ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Latest on Game 5 of the World Series (all times local): 10:40 p.m. Clayton Kershaw beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the second time in six days, escaping a fourth-inning jam with a quick reaction throw to cut down a runner trying for a rare steal of home plate, and the Los Angeles Dodgers held on for a 4-2 win Sunday night and a 3-2 World Series lead. With one more victory, the Dodgers would claim their first title since 1988. Mookie Betts and Corey Seager sparked a two-run first inning, and Joc Pederson and Max Muncy homered off long-ball prone Tyler Glasnow, whose 100 mph heat was no match. Kershaw was cruising when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed the 32-year-old left-hander in favor of Dustin May with two outs in the sixth inning. The mostly pro-Dodgers fans in the pandemic-reduced crowd of 11,437 booed when Roberts walked to the mound, well aware that closer Kenley Jansen wasted a ninth-inning lead in Saturday’s stunning 8-7 loss. May got five outs and Victor... [More]

The big man in Tampa Bay's rotation has struggled with the little things, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have pounced on seemingly every mistake Tyler Glasnow has made. Glasnow allowed four runs in five innings as the Rays fell 4-2 in Game 5 Sunday night, taking his second loss in this World Series. He threw a Series record three wild pitches, allowed a record-setting homer, and despite overpowering stuff, never took control against a Dodger team that has exposed his few flaws while moving within one win of the title. Lanky and strong at 6-foot-8, Glasnow runs his fastball over 100 mph with electric rise and snaps his curveball violently toward the earth — a devastating 1-2 punch that rivals any in the game. The right-hander with strikeout stuff has missed plenty of bats, striking out 15 over his two Fall Classic starts. But he has been hurt by shaky command, a weakness against the running game and perhaps because he lacks a reliable third pitch. “What hurt him is the talent of the Dodgers... [More]

The Latest on Game 4 of the World Series (all times local): 7:05 p.m. The Dodgers have three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw starting the pivotal Game 5 in the World Series. They could also have Walker Buehler available out of the bullpen against the Tampa Bay Rays. Buehler, who won Game 3 on Friday night and would start Game 7 on Wednesday night if the Series goes that long, didn’t throw his usual between-games side session before Sunday night’s game. The last time Buehler pitched in relief was June 28, 2018, when he was nursing a rib microfracture and rejoined the team after a planned rehab assignment. His only other relief appearances came in his eight games as a rookie in 2017. Big right-hander Tyler Glasnow started for the Rays, a rematch of Game 1 when Kershaw and the Dodgers won 8-3. ___ 5:25 p.m. The roof is closed for Game 5, and might not open again during this World Series. Along with the dreary, misty conditions outside Globe Life Field before the start of Sunday’s... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — For all the talk about pride in advancing runners and manufacturing runs, teams in the postseason have really dug the long ball. Home runs drove in 235 of the 456 runs in the postseason through World Series Game 4, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. That comes to 51.5%, up from 46.6% last year and highest since the postseason expanded beyond the World Series in 1969. Tampa Bay has been more reliant on the long ball than most. The AL East champions became the first team to homer in four consecutive innings of a postseason game during a thrilling 8-7 comeback win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night that tied the Series at two games apiece. Brandon Lowe’s three-run homer off Pedro Baez gave the Rays a 5-4 lead in the sixth, and Kevin Kiermaier tied it at 6 with a home run against Baez in the seventh. That gave the Rays 33 homers in the postseason accounting for 52 of 76 runs (68.4%). “I think it’s more part of the trend, When we win, I couldn’t even tell... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Five World Series games have ended on walk-off plays that involved an error. 1914 GAME 3 With the score 4-all at Fenway Park, pinch-hitter Hank Gowdy of the Boston Braves doubles leading off the bottom of the 12th inning against the Philadelphia Athletics’ Bullet Joe Bush. Larry Gilbert pinch hits for Bill James. Les Mann pinch runs. Gilbert is intentionally walked. Herbie Moran bunts for a sacrifice and Bush throws wildly to third for an error as pinch-runner Les Mann scores. Boston goes on to a four-game sweep. 1969 GAME 4 With the score 1-all at Shea Stadium, Jerry Grote of the New York Mets doubles leading off the bottom of the 10th inning against the Baltimore Orioles reliever Dick Hall. Rod Gaspar pinch runs, Al Weis is intentionally walked. Pete Richert relieves. J.C. Martin pinch hits for Tom Seaver. Martin bunts for a sacrifice and Richert throws wildly to first for an error as Gaspar scores. New York takes a 3-1 lead and wins in five games. 1986 GAME 6... [More]

