A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ GOING SHORT-HANDED? The Marlins are hoping center fielder Starling Marte can play through a broken bone in his left hand as they try to eliminate the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Marte was hit by a fastball in the ninth inning of Miami’s 5-1 win Wednesday, and X-rays revealed a non-displaced fracture in his fifth metacarpal -- the bone that leads into the pinkie finger. The team is optimistic and is still considering him day to day. Marte started in the opener of the best-of-three series after he was hit on the front of his helmet by a fastball during Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Yankees. “He’s been like a target almost,” manager Don Mattingly said. “But he’s been bouncing back from everything else so hopefully we get good results with everything and we’ll see where he’s at.” Yu Darvish starts for the NL Central champion Cubs, and rookie right-hander Sixto Sánchez get the ball for upstart Miami, which is in the playoffs for... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Thursday: ___ GOING SHORT-HANDED? The Marlins are hoping center fielder Starling Marte can play through a broken bone in his left hand as they try to eliminate the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Marte was hit by a fastball in the ninth inning of Miami’s 5-1 win Wednesday, and X-rays revealed a non-displaced fracture in his fifth metacarpal -- the bone that leads into the pinkie finger. The team is optimistic and is still considering him day to day. Marte started in the opener of the best-of-three series after he was hit on the front of his helmet by a fastball during Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Yankees. “He’s been like a target almost,” manager Don Mattingly said. “But he’s been bouncing back from everything else so hopefully we get good results with everything and we’ll see where he’s at.” Yu Darvish starts for the NL Central champion Cubs, and rookie right-hander Sixto Sánchez get the ball for upstart Miami, which is in the playoffs... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman singled home the winning run in the 13th inning, finally ending the longest scoreless duel in postseason history as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 in the opener of their NL wild-card series on Wednesday. The East champion Braves won the first game of a postseason series for the first time since the 2001 NL Division Series and can wrap up the best-of-three series on Thursday. If they do, it will snap a record-tying streak of 10 straight playoff round losses. What began as a pitching showdown between between Cy Young contenders Trevor Bauer of the Reds and Atlanta’s Max Fried devolved into a strikeout contest. The teams combined for a postseason record 37 Ks — 21 by the Braves. After a couple of hits in the 13th against Archie Bradley, Freeman drove one into center field off Amir Garrett against a five-man infield with one out to end a game that dragged on for more than 4 1/2 hours. A four-time All-Star, Freeman produced another big year... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ CRAZY EIGHT How’s this for wild: MLB is set to stage eight postseason games on the same day for the first time. National League clubs will open their best-of-three wild-card series, while four American League teams are already facing elimination after starting Tuesday. The Reds and Braves open things with a dynamite pitching matchup between Trevor Bauer and Max Fried at noon ET, and baseball will be on TV until the Brewers and Dodgers wrap their 10 p.m. ET tilt. With the expansion of the first round from a pair of wild-card games to eight best-of-three series, there are a maximum 65 possible postseason games this year. In the 1960s, there were 66 postseason games in the entire decade, with league championship series starting in 1969. The day starts with a showdown between NL Cy Young Award contenders. Bauer (5-4, 1.73 ERA) was at his best down the stretch for Cincinnati, including a 12-strikeout performance against Milwaukee in his... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Wednesday: ___ CRAZY EIGHT How’s this for wild: MLB is set to stage eight postseason games on the same day for the first time. National League clubs will open their best-of-three wild-card series, while four American League teams are already facing elimination after starting Tuesday. The Reds and Braves open things with a dynamite pitching matchup between Trevor Bauer and Max Fried at noon ET, and baseball will be on TV until the Brewers and Dodgers wrap their 10 p.m. ET tilt. With the expansion of the first round from a pair of wild-card games to eight best-of-three series, there are a maximum 65 possible postseason games this year. In the 1960s, there were 66 postseason games in the entire decade, with league championship series starting in 1969. The day starts with a showdown between NL Cy Young Award contenders. The right-handed Bauer (5-4, 1.73 ERA) was at his best down the stretch for Cincinnati, including a 12-strikeout performance against... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Marcus Semien and the Oakland Athletics are finally getting a full playoff series. After consecutive losses in the wild-card game, the AL West champions hope a longer series boosts their chances for a deep postseason run. "It’s a little different than last year for us and also in ’18 where it’s just one game and you want to be so perfect and win that game,” Semien said. “It’s a three-game series, we’re at home and play good baseball.” Oakland gets its shot against the Chicago White Sox in the best-of-three wild-card round having advanced just once during 11 previous playoff trips since 2000, when they reached the 2006 AL Championship Series before being swept by Detroit. Both clubs navigated a challenging 60-game regular season, bolstered often by their top sluggers. The A's finished 36-24, Chicago at 35-25. Oakland will send 22-year-old lefty Jesús Luzardo out to start Game 1 on Tuesday. “To be able to do it at a young age is a blessing,” said Luzardo, whose season... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alex Bregman singled in the go-ahead run during a five-run ninth inning, and the Astros rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5 under smoky skies Saturday night in Houston’s first visit since the infamous 2017 World Series.The Dodgers blew a three-run lead in the ninth when Kenley Jansen (3-1) got knocked around, giving up four consecutive hits without an out.Josh James (1-0) got the victory with 1 1/3 innings of relief. Ryan Pressly earned his ninth save.The game lacked the fiery emotion of the teams’ matchup on July 29. But there were multiple reminders that Dodger fans haven’t forgotten the Astros’ cheating scandal from their championship three years ago.A plane towed a banner reading “Houston Cheats Bang Bang” over the stadium.WHITE SOX 14, TIGERS 0CHICAGO (AP) — José Abreu hit two three-run homers and matched a career high with seven RBIs, and the White Sox earned their eighth straight win against the Tigers.Abreu went 4 for 4 a day after his career-best 22-game... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alex Bregman singled in the go-ahead run during a five-run ninth inning, and the Astros rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5 under smoky skies Saturday night in Houston’s first visit since the infamous 2017 World Series.The Dodgers blew a three-run lead in the ninth when Kenley Jansen (3-1) got knocked around, giving up four consecutive hits without an out.Josh James (1-0) got the victory with 1 1/3 innings of relief. Ryan Pressly earned his ninth save.The game lacked the fiery emotion of the teams’ matchup on July 29. But there were multiple reminders that Dodger fans haven’t forgotten the Astros’ cheating scandal from their championship three years ago.A plane towed a banner reading “Houston Cheats Bang Bang” over the stadium.WHITE SOX 14, TIGERS 0CHICAGO (AP) — José Abreu hit two three-run homers and matched a career high with seven RBIs, and the White Sox earned their eighth straight win against the Tigers.Abreu went 4 for 4 a day after his career-best 22-game... [More]

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Chad Green and Adam Ottavino were routed during a 10-run sixth inning that included Danny Jansen’s grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to beat the Yankees 12-7 Monday night and send skidding New York to its sixth loss in seven games.New York has lost four straight and 14 of 19, dropping into third place in the AL East, two games behind second-place Toronto and 6 1/2 back of Tampa Bay. At 21-20 overall following a 16-6 start, the Yankees have dropped into the AL’s eighth and final playoff position.With general manager Brian Cashman making a rare road trip, New York led 6-2 when Green replaced Jonathan Holder going to the bottom of the sixth. Green, Ottavino (2-3) and Luis Cessa needed 67 pitches and 43 minutes to get three outs. New York had not allowed 10 runs in an inning since CC Sabathia and Esmil Rogers were hit hard in the third inning of a 15-4 loss to Texas on May 23, 2015.Sean Reid-Foley (1-0) won despite a bases-loaded walk to Aaron Hicks in the sixth... [More]

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Chad Green and Adam Ottavino were routed during a 10-run sixth inning that included Danny Jansen’s grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to beat the Yankees 12-7 Monday night and send skidding New York to its sixth loss in seven games.New York has lost four straight and 14 of 19, dropping into third place in the AL East, two games behind second-place Toronto and 6 1/2 back of Tampa Bay. At 21-20 overall following a 16-6 start, the Yankees have dropped into the AL’s eighth and final playoff position.With general manager Brian Cashman making a rare road trip, New York led 6-2 when Green replaced Jonathan Holder going to the bottom of the sixth. Green, Ottavino (2-3) and Luis Cessa needed 67 pitches and 43 minutes to get three outs. New York had not allowed 10 runs in an inning since CC Sabathia and Esmil Rogers were hit hard in the third inning of a 15-4 loss to Texas on May 23, 2015.Sean Reid-Foley (1-0) won despite a bases-loaded walk to Aaron Hicks in the sixth... