NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Cobb had gone two months without a win, and the weight became a burden as his record fell to 2-14, the most losses in the major leagues."At a certain point of that stretch, I'm just hoping not to get a loss," he said. "Not even hoping for wins at that point, I'm just hoping not to lose."Given a five-run lead in the second inning, Cobb breezed and ended skids for himself and the Baltimore Orioles.Cobb allowed one run and seven hits in six innings in a 7-5 win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday that ended the Orioles' streak of 11 consecutive road losses."He's handled it so well," manager Buck Showalter said. "I'm sure there's some sarcastic response to that, but he's a pro and he's pitched better than that. He's going to be a good pitcher for us when all's said and done. He's got a lot of ways to get you out."Cobb (3-14) had been 0-7 since a June 5 victory at the New York Mets, losing his last five outings. Since he last won, the Orioles traded Manny Machado, Zach... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco and Josh Bell each hit a two-run homer, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cleveland Indians 9-4 on Tuesday night for their 11th straight win.The Pirates routed the Indians for the second straight night. Marte homered in the first inning, drove in three runs and extended his career-high hitting streak to 17 games.Polanco homered and Corey Dickerson tripled in two runs when Pittsburgh scored five times in the second. Bell hit a home run in the fifth. The Pirates have homered in a season-high nine straight games, hitting 22 home runs in that span.Pittsburgh has won 11 in a row for the first time since Sept. 12-22, 1996. The Pirates have won 13 of 14 and are 17-8 since June 24. Pittsburgh has outscored its opponents 43-8 in the last five games.Joe Musgrove (4-4) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings for his first win since June 29.Shane Bieber (5-2), called up from Triple-A Columbus to make the start, allowed seven runs in 1 2/3 innings.... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco and Josh Bell each hit a two-run homer, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cleveland Indians 9-4 on Tuesday night for their 11th straight win.The Pirates routed the Indians for the second straight night. Marte homered in the first inning, drove in three runs and extended his career-high hitting streak to 17 games.Polanco homered and Corey Dickerson tripled in two runs when Pittsburgh scored five times in the second. Bell hit a home run in the fifth. The Pirates have homered in a season-high nine straight games, hitting 22 home runs in that span.Pittsburgh has won 11 in a row for the first time since Sept. 12-22, 1996. The Pirates have won 13 of 14 and are 17-8 since June 24. Pittsburgh has outscored its opponents 43-8 in the last five games.Joe Musgrove (4-4) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings for his first win since June 29.Shane Bieber (5-2), called up from Triple-A Columbus to make the start, allowed seven runs in 1 2/3 innings.... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco and Josh Bell each hit a two-run homer, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cleveland Indians 9-4 on Tuesday night for their 11th straight win.The Pirates routed the Indians for the second straight night. Marte homered in the first inning, drove in three runs and extended his career-high hitting streak to 17 games.Polanco homered and Corey Dickerson tripled in two runs when Pittsburgh scored five times in the second. Bell hit a home run in the fifth. The Pirates have homered in a season-high nine straight games, hitting 22 home runs in that span.Pittsburgh has won 11 in a row for the first time since Sept. 12-22, 1996. The Pirates have won 13 of 14 and are 17-8 since June 24. Pittsburgh has outscored its opponents 43-8 in the last five games.Joe Musgrove (4-4) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings for his first win since June 29.Shane Bieber (5-2), called up from Triple-A Columbus to make the start, allowed seven runs in 1 2/3 innings.... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Starling Marte, Gregory Polanco and Josh Bell each hit a two-run homer, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cleveland Indians 9-4 on Tuesday night for their 11th straight win.The Pirates routed the Indians for the second straight night. Marte homered in the first inning, drove in three runs and extended his career-high hitting streak to 17 games.Polanco homered and Corey Dickerson tripled in two runs when Pittsburgh scored five times in the second. Bell hit a home run in the fifth. The Pirates have homered in a season-high nine straight games, hitting 22 home runs in that span.Pittsburgh has won 11 in a row for the first time since Sept. 12-22, 1996. The Pirates have won 13 of 14 and are 17-8 since June 24. Pittsburgh has outscored its opponents 43-8 in the last five games.Joe Musgrove (4-4) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings for his first win since June 29.Shane Bieber (5-2), called up from Triple-A Columbus to make the start, allowed seven runs in 1 2/3 innings.... