Brandon Lowe homered for the fifth time in six games, Austin Meadows also connected and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the AL East-leading New York Yankees 6-3 Tuesday night.The second-place Rays cut their deficit to 1 1/2 games in the opener of this three-game set. Tampa Bay has won four of five in the season series.Luke Voit hit his third homer in two days and Gary Sánchez also went deep, but New York ended a six-game winning streak and dropped to 10-1 at Yankee Stadium this season. Kevin Kiermaier lined a one-out triple in the third inning and scored on a hit by nine-hole hitter Michael Perez. Meadows followed with a base hit, and then Lowe drilled a three-run shot to center off Masahiro Tanaka (0-1) for a 4-0 lead.Tanaka was charged with six runs — five earned — and eight hits over four innings.Blake Snell (2-0) allowed three runs, four hits and two walks. Nick Anderson and Chaz Roe combined for a scoreless eighth and ninth, with Roe converting his first save opportunity.NATIONALS 8, BRAVES... [More]

Brandon Lowe homered for the fifth time in six games, Austin Meadows also connected and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the AL East-leading New York Yankees 6-3 Tuesday night.The second-place Rays cut their deficit to 1 1/2 games in the opener of this three-game set. Tampa Bay has won four of five in the season series.Luke Voit hit his third homer in two days and Gary Sánchez also went deep, but New York ended a six-game winning streak and dropped to 10-1 at Yankee Stadium this season. Kevin Kiermaier lined a one-out triple in the third inning and scored on a hit by nine-hole hitter Michael Perez. Meadows followed with a base hit, and then Lowe drilled a three-run shot to center off Masahiro Tanaka (0-1) for a 4-0 lead.Tanaka was charged with six runs — five earned — and eight hits over four innings.Blake Snell (2-0) allowed three runs, four hits and two walks. Nick Anderson and Chaz Roe combined for a scoreless eighth and ninth, with Roe converting his first save opportunity.NATIONALS 8, BRAVES... [More]

Brandon Lowe homered for the fifth time in six games, Austin Meadows also connected and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the AL East-leading New York Yankees 6-3 Tuesday night.The second-place Rays cut their deficit to 1 1/2 games in the opener of this three-game set. Tampa Bay has won four of five in the season series.Luke Voit hit his third homer in two days and Gary Sánchez also went deep, but New York ended a six-game winning streak and dropped to 10-1 at Yankee Stadium this season. Kevin Kiermaier lined a one-out triple in the third inning and scored on a hit by nine-hole hitter Michael Perez. Meadows followed with a base hit, and then Lowe drilled a three-run shot to center off Masahiro Tanaka (0-1) for a 4-0 lead.Tanaka was charged with six runs — five earned — and eight hits over four innings.Blake Snell (2-0) allowed three runs, four hits and two walks. Nick Anderson and Chaz Roe combined for a scoreless eighth and ninth, with Roe converting his first save opportunity.DODGERS 2, MARINERS... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pinch-hitter Michael Perez hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning on his 28th birthday, six Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a two-hitter and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the AL East-leading New York Yankees 1-0 on Friday night.Yoshi Tsutsugo drew a leadoff walk from Adam Ottavino (2-1) in the eighth and went to second with one out when Kevin Kiermaier walked. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch before Perez put the Rays up 1-0 on his fly to center.Chaz Roe (2-0) went the final two innings for the win.Masahiro Tanaka allowed one hit and struck out five over five innings, retiring his final 13 batters after giving up a first-inning single to Yandy Diaz. The Yankees’ right-hander needed just 59 pitches in his second start after beginning the season on the concussion list after being struck in the head by Giancarlo Stanton’s liner during a July 4th summer camp simulated game.Three New York pitchers also limited the Rays to just two hits.MARLINS 4, METS 3NEW... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered twice and drove in five runs, connecting for the fifth straight game and breaking an eighth-inning tie with a tape-measure shot that powered the New York Yankees past the Boston Red Sox 9-7 on Sunday night for their sixth consecutive victory. Luke Voit also went deep in a back-and forth slugfest to help the Yankees (7-1) finish a three-game sweep in the first series this season between the longtime rivals. New York has won six in a row and 11 of 12 against Boston since last July.DJ LeMahieu tied it 7 in the eighth with a two-out RBI single off Matt Barnes (0-1) past diving second baseman José Peraza. The clutch hit came after Mike Tauchman, who entered on defense in the seventh, walked and stole second.Judge then launched a no-doubt drive that landed several rows up in the raised bleachers beyond the left-center bullpen for his sixth home run already this year. The big slugger socked a three-run shot in the second, making him the first Yankees player... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Wright and the Atlanta bullpen combined on a 10-hit shutout and the Braves won their fifth in a row, beating the Mets 4-0 Sunday and blanking a New York lineup that found out late that slugger Yoenis Céspedes had opted out of playing any more this season.The Mets released a statement from general manager Brodie Van Wagenen in the early innings that Céspedes wasn’t at the ballpark and the team hadn’t been able to contact him.After the game, Van Wagenen said: “He’s decided to opt out of the remainder of the season for COVID-related reasons.”A two-time All-Star, the 34-year-old Céspedes returned to the lineup this season for the first time since July 20, 2018, after a series of injuries.The Braves sent New York to its fifth straight loss.Wright worked around five hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. Relievers Tyler Matzek (1-0), A.J. Minter, Shane Greene and Mark Melancon combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings.New York's David Peterson (1-1) went six innings, striking out... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Wright and the Atlanta bullpen combined on a 10-hit shutout and the Braves won their fifth in a row, beating the Mets 4-0 Sunday and blanking a New York lineup that found out late that slugger Yoenis Céspedes had opted out of playing any more this season.The Mets released a statement from general manager Brodie Van Wagenen in the early innings that Céspedes wasn’t at the ballpark and the team hadn’t been able to contact him.After the game, Van Wagenen said: “He’s decided to opt out of the remainder of the season for COVID-related reasons.”A two-time All-Star, the 34-year-old Céspedes returned to the lineup this season for the first time since July 20, 2018, after a series of injuries.The Braves sent New York to its fifth straight loss.Wright worked around five hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. Relievers Tyler Matzek (1-0), A.J. Minter, Shane Greene and Mark Melancon combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings.New York's David Peterson (1-1) went six innings, striking out... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Benches cleared Tuesday night during the Dodgers’ 5-2 victory over the Astros in the first game between the teams since it was revealed that Houston illegally stole signs en route to a 2017 championship that came at Los Angeles’ expense in the World Series.The fracas occurred after Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly threw high-and-tight pitches to Astros stars Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa in the sixth inning. Kelly threw an errant breaking ball over Correa’s head. Correa, who homered and finished with three hits, took off his batting helmet and stared Kelly down before continuing the at-bat. Kelly struck out Correa, then stuck out his tongue and made a face in his direction. Correa started walking toward him and the players exchanged words, prompting the benches to clear in the first such incident of this pandemic-delayed season. There was plenty of yelling and crowding — outlawed as MLB tries to play a 60-game season amid the pandemic — but no pushing or punches thrown.Order was... [More]

