Braves rookie sensation Ronald Acuna Jr. had hit eight homers in his last eight games, including five straight with a homer and three straight with a leadoff homer. But he didn't get a chance to extend that hot streak on Wednesday after Marlins pitcher Jose Urena hit him in the elbow with a 97.5-mph fastball on his first pitch.

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Brian Dozier delivered a walk-off sacrifice fly in the 12th inning as the Dodgers rescued their own bullpen and ended a five-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Giants on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. Yasmani Grandal doubled to lead off the 12th and scored the winning run. Pedro Baez pitched two scoreless innings of relief in extras to earn the win, while Manny Machado collected three hits, including an RBI double. Andrew McCutchen accounted for all of the Giants' offense, hitting a game-tying three-run home run in the eighth. Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu tossed six scoreless innings in his return from the disabled list.

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Shohei Ohtani continues to ramp up the intensity of his bullpen sessions as he progresses deeper into his rehab from his right elbow injury. Ohtani threw a 33-pitch bullpen session in Anaheim on Wednesday with batters in the box.

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Andrew Benintendi got jammed so thoroughly on a 3-2 sinker by Phillies lefty Aaron Loup in the seventh inning on Wednesday night that the ball managed to hit his bat twice.

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As the Red Sox march toward perhaps their best regular season ever, there is still some fine-tuning to be done before the games that matter most. Joe Kelly and Drew Pomeranz are two members of the pitching staff who simply haven't been able to find their groove for weeks, and that trend continued in Wednesday's 7-4 loss to the Phillies.

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The Mets' offense broke out for 19 hits against the Orioles at Camden Yards. Brandon Nimmo's RBI triple -- one of his five hits in the game -- was New York's third three-bagger of the night, part of a nine-run sixth inning capped by a Kevin Plawecki grand slam. The O's nearly kept pace in the hit column with 12, including a long two-run homer by Jonathan Villar, but the Mets added five walks and two hit-by-pitches to keep the line moving on the basepaths in a runaway win.

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Cardinals slugger Matt Carpenter exited Wednesday night's game against the Nationals in the bottom of the seventh after being hit by a Matt Grace pitch on his right hand. Entering Wednesday, Carpenter led the National League in home runs (33), slugging percentage (.592) and OPS (.981).

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Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr.'s bid for yet another leadoff homer instantly evaporated as Marlins right-hander Jose Urena hit him with a first-pitch fastball, creating a couple of benches-clearing confrontations during the first inning of Wednesday night's game at SunTrust Park.

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Wilson Ramos was activated off the disabled list and will make his Phillies debut on Wednesday, batting sixth against the Red Sox. To make room on the roster for Ramos, catcher Andrew Knapp was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

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Rene Rivera said he was eager to return to the Angels after spending three months on the disabled list with a right knee injury. It didn't take him long to make an impact, as the veteran catcher crushed a tie-breaking home run off Kirby Yates in the ninth inning to lift the Angels to a 3-2 win over the Padres on Wednesday night, completing a three-game sweep at Petco Park. Starter Felix Pena allowed only one unearned run over a season-high-tying six innings and Blake Parker pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his 12th save of the season.

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Jeremy Hellickson left in the fifth inning of Wednesday's game against the Cardinals after he was injured while covering home plate on a wild pitch.

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Dansby Swanson went deep and drove in a game-high three runs as the Braves completed the four-game series sweep. When Marlins starter Jose Urena hit Ronald Acuna Jr. with a first-pitch fastball, the benches cleared twice. Urena and Braves manager Brian Snitker were ejected. Starlin Castro homered off Kevin Gausman, who went six innings.

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Showcasing his elite speed to save one run and add another, Harrison Bader's fingerprints -- or, perhaps more accurately, his footsteps -- were all over the Cardinals' 4-2 win against the Nationals on Wednesday. The victory ran the Cardinals' winning streak to eight games and assured the club a sixth straight series win, the franchise's longest such streak in four years. Bader made an outstanding catch to rob Bryce Harper of a hit, scored a run and also knocked one in.

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If Brandon Nimmo was going to hit for the cycle Wednesday, the opportunity presented itself in his fifth plate appearance, when Sean Gilmartin looped a 78-mph slider into the strike zone. Already 4-for-4 on the night, Nimmo fouled it off, then reached base one pitch later when Gilmartin hit him with a fastball.

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Wilson Ramos did it all in his Phillies debut, finishing the night with two doubles, three runs scored, three RBIs and his first triple since 2011. For good measure, he showed off his arm by nabbing Brock Holt on a steal attempt in the first. Mitch Moreland laced a bases-clearing double off Phillies starter Vince Velasquez in the third to open the scoring. Velasquez walked four and exited after 2 1/3 innings. Nathan Eovaldi enjoyed mixed success over five innings, but Red Sox relievers Drew Pomeranz and Joe Kelly gave up a combined four runs as the Phillies put the game away.

