Central Pennsylvania is a world away from Kampala, Uganda, both in terms of distance and in lifestyle. So is Sydney, Australia, for that matter. But on Friday, Kampala will make just its second appearance and Sydney its third in the Little League World Series.

Chase Utley makes perfect sense for the Dodgers. It is the classic low-risk, high-reward late-season move. If his right ankle holds up, Utley can win games with his bat and his glove, and with his quiet, confident presence.

David Denson chose to become the first openly gay player in affiliated baseball for no other reason, he said, than it felt right to finish tearing down the walls he’d built around him. He did not do it to make history or contribute to social change.

As we finish the final third of the regular season with tight postseason races being fought in both leagues, front offices are already planning for 2016 and beyond.

Jered Weaver, backed by a solo home run from Carlos Perez, led the Angels to a third straight win over the White Sox on Wednesday night. Weaver allowed five hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking none to outduel Jeff Samardzija in a 1-0 Halos win.

Carlos Correa shot a two-out single to right field to score Colby Rasmus from third base in the 13th inning and send the Astros to their second consecutive walk-off win over the Rays, 3-2, on Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park.

The Royals completed a four-game season-series sweep of the Reds with a 4-3 victory on Wednesday night to end the two-game Interleague set at Great American Ball Park.

Jayson Werth’s two-out, two-run triple in the eighth inning gave the Nationals their second straight victory, 4-1 over the Rockies at Coors Field on Wednesday night. Washington moved to 3 1/2 games behind the National League East-leading Mets, and sent the Rockies to their eighth loss in the last nine games.

When the 88-mph sinker that turned into the game-ending double play in the Angels’ 1-0 win over the White Sox Wednesday left Joe Smith’s hand, he said his first thought was, “Oh God, you left it up.” His next thought — after Adam LaRoche chopped it on the ground to C.J. Cron at first base — was, “Oh my goodness, he rolled it over.”

Left fielder Jarrod Dyson didn’t have an outstanding night offensively, but he made an impressive catch that was a game changer in the Royals’ 4-3 win over the Reds on Wednesday night.

Class A Advanced Daytona leaned on two players — pitcher Amir Garrett and third baseman Taylor Sparks — to outlast Brevard County, 4-0, in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday.

Jayson Werth has been a teammate of Stephen Strasburg’s for the last five seasons, so he knows as well as anyone what the right-handed flamethrower is capable of on the mound.

The next time Ryan Howard sets foot in the Phillies’ clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park, the nameplate above Chase Utley’s locker will be removed.

The Reds had a bases-loaded opportunity against the Royals on Wednesday night and a chance to take a lead. Instead, they ran themselves right out of a rally because of a mental mistake by Jason Bourgeois that proved huge in a 4-3 loss.

The Dodgers acquired All-Star second baseman Chase Utley from the Phillies on Wednesday night.

Henry Urrutia connected for his first career Major League homer, a walk-off shot off Mets reliever Carlos Torres, giving the Orioles a 5-4 win that snapped a nine-game losing skid against New York that dates back to 2009.

Chris Denorfia guessed that he hadn’t pitched since American Legion ball, but the Cubs asked the outfielder to get the final out in the ninth inning of Wednesday night’s 15-8 Cubs loss to the Tigers.