Ross Stripling got his first career victory on Friday night at Dodger Stadium, and it couldn’t have come against a more familiar opponent, as the Dodgers rookie outlasted former Texas A&M roommate Michael Wacha in an 8-4 win over the Cardinals.

Jeff Samardzija allowed one run over eight innings and Joe Panik backed him with a three-run home run as the Giants overcame an early deficit to edge the D-backs.

It wasn’t a 13-strikeout shutout or anything Kershaw-like, but Ross Stripling was thrilled with Major League victory No. 1 on Friday night, warts and all.

In the past, Joe Panik might have passed on a 3-0 pitch. He didn’t Friday, hitting a three-run home run, the key blow in the Giants’ victory over the D-backs.

Well-traveled Brewers right-hander Junior Guerra pitched six scoreless innings for his second victory in as many starts at Miller Park, a 1-0 win over the Padres on Friday.

Blue Jays knuckleballer R.A. Dickey shut down the Rangers for eight innings and earned his second win of the season in a 5-0 victory on Friday night. The Blue Jays have won four straight games against the Rangers this month.

Jackie Bradley Jr.’s success at the plate has been such a constant as of late that the Red Sox’s center fielder is nearly out of words when describing how locked in he feels.

Chris Tillman fired seven scoreless innings to outduel Justin Verlander, and Adam Jones broke a scoreless tie in the sixth with his 200th career home run, as the Orioles extended their winning streak to six by beating the Tigers, 1-0, on Friday night at Camden Yards.

By joining the Rangers and making his Major League debut Friday, Matt Bush is off an ignominious list. It was a long and rocky road to get there, but the shortstop-turned-reliever will no longer be among the No. 1 overall picks in the MLB Draft who never reached the Majors.

The Rangers called up right-hander Matt Bush — the first overall pick in the Draft 12 years ago — from Double-A Frisco on Friday. That night, he tossed a perfect ninth inning and heard an ovation from the crowd in his Major League debut.

Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez threw seven strong innings, and shortstop Alcides Escobar had and RBI and scored a run, as the Royals got back on track with a 5-1 win over the Braves on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Bryce Harper has seen so few pitches to hit during the past few weeks, but when he got a pitch to handle on Friday night at Nationals Park, he did not miss. He launched the go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning off Marlins right-hander Kyle Barraclough to guide the Nationals to a 5-3 comeback victory.

To his credit, this seems hard.

The A’s busted out for four home runs, including two from third baseman Danny Valencia, to secure a 6-3 series-opening victory over the Rays at Tropicana Field on Friday night, snapping a five-game losing streak.

Marlon Byrd delivered a two-run double in the eighth inning on Friday night, helping the Indians overcome a powerful display by the Twins to pull off a 7-6 comeback win at Progressive Field.

Orioles center fielder Adam Jones continued his recent hot streak on Friday night and reached a major career milestone in the process. Jones launched a solo home run off the Tigers’ Justin Verlander in the sixth inning of the Orioles’ 1-0 win, giving him 200 career homers.

Jeremy Hellickson struck out more batters than he has in nearly three years and drove in the decisive run with a squeeze bunt in the Phillies’ 3-2 win over the Reds on Friday night.