ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Christian Vazquez hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning, and the Boston Red Sox completed an uplifting three-game sweep of the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-3 victory Sunday.Rafael Devers singled off Jose Alvarado (0-2) to start the 11th and went to second when Michael Chavis walked.Both runners moved up a base on Jackie Bradley's sacrifice bunt and Vazquez followed with his fly that Kevin Kiermaier ran down in center field.Marcus Walden (3-0) allowed an infield hit over two scoreless innings and Ryan Brasier worked the 11th to get his sixth save.After starting the season by losing eight of 10, the defending World Series champions are 7-5 over the last 12 games and went from eight to five games behind the Rays.DODGERS 6, BREWERS 5MILWAUKEE (AP) — Cody Bellinger reached over the right field wall to rob Christian Yelich in the eighth inning of yet another home run, then hit a solo drive off Josh Hader with two outs in the ninth to lift Los Angeles over... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:RIVALRY RENEWEDMookie Betts tries to get going at the plate when the Red Sox (6-11) visit the Yankees (6-9) in the first meeting this season between the longtime rivals. Boston knocked New York out of the playoffs last year on the way to a World Series championship, but both clubs are off to surprisingly slow starts in 2019. Same is true of Betts, who is batting .222. "Basically, what I'm doing is unacceptable," the AL MVP said. "I have to figure out a way to get something done and help the team." Yankees left-hander James Paxton (1-2, 6.00 ERA) gets his first taste of the bitter rivalry when he faces struggling Boston ace Chris Sale (0-3, 9.00) in the opener of a two-game set. Paxton told reporters he thought he was tipping pitches in Houston last Wednesday during an 8-6 loss.LINDOR LIMBERS UPIndians shortstop Francisco Lindor is set to begin an injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus. Lindor is working back from a left ankle injury,... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:RIVALRY RENEWEDMookie Betts tries to get going at the plate when the Red Sox (6-11) visit the Yankees (6-9) in the first meeting this season between the longtime rivals. Boston knocked New York out of the playoffs last year on the way to a World Series championship, but both clubs are off to surprisingly slow starts in 2019. Same is true of Betts, who is batting .222. "Basically, what I'm doing is unacceptable," the AL MVP said. "I have to figure out a way to get something done and help the team." Yankees left-hander James Paxton (1-2, 6.00 ERA) gets his first taste of the bitter rivalry when he faces struggling Boston ace Chris Sale (0-3, 9.00) in the opener of a two-game set. Paxton told reporters he thought he was tipping pitches in Houston last Wednesday during an 8-6 loss.LINDOR LIMBERS UPIndians shortstop Francisco Lindor is set to begin an injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus. Lindor is working back from a left ankle... [More]

Now, this is an impressive opening for the Tampa Bay Rays.Last year, the Rays pioneered the idea of an "opener" — a pitcher who would work an inning or two at the beginning of the game, facing some of the toughest hitters instead of having a traditional starter do it. Tampa Bay has still used that strategy on occasion in 2019, but that's just part of the Rays' strong start to the season.Tampa Bay (12-4) has baseball's best record and best run differential. The Rays lead the AL East by 5 ½ games, and if the gap stays that big for a few more days, a home series next weekend against defending champion Boston could start to feel a little more significant than a normal April meeting.The Rays have baseball's best ERA at 2.44 — and the starters are even better at 1.47. Tampa Bay has used the opener a bit — Ryan Stanek has made three starts that totaled five scoreless innings — but it's the other four starters who have really shined.Tyler Glasnow, acquired from Pittsburgh last year in a trade for... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:MEXICAN MATCHUPMajor League Baseball returns to Estadio de Béisbol de Monterrey when the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds begin a two-game series. Adam Wainwright starts for the Cards against Tanner Roark.The Astros and Angels play a two-game series at the same park in early May.MLB began holding regular season games in Mexico in 1996, and the 1999 season opened with a matchup in Monterrey between the Padres and Colorado. Last May, the Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers played a three-game series at the stadium — Walker Buehler and the Dodgers bullpen combined for a no-hitter.EASY DOES ITPittsburgh's Chris Archer makes his first start since being suspended for touching off a bench-clearing fracas at PNC Park last Sunday.Archer threw a fastball behind the waist of Cincinnati's Derek Dietrich, who had stood in the batter's box to admire a long home run in his previous at-bat. There were five ejections — Archer wasn't tossed.Archer was... