HOUSTON (AP) — Aaron Sanchez looked like a reinvented pitcher in his Houston debut, throwing six stellar innings to start the Astros on a combined no-hitter Saturday night in their 9-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.Sanchez was an All-Star in 2016 and led the American League in ERA, but he's struggled badly this season and had lost 13 straight decisions to lead the majors with 14 losses. Three days after he was acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline, the 27-year-old right-hander teamed with Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski to shut down Seattle.It was the second time in less than a month the last-place Mariners were no-hit by multiple pitchers. The Los Angeles Angels used two pitchers in a combined no-hitter July 12 against Seattle on a night when they honored late left-hander Tyler Skaggs by all wearing his No. 45 in their first home game since his death.Sanchez (4-14) struck out six, walked two and hit a batter in his first victory since April 27 for Toronto.Seattle's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — For the New York Yankees, a doubleheader turned into twice as much of an opportunity for injuries.Edwin Encarnación became the Yankees' 25th player to go on the injured list this year, sustaining a hairline fracture in his right wrist when hit by a pitch from Boston reliever Josh Smith in the eighth inning of a 9-2 win over the Red Sox that opened Saturday's doubleheader.Center fielder Aaron Hicks hurt his right elbow in the sixth inning of the 6-4 victory in night game while making a throw to third base after Christian Vázquez's flyout, holding Sam Travis at second.Encarnación estimated he will miss three-to-five weeks. Hicks was to have an MRI on Sunday and wasn't sure whether to worry it was a significant injury, such as a ligament tear that would require surgery."Keep moving forward," right fielder Aaron Judge said. "A lot of guys are going to keep getting hurt, but guys are going to keep stepping up."Encarnación, the Yankees' designated hitter, stayed in the game and... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Aaron Sanchez looked like a reinvented pitcher in his Houston debut, throwing six stellar innings to start the Astros on a combined no-hitter Saturday night in their 9-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.Sanchez was an All-Star in 2016 and led the American League in ERA, but he's struggled badly this season and had lost 13 straight decisions to lead the majors with 14 losses. Three days after he was acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline, the 27-year-old right-hander teamed with Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski to shut down Seattle.It was the second time in less than a month the last-place Mariners were no-hit by multiple pitchers. The Los Angeles Angels used two pitchers in a combined no-hitter July 12 against Seattle on a night when they honored late left-hander Tyler Skaggs by all wearing his No. 45 in their first home game since his death.Sanchez (4-14) struck out six, walked two and hit a batter in his first victory since April 27 for Toronto.Seattle's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — For the New York Yankees, a doubleheader turned into twice as much of an opportunity for injuries.Edwin Encarnación became the Yankees' 25th player to go on the injured list this year, sustaining a hairline fracture in his right wrist when hit by a pitch from Boston reliever Josh Smith in the eighth inning of a 9-2 win over the Red Sox that opened Saturday's doubleheader.Center fielder Aaron Hicks hurt his right elbow in the sixth inning of the 6-4 victory in night game while making a throw to third base after Christian Vázquez's flyout, holding Sam Travis at second.Encarnación estimated he will miss three-to-five weeks. Hicks was to have an MRI on Sunday and wasn't sure whether to worry it was a significant injury, such as a ligament tear that would require surgery."Keep moving forward," right fielder Aaron Judge said. "A lot of guys are going to keep getting hurt, but guys are going to keep stepping up."Encarnación, the Yankees designated hitter, stayed in the game and... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Edwin Encarnación joined the New York Yankees' lengthy injured list, breaking his right wrist when hit by a pitch from Boston reliever Josh Smith in the eighth inning of a doubleheader opener Saturday.Encarnación, the Yankees designated hitter, stayed in the game and the team said initial X-rays were negative. He then went for a CT scan, which revealed the fracture.Encarnación will remain in New York during the team's upcoming trip and be re-evaluated. There was no word on how long he might be sidelined, or whether he would play again this season.The Yankees recalled first baseman Mike Ford from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.Acquired from Seattle on June 15 for minor league right-hander Juan Then, the 36-year-old Encarnación has 30 home runs this season while hitting .240 with 76 RBIs. He is batting .238 with nine homers and 27 RBIs in 36 games for the Yankees.He became the 15th Yankees player currently on the disabled list, joining catcher Gary Sánchez (left groin strain), outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (sprained right knee), first baseman Luke Voit (sports hernia), right-handers Luis Severino and Dellin Betances (lat muscles) and left-hander CC Sabathia (right knee inflammation).___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Edwin Encarnación joined the New York Yankees' lengthy injured list, breaking his right wrist when hit by a pitch from Boston reliever Josh Smith in the eighth inning of a doubleheader opener Saturday.Encarnación, the Yankees designated hitter, stayed in the game and the team said initial X-rays were negative. He then went for a CT scan, which revealed the fracture.Encarnación will remain in New York during the team's upcoming trip and be re-evaluated. There was no word on how long he might be sidelined, or whether he would play again this season.The Yankees recalled first baseman Mike Ford from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.Acquired from Seattle on June 15 for minor league right-hander Juan Then, the 36-year-old Encarnación has 30 home runs this season while hitting .240 with 76 RBIs. He is batting .238 with nine homers and 27 RBIs in 36 games for the Yankees.He became the 15th Yankees player currently on the disabled list, joining catcher Gary Sánchez (left groin strain), outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (sprained right knee), first baseman Luke Voit (sports hernia), right-handers Luis Severino and Dellin Betances (lat muscles) and left-hander CC Sabathia (right knee inflammation).___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Aug. 41884 — Pud Galvin pitched the most lopsided no-hitter in major league history as the Buffalo Bisons routed the Detroit Wolverines 18-0. It is the second career no-hitter for Galvin.1910 — Jack Coombs of the Philadelphia A's and Ed Walsh of the Chicago White Sox hooked up in a 16-inning scoreless tie. Coombs struck out 18 and allowed three hits.1945 — Bill Salkeld of Pittsburgh hit for the cycle in a 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Pirate catcher went 5 for 5 and drove in all five runs.1945 — Boston's Tom McBride became the third player to drive in six runs in an inning as the Red Sox pounded Washington 15-4. McBride had a bases-loaded double and triple during the Red Sox's 12-run fourth inning.1953 — New York's Vic Raschi set a record for a pitcher by driving in seven runs in a 15-0 win over the Detroit Tigers.1963 — New York's Mickey Mantle, batting for the first time in two months after breaking his left foot, hit a pinch home run as the Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Steven Wright knows that postseason baseball will not be in his future this year.The veteran knuckleballer still remains focused on helping put his Boston Red Sox teammates in the best position possible for another World Series run.Wright is ineligible to pitch in the playoffs after testing positive for Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide 2 (GHRP-2) last offseason and serving an 80-game suspension. The 34-year-old right-hander was activated before Tuesday's game against the White Sox despite not seeing any game action since last September.A former starter who earned an All-Star selection in 2016, Wright will pitch out of the bullpen with hopes of helping to keep the defending champion Red Sox in the playoff picture after an underwhelming start."Obviously I think it's going to be hard when the time comes to where the playoffs come around," Wright said. "All I can do now is just try to do whatever I can to help them get there. When the time does come, when the playoffs start, I'll... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have put right-hander Hector Velázquez on the 10-day injured list, a day after a recurrence of back trouble that sidelined him a few weeks ago.Velázquez has a low back strain, and the Red Sox made the move before playing at Minnesota on Wednesday night. Righty Josh Smith was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.The 30-year-old Velázquez gave up one run in four innings during Tuesday night's 4-3 loss in 17 innings to the Twins. It was his first game since being activated from the injured list Monday — he'd been out since May 30 with a low back strain.Velázquez is 1-3 with a 5.59 ERA in 19 games, seven of them starts.The 31-year-old Smith is 0-2 with a 6.28 ERA in eight games for Boston, including two starts.