DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Francisco Mejía hit a tiebreaking, two-run single during a seven-run burst in the 11th inning and the Tampa Bay Rays won their 11th straight game, outlasting the Toronto Blue Jays 14-8 on Monday. Tampa Bay moved within one win of the team record for consecutive victories. In 2004, playing as the Devil Rays, they won 12 in a row under manager Lou Piniella. After both teams scored twice in the 10th to make it 7-all, the Rays broke loose. Mejía’s hit came off Joel Payamps (0-2) with the bases loaded. Randy Arozarena doubled home a run, Austin Meadows had an RBI grounder, Manuel Margot knocked in two with a triple and Mike Brosseau added an RBI single against Tim Mayza. Joey Wendle hit a grand slam as Tampa Bay took a 5-0 lead in the first. The Rays wound up with a four-game sweep and took over sole possession of first place in the AL East. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two of Toronto’s five home runs. The Blue Jays lost their sixth in a row. Tampa Bay scored twice in the 10th,... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Francisco Mejía hit a tiebreaking, two-run single during a seven-run burst in the 11th inning and the Tampa Bay Rays won their 11th straight game, outlasting the Toronto Blue Jays 14-8 on Monday. Tampa Bay moved within one win of the team record for consecutive victories. In 2004, playing as the Devil Rays, they won 12 in a row under manager Lou Piniella. After both teams scored twice in the 10th to make it 7-all, the Rays broke loose. Mejía’s hit came off Joel Payamps (0-2) with the bases loaded. Randy Arozarena doubled home a run, Austin Meadows had an RBI grounder, Manuel Margot knocked in two with a triple and Mike Brosseau added an RBI single against Tim Mayza. Joey Wendle hit a grand slam as Tampa Bay took a 5-0 lead in the first. The Rays wound up with a four-game sweep and took over sole possession of first place in the AL East. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two of Toronto’s five home runs. The Blue Jays lost their sixth in a row. Tampa Bay scored twice in the 10th,... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Vince Velasquez threw six sharp innings, J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Monday night. Velasquez (1-0) allowed one run and four hits, striking out six in his longest outing this season. Hector Neris struck out Lorenzo Cain with the bases loaded in the ninth to preserve the win. Brewers starter Adrian Houser (2-3) gave up four runs — two earned — and four hits in six innings. Cain blasted a solo homer onto the concourse behind the left-center field stands to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead in the first in his first at-bat off the injury list. But NL Central-leading Milwaukee couldn’t do anything else until Philadelphia went to the bullpen. Sam Coonrod struck out the side in the seventh but the Brewers loaded the bases the next two innings. Connor Brogdon walked two and yielded an infield single to Christian Yelich in the eighth. After Travis Shaw’s sacrifice fly cut it to 4-2, Neris entered. Avisail Garcia’s fielder’s... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Michael Conforto hit a tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning and the New York Mets benefited from a very questionable call by the second base umpire to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 Saturday night. Conforto led off the ninth by connecting against Hector Neris (1-3). Conforto also had a two-run double in a four-run first inning against former teammate Zack Wheeler. The Mets squandered the 4-0 lead but recovered to win for just the fourth time in 12 games — even after center fielder Brandon Nimmo and third baseman J.D. Davis exited with hand injuries. Alec Bohm tied it with a two-run homer for the Phillies, who have alternated wins and losses in their last 10 games. Philadelphia hasn’t won consecutive games since a three-game sweep of Atlanta to open the season. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, second base umpire Jose Navas ruled Andrew McCutchen ran out of the baseline to avoid an attempted tag by shortstop Francisco Lindor on what became an inning-ending... [More]

Michael Kopech is getting used to his new relief role with the Chicago White Sox. Judging by his first Cactus League appearance, it looks like he's going to be just fine. The talented right-hander worked a perfect fourth inning Tuesday against San Diego. It was his first game since he opted out of the pandemic-shortened season for a variety of reasons, including concerns about his mental health. “It’s been a while, obviously,” Kopech said. “But it just felt good to kind of knock some rust off and get back out there and compete.” The 24-year-old Kopech, one of baseball’s top pitching prospects, was a starter coming up through the minors and likely will return to Chicago’s rotation at some point. But he is expected to begin the year in the White Sox bullpen. Part of his spring training work involves getting up to speed when it comes to life as a reliever. He worked out of the stretch against the Padres. “If I am going to be throwing out of the bullpen for part of this year at least and maybe... [More]

