With four straight wins, the D-backs are in the thick of the playoff race. Arizona will try to make it five consecutive victories when lefty Joe Saunders takes the hill to open a four-game set against the Marlins Monday at Chase Field. Fellow southpaw Mark Buehrle will toe the rubber for Miami.

Phillies righty Kyle Kendrick, who threw seven scoreless innings Tuesday in a victory over Miami, tossed eight scoreless innings Sunday afternoon in an 8-0 victory over the Brewers at Miller Park.

The Rangers batted around in a five-run fifth inning, while Matt Harrison threw eight strong innings in an 11-2 rout of the Blue Jays in the rubber match of a three-game set at Rogers Centre on Sunday.

Ryan Hanigan's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth gave the Reds a 5-4 walk-off win over the Cubs on Sunday afternoon before a sold-out crowd of 41,615 fans at Great American Ball Park.

One of baseball's hottest second-half teams, the Reds, will arrive in Philadelphia to start a four-game series Monday against a Phillies club that has not lived up to expectations in 2012.

The Tigers will send Max Scherzer to the mound to open their three-game series against the Blue Jays on Tuesday at Comerica Park, as he looks for victory No. 13. Toronto will counter with Ricky Romero, who will look to make Detroit his first victim since June 22.

Teams fall and rise in waves throughout the year, and they will continue to do so right until the end. One-week trends are nothing more than small sample sizes of a seven-month season.

Prior to the season, many considered the Rangers a lock to qualify for the postseason for a third straight season. Few expected the Orioles to play into October. The two clubs begin a three-game series on Monday in Arlington, with Texas right-hander Ryan Dempster facing Baltimore rookie Miguel Gonzalez.

After spending 17 years beating the bushes and managing in the Minor League ranks, Tony DeFrancesco got the chance to bring out a lineup card as a Major League manager for the first time prior to the series finale against the D-backs at Minute Maid Park.

While the Astros players expressed regret things didn't work out better for Brad Mills, who was let go along with hitting coach Mike Barnett and first base coach Bobby Meacham, they were excited about the energy and passion of interim manager Tony DeFrancesco.

Injured Reds first baseman Joey Votto resumed baseball activity over the weekend as he tries to work his way back from left knee surgery.

Jorge Soler, 20, has the potential to be an impact player on the Cubs, which is why the team signed him to a nine-year, $30 million contract.

Alex Cobb allowed eight quick runs and the Rays were seemingly dead. But they came all the way back, with Carlos Pena's eighth-inning homer breaking a tie for a spectacular win over the Angels on Saturday night.

Saturday was the first elimination day at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. Sunday's slate at the tournament features a quartet of winners' bracket games.

The Houston Astros have relieved Brad Mills of his managerial duties, General Manager Jeff Luhnow announced.

The Cubs strung together seven hits, drew five walks and brought home four runs in Todd Redmond's 3 1/3 innings of work, to give the Cubs their first road win in nine tries in an 9-7 victory against the Reds at Great American Ball Park in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader.

John Jaso just keeps coming through for the Mariners. Jaso came off the bench and hit a walk-off, bases-loaded sacrifice fly on Saturday night, as the Mariners beat the Twins 3-2 at Safeco Field.