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Max Muncy drove in four runs close to home for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who can still avoid their first series loss of the season after a 7-4 win Saturday night over the Texas Rangers and potential trade target Lance Lynn.Cody Bellinger’s long two-run homer in the third put Los Angeles up 3-0. Muncy, who played high school baseball about 25 miles from the new Rangers ballpark, made it 4-2 with a deep sacrifice fly in the fifth off Lynn (4-1). The slugger then belted a three-run homer in the seventh.Blake Treinen (3-1) worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Kenley Jansen got three outs for his ninth save. The trade deadline in MLB’s shortened season is Monday, and Lynn could be a target for contending teams — though it could take a hefty offer to acquire the workhorse veteran who is signed through next season.Lynn is still second in the American League with a 1.97 ERA after giving up three earned runs in six innings.YANKEES 2, METS 1NEW YORK (AP) — Clint Frazier... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Max Muncy drove in four runs close to home for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who can still avoid their first series loss of the season after a 7-4 win Saturday night over the Texas Rangers and potential trade target Lance Lynn.Cody Bellinger’s long two-run homer in the third put Los Angeles up 3-0. Muncy, who played high school baseball about 25 miles from the new Rangers ballpark, made it 4-2 with a deep sacrifice fly in the fifth off Lynn (4-1). The slugger then belted a three-run homer in the seventh.Blake Treinen (3-1) worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Kenley Jansen got three outs for his ninth save. The trade deadline in MLB’s shortened season is Monday, and Lynn could be a target for contending teams — though it could take a hefty offer to acquire the workhorse veteran who is signed through next season.Lynn is still second in the American League with a 1.97 ERA after giving up three earned runs in six innings.YANKEES 2, METS 1NEW YORK (AP) — Clint Frazier... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Max Muncy drove in four runs close to home for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who can still avoid their first series loss of the season after a 7-4 win Saturday night over the Texas Rangers and potential trade target Lance Lynn. Cody Bellinger’s long two-run homer in the third put Los Angeles up 3-0. Muncy, who played high school baseball about 25 miles from the new Rangers ballpark, made it 4-2 with a deep sacrifice fly in the fifth off Lynn (4-1). The slugger then belted a three-run homer in the seventh.Blake Treinen (3-1) worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Kenley Jansen got three outs for his ninth save. The trade deadline in MLB’s shortened season is Monday, and Lynn could be a target for contending teams — though it could take a hefty offer to acquire the workhorse veteran who is signed through next season.Lynn is still second in the American League with a 1.97 ERA after giving up three earned runs in six innings.YANKEES 2, METS 1NEW YORK (AP) — Clint Frazier... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Clint Frazier scored the winning run on Dellin Betances’ wild pitch in the ninth inning, and the New York Yankees averted their longest losing streak in a quarter-century Saturday with a 2-1 victory over the crosstown Mets.J.A. Happ pitched brilliantly into the eighth at Yankee Stadium and Luke Voit homered early for the injury-ravaged Bronx Bombers, who stopped a seven-game slide that followed six straight wins. They haven’t dropped eight in a row since August 1995.The Mets had won three straight and six of eight, including a Subway Series doubleheader sweep Friday at Yankee Stadium. Betances (0-1) got the loss against his former team.Wilson Ramos greeted Yankees reliever Adam Ottavino with a tying home run in the eighth. Aroldis Chapman (1-1) got three outs for the win.CUBS 3, REDS 0, GAME 1CINCINNATI (AP) — Yu Darvish scattered seven hits over six innings, Anthony Rizzo homered twice and the Cubs snapped a three-game skid.Darvish (6-1) earned his sixth straight win. He... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout drove in three early runs, then made a key catch late as the Los Angeles Angels beat Oakland 4-3 Saturday to snap the Athletics’ nine-game home winning streak.The three-time MVP made a diving catch on Matt Olson’s sinking liner to center field to start the eighth inning, which had Angels reliever Ty Buttrey clapping his glove in gratitude. Buttrey got six outs for his second save.Anthony Rendon extended his hitting streak to 12 games for the Angels, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Matt Andriese (1-1) relieved Griffin Canning in the fifth and pitched 2 1/3 innings for his first win with Los Angeles.Matt Chapman homered for AL West-leading Oakland. Chris Bassitt (2-1) permitted four runs, two earned, and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.DODGERS 4, ROCKIES 3LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cody Bellinger’s home run leading off the ninth inning gave Los Angeles a win over slumping Colorado.Bellinger drove a slider from Daniel Bard (1-2) just over the glove of Rockies right... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout drove in three early runs, then made a key catch late as the Los Angeles Angels beat Oakland 4-3 Saturday to snap the Athletics’ nine-game home winning streak.The three-time MVP made a diving catch on Matt Olson’s sinking liner to center field to start the eighth inning, which had Angels reliever Ty Buttrey clapping his glove in gratitude. Buttrey got six outs for his second save.Anthony Rendon extended his hitting streak to 12 games for the Angels, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Matt Andriese (1-1) relieved Griffin Canning in the fifth and pitched 2 1/3 innings for his first win with Los Angeles.Matt Chapman homered for AL West-leading Oakland. Chris Bassitt (2-1) permitted four runs, two earned, and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.RAYS 2, BLUE JAYS 1, 10 INNINGSST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pinch hitter Kevin Kiermaier singled in the 10th inning, and Tampa Bay ended Toronto’s six-game winning streak.Both teams scored a run in the fifth and it stayed 1-all... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout drove in three early runs, then made a key catch late as the Los Angeles Angels beat Oakland 4-3 Saturday to snap the Athletics’ nine-game home winning streak.The three-time MVP made a diving catch on Matt Olson’s sinking liner to center field to start the eighth inning, which had Angels reliever Ty Buttrey clapping his glove in gratitude. Buttrey got six outs for his second save.Anthony Rendon extended his hitting streak to 12 games for the Angels, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Matt Andriese (1-1) relieved Griffin Canning in the fifth and pitched 2 1/3 innings for his first win with Los Angeles.Matt Chapman homered for AL West-leading Oakland. Chris Bassitt (2-1) permitted four runs, two earned, and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.RAYS 2, BLUE JAYS 1, 10 INNINGSST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pinch hitter Kevin Kiermaier singled in the 10th inning, and Tampa Bay ended Toronto’s six-game winning streak.Both teams scored a run in the fifth and it stayed 1-all... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout drove in three early runs, then made a key catch late as the Los Angeles Angels beat Oakland 4-3 Saturday to snap the Athletics’ nine-game home winning streak.The three-time MVP made a diving catch on Matt Olson’s sinking liner to center field to start the eighth inning, which had Angels reliever Ty Buttrey clapping his glove in gratitude. Buttrey got six outs for his second save.Anthony Rendon extended his hitting streak to 12 games for the Angels, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Matt Andriese (1-1) relieved Griffin Canning in the fifth and pitched 2 1/3 innings for his first win with Los Angeles.Matt Chapman homered for AL West-leading Oakland. Chris Bassitt (2-1) permitted four runs, two earned, and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.PIRATES 12, BREWERS 5PITTSBURGH (AP) — Adam Frazier and Jacob Stallings homered and drove in three runs apiece, powering the Pirates to the victory.Pittsburgh collected 14 hits for the second straight day, good enough for... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kyle Hendricks pitched six strong innings in his first appearance against Cleveland since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series and Anthony Rizzo homered, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 7-2 win over the Indians on Wednesday night to match their best start in 50 years.Hendricks (3-1) didn’t have much trouble with the slumping Indians. He allowed one run and seven hits and handled everyone in Cleveland’s lineup but Franmil Reyes, who got three hits.The Cubs are 12-3 in their first season under manager David Ross, matching the club’s start after 15 games in 1970. Rizzo homered in the third off Carlos Carrasco (2-2), David Bote drove in two runs and Kris Bryant connected for a 430-foot shot as the Cubs swept the two-game interleague set.Hendricks hadn’t faced the Indians since Nov. 2, 2016, when he started the dramatic finale as the Cubs beat the Indians in extra innings to clinch their first Series title since 1908. ATHLETICS 8, ANGELS 4ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Piscotty, Matt... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kyle Hendricks pitched six strong innings in his first appearance against Cleveland since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series and Anthony Rizzo homered, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 7-2 win over the Indians on Wednesday night to match their best start in 50 years.Hendricks (3-1) didn’t have much trouble with the slumping Indians. He allowed one run and seven hits and handled everyone in Cleveland’s lineup but Franmil Reyes, who got three hits.The Cubs are 12-3 in their first season under manager David Ross, matching the club’s start after 15 games in 1970. Rizzo homered in the third off Carlos Carrasco (2-2), David Bote drove in two runs and Kris Bryant connected for a 430-foot shot as the Cubs swept the two-game interleague set.Hendricks hadn’t faced the Indians since Nov. 2, 2016, when he started the dramatic finale as the Cubs beat the Indians in extra innings to clinch their first Series title since 1908. ATHLETICS 8, ANGELS 4ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Piscotty, Matt... [More]