• Guzman hits for cycle, Nats rout Dodgers (AP)

  

  As soon as Cristian Guzman stepped into the on-deck circle in the eighth inning, his Nationals teammates started to call for a triple. He gladly obliged, sending a pitch from Joe Beimel past center fielder Matt Kemp and to the wall -- and Guzman wasn't about to stop running. He slid into third base to complete just the second cycle by a Washington player, highlighting an 11-2 romp over the...

  
  

• Ramirez's slam rallies Cubs over Phils (AP)

  

  On his 65th birthday, Lou Piniella found himself in the middle of a noisy celebration. He can thank Aramis Ramirez for stirring up the party. Ramirez hit a grand slam in the eighth inning Thursday night as the surging Chicago Cubs rallied for five runs to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4 for their sixth straight win.

  
  

• Beckett to be examined by Dr. Andrews (AP)

  Josh Beckett was scratched again from a scheduled start, and the Boston Red Sox ace plans to have his ailing right elbow examined by Dr. James Andrews. Beckett is to see Dr. Andrews in Alabama on Friday, Red Sox manager Terry Francona said after Thursday's 3-2 loss to the New York Yankees. A serious injury to Beckett would be a major blow to Boston, trying to repeat as World Series champions.

• Giambi's single lifts Yankees over BoSox (AP)

  

  Two big swings by Jason Giambi invigorated the New York Yankees. Now, can they muster one more run at the playoffs? Giambi saved the Yankees on Thursday, coming off the bench to hit a tying homer in the seventh inning and a game-winning single in the ninth for a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Desperate to get back in the pennant race, New York salvaged the finale of a three-game series and won...

  
  

• Jackson takes shutout into 8th, Rays win (AP)

  

  The Tampa Bay Rays reached another milestone in their unexpected run toward the playoffs. Edwin Jackson took a shutout into the eighth inning, Cliff Floyd and Willy Aybar each homered, and the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Thursday night to guarantee they will finish no worse than .500 for the first time in franchise history.

  
  

• Suzuki's double lifts A's past Twins 3-2 (AP)

  

  Frank Thomas got a chuckle out of the realization his Oakland Athletics had finally strung consecutive wins together. It had been too long ago to remember the last time. "That's what we were laughing about: two in a row, whoo!" the Big Hurt said. "Three out of four, whoo!" Pinch-hitter Kurt Suzuki doubled in the winning run with one out in the ninth inning and the A's beat the Minnesota Twins 3-2 on...

  
  

• Angels use 5-run 8th to beat Rangers 7-5 (AP)

  

  Maybe the rally monkey is warming up for the postseason. Pinch-hitter Juan Rivera's three-run double keyed a five-run eighth inning and the Los Angeles Angels stormed from behind for a 7-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday night. "We saw the rally monkey come out, and knew it was time," Rivera said, speaking through a translator.

  
  

• Dodgers send slumping Kershaw to minors (AP)

  The Los Angeles Dodgers optioned struggling pitcher Clayton Kershaw to Triple-A Las Vegas after the left-hander allowed five early runs in an 11-2 loss to the Washington Nationals on Thursday night. Kershaw, the Dodgers' first-round draft pick in 2006, allowed all five runs -- including a pair of homers -- in the first and was lifted after 2 2-3 innings.

• Joba hopes to return to Yanks next week (AP)

  Joba Chamberlain thinks he could return to the New York Yankees next week, and he expects to be used out of the bullpen. On the disabled list with rotator cuff tendinitis, Chamberlain threw 45 pitches off a mound Thursday and said his arm felt good. His next step will be facing batters in a simulated game Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

• McCann's 3-run homer powers Braves (AP)

  

  A home run by the Braves' Brian McCann and a drive by Hanley Ramirez that didn't go out did in the Florida Marlins. McCann hit a three-run homer, Charlie Morton finally figured out how to pitch at home and Atlanta beat the slumping Marlins 4-2 on Thursday night. The Marlins are 10-15 in August, haven't won two games in a row this month and fell six games behind the idle New York Mets in the NL...

  
  

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