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Washington's 4-2 loss on Wednesday night at Busch Stadium marked its fourth consecutive defeat and fifth in six games on a seven-game road trip that has turned into a mess.

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Marco Estrada delivered 6 2/3 solid innings and Curtis Granderson launched a grand slam in the fourth inning to lift the Blue Jays to a 6-5 victory over the Royals on Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium. Royals catcher Salvador Perez homered twice in the defeat, becoming the fifth Royal in franchise history to deliver four consecutive seasons with at least 20 home runs.

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Granderson launched his 10th career grand slam in the fourth inning on Wednesday to cap a five-run Blue Jays rally against Royals right-hander Jorge Lopez.

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On a long night at Great American Ball Park, Melky Cabrera's two-run shot off Reds lefty Cody Reed in the sixth inning served as the decisive blow in a 4-3 victory for the American League Central-leading Indians. The home run helped Cleveland sweep the three-game Interleague set, win the Ohio Cup against its instate rivals and gave the Tribe 10 wins in their past dozen games. Preston Tucker hit his fifth homer of the season for the Reds, who scored three in the first inning but didn't push a run across afterward despite loading the bases in the ninth.

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Facebook's digital-only live stream will continue today, when the Mets take on the rival Phillies in the first leg of a doubleheader at 4 p.m. ET.

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Gerrit Cole struck out 12, and Evan Gattis and Tyler White each hit two of the Astros' season-high five homers as Houston rolled to a 12-1 win over the Rockies on Wednesday. The lopsided win coupled with the A's loss increased the Astros' lead in the AL West to two games. Tyler Anderson allowed nine runs in 4 1/3 innings for the Rockies, whose four-game winning streak came to an end.

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The Yankees hold a Major League-best 47-6 record when their starter tosses at least six innings, but in place of an injured CC Sabathia, Luis Cessa was unable to provide the team the length it needed for a victory, as New York fell to Tampa Bay, 6-1, on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

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Jose Urena hit a Major League-leading 14 batters last season. Before the Marlins' right-hander threw his first -- and, well, only -- pitch on Wednesday night, he had already hit 10 of the 541 batters he had faced in this 2018 season. So it's statistically conceivable the pitch that hit Ronald Acuna Jr. to open the bottom of the first inning at Sun Trust Park was one that just got away from Urena. An accident. Unless, of course, you actually watched the game.

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Royals catcher Salvador Perez joined elite company in franchise history when he belted his 20th home run of the season on Wednesday against the Blue Jays.

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Here's a roundup of the latest injury news across the Majors.

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Brandon Lowe found himself flirting with Rays infamy -- having gone hitless in his first 19 Major League at-bats -- when he stepped to the plate in the second inning. Instead, the rookie turned the tables and got the party started in the Rays' 6-1 win over the Yankees on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. Lowe laced a pair of RBI singles for his first two hits and RBIs in the Majors, and Mallex Smith went deep as the Rays evened the series with the Yankees, who got a home run from Miguel Andujar but an ineffective start from Luis Cessa.

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Carlos Correa's three-run double in the first inning Wednesday night served as the icebreaker for an Astros team that had been struggling to score runs, and his acrobatic play in the ninth inning led to some smiles and laughs that had been missing in recent days at Minute Maid Park.

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Impressive.

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Two-hit wonder.

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Followed by a short staredown.

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International scouts will get the opportunity to evaluate the stars of the future at club facilities much earlier than in the past and a new rule regarding travel could have a direct impact on Venezuelan prospects.

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Dee Gordon broke a scoreless tie in the 12th inning with a home run -- just his second of the season -- to send the Mariners to a victory over the A's. Both starters were sharp, with Seattle's Mike Leake dealing eight innings and Oakland's Brett Anderson nearly matching him with 7 2/3. Mariners closer Edwin Diaz sealed the win with his MLB-leading 47th save.

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We are now huge fans.

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Ross Stripling's move back to the bullpen will have to wait another week as the right-hander was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday with lower back inflammation.

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Tampa Bay Rays RBI topped Los Angeles Dodgers RBI, 7-5, at the Dunning Sports Complex to cap off a roller coaster of an afternoon in which they had to win two games to earn a spot in Thursday's Championship Game.

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A day after he smashed a pair of home runs in a shutout victory over the Cubs, Ryan Braun departed Wednesday's series finale at Wrigley Field with tightness in his right rib cage.

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Aaron Judge was sent for a second MRI on his injured right wrist this week, receiving a cortisone injection for pain management, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman acknowledged on Wednesday that a three-week estimate for the slugger's return had been overly optimistic.

