HOUSTON (AP) — George Springer dashed home from second base on a wild pitch by Chris Sale, then homered off the Boston ace to send the Houston Astros over the Red Sox 7-3 Friday night in a matchup of AL division leaders.Carlos Correa and Evan Gattis homered late to boost the Astros.Mitch Moreland and J.D. Martinez hit back-to-back homers off Gerrit Cole (6-1) to start the fourth inning and get within 4-3. Martinez hit his major league-leading 19th homer.Springer's sprint put the Astros ahead in the first inning. With runners at first and second and one out, Sale (5-3) threw a hard slider that caught Correa swinging for strike three. But the ball bounced off catcher Sandy Leon's glove and caromed toward the first base dugout, and Springer hustled home on the wild pitch.Cole won his fourth straight decision, giving up three runs and five hits in seven innings. He struck out seven, raising his AL-leading total to 116.ATHLETICS 16, ROYALS 0KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Matt Olson hit two homers and... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander tamed the Yankees again, slowing down the highest-scoring team in the majors and pitching the Houston Astros past New York 5-1 Monday.Verlander exited in the seventh inning with a major league-best 1.11 ERA. J.D. Davis hit an early three-run homer and Jose Altuve had a solo drive, helping Houston win for the sixth time in eight games.Davis hit his first homer of the season, connecting in the second off Domingo German (0-3).Closer Ken Giles, tagged Sunday as the Astros blew a five-run lead in the ninth at Cleveland, pitched the final inning and worked around a leadoff single.Facing the only club in baseball that hasn't been shut out this season, Verlander (7-2) blanked the Yankees until Greg Bird hit a leadoff home run in the seventh.As he left, Verlander took off his cap and waved it toward a solid contingent of Astros fans wearing bright orange behind the dugout.NATIONALS 6, ORIOLES 0BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Rendon hit a three-run homer to back a sharp... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Verlander tamed the Yankees again, slowing down the highest-scoring team in the majors and pitching the Houston Astros past New York 5-1 Monday.Verlander exited in the seventh inning with a major league-best 1.11 ERA. J.D. Davis hit an early three-run homer and Jose Altuve had a solo drive, helping Houston win for the sixth time in eight games.Davis hit his first homer of the season, connecting in the second off Domingo German (0-3).Closer Ken Giles, tagged Sunday as the Astros blew a five-run lead in the ninth at Cleveland, pitched the final inning and worked around a leadoff single.Facing the only club in baseball that hasn't been shut out this season, Verlander (7-2) blanked the Yankees until Greg Bird hit a leadoff home run in the seventh.As he left, Verlander took off his cap and waved it toward a solid contingent of Astros fans wearing bright orange behind the dugout.NATIONALS 6, ORIOLES 0BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Rendon hit a three-run homer to back a sharp... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani struck out nine while throwing 7 2/3 innings of excellent six-hit ball in his seventh career start, and the Los Angeles Angels snapped their five-game skid with a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.Martin Maldonado homered and drove in two runs, and Zack Cozart drove in two more runs on sacrifice flies as the Angels wrapped up a disappointing 11-game homestand with only four victories — including both games started by Ohtani (4-1).Los Angeles' rookie two-way sensation had another strong outing in the longest start of his stateside career. Ohtani retired 12 straight Rays after yielding rookie Johnny Field's homer leading off the third. Blake Parker pitched the ninth for his second save.While Ohtani threw 110 pitches, reliever Sergio Romo started for Tampa Bay for the second consecutive day. He faced the Angels' first six batters and got four outs while becoming the first pitcher in 38 years to last at least one inning in back-to-back starts.... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani struck out nine while throwing 7 2/3 innings of excellent six-hit ball in his seventh career start, and the Los Angeles Angels snapped their five-game skid with a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.Martin Maldonado homered and drove in two runs, and Zack Cozart drove in two more runs on sacrifice flies as the Angels wrapped up a disappointing 11-game homestand with only four victories — including both games started by Ohtani (4-1).Los Angeles' rookie two-way sensation had another strong outing in the longest start of his stateside career. Ohtani retired 12 straight Rays after yielding rookie Johnny Field's homer leading off the third. Blake Parker pitched the ninth for his second save.While Ohtani threw 110 pitches, reliever Sergio Romo started for Tampa Bay for the second consecutive day. He faced the Angels' first six batters and got four outs while becoming the first pitcher in 38 years to last at least one inning in back-to-back starts.... