D’backs’ Drew, M’s Beltre ride cycles to historic nights

D’backs’ Drew, M’s Beltre ride cycles to historic nights
Hitting for the cycle is becoming so common, people hardly even notice. With Stephen Drew and Adrian Beltre both collecting cycles last night, that makes five already this season.

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Intense preparation fuels success for Quentin
There’s an unwritten rule in major league clubhouses that news reporters should not interrupt a player’s preparation for a game. That’s one reason Chicago White Sox left fielder Carlos Quentin hasn’t gotten the attention his American League-leading 36 home runs might normally warrant.

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Red Sox overcome 4-run deficit to beat Orioles in ninth
AL batting leader Dustin Pedroia homered in the seventh inning to begin Boston’s comeback from a four-run deficit, and the Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 Wednesday when pitcher Jim Miller’s threw away a bunt for a game-ending error.

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Suffering Nationals dream of bright future
The Washington Nationals’ new ballpark is transforming a desolate area less than a mile from the Capitol, but condominiums, restaurants and office buildings are the only things on the rise in the neighborhood.

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Sherpa’s sleepers could be a guide to victory next season
For those in keeper leagues, there’s plenty of time before decisions have to be made, but the process of assembling the best possible roster doesn’t need to wait until pitchers and catchers report next spring.

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Lack of close playoff races may provide a September to forget
Major League Baseball will need another wave of historic comebacks or collapses to even come close to the September drama of a year ago.

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Postseason chase takes precedence
Mat Gamel is one of several players Milwaukee recalled when rosters expanded Monday. He is a top hitting prospect, but the Brewers are likely to continue using their primary starters while they chase a postseason berth.

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Attention to detail keeps baseball’s team officials busy
Every team has its version of Rockies assistant GM Bill Geivett. They’re all crucial extensions of their higher-profile general managers, sharing a multitude of tasks and expertise needed to run a 21st-century Major League Baseball team.

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