 female music group — threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Monday night’s Dodgers game against the D-backs at Dodger Stadium.

Second baseman Mark Ellis became the latest player to land on the disabled list for the Dodgers on Monday afternoon.

Following a setback late last week that prevented him from starting a Minor League rehab assignment, Reds ace Johnny Cueto resumed throwing from a mound on Monday. Cueto long tossed and then went to the bullpen and threw 25 pitches.

Chris Sale’s stellar outing set the stage for Alexei Ramirez’s tying single in the ninth and Jordan Danks’ go-ahead homer in the 11th as the White Sox came back to beat the Royals, 2-1, on Monday at Kauffman Stadium.

Braves right fielder Jason Heyward continues to progress from the emergency appendectomy that he underwent on April 22. Heyward, who has been on the disabled list since April 23, has been throwing indoors and took batting practice before Monday’s game against the Reds.

Red Sox closer Andrew Bailey was placed on the 15-day disabled list before Monday’s game against the Twins.

Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz extended his hitting streak to 26 games with a double in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Twins on Monday night.

There are six leading candidates to go No. 1 in the First-Year Player Draft on June 6: Stanford right-hander Mark Appel, San Diego third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant, Georgia high school outfielder Clint Frazier, Oklahoma right-hander Jonathan Gray, Indiana State lefty Sean Manaea and Georgia high school outfielder Austin Meadows.

Matt Cain again dominated the Dodgers and Hunter Pence drove in all the Giants’ runs to hold on for a 4-3 win Sunday, helping sweep their rival at AT&T Park.

One could dig for reasons why Bryce Harper was ejected on Sunday while Prince Fielder wasn’t on Saturday, but the fact remains that a 20-year-old was ejected for arguing a third strike by an ump with almost 30 years of Major League experience and a 28-year-old who was not ejected for arguing a third strike by an ump with almost three years of Major League experience.

The Cubs are expected to call up outfielder Ryan Sweeney from Triple-A Iowa and option Dave Sappelt to the Minor Leagues on Monday.

The Detroit Tigers are rolling, but they should be and they know it. The veteran ballclub and defending American League champions know anything short of a return to the World Series will be disappointing but they refuse to get ahead of themselves.

Justin Verlander lost his bid for a third career no-hitter with one out in the seventh inning, but his nine-strikeout gem was more than enough on Sunday in Houston thanks to home runs from Prince Fielder, Brayan Pena, Andy Dirks and Omar Infante.

A big first inning was just what the doctor ordered for the Rays, whose short-staffed bench benefited from building an immediate lead and added to it throughout the afternoon as they defeated the Rockies, 8-3, on Sunday to take the three-game series.