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg was batted around by the Atlanta Braves, then engaged in a heated spat with Nationals ace Max Scherzer in the dugout during Washington's 8-5 loss Friday night.It was unclear what prompted the exchange between the star pitchers in their first game after the All-Star break.The dispute occurred after Strasburg (6-7), activated from the 10-day disabled list earlier in the day and throwing on his 30th birthday, gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked into the dugout, got a pat on the back from Scherzer and sat down on the bench. They began barking at each other, then both quickly went off-camera by leaving the dugout.The Braves lost All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies in the third inning, and the team said he was lifted as a precaution because of right hamstring tightness. He had an RBI double and stole a base in a two-run first inning.Anibal Sanchez (5-2) allowed three runs over six innings for the Braves, who started the second half... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mark Reynolds homered twice and drove in a career-high 10 runs, Max Scherzer won for the first time since June 5, and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 18-4 on Saturday night.Washington has won three straight and scored a combined 35 runs since calling a players-only meeting on Wednesday after falling under .500 for the first time since May 2.Reynolds (5 for 5) tied his career high for hits and equaled the Nationals' RBI record.Scherzer (11-5), who was 0-4 in his previous five starts, pitched seven innings, allowing four runs on four hits — three of which were home runs. The Nationals had been shut out in three of Scherzer's previous five starts.Miami starter Wei-Yin Chen (2-6) lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits.DIAMONDBACKS 20, PADRES 5PHOENIX (AP) — David Peralta drove in three runs and matched his career best with five hits, five Arizona players homered and the Diamondbacks set a single-game franchise scoring record with a rout of... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mark Reynolds homered twice and drove in a career-high 10 runs, Max Scherzer won for the first time since June 5, and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 18-4 on Saturday night.Washington has won three straight and scored a combined 35 runs since calling a players-only meeting on Wednesday after falling under .500 for the first time since May 2.Reynolds (5 for 5) tied his career high for hits and equaled the Nationals' RBI record.Scherzer (11-5), who was 0-4 in his previous five starts, pitched seven innings, allowing four runs on four hits — three of which were home runs. The Nationals had been shut out in three of Scherzer's previous five starts.Miami starter Wei-Yin Chen (2-6) lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits.DODGERS 3, ANGELS 1ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ross Stripling pitched another gem and Justin Turner drove in two runs to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a win over the Angels.Stripling (7-2) is making a strong case to make the NL All-Star... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kyle Gibson recovered from a rough start to throw seven innings, and Max Kepler homered in his second straight game to lead Minnesota past Baltimore 5-4 on Saturday.Bobby Wilson went 2-for-3 with three RBIs for the Twins, who won their third in a row.Gibson (3-6) allowed three runs in the first inning — including a two-run homer by Chris Davis — but only gave up two hits after that while striking out nine. It was Gibson's highest strikeout total since fanning 10 batters on April 26 against the New York Yankees.Kepler's solo shot off Kevin Gausman sparked a three-run fifth that tied it. Wilson's two-run double off Miguel Castro (2-5) in the sixth gave Minnesota the lead for good.The team with baseball's worst record, meanwhile, lost its fifth in the row.Trevor Hildenberger worked a scoreless eighth for the Twins. Jace Peterson's RBI double off Fernando Rodney pulled the Orioles to 5-4, but Rodney got Tim Beckham on a grounder to short to convert his 19th save in 24 chances.CUBS... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Infielder Tim Beckham has been activated from the disabled list by the last-place Baltimore Orioles, who finally have the starting lineup they anticipated when spring training started.Beckham batted .179 with one homer and four RBIs in 23 games before going on the DL with a groin strain in April. After undergoing core surgery, he missed two months."I don't want to think about what was going on before the injury," Beckham said Monday. "I'm here now, I'm healthy and I'm ready to play some ball."Beckham said he had been playing with pain long before he was traded from Tampa Bay to Baltimore last July."It's something I battled through for years," he said. "You have to play through injuries sometimes. That's the situation I was in at Tampa."With Beckham back, the Orioles started all their front-line players for the first time Monday night against Seattle. The lineup included Jonathan Schoop, Mark Trumbo and Colby Rasmus, all of whom have spent extensive time on the disabled... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Infielder Tim Beckham has been activated from the disabled list by the last-place Baltimore Orioles, who finally have the starting lineup they anticipated when spring training started.Beckham batted .179 with one homer and four RBIs in 23 games before going on the DL with a groin strain in April. After undergoing core surgery, he missed two months.Beckham said Monday he had been playing with pain before he came from Tampa Bay to Baltimore last July, noting, "It's something I battled through for years."With Beckham back, the Orioles started all their front-line players for the first time. The lineup against Seattle on Monday night included Jonathan Schoop, Mark Trumbo and Colby Rasmus, all of whom have spent extensive time on the disabled list.Chris Davis, who sat out eight games in an effort to shake a lengthy slump, said, "I'm glad to see everybody back."Baltimore started the day with a 23-53 record.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

BALTIMORE (AP) — As they stagger toward the midpoint of their miserable 2018 baseball season, the Orioles own the worst record in the majors and are on pace to lose 100 games for only the third time since their move to Baltimore in 1954.Worst of all, they never saw it coming.After giving free agent Alex Cobb a four-year, $57 million contract and signing veteran right-hander Andrew Cashner, the Orioles figured they had a solid starting rotation to go with a power-laden lineup — a formula designed to produce the team's fourth postseason berth in seven years under manager Buck Showalter."We had really high hopes, as most teams do, especially in spring training," slugger Mark Trumbo said. "Our offense was really firing, and we had both Cashner and Cobb coming into the fold to go with a similar group of guys from the last couple years."Nothing has gone according to plan. Entering Friday night's game in Atlanta, the Orioles were 21-52 (10-29 on the road) and a whopping 29 ½ games behind the first-place... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles hope the return of second baseman Jonathan Schoop will provide a spark to the worst offense in the American League.Schoop was activated from the disabled list Tuesday following a three-week stay with a right oblique strain. During his absence, the Orioles went 3-17 and dipped deep into last place in the AL East.Baltimore entered Tuesday's game ranked last in the AL in batting average, runs, total bases and slugging percentage.Although he got off to a slow start this season — batting .230 with one homer and three RBIs in 14 games — Schoop was inserted in the cleanup spot against the Royals."It's good to have John's skills and his personality back on the club," manager Buck Showalter said.Schoop hit .293 with 32 homers and 105 RBIs last season, earning a spot in the All-Star Game for the first time.Schoop also solidifies an infield that is without third baseman Tim Beckham, who's sidelined following core surgery."You know the capability is there, and... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The last time the Baltimore Orioles began a season this poorly, Buck Showalter was brought in to restore order to the floundering franchise.Now, Showalter finds himself in a similar mess.Back in 2010, the Orioles stumbled to a 1-11 start and were 5-18 at the end of April. They fired manager Dave Trembley in June and continued to slide under interim manager Juan Samuel before Showalter came aboard and guided Baltimore to 34 wins in its final 57 games.Showalter has since taken the Orioles to the postseason on three occasions.This year, however, he's had to deal with a team plagued by injuries, lackluster hitting and inconsistent pitching.With guys like Anthony Santander, Danny Valencia, Chance Sisco and Craig Gentry getting significant playing time, it's no wonder Baltimore (8-20) has a minus-54 run differential and is deep in last place in the AL East.That would be acceptable if the Orioles were tanking, but they fully expected to compete for a playoff spot this season.Vice... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Baltimore Orioles infielder Tim Beckham is considering surgery on the groin injury that sent him to the 10-day disabled list Wednesday.Beckham saw a specialist in Philadelphia on Wednesday, and must decide whether to have sports hernia surgery or attempt to rehabilitate the injury.It appears as if surgery is the most viable option, which would mean Beckham would be out for at least six weeks."You've got an opportunity to rehab him, be back and dealing with the same thing shortly thereafter," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "Or you can do something surgically and get it behind you. I think that's what they're considering right now."The procedure could take place as soon as Thursday, Showalter said.Beckham came to the Orioles before the July 31 non-waiver deadline last season and became an immediate contributor at shortstop and at the plate. He moved to third base this year and hoped to retain his success offensively, but was batting .179 with one homer and four RBIs.Showalter... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles have put infielder Tim Beckham on the 10-day disabled list with a left groin strain.Beckham was removed from Monday night's game against Cleveland for a pinch runner. Because the Orioles were rained out Tuesday, the move is retroactive to April 24.Beckham has also been bothered by a sore Achilles tendon. On Tuesday, manager Buck Showalter said, "I'd be surprised if he's not on the DL at some point; it's just a matter of when."After being moved from shortstop to third base this season, Beckham has played well in the field but struggled at the plate. He's batting .179 with one homer and four RBIs.As a corresponding move, the Orioles added infielder Jace Peterson to the 25-man roster for Wednesday night's game against Tampa Bay. Peterson was claimed off waivers from the Yankees on Tuesday.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles have claimed utility infielder Jace Peterson after he was placed on waivers by the New York Yankees.Peterson, a left-handed hitter, is expected to report Wednesday.He provides depth to an infield that is without injured second baseman Jonathan Schoop and could potentially lose Tim Beckham, who left Monday's game against Cleveland with a groin injury.The 27-year-old Peterson played in three games with the Yankees this season, going 3 for 10 with a walk.Selected by San Diego in the first round of the 2011 draft, Peterson broke into the big leagues with the Padres in 2014 before playing for Atlanta the past three years.Peterson has 386 games of major league experience, primarily as a second baseman. He also plays third base, shortstop and all three outfield positions.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

BOSTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a grand slam on a monster night, leading Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox over the New York Yankees 14-1 Tuesday for their ninth straight victory.Betts went 4 for 4, scoring five runs and driving in four. His third career slam capped a nine-run burst in the sixth inning that turned the first matchup of the season between the AL East rivals into a rout.Sale (1-0) allowed one run in six innings, striking out eight. Luis Severino (2-1) gave up five runs in five innings.Aaron Judge had three hits for the Yankees, including his third home run of the season.Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton went 2 for 4. He struck out his first two times up against Sale, and has now fanned 22 times in 46 at-bats.GIANTS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 4SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Andrew McCutchen hit a bases-loaded single for his second walk-off of San Francisco's homestand.McCutchen lined the first pitch he got from Jorge De La Rosa (0-1) for a clean single into left-center, his 10th career game-ending... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a grand slam on a monster night, leading Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox over the New York Yankees 14-1 Tuesday for their ninth straight victory.Betts went 4 for 4, scoring five runs and driving in four. His third career slam capped a nine-run burst in the sixth inning that turned the first matchup of the season between the AL East rivals into a rout.Sale (1-0) allowed one run in six innings, striking out eight. Luis Severino (2-1) gave up five runs in five innings.Aaron Judge had three hits for the Yankees, including his third home run of the season.Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton went 2 for 4. He struck out his first two times up against Sale, and has now fanned 22 times in 46 at-bats.BLUE JAYS 2, ORIOLES 1BALTIMORE (AP) — Aaron Sanchez lost his no-hit bid when Baltimore's Tim Beckham led off the eighth inning with a sharp grounder through the legs of third baseman Josh Donaldson, and Curtis Granderson hit a tiebreaking homer in the ninth to carry Toronto.Seeking... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a grand slam on a monster night, leading Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox over the New York Yankees 14-1 Tuesday for their ninth straight victory.Betts went 4 for 4, scoring five runs and driving in four. His third career slam capped a nine-run burst in the sixth inning that turned the first matchup of the season between the AL East rivals into a rout.Sale (1-0) allowed one run in six innings, striking out eight. Luis Severino (2-1) gave up five runs in five innings.Aaron Judge had three hits for the Yankees, including his third home run of the season.Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton went 2 for 4. He struck out his first two times up against Sale, and has now fanned 22 times in 46 at-bats.BLUE JAYS 2, ORIOLES 1BALTIMORE (AP) — Aaron Sanchez lost his no-hit bid when Baltimore's Tim Beckham led off the eighth inning with a sharp grounder through the legs of third baseman Josh Donaldson, and Curtis Granderson hit a tiebreaking homer in the ninth to carry Toronto.Seeking... [More]