The schedule isn't full on Thursday, but there are still 12 games, many with major implications in the playoff races -- considering more than two-thirds of the league can reasonably be considered within striking distance of contention. Let's dive in.

Thursday's scores

Reds 10, Padres 3 (box score)
Pirates 7, Tigers 5 (box score)
Nationals 3, Marlins 2 (box score)
Mets 10, Phillies 0 (box score)
Blue Jays 4, Yankees 0 (box score)
Rays 4, Indians 1 (box score)
Cardinals 8, Royals 6 (box score)
Twins 7, Brewers 2 (box score)
White Sox 3, Astros 2 in 11 innings (box score)
Dodgers 8, Diamondbacks 6 (box score)
Orioles 7, Athletics 2 (box score)
Angels 6, Mariners 3 (box score)

Fowler's grand slam gives Cardinals sixth straight win

The NL Central is getting mighty interesting. The Cardinals won their sixth straight game Thursday night and are now only one game behind the first-place Cubs. Dexter Fowler provided the big blow with his go-ahead grand slam. Look at this blast:

That was a very aesthetically pleasing home run. Fowler sure does have a flair for the dramatic. We saw it with the Cubs the last two years and we saw it again Thursday night.

The Cardinals are now 59-56, and during this six-game winning streak, they've gone from 4 1/2 games back in the division to one game back. They made up a lot of ground in a hurry.

Yankees still struggling at the plate

For the sixth time in their last nine games, the Yankees failed scored more than two runs Thursday night. They failed to score any runs, in fact. The Yankees were shut out by the Blue Jays to fall 4 1/2 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East.

The most telling stat from Thursday's game: 0 for 9. The Yankees went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and, amazingly eight of their nine starting position players had an at-bat in those situations. Todd Frazier was the only exception. The other eight starters all had at least one at-bat with runners in scoring position.

The Yankees host the Red Sox for three games this weekend. If the Yankees don't turn things around quick, they're going to find themselves buried in the standings.

Martinez goes deep again

Has there been a more impactful trade deadline pickup than J.D. Martinez so far? Martinez clubbed his seventh home run in 18 games with the D-Backs on Thursday. He hit it off another trade deadline pickup: Yu Darvish.

Here's the video:

Between the Tigers and D-Backs, Martinez has hit 23 home runs in only 75 games this season. He's averaging 38 home runs per 162 games played since the start of the 2017 season, though he is comfortably ahead of that pace this year. Too bad a foot injury robbed him of so much time earlier this season.

Moncada wins it for White Sox

Yoan Moncada's first few weeks with the White Sox have not gone particularly well -- he came into Thursday's game hitting .196 in 18 games -- but he smacked a dramatic home run Thursday night. His homer against Astros closer Ken Giles in the ninth tied the game, then his RBI single in the 11th off Francis Martes ended it. 

Here's Moncada homer:

Look at that kid's bat speed. Moncada turned around a 99 mph fastball and drove it to the opposite field like it was nothing. He is a special, special talent.

DeGrom avoids serious injury

There was a scary moment at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday as Mets ace Jacob deGrom took a line drive off his pitching arm. He left the game immediately. Here's the video:

Man, that looked awfully close to deGrom's elbow. Fortunately, it got him in the triceps, and he escaped with nothing but a bruise:

That's going to feel sore in the morning.

DeGrom, by the way, tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings Thursday. He allowed three singles and a double, and struck out nine. DeGrom is now 13-5 with a 3.21 ERA and 179 strikeouts in 151 1/3 innings in 2017. He's very quietly built a nice Cy Young case. 

Stanton crushes another home run

Giancarlo Stanton is on some kind of hot streak right now. He crushed his MLB leading 39th home run Thursday night -- no one else has more than 35 -- and it was his sixth homer in his last six games. He's hit 18 homers in his last 30 games.

Here's the video of Stanton's latest blast:

With 39 homers, Stanton is now three short of Gary Sheffield's single-season Marlins record of 42 set back in 1995.

Reds get home run crazy

The Reds went into the seventh inning trailing the Padres, 3-2. With one out, Jesse Winker drew a walk, Zack Cozart was hit by a pitch and Joey Votto walked to load the bases. Then the power. First up, a game-altering grand slam from Scooter Gennett: 

Remember, Gennett was born in Cincinnati and grew up a Reds fan. His dream season continues, as he's hitting .294/.342/.545 with 19 homers and 64 RBI (both career highs already). 

Back to Thursday, though, as the Reds weren't close to being done. Eugenio Suarez homered in the seventh while Zack Cozart hit a three-run job, and Joey Votto went back-to-back with him. 

Put it all together and we get the Reds hitting four homers and scoring eight runs In the seventh and eight innings alone. 

Cole continues strong run

Pirates starter Gerrit Cole is in a nice little groove here, which has coincided with his team leaping up into contention in the NL Central. Cole worked eight innings against the Tigers on Thursday, allowing three runs and striking out seven against only one walk. 

Since the beginning of July, Cole has made seven starts. He's now 4-1 (the Pirates are 6-1) with a 2.74 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 46 innings. Prior to this stretch, Cole was 6-7 with a 4.51 ERA. 

Meantime, the Pirates have won six of their last eight and sit within just three games of the Cubs for first in the crowded NL Central. 

Quick hits

  • Who are the front-runners for Manager of the Year? Here are the National League and American League breakdowns.
  • With Jay Bruce traded and off the roster, the Mets have called up top prospect Dominic Smith. Smith is widely regarded as the best first base prospect in the minors.
  • Mariners lefty James Paxton left Thursday's start with what the team is calling a pectoral strain. There is no timetable for his return yet.
  • Aaron Hicks has been activated from the disabled list by the Yankees, with fellow outfielder Clint Frazier going on the DL with an oblique injury. 
  • The Royals have placed starting pitcher Trevor Cahill on the DL, recalling right-hander Kevin McCarthy from Triple-A as a corresponding move.