Gurriel, Bregman homer in Astros' 12-6 win over White Sox  —  The Houston Astros beat the Chicago White Sox 12-6 Saturday for their fifth straight win.  —  HOUSTON - Yuli Gurriel and Alex Bregman each homered and Charlie Morton won his 11th as the Houston Astros beat the Chicago White Sox 12-6 Saturday for their fifth straight win.

Last Slide  —  The idea hasn't just crossed David Peralta's mind, it's been there for a while.  To make the National League All-Star team?  He's dreamed about it, made it a goal, and he came up empty when asked to consider what the honor would mean to him.  —  “Ah,” he said, pausing.

Christian Vazquez placed on DL with broken right pinkie  —  The Boston Red Sox placed catcher Christian Vazquez on the 10-day disabled list Sunday with a broken right pinkie he suffered sliding into second base Saturday night.  —  Vazquez had a two-run single in the seventh inning …

Mike Trout stays patient as pitchers take a pass  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. — When Mike Trout got drafted by the Los Angeles Angels and began his journey through the minor leagues, he vowed to never swing until the opposing pitcher threw the first strike.  Trout wanted to build a foundation …

Stripling throws another gem in Dodgers 3-1 win over Angels  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Ross Stripling has tentative plans to go to Lake Tahoe or somewhere close by in California during the All-Star break.  He'll happily trade the lake for the sweltering July heat of Washington D.C.

LEADING OFF: Lester eyes NL-best 12th win, A's stay hot  —  A look at what's happening around the majors today:  —  CHICAGO'S ACE  —  Jon Lester has put together some ace-worthy seasons during his 13-year major league career, including four All-Star appearances and a runner-up finish in the Cy Young voting two years ago.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Homer Bailey scheduled to pitch out of bullpen in rehab outing  —  CHICAGO - After making four rehab starts at Triple-A Louisville, Homer Bailey is scheduled to make an appearance out of the bullpen Sunday afternoon.  —  Before Bailey was placed on the 10-day disabled list …

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant to begin rehab stint Monday  —  Photos of Kris Bryant, the 2016 National League MVP and the Cubs' second overall pick in the 2013 draft.  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Kris Bryant took batting practice at Wrigley Field early on Sunday morning and then headed to Knoxville …

Olney: Max Muncy's journey from out of MLB to out of this world  —  The Keller High School baseball team, of Keller, Texas, generally follows the same daily schedule.  As a result, Lee Muncy and his son, Max, could venture an educated guess as to when practice would end and a batting cage would open for the Muncys' use.

Aaron Hicks, Aroldis Chapman likely available for Yankees on Sunday  —  TORONTO — The Yankees could have both Aaron Hicks (left hamstring) and Aroldis Chapman (left knee) available for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays.  Both came out of Saturday's game due to injury.  —  Hicks wasn't in the starting lineup.

This Date In Baseball … 1902 — Rube Waddell beat Bill Dinneen 4-2 in 17 innings when light-hitting Monte Cross hit a two-run homer for Philadelphia.  —  1932 — Ben Chapman of the Yankees hit three homers, including two inside-the-park, as New York beat the Detroit Tigers 14-9 at Yankee Stadium.

Pirates attempt to avoid a Phillies sweep  —  It's down to picking their poison for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have lost five games in a row going into Sunday's series finale at PNC Park against the cruising Philadelphia Phillies.  —  During the first four games of their skid, the Pirates were outscored 48-13.

Last Slide  —  Diamondbacks right-hander Clay Buchholz will not be traveling with the club on its upcoming six-day road trip, but he could be progressing toward a potential return after the All-Star break.  —  Buchholz suffered a strained oblique in a June 24 start in Pittsburgh and threw …

Rangers Acquire Austin Jackson, Cory Gearrin; Could Trade Jackson  —  12:47pm: Jackson may never even play for the Rangers, per Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News.  General manager Jon Daniels told the outfielder “to hold off on reporting,” Fraley writes.  It seems they'll try to trade him.

Brewers activate Lorenzo Cain, put Ryan Braun, Manny Pina on DL  —  The Milwaukee Brewers got one member of their starting outfield back from the disabled list Sunday but placed another on the DL in his place.  —  Lorenzo Cain, who has been sidelined since June 27 with a left groin strain …

Detroit Tigers utilityman Niko Goodrum driven ‘like Michael Jordan’  —  Two-year-old Niko Goodrum watches his older brother, Roman, play Little League baseball.  He's in a stroller.  —  He watches intently, his dad recalls, not paying attention to the distractions around him.

Jason Heyward returns to lineup as Cubs take on Reds  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Jason Heyward has bounced back quickly after suffering a painful injury to be in the Cubs lineup Sunday.  —  Heyward was forced to leave Saturday's 8-7 victory over the Reds after fouling a ball off his groin.