ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out 11 over seven innings and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by beating David Price and Boston 3-2 in a game that the Red Sox protested on Wednesday.Confusion reigned in the top of the eighth when a series of defensive changes involving reliever Adam Kolarek prompted Boston manager Alex Cora to protest the game due to the placement of subs into the Rays lineup after the designated hitter was removed.Kolarek replaced Morton and retired pinch-hitter Sam Travis on a pop fly. The left-hander then shifted to first base when Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in reliever Chaz Roe, who got a fly ball from Mookie Betts.After Kolarek then returned to the mound and Nate Lowe entered to play first base, Cora met with the umpires, which prompted around a 15-minute stoppage as the umpires discussed the matter.After the protest was made and the game resumed, Kolarek got a first-pitch grounder from Rafael Devers.An unhappy Cora again talked... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Mike Leake of the Seattle Mariners lost his bid to pitch a perfect game on a leadoff single in the ninth inning by rookie Luis Rengifo, then finished off the Los Angeles Angels for a 10-0 win Friday night.A week after the worst start of his career, Leake almost achieved baseball immortality.The Angels hadn't come close to a hit and Leake hadn't gone to a three-ball count before Rengifo grounded a clean hit to right field on Leake's 79th pitch.The fans gave Leake a standing ovation and he quickly waved to acknowledge their cheers.After a walk, Leake (8-8) retired the next three batters for a one-hitter, striking out Mike Trout on a full-count pitch to end it. Leake fanned six overall and walked one.Leake's second career shutout came exactly a week after he was tagged by the Angels in his previous start, giving up seven runs on eight hits and a walk while getting just two outs. The Angels pitched a combined no-hitter that night in Anaheim while the entire club wore jerseys... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Josh Donaldson's bases-loaded single off Fernando Rodney in the ninth inning lifted the Atlanta Braves over the Washington Nationals 4-3 on Friday night after Luke Jackson allowed a tying, two-run homer to Victor Robles in the top half.Ronald Acuña Jr., who had three hits, led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk off Rodney (0-3) and took second on Dansby Swanson's single. Freddie Freeman walked on four pitches, loading the bases.Nationals manager Dave Martinez brought in left fielder Juan Soto as a fifth infielder, including three on the left side against the right-handed hitting Donaldson.Donaldson hit a 2-0 pitch over Robles to center-field warning track, and the Braves boosted their NL East lead to 6½ games over the second-place Nationals. Atlanta had lost its previous five home games against Washington.YANKEES 8, ROCKIES 2NEW YORK (AP) — Edwin Encarnación hit a go-ahead grand slam, a trio of ex-Rockies beat up on their former team and New York defeated Colorado.Encarnación... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres lined a game-winning single in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees hit two more homers to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-7 Wednesday.Didi Gregorius and DJ LeMahieu connected as the Yankees extended their major league record to 29 straight games with a home run. The AL East leaders overcame two homers and a double by Lourdes Gurriel Jr., plus an early 5-0 deficit, to finish a power-packed 9-1 homestand.Now, they'll head straight from Yankee Stadium to England, where they'll enjoy two days off before playing the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium on Saturday and Sunday in the first major league games in Europe.Zack Britton wasn't so great in giving up Cavan Biggio's RBI single in the ninth that made it 7-all. But Britton (3-1) wound up with the win to close out a three-game sweep.Gregorius got an infield hit off Nick Kingham (3-2) with one out in the ninth, Aaron Hicks walked and Torres followed with his hit.ATHLETICS 2, CARDINALS 0ST. LOUIS (AP) — Beau Taylor... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres lined a game-winning single in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees hit two more homers to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-7 Wednesday.Didi Gregorius and DJ LeMahieu connected as the Yankees extended their major league record to 29 straight games with a home run. The AL East leaders overcame two homers and a double by Lourdes Gurriel Jr., plus an early 5-0 deficit, to finish a power-packed 9-1 homestand.Now, they'll head straight from Yankee Stadium to England, where they'll enjoy two days off before playing the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium on Saturday and Sunday in the first major league games in Europe.Zack Britton wasn't so great in giving up Cavan Biggio's RBI single in the ninth that made it 7-all. But Britton (3-1) wound up with the win to close out a three-game sweep.Gregorius got an infield hit off Nick Kingham (3-2) with one out in the ninth, Aaron Hicks walked and Torres followed with his hit.ATHLETICS 2, CARDINALS 0ST. LOUIS (AP) — Beau Taylor... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres lined a game-winning single in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees hit two more homers to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-7 Wednesday.Didi Gregorius and DJ LeMahieu connected as the Yankees extended their major league record to 29 straight games with a home run. The AL East leaders overcame two homers and a double by Lourdes Gurriel Jr., plus an early 5-0 deficit, to finish a power-packed 9-1 homestand.Now, they'll head straight from Yankee Stadium to England, where they'll enjoy two days off before playing the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium on Saturday and Sunday in the first major league games in Europe.Zack Britton wasn't so great in giving up Cavan Biggio's RBI single in the ninth that made it 7-all. But Britton (3-1) wound up with the win to close out a three-game sweep.Gregorius got an infield hit off Nick Kingham (3-2) with one out in the ninth, Aaron Hicks walked and Torres followed with his hit.INDIANS 5, ROYALS 3CLEVELAND (AP) — Trevor Bauer... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a three-run homer to help chase Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell in the first inning, CC Sabathia got his 250th career win and the New York Yankees thumped the Tampa Bay Rays 12-1 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.Gleyber Torres added a grand slam during a six-run seventh inning, and New York three-hit Tampa Bay to win its fifth in a row and extend its lead the AL East over the second-place Rays to 3½ games. Tampa Bay was swept for the second time this season — the other came against Boston in April.Snell (4-6) walked four, gave up two hits and was charged with six runs while getting one out on 39 pitches in the shortest start of his career.Sabathia (4-4) pitched one-run ball over six innings. He struck out seven and allowed three hits and three walks.ANGELS 11, BLUE JAYS 6TORONTO (AP) — Mike Trout hit two home runs, including his sixth career grand slam, and had a career-best seven RBIs as Los Angeles beat Toronto.Justin Upton also homered for the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a three-run homer to help chase Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell in the first inning, CC Sabathia got his 250th career win and the New York Yankees thumped the Tampa Bay Rays 12-1 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.Gleyber Torres added a grand slam during a six-run seventh inning, and New York three-hit Tampa Bay to win its fifth in a row and extend its lead the AL East over the second-place Rays to 3½ games. Tampa Bay was swept for the second time this season — the other came against Boston in April.Snell (4-6) walked four, gave up two hits and was charged with six runs while getting one out on 39 pitches in the shortest start of his career.Sabathia (4-4) pitched one-run ball over six innings. He struck out seven and allowed three hits and three walks.ANGELS 11, BLUE JAYS 6TORONTO (AP) — Mike Trout hit two home runs, including his sixth career grand slam, and had a career-best seven RBIs as Los Angeles beat Toronto.Justin Upton also homered for the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a three-run homer to help chase Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell in the first inning, CC Sabathia got his 250th career win and the New York Yankees thumped the Tampa Bay Rays 12-1 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.Gleyber Torres added a grand slam during a six-run seventh inning, and New York three-hit Tampa Bay to win its fifth in a row and extend its lead the AL East over the second-place Rays to 3½ games. Tampa Bay was swept for the second time this season — the other came against Boston in April.Snell (4-6) walked four, gave up two hits and was charged with six runs while getting one out on 39 pitches in the shortest start of his career.Sabathia (4-4) pitched one-run ball over six innings. He struck out seven and allowed three hits and three walks.PADRES 8, BREWERS 7SAN DIEGO (AP) — Franmil Reyes hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh and Eric Hosmer added a two-run shot for San Diego, which overcame three homers by Milwaukee to sweep... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a three-run homer to help chase Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell in the first inning, CC Sabathia got his 250th career win and the New York Yankees thumped the Tampa Bay Rays 12-1 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.Gleyber Torres added a grand slam during a six-run seventh inning, and New York three-hit Tampa Bay to win its fifth in a row and extend its lead the AL East over the second-place Rays to 3½ games. Tampa Bay was swept for the second time this season — the other came against Boston in April.Snell (4-6) walked four, gave up two hits and was charged with six runs while getting one out on 39 pitches in the shortest start of his career.Sabathia (4-4) pitched one-run ball over six innings. He struck out seven and allowed three hits and three walks.PADRES 8, BREWERS 7SAN DIEGO (AP) — Franmil Reyes hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh and Eric Hosmer added a two-run shot for San Diego, which overcame three homers by Milwaukee to sweep... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:CRUZ CONTROLTwins slugger Nelson Cruz has homered in four straight games, his streak coming soon after his return from a strained wrist that put him on the injured list for more than three weeks.The 38-year-old Cruz is batting .279 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs, helping Minnesota post the best record in the American League. He now faces Seattle in the series opener at Target Field.TWO STOPSThe Subway Series gets underway with a day-night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.After a rainout Monday in the Bronx, the Mets flip-flopped their pitchers. Zack Wheeler (5-3) will start the opener for them against Masahiro Tanaka (3-5) in the first of four matchups this season between the crosstown rivals. Jason Vargas (2-3) goes in the nightcap versus fellow left-hander James Paxton (3-2) and the Yankees.TAKE A SEATBraves third baseman Josh Donaldson and Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove can expect a little time off after their bench-clearing confrontation.... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:CRUZ CONTROLTwins slugger Nelson Cruz has homered in four straight games, his streak coming soon after his return from a strained wrist that put him on the injured list for more than three weeks.The 38-year-old Cruz is batting .279 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs, helping Minnesota post the best record in the American League. He now faces Seattle in the series opener at Target Field.TWO STOPSThe Subway Series gets underway with a day-night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.After a rainout Monday in the Bronx, the Mets flip-flopped their pitchers. Zack Wheeler (5-3) will start the opener for them against Masahiro Tanaka (3-5) in the first of four matchups this season between the crosstown rivals. Jason Vargas (2-3) goes in the nightcap versus fellow left-hander James Paxton (3-2) and the Yankees.TAKE A SEATBraves third baseman Josh Donaldson and Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove can expect a little time off after their bench-clearing confrontation.... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:CRUZ CONTROLTwins slugger Nelson Cruz has homered in four straight games, his streak coming soon after his return from a strained wrist that put him on the injured list for more than three weeks.The 38-year-old Cruz is batting .279 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs, helping Minnesota post the best record in the American League. He now faces Seattle in the series opener at Target Field.TWO STOPSThe Subway Series gets underway with a day-night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.After a rainout Monday in the Bronx, the Mets flip-flopped their pitchers. Zack Wheeler (5-3) will start the opener for them against Masahiro Tanaka (3-5) in the first of four matchups this season between the crosstown rivals. Jason Vargas (2-3) goes in the nightcap versus fellow left-hander James Paxton (3-2) and the Yankees.TAKE A SEATBraves third baseman Josh Donaldson and Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove can expect a little time off after their bench-clearing confrontation.... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Eugenio Suárez hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning off Cubs reliever Steve Cishek, rallying the Cincinnati Reds past Chicago 6-5 on Friday.Joey Votto drew a leadoff walk from Cishek (1-2) and Suárez hit the next pitch for his 14th home run.Yasiel Puig hit a two-run homer and an RBI single for the Reds after missing two games with a sprained right shoulder.Anthony Rizzo homered for the third straight game, and Kyle Schwarber and Kris Bryant also went deep for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who have lost three of four to the last-place Reds this season.Pinch-hitter Willson Contreras singled home Rizzo in the eighth to put Chicago ahead 5-4. Jesse Winker's double off Brad Brach in the Reds seventh tied it at 4.David Hernandez (1-2) got one out and the win. Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th in 13 chances.PADRES 6, BLUE JAYS 3TORONTO (AP) — Hunter Renfroe hit a tiebreaking, three-run home run in the eighth inning, Greg Garcia and Austin Hedges also went deep,... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Eugenio Suárez hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning off Cubs reliever Steve Cishek, rallying the Cincinnati Reds past Chicago 6-5 on Friday.Joey Votto drew a leadoff walk from Cishek (1-2) and Suárez hit the next pitch for his 14th home run.Yasiel Puig hit a two-run homer and an RBI single for the Reds after missing two games with a sprained right shoulder.Anthony Rizzo homered for the third straight game, and Kyle Schwarber and Kris Bryant also went deep for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who have lost three of four to the last-place Reds this season.Pinch-hitter Willson Contreras singled home Rizzo in the eighth to put Chicago ahead 5-4. Jesse Winker's double off Brad Brach in the Reds seventh tied it at 4.David Hernandez (1-2) got one out and the win. Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th in 13 chances.PADRES 6, BLUE JAYS 3TORONTO (AP) — Hunter Renfroe hit a tiebreaking, three-run home run in the eighth inning, Greg Garcia and Austin Hedges also went deep,... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Willson Contreras homered in the 15th inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.Contreras turned on a 1-2 pitch from Burch Smith (0-1), sending a long shot to left field that gave Chicago its 11th win in 13 games. He spun and flipped his bat toward the Cubs' dugout as the ball sailed toward the bleachers and was mobbed by teammates when he crossed the plate.Chicago moved back ahead of the Brewers for the NL Central lead after falling into a virtual tie with Friday's 7-0 loss. Milwaukee had its season-high seven-game win streak snapped.Tyler Chatwood (2-0) struck out seven in four innings to cap a strong effort by the bullpen after Cole Hamels worked seven solid innings.Hamels gave up a run and three hits in his fourth straight no-decision. Seven relievers combined to give up one hit the rest of the way.RAYS 7, YANKEES 2ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Willy Adames and Ji-Man Choi hit run-scoring infield singles in the sixth after tempers... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell took a perfect game into the sixth inning and Tommy Pham hit his first career grand slam, leading the Tampa Bay Rays over the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-1 on Monday night.Snell (3-3) rebounded from allowing a career-high seven runs over three innings of an 8-2 loss at Kansas City last week to hold the Diamondbacks without a hit until Ildemaro Vargas singled with two outs in the sixth. Snell got out of the inning and finished with nine strikeouts in an 83-pitch outing.Chaz Roe relieved to start the seventh and Casey Sadler allowed an unearned run in the ninth to finish a two-hitter before 8,124, the lowest at Tropicana Field since September 2017.Pham's grand slam off Merrill Kelly (3-3) finished a five-run second inning that put the AL East leaders up 6-0.PADRES 4, METS 0SAN DIEGO (AP) — Pumped-up rookie Chris Paddack struck out a career-high 11 to outduel NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, and Hunter Renfroe homered... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — CC Sabathia became the 17th player in major league history and third left-hander to reach 3,000 career strikeouts, but was outpitched by Arizona ace Zack Greinke in the Diamondbacks' 3-1 win over the New York Yankees Tuesday night.Sabathia (1-1) arrived in the desert needing three strikeouts to hit 3,000 and got them all in the third inning.The milestone whiff came when he got John Ryan Murphy swinging, sending the Yankees pouring out of the dugout.Sabathia became the first pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts since Atlanta's John Smoltz in 2008, and joined Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton as the only lefties to do it.Wilmer Flores hit a solo homer and a run-scoring single off Sabathia. He allowed two runs and five hits, and struck out five before being lifted with two on and one out in the sixth inning.Greinke (5-1) won his fifth straight game. He allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings.BREWERS 4, ROCKIES 3MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jesus Aguilar homered again and Milwaukee broke through late... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — CC Sabathia became the 17th player in major league history and third left-hander to reach 3,000 career strikeouts, but was outpitched by Arizona ace Zack Greinke in the Diamondbacks' 3-1 win over the New York Yankees Tuesday night.Sabathia (1-1) arrived in the desert needing three strikeouts to hit 3,000 and got them all in the third inning.The milestone whiff came when he got John Ryan Murphy swinging, sending the Yankees pouring out of the dugout.Sabathia became the first pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts since Atlanta's John Smoltz in 2008, and joined Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton as the only lefties to do it.Wilmer Flores hit a solo homer and a run-scoring single off Sabathia. He allowed two runs and five hits, and struck out five before being lifted with two on and one out in the sixth inning.Greinke (5-1) won his fifth straight game. He allowed one run on five hits in 7 2/3 innings.BREWERS 4, ROCKIES 3MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jesus Aguilar homered again and Milwaukee, held... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jesus Aguilar homered again and the Milwaukee Brewers, held without a runner for five innings, broke through late and beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Tuesday night.Jhoulys Chacin pitched six scoreless innings for the Brewers. Milwaukee has won 12 of its last 14 against Colorado, including a sweep in last season's NL Division Series.The Brewers again played without NL MVP Christian Yelich, who sat out with lower back soreness for the second straight game.German Marquez (3-2) took a perfect game into the sixth before surrendering a leadoff double to Ben Gamel that hit left fielder Raimel Tapia's glove. Gamel later scored.Chacin (3-3) allowed just two hits over six innings.Josh Hader got two outs for his seventh save in as many tries despite giving up a two-out, two-run homer to Ian Desmond in the ninth.ASTROS 11, TWINS 0MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gerrit Cole allowed one hit in seven innings, and Houston backed him with three homers.Cole (2-4) gave up his only hit in the sixth inning... [More]