WASHINGTON (AP) — Bryce Harper homered twice against his former team as the designated hitter, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 12-3 to help eliminate the 2019 World Series champions from playoff contention. The Nationals had their season-best four-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 23-33. San Francisco’s victory over Colorado later Wednesday ruled out a postseason return for the Nationals. Harper connected off Erick Fedde twice for solo shots to reach 13 homers for the year. Andrew McCutchen, Didi Gregorius and Andrew Knapp also homered for Philadelphia. Zach Eflin allowed three runs in eight-plus innings for the win.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Adam Frazier and Ke’Bryan Hayes led off the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back homers off Kyle Hendricks, giving the Pittsburgh Pirates all the offense they’d need to slip by the playoff-bound Chicago Cubs 2-1. Frazier turned on the fourth pitch he saw from Hendricks and sent it to the railing atop the seats in right field. Hayes continued his impressive rookie season when he followed with his fourth of the season, a lined shot to right-center field. Anthony Rizzo hit his 11th of the season for the Cubs, who have dropped four of five.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers are once again having their way with opposing quarterbacks. The Steelers have 10 sacks through the first two games of the season, putting them in the mix to lead the NFL in sacks for a fourth straight year. Pittsburgh isn’t just relying on a handful of players to generate pressure. The entire defense is getting in on the act. Safety Terrell Edmunds picked up the second sack of his career late in a victory over Denver. Edmunds says having so many options only makes the Steelers more difficult to play against. 

CINCINNATI (AP) — Andre Blake had the only save of the match and the Philadelphia Union stretched their unbeaten streak to four with a scoreless draw with FC Cincinnati on Wednesday night. FC Cincinnati  has had four straight 0-0 games at Nippert Stadium. Blake stopped Joseph-Claude Gyau’s left-footed shot in the 92nd minute. FC Cincinnati nearly scored in the 89th minute when Kendall Waston headed across goal, but Philadelphia midfielder Jose Martinez cleared it. Philadelphia also had chances late. In the 66th minute, Ilsinho drew goalkeeper Spencer Richey near the 6-yard box, but Ilsinho’s attempt was wide. Sergio Santos came close in the 78th when his left-footed shot skimmed off the back post and out for a goal kick.

UNDATED (AP) — Defense seems to have the early edge in the Atlantic Coast Conference after the start of this pandemic-affected college football season. There are 11 ACC teams among the top 40 in defense nationally. That’s despite cancelations and postponements due to COVID-19 that have cost teams games and defensive standouts. Still, the ACC is off to a quick start in getting after offenses with No. 21 Pitt leading the way. The stingy Panthers are giving up 154 yards and five points a game. But even Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi won’t crow too much, knowing only two Power Five leagues have played right now. 

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball is making the independent Atlantic League its first “partner league,” a distinction awarded as the expiration nears of MLB’s agreement with the affiliated National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. MLB will meet regularly with the Atlantic League to discuss joint marketing and promotional opportunities. The sides extended their agreement through 2023 to stage experiments in the Atlantic League, which tested an automated ball-strike system to call pitches in 2019 and has used other innovations such as limits on defensive shifts and mound visits, larger bases and shorter breaks between half-innings.