Michael Kopech is getting used to his new relief role with the Chicago White Sox. Judging by his first Cactus League appearance, it looks like he's going to be just fine. The talented right-hander worked a perfect fourth inning Tuesday against San Diego. It was his first game since he opted out of the pandemic-shortened season for a variety of reasons, including concerns about his mental health. “It’s been a while, obviously,” Kopech said. “But it just felt good to kind of knock some rust off and get back out there and compete.” The 24-year-old Kopech, one of baseball’s top pitching prospects, was a starter coming up through the minors and likely will return to Chicago’s rotation at some point. But he is expected to begin the year in the White Sox bullpen. Part of his spring training work involves getting up to speed when it comes to life as a reliever. He worked out of the stretch against the Padres. “If I am going to be throwing out of the bullpen for part of this year at least and maybe... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ryan Braun was out of the Milwaukee Brewers’ starting lineup for their NL wild-card elimination game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night. Braun was replaced in right field by Tyrone Taylor. Braun could be used as a pinch-hitter. Braun left with mid-back discomfort in the fifth inning of a 4-2 loss on Wednesday after hitting a wall making a catch. He struck out twice. Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell tweaked his lineup for Game 2, dropping left fielder Christian Yelich from leadoff to the No. 2 spot. Center fielder Avisail Garcia leads off. Catcher Jacob Nottingham and Taylor both got the start after pinch hitting in Game 1. Designated hitter Ryon Healy bats cleanup. He went 1 for 7 during the regular season while spending most of it at the team's alternate site. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made Will Smith the designated hitter, with Austin Barnes behind the plate to handle starter Clayton Kershaw. Edwin Rios had been the DH in Game 1. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sport

Brewers first. Avisail Garcia hit by pitch. Christian Yelich walks. Avisail Garcia to second. Ryan Braun homers to left field. Christian Yelich scores. Avisail Garcia scores. Keston Hiura walks. Daniel Vogelbach grounds out to first base, Tommy Edman to Paul Goldschmidt. Keston Hiura to third. Jedd Gyorko out on a sacrifice fly to deep left field to Tyler O'Neill. Keston Hiura scores. Orlando Arcia strikes out swinging.4 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 0 left on. Brewers 4, Cardinals 0.Brewers sixth. Orlando Arcia singles to shallow infield. Luis Urias strikes out swinging. Jacob Nottingham homers to left field. Orlando Arcia scores. Avisail Garcia grounds out to shortstop, Paul DeJong to Paul Goldschmidt. Christian Yelich walks. Ryan Braun grounds out to shortstop, Paul DeJong to Paul Goldschmidt.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Brewers 6, Cardinals 0.

Brewers first. Avisail Garcia grounds out to shallow infield, Adam Wainwright to Tommy Edman to Paul Goldschmidt. Christian Yelich singles to shallow center field. Keston Hiura homers to left field. Christian Yelich scores. Daniel Vogelbach called out on strikes. Jedd Gyorko strikes out swinging.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Brewers 2, Cardinals 0.Cardinals second. Brad Miller strikes out swinging. Matt Carpenter grounds out to shallow infield, Keston Hiura to Jedd Gyorko. Tyler O'Neill homers to center field. Justin Williams singles to right field. Harrison Bader grounds out to shallow infield, Brandon Woodruff to Jedd Gyorko.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Brewers 2, Cardinals 1.Cardinals fourth. Paul Goldschmidt singles to left field. Brad Miller doubles to left field. Paul Goldschmidt to third. Matt Carpenter flies out to shallow center field to Ben Gamel. Tyler O'Neill out on a sacrifice fly to deep right field to Ben Gamel. Brad Miller to third. Paul Goldschmidt scores.... [More]