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Stephen Strasburg threw a simulated game Wednesday afternoon at Busch Stadium, tossing about 70 pitches in a little more than four innings in what he called the "last big test" in his recovery from the pinched nerve in his neck.

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"I was in right field chillin' ... "

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In his first game back in the cleanup spot, Anthony Rizzo got the Cubs going with a two-run home run in the first inning off Brewers starter Junior Guerra. Rizzo finished with three RBIs, as the Cubs took the finale from the Brewers. Jason Heyward had three hits and two RBIs, while David Bote added two hits and two runs. Guerra allowed seven runs (six earned) over 3 2/3 innings, while Kyle Hendricks was charged with four runs over six-plus innings for Chicago, although he earned his third win in his last four starts.

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Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez has been hinting since Spring Training that this season is probably going to be his last. As the regular season winds down, those hints are growing stronger, to the point Martinez stopped just shy of a formal announcement after the Tigers' 6-5 loss to the White Sox on Wednesday at Comerica Park.

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What Todd Frazier remembers most from the Little League World Series are the players he met, the relationships he forged -- and, of course, the ping-pong matches.

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Mariners left-hander James Paxton was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday after being knocked out of Tuesday's start in the first inning with a bruised left forearm, courtesy of a line drive off the bat of the A's Jed Lowrie.

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The news that center fielder Leonys Martin developed a bacterial infection that became life-threatening within the past week was a shock to everyone. It was especially jolting for teammate Yonder Alonso, who considers Martin a close friend.

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All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve took a significant step towards returning from the disabled list when he fielded grounders and took practice on the field at Minute Maid Park prior to Wednesday's game against the Rockies.

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The New England team competing in the Little League World Series is likely hoping Aiden Wilkins can replicate the power he displayed in the first LLWS Virtual Home Run Derby Tournament.

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Good work, Yolmer.

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Hot-hitting Logan Forsythe was big again with three RBIs, including a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth, to lift the Twins to a win over the Pirates on Wednesday afternoon at Target Field. He helped the Twins to an early lead, singling home Miguel Sano in the second off Chris Archer to tie the game before scoring on a bloop RBI single from Bobby Wilson. Archer was charged with four earned runs on six hits over five-plus innings in his third start for the Pirates.

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Shane Bieber still is not sure who specifically was behind the prank. Before a start against the Tigers in June, the Indians' rookie took the mound to warm up and his usual warm-up music was not playing through the Progressive Field sound system. Instead, Bieber was greeted with the song, "Baby," by pop superstar Justin Bieber.

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Jose Abreu homered and drove in three runs and Matt Davidson also went deep as the White Sox claimed the rubber match of a three-game series in Detroit. Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann allowed both homers and all six Chicago runs, while White Sox starter Carlos Rodon lasted eight innings in his seventh straight quality start. Detroit almost overcame a three-run deficit with two runs in the ninth.

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Longtime umpire Joe West worked the 5,164th game of his Major League career on Wednesday afternoon at Target Field, breaking a tie with Bruce Froemming for second most on the all-time list.

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The Cubs acquired speedster Terrance Gore from the Royals for cash considerations on Wednesday.

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Don't make him angry.

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It was no fault of Jimmy Nelson, who attacked rehabilitation with the same intensity he took the mound before shoulder surgery cut short his breakthrough 2017 season.

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Or should be say Bear, Bear, Cub?

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Need an injury replacement or looking for baseball's next hidden gem? Then consider these players now.

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The courtship of Shohei Ohtani captivated Major League Baseball last offseason, as numerous teams' plans remained in suspense until the two-way phenom announced that he would sign with the Angels on Dec. 8.

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What can't he do?

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The Angels, Dodgers, Phillies, Pirates and Rangers are the latest teams to join the Cubs, White Sox, Twins and Nationals as Shred Hate clubs in the effort to prevent bullying. Select schools in club markets will use the No Bully methodology that has remediated more than 90 percent of bullying incidents since Shred Hate's launch in January 2017.

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While the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline rightfully garners the lion's share of attention when it comes to each year's trade season, there have been numerous deals struck during the month of August that have been impactful down the stretch and in subsequent years. Here's a look at the best August trade each team has ever made.

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Age is just a number.

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Check out every lineup every day, as they are made public by the clubs. A lineup is not official until it is handed to the umpire. Additional lineups will be added as they become available.

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For the second consecutive year, Major Leaguers will put their personalities and passions on the field when Players' Weekend takes center stage during all games from Friday, Aug. 24, through Sunday, Aug. 26. Here are the nicknames big leaguers will wear on their backs while sporting colorful, non-traditional uniforms featuring alternate designs inspired by youth-league uniforms:

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Time to start swinging for $5.6 million! It's easy to play: Get a hit, and your streak continues. If not, try again the next day.