MLB: Nationals' Bryce Harper scratched with right knee soreness  —  The Washington Nationals scratched outfielder Bryce Harper from Thursday's lineup with right knee soreness.  —  Atlanta reliever Dan Winkler hit Harper just below the right knee in the seventh inning of the Braves' 8-3 victory on Wednesday.

Cleveland Indians top Minnesota Twins 5-4 on Michael Brantley's single in 9th  —  The Tribe wins in walk-off fashion for the second straight game  —  CLEVELAND — Michael Brantley's ninth-inning single gave the Cleveland Indians a 5-4 win over Minnesota on Thursday, their second straight walk-off victory against the Twins.

A's add Fernando Rodney to already packed bullpen  —  If the A's are going to win this season, they'll do it with a monster bullpen — they are going all in on relievers.  —  The team picked up a big name Thursday evening, acquiring closer Fernando Rodney, 41, in a waiver-claim deal …

J.A. Happ gives Yankees six strong innings after return from hand, foot and mouth disease  —  Resiliency has been the word of the week for the Yankees.  —  After a deflating four-game sweep at Fenway Park, manager Aaron Boone's young squad gutted out a three-game sweep over the White Sox …

Next Slide  —  After playing maybe their worst game of the season in the series opener against the San Diego Padres two nights earlier, the Milwaukee Brewers somehow managed to top that performance Thursday afternoon.  —  Corey Knebel failed to retire any of the four batters he faced …

Red Sox move Drew Pomeranz to bullpen  —  Drew Pomeranz has been moved to the Boston Red Sox bullpen, manager Alex Cora said Thursday.  —  Brian Johnson will stay in the rotation and will start in Philadelphia, Cora added.  —  The move comes with the expected turn of Chris Sale this weekend …

There's no good reason to object to Barry Bonds' number retirement  —  Look out onto the wall beyond right-center field fence AT&T Park — a place only one man could ever seem to hit it — and you'll see his name.  —  Walk past the Giants' Wall of Fame and you'll see his name and his face.

Column: Pedro Strop is flashy, but he has a parental side that his Cubs teammates value  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The tilted cap, gold chains and vigorous fist pumps symbolize Pedro Strop's flashy demeanor.  —  But there's a parental side to the veteran Cubs reliever that he hopes Javier Baez will follow as the young star matures.

Pat Neshek believes in the young Phillies because he lived through similar success with the Astros  —  SAN DIEGO — Pat Neshek is 37 years old.  He's 10 years removed from elbow surgery, and his right arm has survived the last eight seasons.  He has pitched for seven teams and made the playoffs five times …

Orioles see another late lead vanish in 5-4 loss to Rays  —  The Orioles carried leads into the bottom of the seventh inning for three straight nights this week at Tropicana Field, but return home from their three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays with just one win.

League has not caught up to Nationals rookie Juan Soto, whose chief concern is next at-bat  —  The Washington Post  —  More often than not, the notion that a breakout baseball player isn't getting the attention he deserves can be just plain silly.  Those who argue people don't write enough …

How Kate Upton Saved Justin Verlander's Career … He arrives at the ballpark driving a gray muscle car.  A replica, modeled after a famous car from a movie.  There's some 700 horsepower under the hood, and it is one fun, badass ride.  Her name is Eleanor.  He just got her this past spring.

‘Funny like a clown?’  Mets broadcasters Keith Hernandez, Ron Darling do ‘GoodFellas’ scene  —  While New York Mets fans suffer through another tough season, at least Keith Hernandez and the broadcast crew continue to be entertaining.  —  In the latest installment of SportsNet New York's …