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:MEXICAN MATCHUPMajor League Baseball returns to Estadio de Béisbol de Monterrey when the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds begin a two-game series. Adam Wainwright starts for the Cards against Tanner Roark.The Astros and Angels play a two-game series at the same park in early May.MLB began holding regular season games in Mexico in 1996, and the 1999 season opened with a matchup in Monterrey between the Padres and Colorado. Last May, the Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers played a three-game series at the stadium — Walker Buehler and the Dodgers bullpen combined for a no-hitter.EASY DOES ITPittsburgh's Chris Archer makes his first start since being suspended for touching off a bench-clearing fracas at PNC Park last Sunday.Archer threw a fastball behind the waist of Cincinnati's Derek Dietrich, who had stood in the batter's box to admire a long home run in his previous at-bat. There were five ejections — Archer wasn't tossed.Archer was... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Pittsburgh pitcher Chris Archer was suspended for five games, Cincinnati outfielder Yasiel Puig for two and Reds manager David Bell for one on Tuesday for their parts in a bench-clearing fracas last weekend at PNC Park.The commissioner's office said Archer has appealed his penalty and will play pending a decision.Puig and Bell chose not to appeal. Puig will miss the first two games of a series against the Marlins in Cincinnati starting Tuesday night. Bench coach Freddie Benavides will manage the Reds in the first game.Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre also fined all three for their behavior Sunday in Pittsburgh, which was touched off when Cincinnati's Derek Dietrich stood in the batter's box to admire his long home run in the second inning.Two innings later, Archer threw his first pitch behind Dietrich's waist. Plate umpire Jeff Kellogg warned both benches and Bell jogged from the dugout to the infield, arguing Archer should be ejected. Archer maintained he simply was off-target... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Pittsburgh pitcher Chris Archer has been suspended for five games, Cincinnati outfielder Yasiel Puig for two and Reds manager David Bell for one for their roles in a bench-clearing fracas last weekend.The commissioner's office said Tuesday that Archer has appealed his penalty and will play pending a decision. Puig and Bell were to serve their discipline starting Tuesday.Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre also fined all three for their behavior Sunday.Cincinnati's Derek Dietrich stood in the batter's box to admire his long home run in the second inning, and two innings later Archer threw his first pitch behind the waist of Dietrich. Plate umpire Jeff Kellogg warned both benches and Bell jogged from the dugout to the infield, arguing Archer should have been ejected.Benches and bullpens emptied, and an enraged Puig barreled into a bunch of Pirates.Archer maintained he missed his location while trying to throw an inside pitch.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around the majors today:TROUT TEARAngels star Mike Trout has homered in four straight games, matching a career best. The two-time AL MVP connected five times in that span, and tries to keep up the streak when Milwaukee visits Anaheim.The Angels record for consecutive games with a home run is five by Bobby Bonds in 1977.Angels fans also will see whether a swarm of bees, which delayed Sunday's game for five minutes when it hovered around the bullpens, has found a new place to fly.PENALTIES?Major League Baseball will certainly take a look at the recent shenanigans at PNC Park between the Pirates and Reds.Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig, manager David Bell and pitcher Amir Garrett were ejected, along with Pirates pitchers Keone Kela and Felipe Vazquez, after a bench-clearing fracas Sunday.The trouble started in the fourth inning when Pirates starter Chris Archer threw his first pitch behind the waist of Derek Dietrich. His previous time up, Dietrich stood and admired... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Mitch Moreland homered off Merrill Kelly on the first pitch of the seventh inning, and the World Series champion Boston Red Sox ended an awful opening trip with a 1-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.Boston went 3-8 against Seattle, Oakland and Arizona, its worst start since losing nine of 11 in 2011. The Red Sox host Toronto on Tuesday, their first game at Fenway Park since winning the World Series at Dodger Stadium last October.Hector Velázquez, Brandon Workman, Marcus Walden (1-0), Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier combined on a three-hitter. Walden got six outs for his first major league victory and Brasier retired Adam Jones on a game-ending groundout with a runner on second.YANKEES 15, ORIOLES 3BALTIMORE (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit three of the Yankees' seven home runs, their most on the road since 1961, and New York completed a three-game sweep to move back above .500 at 5-4.Clint Frazier homered twice and had four hits, and Austin Romine and Gleyber Torres also... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Monday:TROUT TEARAngels star Mike Trout has homered in four straight game, matching a career best. The two-time AL MVP connected five times in that span, and tries to keep up the streak when Milwaukee visits Anaheim.The Angels record for consecutive games with a home run is five by Bobby Bonds in 1977.Angels fans also will see whether a swarm of bees, which delayed Sunday's game for five minutes when it hovered around the bullpens, has found a new place to fly.PENALTIES?Major League Baseball will certainly take a look at the recent shenanigans at PNC Park between the Pirates and Reds.Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig, manager David Bell and pitcher Amir Garrett were ejected, along with Pirates pitchers Keone Kela and Felipe Vazquez, after a bench-clearing fracas Sunday.The trouble started in the fourth inning when Pirates starter Chris Archer threw his first pitch behind the waist of Derek Dietrich. His previous time up, Dietrich stood and admired... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Mitch Moreland homered off Merrill Kelly on the first pitch of the seventh inning, and the World Series champion Boston Red Sox ended an awful opening trip with a 1-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.Boston went 3-8 against Seattle, Oakland and Arizona, its worst start since losing nine of 11 in 2011. The Red Sox host Toronto on Tuesday, their first game at Fenway Park since winning the World Series at Dodger Stadium last October.Hector Velázquez, Brandon Workman, Marcus Walden (1-0), Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier combined on a three-hitter. Walden got six outs for his first major league victory and Brasier retired Adam Jones on a game-ending groundout with a runner on second.YANKEES 15, ORIOLES 3BALTIMORE (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit three of the Yankees' seven home runs, their most on the road since 1961, and New York completed a three-game sweep to move back above .500 at 5-4.Clint Frazier homered twice and had four hits, and Austin Romine and Gleyber Torres also... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Cincinnati's Derek Dietrich admired a home run off Chris Archer in the second inning, and two innings later the Pittsburgh Pirates starter threw a 93 mph fastball behind Dietrich's waist, setting off a brawl Sunday that led to the ejections of four players and Reds manager David Bell.Dietrich's 436-foot drive to right-center gave the Reds a 2-1 lead. Dietrich dropped his bat and stood in the batter's box and watched the ball clear the fence atop the Clemente Wall and bounce into the Allegheny River.After Archer's pitch went behind Dietrich leading off the fourth, plate umpire Jeff Kellogg warned both benches. Bell jogged from the dugout to the infield, arguing Archer should have been ejected. Players from both dugouts and bullpens followed, and Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig grab Pirates bench coach Tom Prince in a headlock. Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez and set-up man Keone Kela were also in the middle of the fray.Bell, Kela, Puig and Vazquez were ejected, as was Reds reliever Amir Garrett.Matt Kemp replaced Puig, and Archer was allowed to remain in the game. The Reds led 3-2.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around the majors today:M-V-P! M-V-P!Christian Yelich has picked up right where he left off last season. The 2018 NL MVP hit his fourth homer Sunday and then a two-run double in the ninth inning that gave Milwaukee a dramatic 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. He has homered in the first four games of the season to match a major league record and can break the mark by going deep when the Brewers visit Cincinnati."What we're witnessing is greatness," teammate Ryan Braun said. "I've never seen anyone this good at baseball for this long."Yelich batted .326 with 36 homers and 110 RBIs last year, leading Milwaukee to the NL Central title. He is 6 for 12 with six walks and eight RBIs already this season."Candidly, I can't recall a series like that," Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. "I've had some guys that are smoking hot against us, but I've never seen that kind of damage over four days."WELCOME HOMEThe Indians, Pirates and Braves are set to play their home openers.... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Monday:MVP! MVP!Christian Yelich has picked up right where he left off last season. The 2018 NL MVP hit his fourth homer Sunday and then a two-run double in the ninth inning that gave Milwaukee a dramatic 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. He has homered in the first four games of the season to match a major league record and can break the mark by going deep when the Brewers visit Cincinnati. "What we're witnessing is greatness," teammate Ryan Braun said. "I've never seen anyone this good at baseball for this long." Yelich batted .326 with 36 homers and 110 RBIs last year, leading Milwaukee to the NL Central title. He is 6 for 12 with six walks and eight RBIs already this season. "Candidly, I can't recall a series like that," Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. "I've had some guys that are smoking hot against us, but I've never seen that kind of damage over four days."WELCOME HOMEThe Indians, Pirates and Braves are set to play their home openers.... [More]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Bryce