Brewers first. Trent Grisham singles to right field. Keston Hiura hit by pitch. Trent Grisham to second. Yasmani Grandal lines out to shortstop to Trevor Story. Keston Hiura doubled off first. Ryan Braun singles to shallow center field. Trent Grisham scores. Eric Thames lines out to first base to Daniel Murphy.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Brewers 1, Rockies 0.Rockies third. Sam Hilliard doubles to deep center field. Tony Wolters singles to center field, advances to 2nd. Sam Hilliard scores. Antonio Senzatela out on a sacrifice bunt to shallow infield, Zach Davies to Keston Hiura. Tony Wolters to third. Garrett Hampson flies out to right field to Trent Grisham. Charlie Blackmon lines out to left field to Ben Gamel.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Brewers 1, Rockies 1.Brewers fourth. Eric Thames flies out to deep left center field to Sam Hilliard. Lorenzo Cain homers to left field. Cory Spangenberg grounds out to first base to Daniel Murphy. Orlando Arcia grounds out to shortstop,... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — George Springer hit a career-high three homers, Justin Verlander posted his MLB-leading 20th win and the Houston Astros clinched their third straight AL West title in grand fashion, routing the Los Angeles Angels 13-5 on Sunday.A crowd at Minute Maid Park that was cheering from Verlander's first pitch got even louder as Springer homered three times in the first four innings. The Astros kept breaking away and improved to 102-54, a half-game ahead of the New York Yankees for the best record in the majors.After the final out, the Astros held a bouncing group hug in the middle of the diamond and posed for a team picture. It hasn't been determined who they will face in the playoffs as they try for their second World Series championship in three years.Springer, the MVP of the 2017 World Series, had two chances to tie the big league record for home runs in a game. He popped up with the bases loaded in the fifth and grounded out in the seventh.Verlander (20-6) yielded six hits and... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — George Springer hit a career-high three homers, Justin Verlander posted his MLB-leading 20th win and the Houston Astros clinched their third straight AL West title in grand fashion, routing the Los Angeles Angels 13-5 on Sunday.A crowd at Minute Maid Park that was cheering from Verlander's first pitch got even louder as Springer homered three times in the first four innings. The Astros kept breaking away and improved to 102-54, a half-game ahead of the New York Yankees for the best record in the majors.After the final out, the Astros held a bouncing group hug in the middle of the diamond and posed for a team picture. It hasn't been determined who they will face in the playoffs as they try for their second World Series championship in three years.Springer, the MVP of the 2017 World Series, had two chances to tie the big league record for home runs in a game. He popped up with the bases loaded in the fifth and grounded out in the seventh.Verlander (20-6) yielded six hits and... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Marcell Ozuna drove in four runs and threw out a runner at home plate from left field, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Monday night.St. Louis retained its two-game lead over the second-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. Washington is one-half game ahead of the Cubs for the top NL wild card.Nationals manager Dave Martinez missed the game following a heart procedure in Washington, and bench coach Chip Hale was in charge of the dugout.Dexter Fowler walked against Sean Doolittle (6-5) with one out in the seventh, Hunter Strickland walked Paul Goldschmidt with two outs and Ozuna doubled just inside the left-field line, just the second hit in 11 at-bats for the Cardinals with runners in scoring position.Dakota Hudson (16-7) won for the sixth time in seven starts. Carlos Martínez got his 20th save in 23 chances.ROCKIES 9, METS 4DENVER (AP) — Pitcher Antonio Senzatela hit a tying, two-run single that ended a year-long 0-for-44 slide at the... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Marcell Ozuna drove in four runs and threw out a runner at home plate from left field, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Monday night.St. Louis retained its two-game lead over the second-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. Washington is one-half game ahead of the Cubs for the top NL wild card.Nationals manager Dave Martinez missed the game following a heart procedure in Washington, and bench coach Chip Hale was in charge of the dugout.Dexter Fowler walked against Sean Doolittle (6-5) with one out in the seventh, Hunter Strickland walked Paul Goldschmidt with two outs and Ozuna doubled just inside the left-field line, just the second hit in 11 at-bats for the Cardinals with runners in scoring position.Dakota Hudson (16-7) won for the sixth time in seven starts. Carlos Martínez got his 20th save in 23 chances.ROCKIES 9, METS 4DENVER (AP) — Pitcher Antonio Senzatela hit a tying, two-run single that ended a year-long 0-for-44 slide at the... [More]