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out a career-high 14 in seven innings and Evan Gattis, Brian McCann and Carlos Correa homered, leading the Houston Astros to a 6-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.Morton (5-0) yielded four hits and a run while lowering his ERA to 2.03. He also extended his career-long winning streak to eight games dating to last season.McCann made it 2-1 Astros with a solo drive in the fourth. Gattis added another solo shot in the fifth, and Correa's two-run homer extended Houston's lead to 5-1 in the eighth.Texas starter Doug Fister (1-4) allowed four hits and three runs in 6 1/3 innings for his fourth straight loss.YANKEES 7, ATHLETICS 6, 11 INNINGSNEW YORK (AP) — Left fielder Brett Gardner threw out Matt Olson at the plate with the help of a replay reversal, and the Yankees beat the Athletics on Neil Walker's run-scoring single in the 11th inning.Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman walked three straight batters around a wild pitch starting the ninth. After... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Charlie Morton struck out a career-high 14 in seven innings and Evan Gattis, Brian McCann and Carlos Correa homered, leading the Houston Astros to a 6-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.Morton (5-0) yielded four hits and a run while lowering his ERA to 2.03. He also extended his career-long winning streak to eight games dating to last season.McCann made it 2-1 Astros with a solo drive in the fourth. Gattis added another solo shot in the fifth, and Correa's two-run homer extended Houston's lead to 5-1 in the eighth.Texas starter Doug Fister (1-4) allowed four hits and three runs in 6 1/3 innings for his fourth straight loss.YANKEES 7, ATHLETICS 6, 11 INNINGSNEW YORK (AP) — Left fielder Brett Gardner threw out Matt Olson at the plate with the help of a replay reversal, and the Yankees beat the Athletics on Neil Walker's run-scoring single in the 11th inning.Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman walked three straight batters around a wild pitch starting the ninth. After... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Luke Maile hit two home runs, including a two-run shot in the 12th inning that gave the Toronto Blue Jays a 5-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.Maile's drive off Boston's Brian Johnson (1-2) improved the Blue Jays to 5-0 in extra innings after they overcame an impressive outing by Red Sox starter Chris Sale.Curtis Granderson walked to begin the 12th before Maile went deep to right. Maile also hit a game-tying homer off Sale in the seventh. It was the first multihomer game of his career.Sale matched his career high by striking out 15 over a season-high nine innings.Sam Gaviglio (1-0), recalled from Triple-A Buffalo earlier Friday, pitched three innings for the win in his Blue Jays debut.METS 3, PHILLIES 1PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Michael Conforto hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning off Philadelphia closer Hector Neris for New York's second win in 10 games.Phillies starter Jake Arrieta allowed five hits over 7 1/3 scoreless innings, and they led 1-0 until Neris... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres became the youngest Yankees player to hit a walkoff homer, a three-run shot in the ninth inning that gave New York a 7-4 win over the Cleveland Indians on Sunday for its 15th victory in 16 games.At 21 years and 144 days, bettered Mickey Mantle, who was 21 years and 185 days when he hit three-run, ninth-inning drive of Boston's Ellis Kinder in a 6-3 win on April 23, 1953.Aaron Hicks and Neil Walker, who began the day batting .182, opened the ninth with consecutive doubles to tie it, chasing Allen (2-1). One out later, pinch-hitter Giancarlo Stanton was intentionally walked and Torres drove a full-count pitch from Dan Otero over the center-field fence.Chasen Shreve (2-0) struck out two in a perfect ninth for the win.ANGELS 8, MARINERS 2SEATTLE (AP) — Shohei Ohtani returned from a sprained ankle and took a shutout into the seventh inning while outpitching Felix Hernandez, Mike Trout hit his 12th home run and the Angels beat the Mariners.Ohtani (3-1) made his... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres became the youngest Yankees player to hit a walkoff homer, a three-run shot in the ninth inning that gave New York a 7-4 win over the Cleveland Indians on Sunday for its 15th victory in 16 games.At 21 years and 144 days, bettered Mickey Mantle, who was 21 years and 185 days when he hit three-run, ninth-inning drive of Boston's Ellis Kinder in a 6-3 win on April 23, 1953.Aaron Hicks and Neil Walker, who began the day batting .182, opened the ninth with consecutive doubles to tie it, chasing Allen (2-1). One out later, pinch-hitter Giancarlo Stanton was intentionally walked and Torres drove a full-count pitch from Dan Otero over the center-field fence.Chasen Shreve (2-0) struck out two in a perfect ninth for the win.ANGELS 8, MARINERS 2SEATTLE (AP) — Shohei Ohtani returned from a sprained ankle and took a shutout into the seventh inning while outpitching Felix Hernandez, Mike Trout hit his 12th home run and the Angels beat the Mariners.Ohtani (3-1) made his... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel missed much of spring training when he was back in Boston for his infant daughter's second heart surgery and her recovery.Before the team departed last week for what matches their longest scheduled trip this season, and before he got his 300th career save quicker than anyone in MLB history, Kimbrel had 6-month-old Lydia Joy at Fenway Park."She was smiling," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "The way he's carrying her, it's unreal what he's doing."Kimbrel got his 300th save Saturday night, about three weeks before his 30th birthday, in his 494th career game and 330th save opportunity.After a perfect ninth to close out a 6-5 win at Texas, exactly eight years to the day after he first got called up to the majors, the hard-throwing righty was greeted in the clubhouse by extended applause from his teammates."They clapped for a long time. It was nice to have these guys behind me, to show their appreciation for me is really neat," Kimbrel said.... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Wilson Ramos went deep again and scored on Denard Span's inside-the-park homer, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 12-6 on Saturday for their eighth consecutive victory.It's the longest win streak for Tampa Bay since taking nine in a row in July 2014. The resurgent Rays have won nine of 10 overall to move within one game of .500 at 12-13.Johnny Field and Carlos Gomez also connected for Tampa Bay, and Matt Duffy finished with four hits. Field's three-run drive in the ninth was his first career homer.Ramos belted a two-run shot in the third against David Price (2-3), extending his homer streak to three games.Boston lost for the fifth time in seven games. It also had to replace star outfielder Mookie Betts after the fourth inning due to tightness in his right hamstring.ASTROS 11, ATHLETICS 0HOUSTON (AP) — Lance McCullers threw seven sharp innings, Jose Altuve had four hits and Houston beat Oakland.Altuve hit a towering home run that left the ballpark and doubled.... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Wilson Ramos went deep again and scored on Denard Span's inside-the-park homer, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 12-6 on Saturday for their eighth consecutive victory.It's the longest win streak for Tampa Bay since taking nine in a row in July 2014. The resurgent Rays have won nine of 10 overall to move within one game of .500 at 12-13.Johnny Field and Carlos Gomez also connected for Tampa Bay, and Matt Duffy finished with four hits. Field's three-run drive in the ninth was his first career homer.Ramos belted a two-run shot in the third against David Price (2-3), extending his homer streak to three games.Boston lost for the fifth time in seven games. It also had to replace star outfielder Mookie Betts after the fourth inning due to tightness in his right hamstring.ASTROS 11, ATHLETICS 0HOUSTON (AP) — Lance McCullers threw seven sharp innings, Jose Altuve had four hits and Houston beat Oakland.Altuve hit a towering home run that left the ballpark and doubled.... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Wilson Ramos went deep again and scored on Denard Span's inside-the-park homer, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 12-6 on Saturday for their eighth consecutive victory.It's the longest win streak for Tampa Bay since taking nine in a row in July 2014. The resurgent Rays have won nine of 10 overall to move within one game of .500 at 12-13.Johnny Field and Carlos Gomez also connected for Tampa Bay, and Matt Duffy finished with four hits. Field's three-run drive in the ninth was his first career homer.Ramos belted a two-run shot in the third against David Price (2-3), extending his homer streak to three games.Boston lost for the fifth time in seven games. It also had to replace star outfielder Mookie Betts after the fourth inning due to tightness in his right hamstring.DIAMONDBACKS 4, NATIONALS 3, 10 INNINGSWASHINGTON (AP) — David Peralta homered twice for Arizona, and Nick Ahmed scored the winning run on a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning.The NL West-leading... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Wilson Ramos went deep again and scored on Denard Span's inside-the-park homer, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 12-6 on Saturday for their eighth consecutive victory.It's the longest win streak for Tampa Bay since taking nine in a row in July 2014. The resurgent Rays have won nine of 10 overall to move within one game of .500 at 12-13.Johnny Field and Carlos Gomez also connected for Tampa Bay, and Matt Duffy finished with four hits. Field's three-run drive in the ninth was his first career homer.Ramos belted a two-run shot in the third against David Price (2-3), extending his homer streak to three games.Boston lost for the fifth time in seven games. It also had to replace star outfielder Mookie Betts after the fourth inning due to tightness in his right hamstring.DIAMONDBACKS 4, NATIONALS 3, 10 INNINGSWASHINGTON (AP) — David Peralta homered twice for Arizona, and Nick Ahmed scored the winning run on a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning.The NL West-leading... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Jose Quintana pitched seven sharp innings to help the Chicago Cubs beat Milwaukee 3-0 on Saturday and continue his dominance of the Brewers.Quintana (3-1) has thrown 24 straight scoreless innings against Milwaukee dating to July 28. The left-hander tossed six innings of three-hit ball in a 3-0 win at Miller Park on April 8.Tommy La Stella drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single in the seventh, and Javier Baez had a run-scoring double in Chicago's third straight victory.With Kris Bryant back in the lineup, the Cubs improved to 6-1 against the Brewers this season, including four shutouts. Bryant went 0 for 3 with a walk in his first appearance since being hit in the helmet by a pitch last Sunday.Junior Guerra (2-1) pitched six innings of one-run ball, but Milwaukee finished with just two hits. The Brewers have just two runs and 12 hits through the first three games of the four-game set.TWINS 3, REDS 1MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jake Odorizzi pitched into the seventh inning, Mitch... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies, the two youngest players in the major leagues, both homered and combined for five RBIs to lead Atlanta over the Cincinnati Reds 7-4 Thursday and give the Braves a split of the four-game series.A day after the 20-year-old Acuna made his big league debut, he homered into the left-field upper deck leading off the second inning, singled in the sixth and hit a tiebreaking double off Wandy Peralta (1-1) in the eighth following Freddie Freeman's third double.Albies, a 21-year-old who made his debut last August, hit a two-run homer in the fifth for a 4-0 lead and added an RBI double in the ninth.Sam Freeman (1-1) retired all four batters he faced, and Arodys Vizcaino pitched a one-hit ninth for his second save. Cincinnati dropped to 5-20 for the first time in franchise history.YANKEES 4, TWINS 3NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sanchez hit a three-run homer in the ninth off Fernando Rodney (1-2), extending New York's winning streak to six and completing an... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies, the two youngest players in the major leagues, both homered and combined for five RBIs to lead Atlanta over the Cincinnati Reds 7-4 Thursday and give the Braves a split of the four-game series.A day after the 20-year-old Acuna made his big league debut, he homered into the left-field upper deck leading off the second inning, singled in the sixth and hit a tiebreaking double off Wandy Peralta (1-1) in the eighth following Freddie Freeman's third double.Albies, a 21-year-old who made his debut last August, hit a two-run homer in the fifth for a 4-0 lead and added an RBI double in the ninth.Sam Freeman (1-1) retired all four batters he faced, and Arodys Vizcaino pitched a one-hit ninth for his second save. Cincinnati dropped to 5-20 for the first time in franchise history.YANKEES 4, TWINS 3NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sanchez hit a three-run homer in the ninth off Fernando Rodney (1-2), extending New York's winning streak to six and completing an... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies, the two youngest players in the major leagues, both homered and combined for five RBIs to lead Atlanta over the Cincinnati Reds 7-4 Thursday and give the Braves a split of the four-game series.A day after the 20-year-old Acuna made his big league debut, he homered into the left-field upper deck leading off the second inning, singled in the sixth and hit a tiebreaking double off Wandy Peralta (1-1) in the eighth following Freddie Freeman's third double.Albies, a 21-year-old who made his debut last August, hit a two-run homer in the fifth for a 4-0 lead and added an RBI double in the ninth.Sam Freeman (1-1) retired all four batters he faced, and Arodys Vizcaino pitched a one-hit ninth for his second save. Cincinnati dropped to 5-20 for the first time in franchise history.YANKEES 4, TWINS 3NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sanchez hit a three-run homer in the ninth off Fernando Rodney (1-2), extending New York's winning streak to six and completing an... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Tyson Ross lost his bid to pitch the first no-hitter in the history of the San Diego Padres when rookie center fielder Franchy Cordero appeared to misplay a ball with two outs in the eighth inning Friday night of a 4-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.Playing their 7,835th game since joining the majors in 1969, the Padres again came agonizingly close to their first no-no. They remain the only team in the big leagues that has never thrown a no-hitter.Ross had a 1-0 lead with two outs in the eighth when Christian Walker lined a drive to deep center. Cordero seemed to get a late break on the ball, then had it sail just over his outstretched glove for a double that made it 1-all. Ross was pulled after throwing a career-high 127 pitches. The right-hander, who turns 31 on Sunday, struck out 10 and walked three. He retired 18 straight after walking Jarrod Dyson in the first. Brad Hand (1-2) relieved Ross and got the last four outs — they combined on the 29th one-hitter in Padres'... [More]