Oct. 26 1911 — Danny Murphy of Philadelphia had four hits as the Athletics beat the New York Giants 13-2 to win the World Series in six games. The A’s put the game out of reach with a seven-run seventh inning. 1940 — Detroit outfielder Hank Greenberg won the American League MVP with Cleveland pitcher Bob Feller finishing second. Greenberg hit .340 with 41 home runs and 150 RBIs. Greenberg, who won the award in 1935 as a first baseman, became the first player to win the MVP again playing a different position. 1977 — Sparky Lyle of the New York Yankees became the first American League relief pitcher to win the Cy Young Award. Lyle posted a 13-5 record with 26 saves and a 2.17 ERA in a league-leading 72 appearances. 1982 — Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies became the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards, taking National League honors. The 37-year-old lefthander led the league in wins (23), innings pitched (295.2), strikeouts (286) and shutouts (6). Carlton also won the award... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Five World Series games have ended on walk-off plays that involved an error. A look at the previous four: 1914 GAME 3 With the score 4-all at Fenway Park, pinch-hitter Hank Gowdy of the Boston Braves doubles leading off the bottom of the 12th inning against the Philadelphia Athletics’ Bullet Joe Bush. Larry Gilbert pinch hits for Bill James. Les Mann pinch runs. Gilbert is intentionally walked. Herbie Moran bunts for a sacrifice and Bush throws wildly to third for an error as pinch-runner Les Mann scores. Boston goes on to a four-game sweep. 1969 GAME 4 With the score 1-all at Shea Stadium, Jerry Grote of the New York Mets doubles leading off the bottom of the 10th inning against the Baltimore Orioles reliever Dick Hall. Rod Gaspar pinch runs, Al Weis is intentionally walked. Pete Richert relieves. J.C. Martin pinch hits for Tom Seaver. Martin bunts for a sacrifice and Richert throws wildly to first for an error as Gaspar scores. New York takes a 3-1 lead and wins... [More]

Oct. 25 1911 — Fred Merkle’s 10th-inning sacrifice fly scored Larry Doyle to give the New York Giants a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series. The victory cut the A’s lead in the Series to 3-2. 1978 — Gaylord Perry of the San Diego Padres becomes the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in both leagues. Perry wins the National League award with a 21-6 record and a 2.72 ERA. 1981 — Steve Yeager and Pedro Guerrero hit back-to-back homers in the seventh inning to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 2-1 win over the New York Yankees and take a 3-2 lead in the World Series. 1986 — The New York Mets rallied for three runs with two outs in the 10th inning against the Boston Red Sox and pushed the World Series to a decisive seventh game. The tie-breaking run scored on Boston first baseman Bill Buckner’s error on Mookie Wilson’s slow grounder. 1987 — The Minnesota Twins, behind Frank Viola, won their first World Series championship by beating the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 in... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The bushy beard, the pine tar stain on the back of his No. 10 Los Angeles Dodgers jersey and all of those postseason hits. That's October Red. Justin Turner is one of the constants for the Dodgers during their third World Series in four years, and his Duke Snider-matching homer in the first inning of Game 3 put them ahead to stay on way to a 6-2 win Friday night for a 2-1 series lead over Tampa Bay — and halfway to their first championship since 1988. A month shy of turning 36, Turner also scored after a two-out double and showed off a nifty glove at third base. “He’s the heart and soul of this team, he’s been the heart and soul,” said catcher Austin Barnes, who bunted home a run and also homered. “JT's a huge player for us. We rely on him all of the time.” That stain created by aggressive practice swings may cover half of his name on his back, but Turner is a very familiar figure in the October — this was his 15th World Series game. Turner, who earlier this month... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Charlie Morton made the slow stroll to the dugout after one of the worst starts of his stellar, and somewhat improbable, four-year postseason run. Could that walk be his last? The lanky right-hander allowed seven hits and five runs in 4 1/3 innings of a 6-2 loss to Los Angeles in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday night, ending Morton's bid to tie Orlando Hernandez's record eight straight winning postseason decisions. The Dodgers lead the series 2-1. It was the first time the Dodgers had seen Morton in the postseason since he threw four scoreless innings to finish Houston's 5-1 win in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series in LA. “I never really felt comfortable out there,” Morton said. “Even in playoff games, I’m able to eventually get there if I don’t get there early. And I just never did. Combine that with who they are with the bat, and it made for a rough night.” Morton was coming off a victory over the Astros in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series that extended... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Charlie Morton made the slow stroll to the dugout after one of the worst starts of his stellar, and somewhat improbable, four-year postseason run. Could that walk be his last? The lanky right-hander allowed seven hits and five runs in 4 1/3 innings of a 6-2 loss to Los Angeles in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday night, ending Morton's bid to tie Orlando Hernandez's record eight straight winning postseason decisions. The Dodgers lead the series 2-1. It was the first time the Dodgers had seen Morton in the postseason since he threw four scoreless innings to finish Houston's 5-1 win in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series in LA. Morton was coming off a victory over the Astros in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series that extended his major league record to four career victories in winner-take-all games. It was the second of two scoreless outings against Houston in the ALCS. This one wasn't winner-take-all, and Morton was rather ordinary in an otherwise extraordinary postseason... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The bushy beard, the pine tar stain on the back of his No. 10 Los Angeles Dodgers jersey and all of those postseason hits. That's October Red. Justin Turner is one of the constants for the Dodgers during their third World Series in four years, and his Duke Snider-matching homer in the first inning of Game 3 put them ahead to stay on way to a 6-2 win Friday night for a 2-1 series lead over Tampa Bay — and halfway to their first championship since 1988. A month shy of turning 36, Turner also scored after a double and showed off a nifty glove at third base. That stain created by aggressive practice swings may cover half of his name on his back, but he is a very familiar figure in the October — this was his 15th World Series game. Turner, who earlier this month passed Steve Garvey for the most postseason hits in franchise history, hit a solo shot in the first off Charlie Morton to match the 11 homers hit by Snider — the Hall of Fame center fielder who played for Dodgers... [More]