Harper has been playing catch-up since his free agency carried over into spring training.With a week left until opening day, the Philadelphia Phillies' big-money addition looks ready to pay off.Harper hit his first two Grapefruit League homers, combining with fellow new additions Andrew McCutchen and J.T. Realmuto to help Philadelphia pound the Toronto Blue Jays 13-6 Thursday.Harper smashed a two-run homer to right off Sam Gaviglio in the fourth inning and had a solo shot against lefty Thomas Pannone in the sixth. McCutchen also took Gaviglio deep in the second, and Realmuto had a three-run shot in the fourth. That trio has been sharp this spring, with Harper posting a 1.192 OPS, Realmuto at 1.285 and McCutchen .830.Gift Ngoepe and Andrew Knapp also went deep, and Vince Velasquez struck out nine but allowed three runs and two homers in 3 1/3 innings. Velasquez has a 12.79 ERA this spring.Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered to continue a hot spring with Toronto, and... [More]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Bryce Harper has been playing catch-up since his free agency carried over into spring training.With a week left until opening day, the Philadelphia Phillies' big-money addition looks ready to pay off.Harper hit his first two Grapefruit League homers, combining with fellow new additions Andrew McCutchen and J.T. Realmuto to help Philadelphia pound the Toronto Blue Jays 13-6 Thursday.Harper smashed a two-run homer to right off Sam Gaviglio in the fourth inning and had a solo shot against lefty Thomas Pannone in the sixth. McCutchen also took Gaviglio deep in the second, and Realmuto had a three-run shot in the fourth. That trio has been sharp this spring, with Harper posting a 1.192 OPS, Realmuto at 1.285 and McCutchen .830.Gift Ngoepe and Andrew Knapp also went deep, and Vince Velasquez struck out nine but allowed three runs and two homers in 3 1/3 innings. Velasquez has a 12.79 ERA this spring.Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered to continue a hot spring with Toronto, and... [More]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Bryce Harper has been playing catch-up since his free agency carried over into spring training.With a week left until opening day, the Philadelphia Phillies' big-money addition looks ready to pay off.Harper hit his first two Grapefruit League homers, combining with fellow new additions Andrew McCutchen and J.T. Realmuto to help Philadelphia pound the Toronto Blue Jays 13-6 Thursday.Harper smashed a two-run homer to right off Sam Gaviglio in the fourth inning and had a solo shot against lefty Thomas Pannone in the sixth. McCutchen also took Gaviglio deep in the second, and Realmuto had a three-run shot in the fourth. That trio has been sharp this spring, with Harper posting a 1.192 OPS, Realmuto at 1.285 and McCutchen .830.Gift Ngoepe and Andrew Knapp also went deep, and Vince Velasquez struck out nine but allowed three runs and two homers in 3 1/3 innings. Velasquez has a 12.79 ERA this spring.Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered to continue a hot spring with Toronto, and... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Chris Archer had success against the high-powered New York Yankees and more importantly felt great afterwards.Archer allowed two hits and struck out four over three scoreless innings in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 6-5 loss on Sunday.The right-hander, who underwent surgery to repair a hernia in November, faced a lineup that included Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Troy Tulowitzki, Gleyber Torres, Brett Gardner and Greg Bird."The biggest thing for me is health," Archer said. "Whenever I don't have to be tentative, I don't have to be passive because there's an ailment, I'm happy."Gardner and Stanton had first-inning singles before Archer retired his final seven batters."Facing those guys, you get really good feedback," Archer said. "But the process of executing the pitches, that's all I was focused on."Archer had four strikeouts over two hitless innings in his first spring training start in Tuesday's 10-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles.The 30-year-old will start the Pirates'... [More]

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez is headed for Tommy John surgery and out for the season. New York Yankees ace Luis Severino is shut down, too — at least through opening day.Hours after Severino stopped warming up in the bullpen because of an inflamed right shoulder, the Royals announced more damaging news Tuesday: Perez will have surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow, keeping the six-time All-Star off the field for the entire year.Perez hurt the elbow during a workout last week and said over the weekend that he was harboring a slim hope he might be able to play through it. Instead, he is expected to undergo surgery Wednesday."There was nothing that can prepare us for this. There was no information we had that led us this direction," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "Salvy was having no issues. He's asymptomatic. He has wear and tear, just like any 28-year-old catcher who's been squatting and catching since he was 12 years old. There was no warning sign... [More]