Mets Get Gift, Beat Phillies 4-1 Behind deGrom  —  NEW YORK — Jacob deGrom pitched seven crisp innings and the Mets scored the tiebreaking runs when left fielder Grady Sizemore dropped an easy pop fly, handing New York a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.

Choice, Odor both hit 3-run HRs as Rangers cruise past Astros  —  HOUSTON - Michael Choice and Rougned Odor both hit three-run homers and the Texas Rangers cruised to a 13-6 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night.  —  The Rangers were up by two in the fourth inning when Choice launched …

Betts hits first career grand slam as Red Sox beat Rays  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Rookie Mookie Betts hit his first career grand slam, Anthony Ranaudo pitched six effective innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-4 Friday night.  —  After Yoenis Cespedes drove in his second run …

Mariners' Montero involved in altercation  —  Seattle farmhand restrained during confrontation with cross-checker  —  Seattle's Jesus Montero was involved in an altercation during short-season Everett's game at Boise on Thursday.  The first baseman exchanged words with a Mariners cross-checker …

Royals cut veteran Bruce Chen  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals designated left-hander Bruce Chen for assignment Friday after six seasons with the team.  —  The move came one day after he gave up six runs in the 10th inning of an 11-5 loss to Minnesota.

Backman named PCL Manager of the Year  —  Mets Triple-A manager Wally Backman has been named the 2014 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year, the league office announced Friday.  —  Backman, 54, has guided the Las Vegas 51s (80-61) to their second-straight Pacific Southern Division title, spending the entire season in first place.

Upton, Heyward Spark Braves Past Marlins  —  ATLANTA — Justin Upton homered and had three RBIs, Jason Heyward drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 5-2 on Friday night for their third straight win.  —  The Braves, winners in 10 of 14 …

Mattingly doesn't want to rush teen phenom Urias  —  SAN DIEGO — Don Mattingly said it's not his call, but he said it would be “unfair” to call up 18-year-old left-handed starter Julio Urias from Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga to be a situational left-handed reliever for a Dodgers stretch run.

K R  —  The Astros need an intervention.  Or maybe something stronger.  —  General manager Jeff Luhnow and manager Bo Porter are at odds, according to multiple major-league sources.  —  Porter expressed his frustration with Luhnow to owner Jim Crane in a conversation earlier this month, sources said.

Inside the Phillies: Phils reverse course on Howard in hopes of dealing him  —  More than a month later, 35 words spoken on July 23 by Ryne Sandberg have gained significance.  They now offer insight into the strategy of a desperate front office and the dynamics of an unusual relationship between a team's executives and its manager.

Harrison Helps Pirates Edge Reds 2-1  —  PITTSBURGH — Josh Harrison hit an RBI triple and scored on Jose Tabata's tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.  —  Harrison had three hits in the Pirates' sixth win in eight games.