Mets first. Brandon Nimmo homers to left field. Jeff McNeil pops out to shallow center field to Trevor Story. Michael Conforto grounds out to second base, Ryan McMahon to Daniel Murphy. Robinson Cano flies out to left field to Ian Desmond.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Mets 1, Rockies 0.Rockies second. Charlie Blackmon called out on strikes. Ryan McMahon strikes out swinging. Ian Desmond homers to center field. Garrett Hampson singles to left field, advances to 2nd. Fielding error by J.D. Davis. Drew Butera grounds out to third base, Jeff McNeil to Pete Alonso.1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 left on. Mets 1, Rockies 1.Mets third. Tomas Nido singles to center field. Steven Matz strikes out swinging. Brandon Nimmo flies out to deep center field to Garrett Hampson. Jeff McNeil homers to right field. Tomas Nido scores. Michael Conforto grounds out to shallow center field, Trevor Story to Daniel Murphy.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Mets 3, Rockies 1.Mets fourth. Robinson Cano grounds out... [More]

Cardinals third. Dakota Hudson grounds out to first base to Daniel Murphy. Dexter Fowler singles to shortstop. Kolten Wong lines out to second base to Trevor Story. Paul Goldschmidt doubles to left field. Dexter Fowler scores. Marcell Ozuna grounds out to second base, Ryan McMahon to Daniel Murphy.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Cardinals 1, Rockies 0.Rockies fifth. Sam Hilliard walks. Tony Wolters doubles to deep right field. Sam Hilliard scores. Antonio Senzatela strikes out swinging. Trevor Story walks. Charlie Blackmon grounds out to shallow infield, Dakota Hudson to Paul Goldschmidt. Trevor Story to second. Tony Wolters to third. Nolan Arenado is intentionally walked. Daniel Murphy flies out to deep left field to Marcell Ozuna.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 3 left on. Cardinals 1, Rockies 1.Rockies sixth. Ryan McMahon grounds out to second base, Paul DeJong to Paul Goldschmidt. Ian Desmond homers to center field. Sam Hilliard doubles. Tony Wolters strikes out swinging. Yonder Alonso pinch-hitting for Antonio Senzatela. Yonder Alonso strikes out swinging.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Rockies 2, Cardinals 1.