Cardinals first. Tommy Edman singles to right field. Paul DeJong flies out to Ryan Braun. Paul Goldschmidt doubles to deep right center field. Tommy Edman scores. Rangel Ravelo grounds out to third base, Jace Peterson to Jedd Gyorko. Brad Miller grounds out to shallow infield, Brett Anderson to Jedd Gyorko.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Cardinals 1, Brewers 0.Brewers first. Avisail Garcia strikes out swinging. Christian Yelich homers to center field. Ryan Braun homers to center field. Daniel Vogelbach strikes out swinging. Keston Hiura strikes out swinging.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Brewers 2, Cardinals 1.Brewers third. Omar Narvaez strikes out swinging. Avisail Garcia flies out to right field to Rangel Ravelo. Christian Yelich singles to shallow center field. Ryan Braun walks. Christian Yelich to second. Daniel Vogelbach doubles to deep left center field. Ryan Braun scores. Christian Yelich scores. Keston Hiura lines out to deep left field to Tyler O'Neill.2 runs, 2 hits,... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Dinelson Lamet outpitched Clayton Kershaw, and rookie Jorge Oña hit a go-ahead double in a five-run seventh inning to lead the San Diego Padres to their eighth straight win, 7-2 against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night in the opener of a series between the NL’s top teams.The Padres cut the Dodgers’ lead in the NL West to 1½ games. Trent Grisham added some spice to the rivalry when he hit a tying home run off Kershaw in the sixth and said something to the Dodgers’ dugout as he headed for home. The Padres have won 12 of 14.Lamet (3-1) got the victory thanks to a seventh-inning outburst that chased Kershaw (5-2). Lamet matched his season high with 11 strikeouts while holding the Dodgers to one run and three hits.WHITE SOX 3, TWINS 1CHICAGO (AP) — Adam Engel delivered a tiebreaking pinch-hit single in the eighth inning, and the White Sox increased their lead in the AL Central.Chicago opened its pivotal four-game set against Minnesota with its ninth win in 10 games. The... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Mike Minor tossed a two-hitter, Jake Lamb doubled and homered in his first game after signing with Oakland, and the Athletics beat the Seattle Mariners 9-0 for a doubleheader split on Monday. Seattle won the opener 6-5, rallying from a 5-0 deficit and scoring twice in the sixth inning with two outs to stay on the heels of Houston in the AL West. Seattle is 1½ games behind the Astros for second. The games were played with a haze of smoke hovering above the field at T-Mobile Park, even with the retractable roof of the stadium closed. Wildfires on the West Coast have suffocated much of the Pacific Northwest with unhealthy air conditions that brought into question whether the games would even be played. Minor (1-5) picked up his first victory of the season in his third start since being acquired by the A’s from Texas. Jimmy Yacabonis (0-1) was charged with the loss.Kyle Lewis had a big day for Seattle. The rookie outfielder hit a two-run homer and reached on a bases-loaded walk... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Kyle Lewis sparked Seattle’s rally with a two-run homer and walked with the bases loaded in the sixth inning, helping the Mariners top the Oakland Athletics 6-5 on Monday in the opener of a doubleheader. The game was played with a haze of smoke hovering above the field at T-Mobile Park, even with the retractable roof of the stadium closed. Wildfires on the West Coast have suffocated much of the Pacific Northwest with unhealthy air conditions that brought into question whether the games would even be played. Seattle trailed 5-0 after home runs by Sean Murphy and Marcus Semien off Marco Gonzales (6-2). But Seattle chipped away and scored twice in the sixth against Oakland’s bullpen to move in front for good.Yoshihisa Hirano pitched the seventh inning for his second save. The win pulled Seattle within one game of idle Houston for second in the AL West.Semien had four RBIs for division-leading Oakland. Joakim Soria (2-2) got the loss.MARLINS 6. PHILLIES 2MIAMI (AP) — Pablo Lopez... [More]

Cardinals eighth. Harrison Bader pops out to shallow infield to Omar Narvaez. Kolten Wong called out on strikes. Tommy Edman singles to shallow center field. Tyler O'Neill scores. Paul Goldschmidt lines out to deep right field to Ryan Braun.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Cardinals 1, Brewers 0.Brewers eighth. Avisail Garcia walks. Christian Yelich strikes out swinging. Ryan Braun doubles to deep center field. Avisail Garcia to third. Tyrone Taylor scores. Jace Peterson walks. Keston Hiura out on a sacrifice fly to left field to Tyler O'Neill. Avisail Garcia scores.2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 left on. Brewers 2, Cardinals 1.

