The Orioles used six home runs — including two each from J.J. Hardy and Chris Davis — in Thursday’s 13-5 win to blast their way back into a second-place tie with the Red Sox in the American League East.

Jerad Eickhoff’s night started with the first three batters he faced crossing home plate. It ended with him walking off the mound celebrating a strikeout.

The Rally Mantis saga doesn’t appear to be coming to an end any time soon.

The White Sox held a three-run lead after the first, turned four double plays behind starter Carlos Rodon and used a stellar defensive play from Tim Anderson and Jose Abreu to stop a sixth-inning rally. And they still ended up on the wrong end of a 5-4 final against the American League Central leaders.

When Ryan Howard is swinging the bat well, it can “make a world of difference,” Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Thursday.

Alex Gordon blasted a grand slam to cap a five-run fourth inning that powered the Royals to an 8-1 win over the Twins on Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium.

The strikeouts just keep on coming for Red Sox No. 5 prospect Michael Kopech. After setting a career high with 11 strikeouts in his last outing, Kopech matched that number in six innings with Double-A Salem on Thursday.

After finishing July with a .206 average, things only appeared to be getting worse for Royals left fielder Alex Gordon. He fared no better in his first seven games of August, managing just three hits in 24 at-bats, as his average dipped below .200 and stayed there for two straight games for the first time since April.

Alex Bregman’s second career homer — a tape-measure shot to left-center on Thursday — was another signal that the rookie third baseman has put his early struggles behind him. The homer was also significant in that it came off Orioles starter Kevin Gausman, who hosted Bregman during his recruiting visit to LSU.

In the final week of March during Spring Training, pitcher Dan Straily bounced among three different clubs. He was traded from the Astros to the Padres and claimed off waivers by the Reds. And what a match it has been for both parties.

A potential postseason preview is on tap for today’s games as the Blue Jays and Indians meet for a three-game weekend series at Progressive Field.

Bumgarner giveth, Bumgarner dingereth away.

Tyler Naquin was ready in the dugout with a bat in his hands, but he fully expected Indians catcher Roberto Perez to hit in the ninth inning on Thursday night. After a passed ball moved Abraham Almonte up to third base, Naquin’s name was called. “I’ve never been a part of that,” Naquin said after Cleveland’s 5-4 walk-off win over the White Sox at Progressive Field.

Somewhere in his eight-run, 11-hit performance in Thursday’s 13-5 loss to the Orioles on Thursday, Joe Musgrove was able to salvage some positives.

Chris Davis blasted a pair of homers, running his total over two days to three, in Thursday’s 13-5 win over the Astros.

Solid pregame snack.

Skipping a start certainly caused Jose Fernandez to be fresh on Thursday night, and that was clear against the first batter the 24-year-old faced. On his fifth pitch of the game, Fernandez hummed a fastball that Pitch/Fx clocked at 99.4 mph. The result, however, typified the frustrating night, as Billy Hamilton singled sharply.