Gardner belts 15,000th homer in Yanks history  —  9/21/14: Brett Gardner belts a solo home run to right field, home run No. 15,000 in franchise history, giving New York a 2-1 lead  —  NEW YORK — Brett Gardner connected for the 15,000th home run in Yankees franchise history on Sunday afternoon …

Worley, Pirates edge Brewers to pad final Wild Card lead  —  PITTSBURGH — Vance Worley pitched eight sparkling innings, Russell Martin hit a late RBI single and the Pittsburgh Pirates trapped a runner in the ninth, edging Milwaukee 1-0 Sunday to extend their wild-card lead over the Brewers.

Major organizational changes may come for Braves  —  Braves GM Frank Wren joins the crew to discuss what the team needs to lock up the division, Dan Uggla's signing by the Giants and more  —  ATLANTA — Now that the Braves have been essentially eliminated from the playoffs …

Detroit Tigers' Anibal Sanchez throws simulated game, could be activated by midweek  —  Anibal Sanchez has been on the disabled list since Aug. 9 with a right pectoral strain.  (AP File Photo)  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Anibal Sanchez could be activated by the middle of this week.

Pitching staff leading the way for Brewers  —  9/19/14: Yovani Gallardo strikes out 11 batters and scatters five hits over seven scoreless innings against the Pirates  —  PITTSBURGH — Even with a subpar stretch of starting pitching — during which the team lost 16 of 19 games in late August …

Injured Herrera may be able to play in winter ball  —  9/20/14: Dilson Herrera leaves the game in the top of the 6th inning with a quad strain after running out a single  —  ATLANTA — There was no chance that second baseman Dilson Herrera (strained right quad) was going to play in Sunday's weekend …

After leading the way on defense, club brainstorming creative strategies  —  9/19/14: Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman shares his thoughts on the Rays' 2014 season  —  ST. PETERSBURG — When Joe Maddon, Andrew Friedman and company joined the Rays prior to the 2006 season …

Kemp, Dodgers Beat Cubs 8-5  —  CHICAGO — Matt Kemp homered and had four RBIs, Yasiel Puig scored a career-high four times and the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers used six pitchers to beat the Chicago Cubs 8-5 on Sunday.  —  Kemp had four hits for the Dodgers, who clinched a playoff berth …

Rios done for season due to bruised thumb  —  9/4/14: Alex Rios drives in Michael Choice on a single up the middle to put the Rangers on the board in the 3rd  —  ANAHEIM — Rangers outfielder Alex Rios will not play again this season.  Rios has been dealing with a badly bruised right thumb …

Cubs phenom led Minors in HR, SLG, OPS; Pirates hurler led in opponents' average, was third in ERA  —  MLBPipeline.com's Jonathan Mayo discusses 2014 Prospects of the Year Kris Bryant and Tyler Glasnow.  —  One led all of the Minor Leagues in home runs and slugging percentage.

Niese, Mets keep Atlanta on the skids  —  ATLANTA — Jonathon Niese is gaining confidence as the season comes to a close.  The difference is obvious to Mets manager Terry Collins.  —  “That's the Jon Niese we know,” Collins said.  “That's the guy who pitches to contact, makes pitches, locates it, moves it around, changes speeds.