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit a go-ahead, two-run homer to keep up his power resurgence, Gleyber Torres added his 34th home run and the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 4-1 Wednesday night to move 43 games over .500 for the first time since 2009.Judge is hitting .317 with eight homers and 12 RBIs in his last 15 games. He connected off Lance Lynn (14-10) in the third inning to become the fifth Yankees player with 20 homers this season.Torres homered in the fourth, tying Gary Sánchez for the team lead and joining Joe DiMaggio as the only Yankees to hit 34 homers at age 22 or younger. The home run was the 200th off the Rangers this season.New York improved to 92-49, including 11-2 when using Chad Green as an opener.Green pitched two innings and Luis Cessa (2-1) followed with three. Cory Gearrin allowed a ninth-inning homer to Rougned Odor.Lynn dropped to 0-4 in his last six starts. Texas matched its season worst of five games under .500 at 68-73.DODGERS 7, ROCKIES 3LOS ANGELES (AP)... [More]

Dodgers first. Joc Pederson homers to right field. Corey Seager grounds out to shortstop, Nolan Arenado to Ryan McMahon. Justin Turner grounds out to shortstop, Trevor Story to Ryan McMahon. Cody Bellinger grounds out to shortstop, Trevor Story to Ryan McMahon.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Dodgers 1, Rockies 0.Dodgers third. Chris Taylor singles to right field. Hyun-Jin Ryu out on a sacrifice bunt to shallow infield, Drew Butera to Garrett Hampson. Chris Taylor to second. Joc Pederson walks. Corey Seager singles to center field. Joc Pederson to third. Chris Taylor scores. Justin Turner reaches on a fielder's choice to third base. Corey Seager to second. Joc Pederson scores. Cody Bellinger singles to center field. Justin Turner to third. Corey Seager scores. Matt Beaty grounds out to shallow infield, Nolan Arenado to Ryan McMahon. Cody Bellinger to second. Justin Turner scores. Will Smith flies out to left field to Ian Desmond.4 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Dodgers 5, Rockies... [More]

Pirates first. Kevin Newman grounds out to second base, Ryan McMahon to Daniel Murphy. Bryan Reynolds flies out to right center field to Sam Hilliard. Starling Marte singles to center field. Josh Bell singles to right center field. Starling Marte to third. Colin Moran singles to center field. Josh Bell to third. Starling Marte scores. Melky Cabrera reaches on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Colin Moran out at second.1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Pirates 1, Rockies 0.Rockies first. Trevor Story homers to left field. Ryan McMahon lines out to deep right field to Melky Cabrera. Nolan Arenado singles to center field. Daniel Murphy flies out to left field to Bryan Reynolds. Ian Desmond singles to right field. Nolan Arenado to second. Sam Hilliard strikes out swinging.1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Pirates 1, Rockies 1.Pirates second. Adam Frazier doubles to right field. Elias Diaz grounds out to shallow infield, Antonio Senzatela to Daniel Murphy. Adam Frazier to third. Dario Agrazal... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Anthony Rendon homered and had four hits, including an RBI single in the 11th inning, and the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 7-5 on Sunday for their fifth straight victory.Juan Soto added three hits and Stephen Strasburg struck out 10 in six innings, helping Washington finish off its first sweep of Chicago since September 2012. The Nationals outscored the Cubs 23-10 in a three-game series between the top two teams in the NL wild-card standings.Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell and Victor Caratini homered for Chicago, which had won five in a row before Washington rolled into town. The Cubs fell 2½ games behind first-place St. Louis in the NL Central.The Nationals grabbed the lead for good when Howie Kendrick scored on Tyler Chatwood's wild pitch with Rendon at the plate in the 11th. Rendon then drove in Trea Turner with a single off Chatwood (5-2).Daniel Hudson (7-3) pitched two innings for the win.The Cubs played without Anthony Rizzo, sidelined by tightness in... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Anthony Rendon homered and had four hits, including an RBI single in the 11th inning, and the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 7-5 on Sunday for their fifth straight victory.Juan Soto added three hits and Stephen Strasburg struck out 10 in six innings, helping Washington finish off its first sweep of Chicago since September 2012. The Nationals outscored the Cubs 23-10 in a three-game series between the top two teams in the NL wild-card standings.Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell and Victor Caratini homered for Chicago, which had won five in a row before Washington rolled into town. The Cubs fell 2½ games behind first-place St. Louis in the NL Central.The Nationals grabbed the lead for good when Howie Kendrick scored on Tyler Chatwood's wild pitch with Rendon at the plate in the 11th. Rendon then drove in Trea Turner with a single off Chatwood (5-2).Daniel Hudson (7-3) pitched two innings for the win.The Cubs played without Anthony Rizzo, sidelined by tightness in... [More]