NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a three-run homer to help chase Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell in the first inning, CC Sabathia got his 250th career win and the New York Yankees thumped the Tampa Bay Rays 12-1 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.Gleyber Torres added a grand slam during a six-run seventh inning, and New York three-hit Tampa Bay to win its fifth in a row and extend its lead the AL East over the second-place Rays to 3½ games. Tampa Bay was swept for the second time this season — the other came against Boston in April.Snell (4-6) walked four, gave up two hits and was charged with six runs while getting one out on 39 pitches in the shortest start of his career.Sabathia (4-4) pitched one-run ball over six innings. He struck out seven and allowed three hits and three walks.PADRES 8, BREWERS 7SAN DIEGO (AP) — Franmil Reyes hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh and Eric Hosmer added a two-run shot for San Diego, which overcame three homers by Milwaukee to sweep... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a three-run homer to help chase Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell in the first inning, CC Sabathia got his 250th career win and the New York Yankees thumped the Tampa Bay Rays 12-1 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.Gleyber Torres added a grand slam during a six-run seventh inning, and New York three-hit Tampa Bay to win its fifth in a row and extend its lead the AL East over the second-place Rays to 3½ games. Tampa Bay was swept for the second time this season — the other came against Boston in April.Snell (4-6) walked four, gave up two hits and was charged with six runs while getting one out on 39 pitches in the shortest start of his career.Sabathia (4-4) pitched one-run ball over six innings. He struck out seven and allowed three hits and three walks.PADRES 8, BREWERS 7SAN DIEGO (AP) — Franmil Reyes hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh and Eric Hosmer added a two-run shot for San Diego, which overcame three homers by Milwaukee to sweep... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:CRUZ CONTROLTwins slugger Nelson Cruz has homered in four straight games, his streak coming soon after his return from a strained wrist that put him on the injured list for more than three weeks.The 38-year-old Cruz is batting .279 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs, helping Minnesota post the best record in the American League. He now faces Seattle in the series opener at Target Field.TWO STOPSThe Subway Series gets underway with a day-night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.After a rainout Monday in the Bronx, the Mets flip-flopped their pitchers. Zack Wheeler (5-3) will start the opener for them against Masahiro Tanaka (3-5) in the first of four matchups this season between the crosstown rivals. Jason Vargas (2-3) goes in the nightcap versus fellow left-hander James Paxton (3-2) and the Yankees.TAKE A SEATBraves third baseman Josh Donaldson and Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove can expect a little time off after their bench-clearing confrontation.... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:CRUZ CONTROLTwins slugger Nelson Cruz has homered in four straight games, his streak coming soon after his return from a strained wrist that put him on the injured list for more than three weeks.The 38-year-old Cruz is batting .279 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs, helping Minnesota post the best record in the American League. He now faces Seattle in the series opener at Target Field.TWO STOPSThe Subway Series gets underway with a day-night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.After a rainout Monday in the Bronx, the Mets flip-flopped their pitchers. Zack Wheeler (5-3) will start the opener for them against Masahiro Tanaka (3-5) in the first of four matchups this season between the crosstown rivals. Jason Vargas (2-3) goes in the nightcap versus fellow left-hander James Paxton (3-2) and the Yankees.TAKE A SEATBraves third baseman Josh Donaldson and Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove can expect a little time off after their bench-clearing confrontation.... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:CRUZ CONTROLTwins slugger Nelson Cruz has homered in four straight games, his streak coming soon after his return from a strained wrist that put him on the injured list for more than three weeks.The 38-year-old Cruz is batting .279 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs, helping Minnesota post the best record in the American League. He now faces Seattle in the series opener at Target Field.TWO STOPSThe Subway Series gets underway with a day-night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.After a rainout Monday in the Bronx, the Mets flip-flopped their pitchers. Zack Wheeler (5-3) will start the opener for them against Masahiro Tanaka (3-5) in the first of four matchups this season between the crosstown rivals. Jason Vargas (2-3) goes in the nightcap versus fellow left-hander James Paxton (3-2) and the Yankees.TAKE A SEATBraves third baseman Josh Donaldson and Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove can expect a little time off after their bench-clearing confrontation.... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Eugenio Suárez hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning off Cubs reliever Steve Cishek, rallying the Cincinnati Reds past Chicago 6-5 on Friday.Joey Votto drew a leadoff walk from Cishek (1-2) and Suárez hit the next pitch for his 14th home run.Yasiel Puig hit a two-run homer and an RBI single for the Reds after missing two games with a sprained right shoulder.Anthony Rizzo homered for the third straight game, and Kyle Schwarber and Kris Bryant also went deep for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who have lost three of four to the last-place Reds this season.Pinch-hitter Willson Contreras singled home Rizzo in the eighth to put Chicago ahead 5-4. Jesse Winker's double off Brad Brach in the Reds seventh tied it at 4.David Hernandez (1-2) got one out and the win. Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th in 13 chances.PADRES 6, BLUE JAYS 3TORONTO (AP) — Hunter Renfroe hit a tiebreaking, three-run home run in the eighth inning, Greg Garcia and Austin Hedges also went deep,... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Eugenio Suárez hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning off Cubs reliever Steve Cishek, rallying the Cincinnati Reds past Chicago 6-5 on Friday.Joey Votto drew a leadoff walk from Cishek (1-2) and Suárez hit the next pitch for his 14th home run.Yasiel Puig hit a two-run homer and an RBI single for the Reds after missing two games with a sprained right shoulder.Anthony Rizzo homered for the third straight game, and Kyle Schwarber and Kris Bryant also went deep for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who have lost three of four to the last-place Reds this season.Pinch-hitter Willson Contreras singled home Rizzo in the eighth to put Chicago ahead 5-4. Jesse Winker's double off Brad Brach in the Reds seventh tied it at 4.David Hernandez (1-2) got one out and the win. Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th in 13 chances.PADRES 6, BLUE JAYS 3TORONTO (AP) — Hunter Renfroe hit a tiebreaking, three-run home run in the eighth inning, Greg Garcia and Austin Hedges also went deep,... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Willson Contreras homered in the 15th inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.Contreras turned on a 1-2 pitch from Burch Smith (0-1), sending a long shot to left field that gave Chicago its 11th win in 13 games. He spun and flipped his bat toward the Cubs' dugout as the ball sailed toward the bleachers and was mobbed by teammates when he crossed the plate.Chicago moved back ahead of the Brewers for the NL Central lead after falling into a virtual tie with Friday's 7-0 loss. Milwaukee had its season-high seven-game win streak snapped.Tyler Chatwood (2-0) struck out seven in four innings to cap a strong effort by the bullpen after Cole Hamels worked seven solid innings.Hamels gave up a run and three hits in his fourth straight no-decision. Seven relievers combined to give up one hit the rest of the way.RAYS 7, YANKEES 2ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Willy Adames and Ji-Man Choi hit run-scoring infield singles in the sixth after tempers... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell took a perfect game into the sixth inning and Tommy Pham hit his first career grand slam, leading the Tampa Bay Rays over the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-1 on Monday night.Snell (3-3) rebounded from allowing a career-high seven runs over three innings of an 8-2 loss at Kansas City last week to hold the Diamondbacks without a hit until Ildemaro Vargas singled with two outs in the sixth. Snell got out of the inning and finished with nine strikeouts in an 83-pitch outing.Chaz Roe relieved to start the seventh and Casey Sadler allowed an unearned run in the ninth to finish a two-hitter before 8,124, the lowest at Tropicana Field since September 2017.Pham's grand slam off Merrill Kelly (3-3) finished a five-run second inning that put the AL East leaders up 6-0.PADRES 4, METS 0SAN DIEGO (AP) — Pumped-up rookie Chris Paddack struck out a career-high 11 to outduel NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, and Hunter Renfroe homered... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — CC Sabathia became the 17th player in major league history and third left-hander to reach 3,000 career strikeouts, but was outpitched by Arizona ace Zack Greinke in the Diamondbacks' 3-1 win over the New York Yankees Tuesday night.Sabathia (1-1) arrived in the desert needing three strikeouts to hit 3,000 and got them all in the third inning.The milestone whiff came when he got John Ryan Murphy swinging, sending the Yankees pouring out of the dugout.Sabathia became the first pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts since Atlanta's John Smoltz in 2008, and joined Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton as the only lefties to do it.Wilmer Flores hit a solo homer and a run-scoring single off Sabathia. He allowed two runs and five hits, and struck out five before being lifted with two on and one out in the sixth inning.Greinke (5-1) won his fifth straight game. He allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings.BREWERS 4, ROCKIES 3MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jesus Aguilar homered again and Milwaukee broke through late... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — CC Sabathia became the 17th player in major league history and third left-hander to reach 3,000 career strikeouts, but was outpitched by Arizona ace Zack Greinke in the Diamondbacks' 3-1 win over the New York Yankees Tuesday night.Sabathia (1-1) arrived in the desert needing three strikeouts to hit 3,000 and got them all in the third inning.The milestone whiff came when he got John Ryan Murphy swinging, sending the Yankees pouring out of the dugout.Sabathia became the first pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts since Atlanta's John Smoltz in 2008, and joined Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton as the only lefties to do it.Wilmer Flores hit a solo homer and a run-scoring single off Sabathia. He allowed two runs and five hits, and struck out five before being lifted with two on and one out in the sixth inning.Greinke (5-1) won his fifth straight game. He allowed one run on five hits in 7 2/3 innings.BREWERS 4, ROCKIES 3MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jesus Aguilar homered again and Milwaukee, held... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jesus Aguilar homered again and the Milwaukee Brewers, held without a runner for five innings, broke through late and beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Tuesday night.Jhoulys Chacin pitched six scoreless innings for the Brewers. Milwaukee has won 12 of its last 14 against Colorado, including a sweep in last season's NL Division Series.The Brewers again played without NL MVP Christian Yelich, who sat out with lower back soreness for the second straight game.German Marquez (3-2) took a perfect game into the sixth before surrendering a leadoff double to Ben Gamel that hit left fielder Raimel Tapia's glove. Gamel later scored.Chacin (3-3) allowed just two hits over six innings.Josh Hader got two outs for his seventh save in as many tries despite giving up a two-out, two-run homer to Ian Desmond in the ninth.ASTROS 11, TWINS 0MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gerrit Cole allowed one hit in seven innings, and Houston backed him with three homers.Cole (2-4) gave up his only hit in the sixth inning... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Chris Davis ended his record slump at 0 for 54 and drew applause from rival fans at Fenway Park, getting three hits and driving in four runs as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 9-5 on Saturday to end a four-game losing streak.Davis walked to the plate in the first inning to what mostly appeared to be mock cheers when he was announced. But many of those quickly changed when he lined a bases-loaded, two-run single over the head of second baseman Dustin Pedroia, ending the longest hitless streak ever by a position player. Once he safely reached first, Davis tipped his cap to the Orioles dugout and many of his teammates raised their arms and hollered in support. He smiled and made a motion that he wanted to ball, which he got.Davis, a former two-time major league home run champion, later hit two doubles. He had been 0 for 33 this season. The all-time record for a hitless streak by any player is an 0-for-85 drought by pitcher Bob Buhl in 1962-63.Christian Vázquez hit... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seattle became the first major league team to homer in each of its first 15 games when Dee Gordon connected in the sixth inning, then beat the Kansas City Royals 7-6 Thursday behind Daniel Vogelbach's home run in the 10th inning.Seattle improved the best record in the major leagues to 13-2, completing a four-game sweep and extending its winning streak to six. The Mariners became just the third team since 1987 to open with at least 13 wins in the first 15 games after Milwaukee (14-1 in 1987) and Boston (13-2 last year).Kansas City has lost 10 straight games, has the poorest record in the big leagues at 2-10 and is off to its worst 12-game start since 2006. The Royals failed to preserve leads of 4-0 in the sixth and 6-4 with two outs in the ninth.Kansas City's Whit Merrifield had his hitting streak end at 31 games. Merrifield went 0 for 6. He had not gone hitless since Sept. 9.Royals center fielder Billy Hamilton was carted off with a knee injury after failing to grab... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seattle became the first major league team to homer in each of its first 15 games when Dee Gordon connected in the sixth inning, then beat the Kansas City Royals 7-6 Thursday behind Daniel Vogelbach's home run in the 10th inning.Seattle improved the best record in the major leagues to 13-2, completing a four-game sweep and extending its winning streak to six. The Mariners became just the third team since 1987 to open with at least 13 wins in the first 15 games after Milwaukee (14-1 in 1987) and Boston (13-2 last year).Kansas City has lost 10 straight games, has the poorest record in the big leagues at 2-10 and is off to its worst 12-game start since 2006. The Royals failed to preserve leads of 4-0 in the sixth and 6-4 with two outs in the ninth.Kansas City's Whit Merrifield had his hitting streak end at 31 games. Merrifield went 0 for 6. He had not gone hitless since Sept. 9.Royals center fielder Billy Hamilton was carted off with a knee injury after failing to grab... [More]

