BOSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and the Houston Astros won their sixth straight game, beating the Boston Red Sox 6-3 on Friday night in a matchup of AL division leaders.The Red Sox, with the best record in the majors, had won three in row.Boston starter David Price had allowed just one hit and retired 14 in a row when he went into the seventh with a 2-0 lead. He left after Alex Bregman's double and a walk and, after Ryan Brasier took over, the Astros scored three times. J.D. Martinez tied it with a single for his second RBI of the game.Houston scored three times in the eighth. Correa put the AL Central leaders ahead, a wild pitch by Joe Kelly (4-2) scored another run and Tyler White added an RBI single.Ryan Pressly (2-1) got two outs and Roberto Osuna posted his 14th save.Xander Bogaerts hit his 20th home run for Boston.ANGELS 5, WHITE SOX 2CHICAGO (AP) — Two-way star Shohei Ohtani homered for the third straight game after learning he will... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:OCTOBER IN THE AIRTwo of the top teams in the majors meet at Fenway Park when Gerrit Cole (13-5, 2.86 ERA) and the Astros take on David Price (14-6, 3.60) and the Red Sox in the opener of a three-game set between AL division leaders. Houston beat Boston in the playoffs last year on the way to winning the World Series. Price bruised his left wrist when it was hit by a line drive in his last start Aug. 29 against Miami. The streaking Astros have won five straight behind slugger Alex Bregman, who has reached base safely in 33 consecutive games. Bregman, with four homers in his last five games, batted .486 with seven doubles, five homers and 17 RBIs on the 10-game homestand Houston just completed. He has an extra-base hit and an RBI in five straight games, the longest such streak for an Astros hitter since 2006.WILD, WILD WESTTrevor Story and the first-place Rockies open a pivotal three-game series against the Dodgers at Coors Field with 1... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Friday:OCTOBER IN THE AIRTwo of the top teams in the majors meet at Fenway Park when Gerrit Cole (13-5, 2.86 ERA) and the Astros take on David Price (14-6, 3.60) and the Red Sox in the opener of a three-game set between AL division leaders. Houston beat Boston in the playoffs last year on the way to winning the World Series. Price bruised his left wrist when it was hit by a line drive in his last start Aug. 29 against Miami. The streaking Astros have won five straight behind slugger Alex Bregman, who has reached base safely in 33 consecutive games. Bregman, with four homers in his last five games, batted .486 with seven doubles, five homers and 17 RBIs on the 10-game homestand Houston just completed. He has an extra-base hit and an RBI in five straight games, the longest such streak for an Astros hitter since 2006.WILD, WILD WESTTrevor Story and the first-place Rockies open a pivotal three-game series against the Dodgers at Coors Field with 1... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The scorecard in the archives of the Colorado Rockies' history stands like this: World Series appearances 1, NL West titles 0.No divisional crowns is a particular figure that All-Star shortstop Trevor Story and his teammates are keenly aware of and hope to remedy, especially with the Rockies climbing into a place they've rarely been this late in the season: All alone at the top of the NL West. The Rockies haven't occupied first place this late in the year since 1995.Colorado began an off day Thursday with a 1 ½-game divisional lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers and 2 games over the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Rockies (77-62) start a pivotal stretch by hosting the Dodgers for three games starting Friday and then Arizona for four more.Buckle up. These last 23 games reckon to be quite a ride."A division title would be huge, obviously, since we've never done that," said Story, who crushed three homers Wednesday, including one that went a Coors Field-record 505 feet according to Statcast.... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:CLEAN-CUT CUTCHAndrew McCutchen is expected to join the Yankees when they host Detroit, a day after being acquired from San Francisco. The 2013 NL MVP will take over right field duties with slugger Aaron Judge still recovering from a broken right wrist. McCutchen was one of the game's most recognizable faces in his younger days with Pittsburgh because of his shoulder-length dreadlocks and well-crafted beard, but old friend and current Yankee infielder Neil Walker informed him Friday the beard had to go — New York has a longstanding policy banning facial hair."Just gonna take me a sec to get used to my freshly shaved face," McCutchen joked on Twitter.WELCOMEJosh Donaldson, Ryan Madson and David Freese were part of the 10 trades that contenders made on the final day they could acquire players and still have them eligible for postseason rosters.The Brewers were busy Friday, getting starter Gio Gonzalez, outfielder Curtis Granderson and reliever... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:CLEAN-CUT CUTCHAndrew McCutchen is expected to join the Yankees when they host Detroit, a day after being acquired from San Francisco. The 2013 NL MVP will take over right field duties with slugger Aaron Judge still recovering from a broken right wrist. McCutchen was one of the game's most recognizable faces in his younger days with Pittsburgh because of his shoulder-length dreadlocks and well-crafted beard, but old friend and current Yankee infielder Neil Walker informed him Friday the beard had to go — New York has a longstanding policy banning facial hair."Just gonna take me a sec to get used to my freshly shaved face," McCutchen joked on Twitter.WELCOMEJosh Donaldson, Ryan Madson and David Freese were part of the 10 trades that contenders made on the final day they could acquire players and still have them eligible for postseason rosters.The Brewers were busy Friday, getting starter Gio Gonzalez, outfielder Curtis Granderson and... [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]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched just well enough to earn his 200th career win and the Houston Astros hit five home runs, beating the Oakland Athletics 9-4 Sunday to avoid a sweep and retake sole possession of the AL West lead.The surging A's had won the first two games at the Coliseum to tie shaky Houston atop the division. But Yuli Gurriel hit a three-run homer in the third inning and Evan Gattis, Alex Bergman, Marwin Gonzalez and Martin Maldonado later homered for the defending World Series champions. Maldonado also tripled and doubled.Verlander (12-8) gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings while becoming the 114th pitcher with at least 200 career wins.Oakland's Sean Manaea (11-9) was charged with six runs and nine hits in four-plus innings.DODGERS 12, MARINERS 1SEATTLE (AP) — Clayton Kershaw pitched seven sharp innings for his 150th career win, Justin Turner homered and drove in five runs, and Los Angeles routed Seattle.Kershaw (6-5) gave up four hits, struck out seven and... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched just well enough to earn his 200th career win and the Houston Astros hit five home runs, beating the Oakland Athletics 9-4 Sunday to avoid a sweep and retake sole possession of the AL West lead.The surging A's had won the first two games at the Coliseum to tie shaky Houston atop the division. But Yuli Gurriel hit a three-run homer in the third inning and Evan Gattis, Alex Bergman, Marwin Gonzalez and Martin Maldonado later homered for the defending World Series champions. Maldonado also tripled and doubled.Verlander (12-8) gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings while becoming the 114th pitcher with at least 200 career wins.Oakland's Sean Manaea (11-9) was charged with six runs and nine hits in four-plus innings.DODGERS 12, MARINERS 1SEATTLE (AP) — Clayton Kershaw pitched seven sharp innings for his 150th career win, Justin Turner homered and drove in five runs, and Los Angeles routed Seattle.Kershaw (6-5) gave up four hits, struck out seven and... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. pulled off one of the rarest feats in baseball history, hitting leadoff homers in both games of a doubleheader to send the first-place Atlanta Braves to a sweep of the Miami Marlins on Monday.The 20-year-old rookie hit an opposite-field drive into the Braves' bullpen in Game 1, powering Atlanta to a 9-1 victory. Haitian-American Touki Toussaint (1-0) pitched six strong innings to win his major league debut.It was more of the same from Acuna in the nightcap. He sent a towering shot into the seats in left-center, sparking the Braves to a 6-1 victory behind another strong outing on the mound from Mike Foltynewicz (10-7).Acuna appeared to be only the fourth player in big league history to hit a pair of leadoff homers in a doubleheader.Merandy Gonzalez (2-1) took the loss in the second game after being called up from Double-A Jacksonville for his first career start.Acuna hit his first leadoff homer off Pablo Lopez (2-3) and added a two-run double in the sixth,... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:LAST RIDEThe Subway Series finishes with a marquee matchup at Yankee Stadium. Mets ace Jacob deGrom, who leads the majors with a 1.77 ERA, faces Luis Severino, who tops the AL with 15 wins. The game is a makeup from a rainout last month. Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton has homered in five of his last six games.YOU AGAIN?Giants star Madison Bumgarner and Los Angeles lefty Clayton Kershaw face each other for the 11th time when the Giants visit Dodger Stadium. Bumgarner is 4-3 with a 2.56 ERA against Kershaw in the previous 10 head-to-head meetings. Kershaw is 3-4 with a 2.00 ERA in those starts.FLYING HIGHThe Cardinals have matched a season high with five straight wins, and now host Washington in a four-game series. Miles Mikolas (12-3, 2.74) starts for St. Louis against Tommy Milone (1-1, 5.50). Far from Busch Stadium, longtime Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright will throw an inning for the Palm Beach Cardinals in the Class A Florida State... [More]

A look at what's happening around baseball Monday:LAST RIDEThe Subway Series finishes with a marquee matchup at Yankee Stadium. Mets ace Jacob deGrom, who leads the majors with a 1.77 ERA, faces Luis Severino, who tops the AL with 15 wins. The game is a makeup from a rainout last month. Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton has homered in five of his last six games.YOU AGAIN?Giants star Madison Bumgarner and Los Angeles lefty Clayton Kershaw face each other for the 11th time when the Giants visit Dodger Stadium. Bumgarner is 4-3 with a 2.56 ERA against Kershaw in the previous 10 head-to-head meetings. Kershaw is 3-4 with a 2.00 ERA in those starts.FLYING HIGHThe Cardinals have matched a season high with five straight wins, and now host Washington in a four-game series. Miles Mikolas (12-3, 2.74) starts for St. Louis against Tommy Milone (1-1, 5.50). Far from Busch Stadium, longtime Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright will throw an inning for the Palm Beach Cardinals in the Class A Florida State League... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:MATTY WOODWORKMatt Carpenter has four homers in five games heading into St. Louis' series finale against Miami. Carpenter hit his 30th home run in a 3-2 win Monday, becoming the first left-handed Cardinal to hit 30 home runs since Jim Edmonds hit 42 in 2004, according to ESPN Stats & Info. "I couldn't imagine the stretch I'm putting together," Carpenter said. "I would have never guessed that. It's uncharted territory for me."FIRED UPMike Fiers makes his first start since the Athletics acquired him Detroit earlier this week. The right-hander will pitch at the Coliseum against a tough opponent in Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fiers is 7-6 with a 3.48 ERA this season and 2-2 with a 1.96 ERA over his last seven starts."I wasn't really planning on going anywhere and just focused on what I had to do there. The time came and I was traded and now I'm here trying to do my job every fifth day," he said.BOSTON BAIL OUTThe Red Sox... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Asked about his best role in the Oakland bullpen, Shawn Kelley barbed himself."25-1's fine, whatever," he quipped Tuesday as he joined his new Athletics teammates.The Washington Nationals cut Kelley last week, a day after he slammed his glove to the ground and glared into the dugout while pitching the ninth inning of a blowout win over the New York Mets. The Nats were ahead 25-1 when Kelley surrendered a two-run homer and lost his cool.Washington general manager Mike Rizzo said of Kelley: "You're either in or you're in the way. I thought he was in the way. That's something you don't come back from."It was an embarrassing moment for Kelley. But, he says, that's not who he is."I got frustrated because I gave up a homer. I meant no disrespect," Kelley said. "I've always been a team guy."Now with his fifth big league team, the 34-year-old righty is ready to help Oakland chase a playoff berth."I hope I can help out in any way and help them keep rolling," Kelley said.Oakland... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Wednesday:MATTY WOODWORKMatt Carpenter has four homers in five games heading into St. Louis' series finale against Miami. Carpenter hit his 30th home run in a 3-2 win Monday, becoming the first left-handed Cardinal to hit 30 home runs since Jim Edmonds hit 42 in 2004, according to ESPN Stats & Info. "I couldn't imagine the stretch I'm putting together," Carpenter said. "I would have never guessed that. It's uncharted territory for me."FIRED UPMike Fiers makes his first start since the Athletics acquired him Detroit earlier this week. The right-hander will pitch at the Coliseum against a tough opponent in Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fiers is 7-6 with a 3.48 ERA this season and 2-2 with a 1.96 ERA over his last seven starts."I wasn't really planning on going anywhere and just focused on what I had to do there. The time came and I was traded and now I'm here trying to do my job every fifth day," he said.BOSTON BAIL OUTThe Red... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier officially announced his retirement from baseball Friday during an on-field ceremony.Ethier played all 12 of his major league seasons with the Dodgers, making his debut in 2006, less than five months after he was acquired in an offseason trade from the Oakland Athletics. He hit 162 career home runs with 1,367 hits and appeared in the postseason eight times.He drove in the team's only run in a 5-1 defeat in Game 7 of the World Series last year.Ethier, 36, said he was open to joining a team in spring training but the perfect fit never materialized. By April he started planning his first summer family vacation. The Dodgers talked him into a retirement ceremony Friday."I was honestly geared up and ready to go," Ethier said about playing in 2018. "The business side you just start to realize there's not a market. Markets just don't develop. I had been joking a lot that if you can't find a job then I guess you retire and that's what happened."The... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier officially announced his retirement from baseball Friday during an on-field ceremony.Ethier played all 12 of his major league seasons with the Dodgers, making his debut in 2006, less than five months after he was acquired in an offseason trade from the Oakland Athletics. He hit 162 career home runs with 1,367 hits and appeared in the postseason eight times.He drove in the team's only run in a 5-1 defeat in Game 7 of the World Series last year.Ethier, 36, said he was open to joining a team in spring training but the perfect fit never materialized. By April he started planning his first summer family vacation. The Dodgers talked him into a retirement ceremony Friday."I was honestly geared up and ready to go," Ethier said about playing in 2018. "The business side you just start to realize there's not a market. Markets just don't develop. I had been joking a lot that if you can't find a job then I guess you retire and that's what happened."The... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier officially announced his retirement from baseball Friday during an on-field ceremony.Ether played all 12 of his major league seasons with the Dodgers, making his major league debut in 2006, less than five months after he was acquired in an offseason trade from the Oakland Athletics. He hit 162 career home runs with 1,367 hits and appeared in the postseason eight times.He drove in the team's only run in a 5-1 defeat in Game 7 of the World Series last year.Ethier, 36, said he was open to joining a team in spring training but the perfect fit never materialized. By April he started planning his first summer family vacation. The Dodgers talked him into a retirement ceremony Friday."I was honestly geared up and ready to go," Ethier said about playing in 2018. "The business side you just start to realize there's not a market. Markets just don't develop. I had been joking a lot that if you can't find a job then I guess you retire and that's what... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Steve Pearce homered three times, the second a three-run drive in an eight-run fourth inning as the Boston Red Sox rallied from an early deficit to beat the New York Yankees 15-7 on Thursday night and take a season-high 6½-game lead in the AL East.In the opener of a four-game series that gave New York the potential to erase most of its division deficit, the Red Sox instead opened a bigger gap, taking advantage of manager Aaron Boone's decision to pull starter CC Sabathia after three innings with a 4-2 lead. Jonathan Holder (1-2) faced seven batters and did not record an out.Mookie Betts had four hits and two walks, reaching safely all six times he came to the plate. Pearce, J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler and Andrew Benintendi had three hits apiece for Boston.Didi Grigorius homered twice, Aaron Hicks hit one and Giancarlo Stanton got his 25th of the season for the Yankees, who have lost just twice in the past week but dropped two games in the division.Brian Johnson (2-3), making... [More]