TORONTO (AP) — The Houston Astros clinched another AL West title and reached 100 wins for the second straight season, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 Tuesday night behind Alex Bregman's two-run homer.Houston improved to 100-57 and was assured of first place hours later when second-place Oakland (95-63) lost at Seattle. The Astros will open the Division Series at home against Cleveland on Oct. 5.The Astros need three wins in their final five games to break the franchise record for victories in a season, set in 1998.Houston is 18-4 in September and 54-22 on the road, both best in the major leagues.Roberto Osuna needed just six pitches in the ninth for his 20th save in 21 chances. Earlier Tuesday, assault charges against Osuna were dropped because the complainant, who lives in Mexico, made clear she would not travel to Toronto to testify.Josh James (2-0) allowed one run and four hits in five innings in his third big league start.Bregman went 2 for 5 and extended his club-record streak of... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Neil Walker hit a three-run homer, Zach Britton started a game-ending double play on New York's third try in the ninth inning and the Yankees kept the Boston Red Sox from a bubbly celebration in the Bronx for at least another night with a 3-2 victory Tuesday.Batting from the left side, Walker launched a no-doubter in the seventh inning off Ryan Brasier for the Yankees' third hit of the game and a 3-1 lead.Aaron Judge returned to New York's lineup for the first time since breaking his right wrist July 26, while AL MVP candidate Mookie Betts got a day off for Boston after injuring his left side Sunday. Judge hit a pop fly to the warning track but finished 0 for 4.New York moved 2½ games ahead of Oakland for the top AL wild card. The A's lost at home to the Angels.Boston is trying to clinch the AL East at Yankee Stadium for the second time in three years. The Red Sox lead the Yankees by 10 1/2 games and entered the night with a magic number of four over the Astros to lock up... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Sonny Gray made the most of a foray into the starting rotation by taking a three-hitter into the seventh inning, and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 Saturday night for a doubleheader sweep.In the opener, rookie Miguel Andujar homered and had four RBIs, J.A. Happ (15-6) won his fifth straight start and New York rolled to a 10-3 victory.Gray (10-8) gave up three hits, a walk and struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander had been exiled to the bullpen after yielding seven runs in a loss to Baltimore on Aug. 1.Gray allowed only one runner past second base in helping the Yankees notch their seventh win in eight games to pull seven games behind first-place Boston in the AL East.Austin Romine homered, had three hits and scored three runs for the Yankees, who led 4-0 after four innings against Andrew Cashner (4-12).Andujar had two hits in each game to raise his batting average to .300. He leads AL rookies in batting, multihit games (43) and RBIs (70).RAYS... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Sonny Gray made the most of a foray into the starting rotation by taking a three-hitter into the seventh inning, and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 Saturday night for a doubleheader sweep.In the opener, rookie Miguel Andujar homered and had four RBIs, J.A. Happ (15-6) won his fifth straight start and New York rolled to a 10-3 victory.Gray (10-8) gave up three hits, a walk and struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander had been exiled to the bullpen after yielding seven runs in a loss to Baltimore on Aug. 1.Gray allowed only one runner past second base in helping the Yankees notch their seventh win in eight games to pull seven games behind first-place Boston in the AL East.Austin Romine homered, had three hits and scored three runs for the Yankees, who led 4-0 after four innings against Andrew Cashner (4-12).Andujar had two hits in each game to raise his batting average to .300. He leads AL rookies in batting, multihit games (43) and RBIs (70).RAYS... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aroldis Chapman had flamed out, throwing three of 19 pitches for strikes and enabling the Mets to cut a four-run, ninth-inning deficit in half.Chasen Shreve to the rescue. Yes, Chasen Shreve.Maligned last month, Shreve entered with the bases loaded, got Devin Mesoraco to hit into a run-scoring, double-play grounder and retired Wilmer Flores on a slow roller in front of the mound.With his second big league save and first since August 2016, Shreve preserved a 7-6 Subway Series victory Saturday that enabled Sonny Gray (7-7) to win consecutive starts for the first time since the Yankees acquired him last summer.On another tumult-filled day for the last-place Mets, closer Jeurys Familia was traded to Oakland for a pair of minor leaguers and slugging outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was out of the lineup because of body soreness, one game after returning from a two-month absence. Cespedes said Friday night he may need surgery on both heels that would require an eight-to-10-month recovery.Aaron... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Brett Gardner had four hits, homered and drove in three runs to help the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-2 Monday night for a doubleheader split.In the opener, Danny Valencia snapped an 0-for-25 skid with a three-run homer off CC Sabathia, and Baltimore ended a six-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory.The split left the Yankees a 4-4 record against Baltimore and dropped them 2½ games behind first-place Boston in the AL East.The first game ended with Gardner grounding out as a pinch hitter with the potential tying run on third base. He returned in the nightcap to torment the Orioles at the plate and in center field, where he made several fine, running catches.Gardner led off with a single off Jefry Ramirez (0-3) and scored on a double by Didi Gregorius. In the fourth, Gardner hit his seventh homer, a two-run drive that made it 3-0.That was enough offense for Luis Cessa (1-1), who allowed three hits over six shutout innings.RED SOX 5, RANGERS 0BOSTON (AP)... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Tyler Mahle tossed one-run ball into the seventh inning and the Cincinnati Reds edged the Cubs 3-2 on Friday for their fifth straight victory over Chicago.Adam Duvall and Scooter Gennett drove in runs as the Reds won for the 14th time in 18 games and ended the Cubs' six-game winning streak. Billy Hamilton, Cincinnati's No. 9 hitter, had three hits and leadoff man Jose Peraza had two.Mahle (7-6) allowed five hits and struck out four over 6 2/3 innings to win his fourth straight decision. In his last seven starts, the 23-year-old right-hander has a 2.06 ERA.Raisel Iglesias, Cincinnati's third reliever, got the final five outs for his 17th save in 20 chances.Cubs starter Mike Montgomery (3-3) allowed three runs on six hits in five innings while walking two and hitting two batters.TIGERS 3, RANGERS 1DETROIT — Jordan Zimmermann denied Bartolo Colon's bid at baseball history, striking out 11 batters in eight innings as Detroit beat Texas.Colon (5-6) as trying to become the winningest... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Hicks hit three home runs and the New York Yankees pummeled David Price again, connecting five times in the first four innings Sunday night on the way to an 11-1 rout of the Boston Red Sox.Luis Severino became the first 13-game winner in the majors, cruising through 6 2/3 shutout innings of two-hit ball after the Bronx Bombers quickly built him a big cushion. With the teams trading blowouts all weekend, the Yankees (54-27) took two of three from their longtime rivals to regain baseball's best record and first place in the AL East.Batting leadoff against a left-hander, Hicks homered twice from the right side of the plate and once from the left. He smacked a two-run shot to right field in the second inning and a solo drive to center in the fourth that chased Price (9-6) and made it 8-0.Hicks pulled his 14th of the season into the right-field stands in the eighth off Hector Velazquez. It was the first three-homer game by a Yankees player since Alex Rodriguez, part of... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Jon Lester hit a three-run homer in an eight-run second inning and wound up with his NL-leading 11th victory in the Chicago Cubs' 11-10 win over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.Ian Happ also homered for the Cubs. They have scored at least 10 runs in four straight games for the first time since 1930. Chicago swept the three-game series and has won four in a row overall.Lester (11-2) allowed four runs, two of them earned, and nine hits in five-plus innings.Javier Baez, who doubled twice, Happ and Willson Contreras each had three hits.Mitch Garver hit a two-run homer off reliever Dillon Maples in the Twins' five-run eighth.Cubs closer Brandon Morrow got one out in the eighth and pitched a scoreless ninth for his 18th save in 19 chances. Lance Lynn (5-7) was the loser.Brian Dozier hit a two-run homer and Jake Cave also homered for the Twins.RAYS 3, ASTROS 2.ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Blake Snell struck out 10, reliever Diego Castillo fanned Jose Altuve in a key spot and Tampa... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Turner hit Los Angeles' seventh home run of the game, a go-ahead drive in the 11th inning that lifted the Dodgers over the New York Mets 8-7 on Sunday.Cody Bellinger and Kike Hernandez each homered twice as the Dodgers beat the Mets for the 12th straight time dating to 2016. Max Muncy and Joc Pederson also connected for Los Angeles. Hernandez and Muncy led off the game with back-to-back shots.The Mets matched a team record for the most homers allowed in a game, and lost their sixth in a row overall.Turner, a former Met, homered off Chris Flexen (0-1) with two outs to put the Dodgers up for good. Los Angeles had squandered a 7-4 lead in the eighth when Kevin Plawecki hit a tying three-run shot.Daniel Hudson (2-2) picked up the victory with two scoreless innings.INDIANS 12, TIGERS 2CLEVELAND (AP) — Edwin Encarnacion hit an eighth-inning grand slam, helping the Indians to their season-high seventh straight win.Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis also connected... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Turner hit Los Angeles' seventh home run of the game, a go-ahead drive in the 11th inning that lifted the Dodgers over the New York Mets 8-7 on Sunday.Cody Bellinger and Kike Hernandez each homered twice as the Dodgers beat the Mets for the 12th straight time dating to 2016. Max Muncy and Joc Pederson also connected for Los Angeles. Hernandez and Muncy led off the game with back-to-back shots.The Mets matched a team record for the most homers allowed in a game, and lost their sixth in a row overall.Turner, a former Met, homered off Chris Flexen (0-1) with two outs to put the Dodgers up for good. Los Angeles had squandered a 7-4 lead in the eighth when Kevin Plawecki hit a tying three-run shot.Daniel Hudson (2-2) picked up the victory with two scoreless innings.INDIANS 12, TIGERS 2CLEVELAND (AP) — Edwin Encarnacion hit an eighth-inning grand slam, helping the Indians to their season-high seventh straight win.Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis also connected... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Jon Lester won his fifth straight start, Javier Baez backed him with three hits and two runs, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 on Wednesday.Lester (9-2) gave up five hits over seven innings. Baez had two doubles, a triple and a steal. He also made some solid plays at shortstop and second base.Kyle Schwarber hit his 14th homer, and Kris Bryant added two hits and an RBI. And the Cubs handed Ross Stripling his first loss since April 30, taking two of three in a rematch of the past two NL Championship Series.Lester walked three and struck out one batter. Anthony Bass worked the final two innings to finish the six-hitter.Stripling (6-2) had won six straight starts. The right-hander went six innings, allowing three runs and eight hits while striking out seven without a walk.YANKEES 7, MARINERS 5NEW YORK (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton lined a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, and New York erased a five-run deficit to beat Seattle.Gary... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Jon Lester won his fifth straight start, Javier Baez backed him with three hits and two runs, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 on Wednesday.Lester (9-2) gave up five hits over seven innings. Baez had two doubles, a triple and a steal. He also made some solid plays at shortstop and second base.Kyle Schwarber hit his 14th homer, and Kris Bryant added two hits and an RBI. And the Cubs handed Ross Stripling his first loss since April 30, taking two of three in a rematch of the past two NL Championship Series.Lester walked three and struck out one batter. Anthony Bass worked the final two innings to finish the six-hitter.Stripling (6-2) had won six straight starts. The right-hander went six innings, allowing three runs and eight hits while striking out seven without a walk.YANKEES 7, MARINERS 5NEW YORK (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton lined a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, and New York erased a five-run deficit to beat Seattle.Gary... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Jon Lester won his fifth straight start, Javier Baez backed him with three hits and two runs, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 on Wednesday.Lester (9-2) gave up five hits over seven innings. Baez had two doubles, a triple and a steal. He also made some solid plays at shortstop and second base.Kyle Schwarber hit his 14th homer, and Kris Bryant added two hits and an RBI. And the Cubs handed Ross Stripling his first loss since April 30, taking two of three in a rematch of the past two NL Championship Series.Lester walked three and struck out one batter. Anthony Bass worked the final two innings to finish the six-hitter.Stripling (6-2) had won six straight starts. The right-hander went six innings, allowing three runs and eight hits while striking out seven without a walk.PHILLIES 4, CARDINALS 3PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Odubel Herrera hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh inning, Cesar Hernandez had a two-run shot and Philadelphia beat St. Louis.Herrera ripped... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Hoping for clearance to begin a throwing program, San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner is headed to Arizona to meet with the same doctor who performed surgery on his left pinkie.Bumgarner was scheduled to leave the Bay Area on Monday night for a checkup with Dr. Donald Sheridan, who inserted three pins into Bumgarner's pitching hand one day after the 2014 World Series MVP was hit by a line drive late in spring training.If Bumgarner is cleared to start throwing, the four-time All-Star is still likely a month away from rejoining the big league club.The Giants also said second baseman Joe Panik underwent surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb and will miss at least six weeks. Panik had flown to Los Angeles to get a second opinion before opting for surgery.It was the latest blow to the injury-ravaged Giants this season.Left fielder Hunter Pence is rehabbing from a sprained right thumb. Pence's replacement, slugger Mac Williamson, is going through the concussion protocol. San Francisco closer Mark Melancon is slowly working his way back from a right elbow flexor strain. Relief pitchers Josh Osich (right hip strain) and Will Smith (Tommy John surgery) are also on the disabled list, though Smith is expected to come off this week.Right-hander Jeff Samardzija was scheduled to make his third start of the season Monday after beginning the year on the DL with a pectoral strain.