Oct. 24 1911 — The World Series between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Athletics was resumed after six days of rain, and Chief Bender beat Christy Mathewson 4-2 to give the A’s a 3-1 lead. 1963 — Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers became the first unanimous winner of the Cy Young Award. Koufax won the pitchers’ Triple Crown, leading the league in wins (25), strikeouts (306) and ERA (1.88). Koufax set a record for shutouts by a left-handed pitcher with 11, that stands to this day. Tthe previous record of nine shutouts had been held by Babe Ruth for nearly 50 years. 1985 — Danny Jackson’s five-hitter cut St. Louis’ lead to 3-2 in the World Series as the Kansas City Royals took Game 5, 6-1. Willie Wilson’s two-run triple highlighted a three-run second inning and chased starter Ken Forsch. 1987 — Kent Hrbek’s grand slam highlighted a 15-hit barrage as the Minnesota Twins pounded the St. Louis Cardinals 11-5 at the Metrodome to force the World Series to a seventh game. 1992 —... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego Padres right-hander Luis Perdomo has had reconstructive elbow surgery and left-hander Matt Strahm is scheduled to undergo patellar tendon repair in his right knee. Perdomo was 0-0 with a 5.71 ERA in 10 appearances, including one start, in his fifth season with the Padres. Strahm underwent a similar surgery on his left knee in 2017 while he was with Kansas City. Strahm was 0-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 19 appearances in his third season in San Diego and fifth big league season overall.

American LeagueP Kenta Maeda Minnesota Twins; Griffin Canning Los Angeles Angels; Zach Plesac Cleveland Indians. C Yasmani Grandal Chicago White Sox; James McCann Chicago White Sox; Roberto Perez Cleveland Indians. 1B Matt Olson Oakland Athletics; Evan White Seattle Mariners; Yuli Gurriel Houston Astros. 2B Cesar Hernandez Cleveland Indians; Danny Mendick Chicago White Sox; Jonathan Schoop Detroit Tigers; Nicky Lopez Kansas City Royals. 3B Yoan Moncada Chicago White Sox; Gio Urshela New York Yankees; Isiah Kiner-Falefa Texas Rangers. SS Niko Goodrum Detroit Tigers; J.P. Crawford Seattle Mariners; Carlos Correa Houston Astros. LF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Toronto Blue Jays; Alex Gordon Kansas City Royals; Kyle Tucker Houston Astros. CF Ramon Laureano Oakland Athletics; Byron Buxton Minnesota Twins; Luis Robert Chicago White Sox. RF Clint Frazier New York Yankees; Joey Gallo Texas Rangers; Anthony Santander Baltimore Orioles. National LeagueP Max Fried Atlanta Braves; Alec Mills Chicago Cubs; Kyle... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Minnesota Twins designated hitter Nelson Cruz was voted Marvin Miller Man of the Year and Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman was picked as Player of the Year in annual Players Choice award voting by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Cruz hit .303 with 16 homers and 33 RBIs in the pandemic-shortened season. The Marvin Miller Award goes to the player whose his peers “most respect based on his leadership on the field and in the community.” Freeman batted .341 with 13 homers and 53 RBIs. Freeman was voted the NL’s outstanding player, Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer outstanding pitcher, San Diego infielder Jake Cronenworth outstanding rookie and Colorado pitcher Daniel Bard comeback player, the union said Thursday. Chicago White Sox first baseman José Abreu was voted the AL’s Outstanding Player, Cleveland’s Shane Bieber outstanding pitcher, Seattle outfielder Kyle Lewis outstanding rookie and Cleveland pitcher Carlos Carrasco comeback player. Hall of Famer Andre... [More]

