Work smarter, not harder.

Ubaldo Jimenez is taking his second chance and running with it. After surrendering a three-run homer in the first inning, Jimenez clamped down, retiring the final 17 en route to a dominant complete-game effort to highlight Baltimore’s 7-3 series-opening win over the Rays on Monday afternoon at Tropicana Field.

Bon voyage, R.M.

Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi is progressing better than anticipated in his rehab from a left knee sprain and had a productive day on Monday that included baseball activities.

Angels right-hander Matt Shoemaker underwent surgery to halt bleeding on his brain Sunday night after he was hit on the right side of his head by a line drive during a game against the Mariners in Seattle.

With the postseason less than a month away, the Nationals are inching toward full health.

Rangers bench coach Steve Buechele has had many memorable moments as an athlete and as a father. But he admitted he hadn’t experienced anything quite like watching his son, Shane, play in his first college football game on Sunday night for the University of Texas.

It’s now or never for postseason-hopeful Mariners and ace Felix Hernandez, beginning today with a big showdown against Cole Hamels and the Rangers.

“I just can’t stop watching it.”

Sorry, guys.

Rookie rotation fill-in Seth Lugo lifted the Mets on Sunday with seven strong innings, and Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce each hit a two-run homer in a 5-1 win that keeps the Mets within one game of the Cardinals for the final National League Wild Card spot.

The son of Rangers bench coach Steve Buechele, Shane Buechele started the Longhorns’ season-opening 50-47, double-overtime win over Notre Dame at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Sunday night.

Five of the Cubs’ six wins last week came in one-run games with Chicago’s relievers refusing to yield, earning them recognition as the Bullpen of the Week presented by The Hartford.

As we gird ourselves for a wild month of September dotted with pennant-race drama, we realize that Labor Day’s not only a marker on the calendar. It’s a pretty statistically significant milepost when it comes to predicting the architecture of the postseason schedule.

Welcome to Labor Day. Remember when it was a day to reassess and reset the pennant races? It historically has signaled the final sprint to the postseason. No more.

Like, “on top of the dugout” wild.

The Cardinals will hold onto sole possession of the second position in the National League Wild Card standings for at least one more day.