Research Notes … ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Down by nine games in early September, down by seven runs on the final day of the season.  —  And yet somehow, these Tampa Bay Rays made it to the playoffs.  —  Evan Longoria capped a startling comeback by hitting his second home run of the game …

Bill Buckner Strikes Again  —  The Boston Red Sox' odds of reaching the playoffs peaked on Sept. 3.  Following a 12-7 win against the Texas Rangers, they held a 9-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays with 24 games to play, giving them a 99.6 percent chance of making the post-season.

Braves Complete Colossal Collapse, Lose to Phils  —  ATLANTA (AP) — With the season on the line, the Atlanta Braves couldn't get the final three outs.  —  Now, they'll have the whole winter to ponder an unprecedented collapse.  —  Braves closer Craig Kimbrel surrendered the tying run in the ninth …

Kemp Makes History in LA's 7-5 Win Over D-Backs  —  PHOENIX (AP) — Matt Kemp hit a two-run homer to become the first Dodgers player in 70 years to lead the NL in home runs and RBIs, and Los Angeles held off a late rally to beat the playoff-bound Arizona Diamondbacks 7-5 on Wednesday night.

Red Sox ultimately can't weather Rays  —  BALTIMORE  —  In 2007, the Tampa Bay Rays decided to add a little excitement to their drab, domed ballpark.  —  The team concluded that an over-the-wall catch was about the most scintillating play that could occur during the course of a baseball game.

Phillies history lesson: Who is Gene Mauch?  —  He arrived in Philadelphia in 1960 at age 34, the youngest manager in the Majors.  An unknown name certainly made a name for himself in his nine years as the Phillies' manager.  —  Gene Mauch was in the Phillies' record book for most games managed …

Royals fire McClure, Gibbons from coaching staff  —  The Royals took their first step toward next season Thursday morning by announcing pitching coach Bob McClure and bench coach John Gibbons will not return in 2012 on manager Ned Yost's staff.  —  The dismissals came roughly 12 hours …

MLB announces 2011 postseason schedule  —  CC Sabathia has started 12 games over the last four postseasons — in 2007 with the Indians, 2008 with the Brewers, and the last two years with the Yankees.  He has pitched in November and is happy to hear that no one will pitch that month in 2011.

Perfect Greinke Gives Brewers Home-Field Advantage  —  MILWAUKEE (AP) — Zack Grienke capped a perfect season at home to help the Milwaukee Brewers clinch home-field advantage in the first round of playoffs with a 7-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.

Jose Reyes pulled after hit  —  NEW YORK — Fans at Citi Field got to see very little of free-agent-to-be Jose Reyes on perhaps his final day as a Met.  —  Reyes, in the lead for the National League batting crown, delivered a bunt single to lead off the bottom of the first inning and was pulled by New York Mets manager Terry Collins.

Wakefield: “I definitely want to come back” in 2012  —  No matter what happens to the Red Sox in their 162nd game - or 163rd, for that matter - Tim Wakefield isn't ready to call it a career.  —  Wakefield, 45, said in an interview Tuesday that he fully expects to return to the Red Sox next year.

Guillen's deal for four years  —  MIAMI — Ozzie Guillen, who will be introduced as Marlins' manager at 1 p.m. ET Wednesday, has signed a four-year contract.  —  According to a source, the deal is four-years and for about $10 million, or roughly $2.5 million a year.