Brandon Morrow saw his string of quality outings continue with six strong innings of work in Toronto's 5-2 victory over the A's on Wednesday afternoon at the Coliseum.

Josh Hamilton's 2010 batting coach was asked about the Texas outfielder's monster Tuesday game, and it wasn't long before the conversation involved Pedro Alvarez.

Pitcher Jason Hammel will have his next start pushed back, as the right-hander is dealing with right knee soreness that has progressively worsened over his past two or three starts, although the 29-year-old said Wednesday he's confident he can avoid the disabled list.

Bryan LaHair's RBI single in the seventh was all Paul Maholm needed to pitch the Cubs to a 1-0 victory Wednesday over the Braves. The victory secured the series and gave Chicago its fifth win in the last eight games.

Mariano Rivera, who is sidelined for the season by an ACL tear in his right knee, was hospitalized overnight this week with what was diagnosed as a blood clot in his right calf. It should not affect his recovery from knee surgery.

Johnny Cueto and Zack Greinke lived up to their billing as aces on Wednesday afternoon, but the game was decided by the bullpens. And it was the Brewers' 'pen that blinked first. The Reds scored two runs in the top of the ninth for a 2-1 win and two of three in the series.

Major League Baseball, the Players Trust and State Farm are teaming up with Habitat for Humanity International in an effort to build new homes with families in Joplin, Mo., and Tuscaloosa, Ala. — two of the communities devastated by the tornadoes in April and May of 2011.

Josh Hamilton tied a Major League record with four home runs against the Orioles on Tuesday night, and the immediate reaction was more widespread speculation on his contract situation.

Dale Sveum has already faced off against his former team this season, but a trip back to Miller Park this weekend should provide another wave of nostalgia.

Fenway Park public address announcer Carl Beane died in a one-car auto accident Wednesday afternoon. He was 59.

Indians third baseman Jack Hannahan is currently nursing a sore left groin, but the injury is not considered serious.

Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was not in the starting lineup on Wednesday after he experienced pain in his left groin the night before.

Before the Padres committed an error in the ninth inning of their 3-1 victory over the Rockies on Tuesday night, they had gone 64 innings without an error.

It took first baseman Yonder Alonso a few weeks to get settled, but once he did, he began providing the Padres with the offense and defense they expected when they dealt for him.

Josh Beckett, who ended last season embroiled in controversy in Boston, could again draw the ire of Red Sox fans after reports surfaced that he golfed Thursday, one day after it was announced he'd skip a start due to tightness in his right lat.

Former Tampa Bay farmhand Josh Hamilton's four-homer performance the night before was on the minds of current Rays James Shields, David Price and Sean Rodriguez during their visit to the Fan Cave on Wednesday.

Wednesday's day game proved the perfect opportunity for manager Bob Melvin to rest a banged-up Kurt Suzuki, whose left hand has received quite the beating in recent days.