Moore sharp for six as Rays sweep Blue Jays  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Matt Moore pitched six sharp innings and Jose Lobaton drove in three runs as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-1 Thursday for a three-game sweep.  —  Tampa Bay has won 16 straight series against Toronto at Tropicana Field.

Teixeira, Chavez HRs Help Yankees Top Tigers 4-3  —  DETROIT (AP) — Mark Teixeira and Eric Chavez hit solo home runs on consecutive pitches in the eighth inning that put New York ahead, and the Yankees held on to beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3 Thursday.  —  Yankees manager Joe Girardi was ejected …

Dickey wins 15th as Mets stop long home skid  —  Recap  —  Box Score  —  Play-By-Play  —  Photos  —  Conversation  —  R.A. Dickey goes distance as Mets snap 9-game home slide  —  NEW YORK — R.A. Dickey pitched a complete game for his NL-leading 15th win, stopping Jose Reyes' 26-game hitting streak …

Dodgers' Abreu accepts assignment to minors  —  Bobby Abreu has cleared waivers and accepted a minor-league assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the veteran outfielder's agent said Thursday.  —  The Dodgers designated Abreu for assignment last week to create a spot on the roster …

Pitching coach Radinsky dismissed; Niebla interim  —  Indians' starting pitching has fared poorly, contributing to difficult season  —  Scott Radinsky (center) was in his first season as pitching coach of the Indians.  —  CLEVELAND — The Indians' prolonged and persistent struggles …

Playoffs open with inaugural Wild Card games Oct. 5  —  Major League Baseball on Thursday announced the schedule for its revamped postseason, which will open on Friday, Oct. 5, with the inaugural Wild Card games and run through the 108th World Series, set to get under way on Wednesday, Oct. 24.

Cleveland Indians CEO Paul Dolan on Tribe's midsummer collapse: ‘It was so dismal’ — Terry Pluto  —  CLEVELAND, Ohio — Paul Dolan still can't believe it happened.  —  On July 26, his Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers and Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander.

Red Sox Promote Xander Bogaerts To Double-A  —  Xander Bogaerts may only be 19, but the Red Sox shortstop on his way to Double-A Portland, according to high Class A Salem Red Sox announcer Evan Lepler.  —  The only player in the Eastern League who will be younger than Bogaerts …

Time for NY Mets manager Terry Collins and GM Sandy Alderson to start preparing for 2013 season  —  But you can't totally write off this season, not with baseball's recurring narrative of recent teams rushing through the final months of the season en route to a title

Ozzie leaning toward putting Bell back as closer  —  After faltering in first half and losing job, righty hasn't give up run since break  —  NEW YORK — Performance was the reason Heath Bell was removed from the closer's role at the All-Star break.  On the flip side, how he's pitched …

Orioles call up top prospect Machado  —  Are the Baltimore Orioles rushing Manny Machado?  —  Sure they are.  But I like the move, for a team that still — yes, still — is involved in the American League East and wild-card races.  —  If the Orioles were going to promote …