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Hoping for clearance to begin a throwing program, San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner is headed to Arizona to meet with the same doctor who performed surgery on his left pinkie.Bumgarner was scheduled to leave the Bay Area on Monday night for a checkup with Dr. Donald Sheridan, who inserted three pins into Bumgarner's pitching hand one day after the 2014 World Series MVP was hit by a line drive late in spring training.If Bumgarner is cleared to start throwing, the four-time All-Star is still likely a month away from rejoining the big league club.The Giants also said second baseman Joe Panik underwent surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb and will miss at least six weeks. Panik had flown to Los Angeles to get a second opinion before opting for surgery.It was the latest blow to the injury-ravaged Giants this season.Left fielder Hunter Pence is rehabbing from a sprained right thumb. Pence's replacement, slugger Mac Williamson, is going through the concussion protocol. San Francisco closer Mark Melancon is slowly working his way back from a right elbow flexor strain. Relief pitchers Josh Osich (right hip strain) and Will Smith (Tommy John surgery) are also on the disabled list, though Smith is expected to come off this week.Right-hander Jeff Samardzija was scheduled to make his third start of the season Monday after beginning the year on the DL with a pectoral strain.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco Giants have placed outfielder Hunter Pence on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained right thumb and recalled outfielder Mac Williamson from Triple-A Sacramento.Williamson started in left field and batted seventh Friday night against the Anaheim Angels.Manager Bruce Bochy says Pence's injury has been lingering since he made a diving try for a ball earlier this season.

As we enter the last full week of April, perhaps there's a chance that there are only a handful of postponements for the week, instead of a handful each day.Samples at the plate and on the mound are getting larger, but still far too little to put too much emphasis on them. But let's take a look at the week ahead for the best hitter matchups, two-start pitchers and batters you should consider picking up and getting into your lineups.BEST HITTING MATCHUPS: Atlanta, Minnesota, ColoradoWORST HITTING MATCHUPS: Los Angeles Angels, San FranciscoPLAYERS TO PICK UPTeoscar Hernandez, OF, Toronto - In 97 plate appearances last year, Hernandez had eight home runs and a .261 batting average. He's going to strike out a lot (37.9 strikeout percentage last season), but he's a power-speed outfielder with tremendous upside. He needs to be stashed in all category and roto leagues with five outfield spots, as he only has the struggling Randall Grichuk (.088 average, 33.8 strikeout percentage) in his way of... [More]

As we enter the last full week of April, perhaps there's a chance that there are only a handful of postponements for the week, instead of a handful each day.Samples at the plate and on the mound are getting larger, but still far too little to put too much emphasis on them. But let's take a look at the week ahead for the best hitter matchups, two-start pitchers and batters you should consider picking up and getting into your lineups.BEST HITTING MATCHUPS: Atlanta, Minnesota, ColoradoWORST HITTING MATCHUPS: Los Angeles Angels, San FranciscoPLAYERS TO PICK UPTeoscar Hernandez, OF, Toronto - In 97 plate appearances last year, Hernandez had eight home runs and a .261 batting average. He's going to strike out a lot (37.9 strikeout percentage last season), but he's a power-speed outfielder with tremendous upside. Yes, Toronto is noncommittal about him staying up with the team, but he needs to be stashed in all category and roto leagues with five outfield spots, as he only has the struggling Randall... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a bases-loaded triple in Los Angeles' five-run seventh inning, helping the Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 7-1 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.Ian Kinsler homered on his first swing in his return to the Angels' lineup, and Nick Tropeano (1-0) pitched shutout ball into the seventh for his first major league win since 2016.Los Angeles has won eight of nine.Ohtani drove a 1-2 pitch from Brandon Maurer to right-center, scoring Kole Calhoun, Andrelton Simmons and Luis Valbuena. The Royals walked Ohtani intentionally in the sixth with first base open and Simmons on second.Ohtani is tied with Mike Trout for the Angels' lead with 11 RBIs in 26 at-bats. Trout went 3 for 4 with his fifth home run.Kinsler led off the game with a home run for the 47th time in his career, driving a 1-0 pitch from Ian Kennedy (1-1) out to left. Kinsler missed the previous 11 games with an adductor strain.RED SOX 6, YANKEES 3BOSTON (AP) — Rick Porcello pitched... [More]