NEW YOIRK (AP) — Minnesota Twins designated hitter Nelson Cruz was voted Marvin Miller Man of the Year and Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman was picked as Player of the Year in annual Players Choice award voting by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Cruz hit .303 with 16 homers and 33 RBIs in the pandemic-shortened season. The Marvin Miller Award goes to the player whose his peers “most respect based on his leadership on the field and in the community.” Freeman batted .341 with 13 homers and 53 RBIs. Freeman was voted the NL’s outstanding player, Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer outstanding pitcher, San Diego infielder Jake Cronenworth outstanding rookie and Colorado pitcher Daniel Bard comeback player, the union said Thursday. Chicago White Sox first baseman José Abreu was voted the AL’s Outstanding Player, Cleveland’s Shane Bieber outstanding pitcher, Seattle outfielder Kyle Lewis outstanding rookie and Cleveland pitcher Carlos Carrasco comeback player. Hall of Famer Andre... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Houston Astros spent this odyssey of a season as baseball's biggest villains. When Aledmys Diaz flied out with a runner on first to end Game 7 of the AL Championship Series, the bad guys finally lost. Ridiculed, roasted and ripped all year long after the revelation of the franchise's sign-stealing tactics in previous seasons, the Astros still summoned enough October heart and poise to reach the brink of another World Series. Manager Dusty Baker's club even came agonizingly close to matching the biggest playoff comeback in baseball history in a wild ALCS. “The legacy of this group is that these guys are ballplayers, and these guys are men," said Baker, who took over the team in January. “They’ve been through a whole bunch other than on the ballfield, and these guys can forget whatever problems that they’ve had that’s out there and come together as a group. These guys will be forever friends.” Houston fell behind early and never caught up in a 4-2 loss to Tampa Bay in... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mookie Betts jumped high against the 8-foot wall in right field, landing on an advertisement with the word “Extreme. His catch that robbed Marcell Ozuna to end the fifth inning with a runner on was extreme, just like the running, shoestring scoop the Dodgers star made a night earlier that started a double play and took an Atlanta run off the scoreboard. “I feel like I did something good for the team, even though I hadn’t done too much with the bat,” Betts said Sunday. He knew what he had accomplished. Head raised and bobbing back and forth, mouth open wide as he screamed and face flush with emotion, he held the ball at his midsection and took a few gallops toward the plate before joyfully throwing the ball back in. “That’s a huge spark. That’s an unbelievable play by an unbelievable player in a big moment,” shortstop Corey Seager said. “That's what you need to win baseball games at this time of year.” Walker Buehler stood near the mound, his right hand forming a... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Miami Marlins executive Michael Hill's 19-season tenure with the franchise has ended. Hill was president of baseball operations for the past six years and provided continuity after a 2017 change in ownership, but his contract expired and he will not be back next season, CEO Derek Jeter said Sunday. “I had to approach this as a new negotiation,” Jeter said. “We had conversations over the last week or so, and I just felt it would be best for the organization at this particular time to move on without Mike.” The Marlins will cast a wide search for a replacement, but potential candidates are unlikely to include vice president of player development and scouting Gary Denbo, who has been instrumental in the franchise turnaround and is expected to remain in his current role. “We have a lot of smart baseball minds in our organization, and there are smart baseball minds around the game,” Jeter said. “We’re going to sit down and see what type of person we need in this role.” Hill joined... [More]