Cubs fourth. Willson Contreras grounds out to second base, Keston Hiura to Jedd Gyorko. Kyle Schwarber walks. Javier Baez reaches on a fielder's choice to shallow left field. Kyle Schwarber to second. Fielding error by Eric Sogard. Jason Heyward doubles to shallow left field. Javier Baez to third. Kyle Schwarber scores. Jason Kipnis reaches on error. Jason Heyward to third. Javier Baez scores. Fielding error by Keston Hiura. Victor Caratini singles to shallow center field. Jason Kipnis to second. Jason Heyward scores. David Bote hit by pitch. Victor Caratini to second. Jason Kipnis to third. Ian Happ singles to left field. David Bote to third. Victor Caratini scores. Jason Kipnis scores. Anthony Rizzo strikes out swinging. Willson Contreras flies out to center field to Avisail Garcia.5 runs, 3 hits, 2 errors, 2 left on. Cubs 5, Brewers 0.Cubs fifth. Kyle Schwarber walks. Javier Baez doubles to left field. Kyle Schwarber to third. Jason Heyward pops out to shortstop to Orlando Arcia. Jason... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Chicago Cubs pitcher Alec Mills has completed eight hitless innings against the Milwaukee Brewers.Mills has walked three Sunday and hasn't let a runner past first base. He's struck out four and thrown 102 pitches. He's due to face nine-hitter Jacob Nottingham to start the ninth, followed by late-game replacements Tyrone Taylor and Jace Peterson. Those two filled in for Avisail Garcia and 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich after the game turned into a blowout.The 28-year-old right-hander has been rounding back into form for Chicago after starting the year strong and then slumping. He pitched six shutout innings in his previous start Tuesday against Cincinnati and entered Sunday 4-3 with a 4.74 ERA this season.Garcia nearly got to Mills twice. He hit a hard liner to right to lead off the Brewers’ first and nearly legged out an infield hit to short for the final out of the sixth. He crossed first and immediately called to the Brewers dugout for a review, but after a very brief stoppage,... [More]

Brewers second. Orlando Arcia doubles to deep left field. Luis Urias doubles to left center field. Orlando Arcia scores. Tyrone Taylor doubles to left field. Jacob Nottingham walks. Avisail Garcia doubles to deep left field. Jacob Nottingham scores. Tyrone Taylor scores. Keston Hiura grounds out to shortstop, Isaac Paredes to Jeimer Candelario. Christian Yelich grounds out to shallow infield, Jonathan Schoop to Jeimer Candelario.3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Brewers 3, Tigers 0.Brewers third. Jedd Gyorko homers to right field. Ryan Braun singles to center field. Orlando Arcia grounds out to second base. Ryan Braun out at second. Luis Urias grounds out to shortstop, Isaac Paredes to Jeimer Candelario.1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Brewers 4, Tigers 0.Brewers fourth. Tyrone Taylor singles to shallow infield. Jacob Nottingham homers to left field. Tyrone Taylor scores. Avisail Garcia walks. Keston Hiura hit by pitch. Avisail Garcia to second. Christian Yelich flies out to left... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Lance Lynn pitched seven strong innings, Elvis Andrus homered and the Texas Rangers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 7-1 win Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Angels, who had won five in a row.Lynn (5-2), the first major league pitcher to make 10 starts this season, struck out six, walked two and limited the Angels to one run on four hits. The right-hander had lost his previous two starts, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) — more than he had allowed combined his first seven starts. Andrus put the Rangers ahead to stay with a solo shot in the second. They went ahead 3-0 with two unearned runs in the fourth on second baseman Matt Thaiss’ two-out error. Andrew Heaney (3-3) allowed five runs (three earned) in five innings. He struck out four and walked one. Heaney had won his last two starts and had pitched 10 consecutive scoreless innings before Andrus went deep. The lefty also gave up five runs (over 3 2-3 innings) in his first start at the Rangers’ new ballpark... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Lance Lynn pitched seven strong innings, Elvis Andrus homered and the Texas Rangers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 7-1 win Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Angels, who had won five in a row.Lynn (5-2), the first major league pitcher to make 10 starts this season, struck out six, walked two and limited the Angels to one run on four hits. The right-hander had lost his previous two starts, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) — more than he had allowed combined his first seven starts. Andrus put the Rangers ahead to stay with a solo shot in the second. They went ahead 3-0 with two unearned runs in the fourth on second baseman Matt Thaiss’ two-out error. Andrew Heaney (3-3) allowed five runs (three earned) in five innings. He struck out four and walked one. Heaney had won his last two starts and had pitched 10 consecutive scoreless innings before Andrus went deep. The lefty also gave up five runs (over 3 2-3 innings) in his first start at the Rangers’ new ballpark... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Lance Lynn pitched seven strong innings, Elvis Andrus homered and the Texas Rangers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 7-1 win Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Angels, who had won five in a row.Lynn (5-2), the first major league pitcher to make 10 starts this season, struck out six, walked two and limited the Angels to one run on four hits. The right-hander had lost his previous two starts, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) — more than he had allowed combined his first seven starts. Andrus put the Rangers ahead to stay with a solo shot in the second. They went ahead 3-0 with two unearned runs in the fourth on second baseman Matt Thaiss’ two-out error. Andrew Heaney (3-3) allowed five runs (three earned) in five innings. He struck out four and walked one. Heaney had won his last two starts and had pitched 10 consecutive scoreless innings before Andrus went deep. The lefty also gave up five runs (over 3 2-3 innings) in his first start at the Rangers’ new ballpark... [More]