In the playoff mix for a second straight year, the Baltimore Orioles made the biggest move on a quiet trade-deadline day, acquiring Bud Norris to keep pace with the Boston Red Sox. Hoping to catch the NL West-leading Dodgers, the Arizona Diamondbacks filled a hole in their bullpen Wednesday by sending struggling 20-game winner Ian Kennedy to San Diego for lefty reliever Joe Thatcher. Boston put the pressure on Baltimore by picking up 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy from the Chicago White Sox less than 24 hours earlier in a three-team trade. The deal was finalized quickly in part because the Detroit Tigers were eager to protect themselves in case shortstop Jhonny Peralta is suspended for his involvement in the Biogenesis performance-enhancing drugs scandal. "The frank reality is that I do not know what is going to happen with Jhonny, but with this move, we now feel well protected if there is a long suspension," Tigers general manager David Dombrowski said. With all eyes on the Yankees because of Alex Rodriguezs likely suspension by Major League Baseball for his role in the wide-ranging drug case, New York never could work out a deal with the Phillies for corner infielder Michael Young, who is staying -- for now -- with Philadelphia. San Francisco also held onto left-hander Javier Lopez and the Los Angeles Angels kept second baseman Howie Kendrick after sending Alberto Callaspo to Oakland late Monday. Other than a few other minor swaps Wednesday, baseballs executives did much of their work in the weeks leading up to the 4 p.m. EDT non-waiver trade cutoff. "In general I just think everybody was dealing with a relative level of frustration knowing that the strength wasnt there, the bona fide help, per se, across the board was going to be very tough to fulfill their needs," Giants general manager Brian Sabean said after the deadline passed. The busy Cubs sent Alfonso Soriano to the Yankees, Matt Garza to Texas, Scott Feldman to Baltimore and Carlos Marmol to the Dodgers. Francisco Rodriguez, Marc Rzepczynski, Callaspo, Scott Downs and Jesse Crain also switched teams this month. The NL Central-leading Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and the struggling World Series champion Giants were among several teams that chose to stand pat Wednesday in a tepid market. In the midst of a revival that has an entire city brimming with Bucs fever, Pirates general manager Neal Huntington reluctantly held back from making any deals. "We talk a lot about, we dont want to do something stupid," Huntington said. "We were willing to do something stupid, we just didnt want to do anything insane." Teams can make trades for the rest of the season, but it gets riskier. Players must first pass through waivers, meaning they can be claimed by another club before a deal takes place. For a player to be eligible for the postseason with his new team, swaps must be completed before Aug. 31. On Wednesday, Houston also sent outfielder Justin Maxwell to Kansas City and the Dodgers picked up backup catcher Drew Butera from Minnesota and sent him to the minors. Also, Seattle traded minor league infielder Robert Andino to the Pirates for a player to be named or cash. The young Astros, with the worst record in baseball at 35-70, dealt reliever Jose Veras -- to Detroit on Monday. Norris only had to walk down the hall to join his new team with Houston in Baltimore. Outfielder L.J. Hoes, one of two prospects sent to Houston, was initially in the Orioles lineup but ended up getting the start for the Astros. Class-A left-hander Josh Hader was the other player in the deal. A 28-year-old right-hander, Norris helps fortify a rotation that will be without injured Jason Hammel for at least the next two weeks. In his fifth big league season, Norris is 6-9 with a 3.93 ERA in 21 starts this year. He has a lifetime record of 34-46 and is under team control through 2015. "Im excited for the future," Norris said. "I pitched my way into this situation to be traded and help out a team. This (Baltimore) team is a young club, they know how to contend. They had an amazing year last year. I just want to be any piece of the puzzle I can to help this team keep pushing to the World Series." Baltimore began Wednesday five games back of Boston in the AL East and in the second wild-card position. The Diamondbacks have fallen 3 1/2 games behind the surging Dodgers and needed lefty relief help. Thatcher is 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA in 50 games this season. He has limited left-handed batters to a .215 average. "Its exciting to get traded. Its a big deal. It brings excitement to be in a pennant race," Thatcher said. "That is all you ask for, is to win. Im looking forward to getting over there and helping out and doing whatever they need from me." The Diamondbacks also got 23-year-old right-hander Matt Stites, who is 2-2 with a 2.08 ERA and 14 saves in 46 games with Double-A San Antonio. Kennedy, 21-4 two seasons ago, is 3-8 with a 5.23 ERA in 21 starts and hasnt won a game in two months. Hes expected to start Sunday at Petco Park against the New York Yankees, the team that took him in the first round of the June 2006 draft. Cheap Jordan 5 Wholesale . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. Wholesale Air Jordan 5 . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. http://www.wholesaleairjordan5.com/ .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. Cheap Air Jordan 5 For Sale .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. Retro Jordan 5 Cheap . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. CHICAGO -- Kris Bryant came to the plate in the eighth inning a triple shy of the cycle. The Cubs slugger was trying for a little more.My last at-bat I was thinking home run, Bryant said. There arent too many games you can hit three home runs.Bryant settled for an RBI single to cap a 5 for 5 day with two homers, a double and five RBI. He helped Chicago overcome a career-high seven walks by Jake Arrieta to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-6 Thursday for a four-game sweep.I dont feel like this too often, Bryant said, This was just one of those days when I was really locked in.Bryant tied Colorados Nolan Arenado for the NL lead with 30 home runs.And as the Cubs won for the 18th time in 21 games and improved the best record in the majors to 77-43, the only controversy in their jovial clubhouse is whether Bryant or teammate Anthony Rizzo is the better NL MVP candidate.Two days after a circus catch of a foul ball, Rizzo doubled twice off Zach Davies (9-6). Rizzo has driven in 86 runs and Bryant 78.(Rizzo) always jokes around me saying when Miguel Cabrera won the Triple Crown, Prince Fielder was hitting behind him, Bryant said. So he always tells me Im his Prince. I cant say enough about having him behind me.Chicagos ace welcomed Bryants big day with the wind blowing out. The Cubs led 5-0 when Arrieta (15-5) issued a pair of two-out walks in the fourth. Kirk Nieuwenhuis followed with a three-run homer.Hernan Perez hit a solo homer in the sixth off Arrieta, who allowed four runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings.Aroldis Chapman worked the ninth for his seventh save with the Cubs.I put myself in a tough situation, Arrieta said. The first three (innings) were good. It kind of got away from me there, but we had a big day out of the offense.Bryant singled and scored in the first, hit a two-run homer in the third and had an RBI double in the fourth off Davies. Bryant hit a solo homer off Blaine Boyer in the sixth and added an RBI single in the eighth off Corey Knebel for his second career five-hit game.Bryant, who hit 26 homers while winning the NL Rookie of the Year in 2015, had his third multihomer game of the season.ddddddddddddDavies allowed a season-high seven earned runs and 10 hits in four innings.The Brewers got left fielder Ryan Braun back after he banged up his left knee and ankle chasing a foul ball Tuesday. But Braun went 0 for 5 and couldnt come up with Addison Russells fly that drifted to the wall and was ruled a single in Chicagos three-run third.Milwaukee was outscored 23-8 in the series and fell to 0-6 at Wrigley Field, while Bryant helped the Cubs move 34 games over .500 for the first time since Sept. 2008.Hes one of the best hitters in the game. He can hit any pitch, any mistake, Davies said. Youve got to be extremely focused on every pitch when he does to bat.TRAINERS ROOMBrewers: RHP Chase Anderson (quadriceps) was scheduled to play catch, two days after leaving in the first inning when he was hit by a line drive. If hes healthy, well be able to use Chase out of the bullpen for a couple days this weekend and hell start at some point next week, manager Craig Counsell said.Cubs: Manager Joe Maddon said theyll decide in the next couple of days if RHP John Lackey (shoulder) will make his next scheduled start Tuesday.CONTRERAS MOVES UPWillson Contreras caught Arrieta for the first time. The 24-year-old rookie has moved ahead of struggling veteran Miguel Montero.Contreras hit an RBI double in the third and picked off Ramon Flores at first in the fifth. He also had two passed balls.CUBS TORMENTEROf Nieuwenhuis 11 homers, five have come against the Cubs. The center fielder also doubled and scored in the eighth.UP NEXTBrewers: LHP Brent Suter will be recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs and make his major league debut Friday night at Seattle against LHP Wade LeBlanc (2-0, 4.68 ERA).Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (11-7, 2.19) starts Friday night at Colorado to begin a nine-game trip against the Rockies and LHP Tyler Anderson (4-4, 3.42). Chicago plays 18 of its next 25 on the road. ' ' '