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Besides figuring out how to fill the glaring hole at third base, San Diego Padres manager Andy Green will have a lot of decisions to make this spring to round out the young, largely inexperienced rotation.With veterans Clayton Richard, Tyson Ross, Phil Hughes and Jordan Lyles gone, the rotation will be headed by left-handers Joey Lucchesi and Eric Lauer, both of whom made their big league debut last year. There will be plenty competition for the other spots, and long-suffering fans should see some of the team's highly touted prospects reach the big leagues this season."You can feel it in the rotation and the guys competing for spots," Green said Wednesday. "It's real competing and talent with some high-ceiling guys that are coming in. There's real excitement about those guys coming in. It's a young group that's very talented."Lucchesi started 26 games last season and led the team in strikeouts by a wide margin with 145 in 130 innings. Lauer started 23 games and pitched... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Neil Walker hit a three-run homer, Zach Britton started a game-ending double play on New York's third try in the ninth inning and the Yankees kept the Boston Red Sox from a bubbly celebration in the Bronx for at least another night with a 3-2 victory Tuesday.Batting from the left side, Walker launched a no-doubter in the seventh inning off Ryan Brasier for the Yankees' third hit of the game and a 3-1 lead.Aaron Judge returned to New York's lineup for the first time since breaking his right wrist July 26, while AL MVP candidate Mookie Betts got a day off for Boston after injuring his left side Sunday. Judge hit a pop fly to the warning track but finished 0 for 4.New York moved 2½ games ahead of Oakland for the top AL wild card. The A's lost at home to the Angels.Boston is trying to clinch the AL East at Yankee Stadium for the second time in three years. The Red Sox lead the Yankees by 10 1/2 games and entered the night with a magic number of four over the Astros to lock up... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox reached 100 wins for the first time since Ted Williams returned from World War II in the 1946 season, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 on Wednesday night.David Price (15-6) won his sixth straight decision, allowing three hits and striking out seven. Unbeaten in 11 starts since July 1, Price left after 92 pitches with a lead earned when Rafael Devers scampered home on a wild pitch by Aaron Sanchez (4-6) in the fifth inning.Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 39th save in 44 chances.A night after becoming the first major league team this year to clinch a playoff spot, Boston won for the 10th time in 14 games and moved a season-high 54 games above .500.Jonathan Davis had his first major league hit for Toronto.TWINS 3, YANKEES 1MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jake Odorizzi's no-hit bid was broken up when Greg Bird hit a run-scoring double with one out in the eighth inning, and Minnesota beat the Yankees to take two of three from New York.The Yankees' lead over Oakland... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox reached 100 wins for the first time since Ted Williams returned from World War II in the 1946 season, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 on Wednesday night.David Price (15-6) won his sixth straight decision, allowing three hits and striking out seven. Unbeaten in 11 starts since July 1, Price left after 92 pitches with a lead earned when Rafael Devers scampered home on a wild pitch by Aaron Sanchez (4-6) in the fifth inning.Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 39th save in 44 chances.A night after becoming the first major league team this year to clinch a playoff spot, Boston won for the 10th time in 14 games and moved a season-high 54 games above .500.Jonathan Davis had his first major league hit for Toronto.TWINS 3, YANKEES 1MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jake Odorizzi's no-hit bid was broken up when Greg Bird hit a run-scoring double with one out in the eighth inning, and Minnesota beat the Yankees to take two of three from New York.The Yankees' lead over Oakland... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox reached 100 wins for the first time since Ted Williams returned from World War II in the 1946 season, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 on Wednesday night.David Price (15-6) won his sixth straight decision, allowing three hits and striking out seven. Unbeaten in 11 starts since July 1, Price left after 92 pitches with a lead earned when Rafael Devers scampered home on a wild pitch by Aaron Sanchez (4-6) in the fifth inning.Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 39th save in 44 chances.A night after becoming the first major league team this year to clinch a playoff spot, Boston won for the 10th time in 14 games and moved a season-high 54 games above .500.Jonathan Davis had his first major league hit for Toronto.TWINS 3, YANKEES 1MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jake Odorizzi's no-hit bid was broken up when Greg Bird hit a run-scoring double with one out in the eighth inning, and Minnesota beat the Yankees to take two of three from New York.The Yankees' lead over Oakland... [More]