Cubs rally in 9th, beat Brewers 5-3 in 10th to extend lead (Sep 21, 2017)  —  MILWAUKEE (AP) The pressure was on and Javier Baez delivered for the Chicago Cubs.  —  Baez grounded a tying single with two outs in the ninth inning, Kris Bryant hit a two-run homer in the 10th and the Cubs widened …

Brian Snitker hoping to return as Braves manager in 2018  —  ATLANTA — Brian Snitker is on a one-year contract and doesn't know if he will return next as year as manager of the Atlanta Braves.  —  The 61-year-old Snitker, in his 41st season with the organization, hopes the front office brings …

5 positives, 5 negatives from Brad Ausmus' tenure with Detroit Tigers  —  Free Press sports writer George Sipple looks at five positive ways he'll remember Brad Ausmus and five negative ways he'll remember Ausmus' tenure as manager of the Detroit Tigers.  —  Five positives

Yankees will ‘probably’ use a six-man rotation for next turn as regular season winds down  —  TORONTO — The Yankees are “probably” going to use a six-man rotation for the next turn, according to Joe Girardi.  But the situation remains fluid as the team waits to see where it stacks up in the postseason race.

Reds Sign Tucker Barnhart To Four-Year Extension  —  The Reds announced on Friday morning that they've signed catcher Tucker Barnhart to a four-year contract extension that will keep him around through at least the 2021 season.  Barnhart's new contract also contains a club option for the 2022 season.

Yankees' Todd Frazier says expanded netting should go up this year  —  TORONTO — After speaking with the family of the young girl hit in the face by his foul ball, the New York Yankees' Todd Frazier thinks teams should move quickly to expand protective netting at major league ballparks.

Rangers visit A's with wild-card berth in sight (Sep 22, 2017)  —  OAKLAND, Calif. — The Texas Rangers hope to use a break in the schedule to creep closer in the American League wild-card picture when they open a three-game series against the last-place Oakland Athletics on Friday night.

Noah Syndergaard to start Saturday for Mets; Matt Harvey to pitch in relief  —  NEW YORK — Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard finally will return to a major league mound, albeit briefly.  —  The right-hander will start Saturday's game against the Washington, pitching one inning.

Catching up with the Marlins  —  For a few days in late August, the Marlins looked like darkhorse contenders for one of the National League wild card spots.  But that dream ended after a 1-10 stretch from Aug. 28-Sept. 7 left them buried in the standings.  RF Giancarlo Stanton has cooled …

Royals visit White Sox with slim playoff hopes in tow (Sep 22, 2017)  —  CHICAGO — The Kansas City Royals will try to preserve their slim hopes for a wild-card playoff berth when they open a three-game road series against the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.

Padres' Lyles looks to extend Rockies' skid (Sep 22, 2017)  —  SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres will turn to Jordan Lyles to stifle the Colorado Rockies on Friday.  And that reminded San Diego manager Andy Green of a recent conversation he had with catcher Austin Hedges.

BREWERS  —  Yes, the Rockies at present have dropped four straight despite playing the likes of the Giants and Padres over that span.  Still, they'll play three more against the .451 Padres before getting the .474 Marlins at home for three.  Then comes an off day before they close up with three against the Dodgers in Coors Field.

Mets rookie follows father's advice, and it's paying off … The advice that would come to serve Brandon Nimmo the best in his baseball career was delivered by his father, Ron, over the years, during their frequent visits to the batting cage.  —  “My dad was always big on swinging at strikes …