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DENVER (AP) — The Padres and Rockies set a modern-era record by combining for 92 runs in a four-game series, with San Diego pitcher Matt Strahm drawing a pinch-hit, bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning to rally past Colorado 14-13 Sunday.It was just another wacky day at Coors Field, especially in this split series where the Rockies outscored the Padres 48-44 while the teams combined for 131 hits. Colorado's Charlie Blackmon became the first player since at least 1900 with 15 hits in a four-game series, according to STATS. Adding to the zaniness: the finale was delayed once to clean up a big puddle in foul territory despite sunny skies, and again later because of weather.Trailing 13-10 in the ninth, Wil Myers had an RBI single and Greg Garcia promptly tied it with a two-out, two-run triple off closer Wade Davis (1-2). The Rockies brought in starter Jon Gray, who intentionally walked two batters to face Strahm. Gray fell behind 3-1 before throwing a strike. Taking all the way, Strahm watched... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Padres and Rockies set a modern-era record by combining for 92 runs in a four-game series, with San Diego pitcher Matt Strahm drawing a pinch-hit, bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning to rally past Colorado 14-13 Sunday.It was just another wacky day at Coors Field, especially in this split series where the Rockies outscored the Padres 48-44 while the teams combined for 131 hits. Colorado's Charlie Blackmon became the first player since at least 1900 with 15 hits in a four-game series, according to STATS. Adding to the zaniness: the finale was delayed once to clean up a big puddle in foul territory despite sunny skies, and again later because of weather.Trailing 13-10 in the ninth, Wil Myers had an RBI single and Greg Garcia promptly tied it with a two-out, two-run triple off closer Wade Davis (1-2). The Rockies brought in starter Jon Gray, who intentionally walked two batters to face Strahm. Gray fell behind 3-1 before throwing a strike. Taking all the way, Strahm watched... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Boston Red Sox reliever Heath Hembree has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained right elbow.Hembree is 1-0 with a 2.51 ERA and one save in 31 appearances. He is working on a streak of nine straight games without allowing a run."I know my arm pretty good," Hembree said before the Red Sox faced the Orioles at Camden Yards on Friday. "It's nothing that I'm concerned about. I can tell that there's not really any damage; it's just soreness."The right-hander last pitched Monday, retiring all four batters he faced in a loss to Texas. Manager Alex Cora wanted to use Hembree against the Rangers on Thursday, but was forced to summon Josh Smith."I gave them my word, basically, before the game I was good-to-go and then got up in the seventh and couldn't do it," Hembree said. "We shut it down."Cora does not expect to be without the 30-year-old reliever for long."It's one of those that we'd rather stay away from him for a while. He should be fine in around 10 days," Cora said. "It's actually retroactive (to June 11). He's been throwing the ball so well we don't want to take a chance. So we made the move."Boston recalled rookie left-hander Josh Taylor to fill the void in the bullpen. Taylor has a 10.80 ERA in five games with Boston this season.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — Max Kepler homered three times and José Berríos (8-2) locked up Cleveland's lineup into the seventh inning as the Minnesota Twins avoided a sweep — and their first three-game losing streak — by beating the Indians 5-4 on Thursday night.Kepler, who entered hitless in his previous 21 at-bats, connected in the first, third and seventh innings off Indians starter Trevor Bauer (4-6). Kepler also walked in the fifth.The 26-year-old outfielder came up in the ninth with a chance to become the 19th player in history to hit four homers in one game — a feat rarer than a perfect game. But left-hander Josh Smith kept the left-handed swinging Kepler in the park, getting him to hit a hard grounder to the right side that he beat out for a single.It was Kepler's second career three-homer game. The other one also came against the Indians on Aug. 1, 2016.The AL-Central leading Twins took the series finale and again moved 10½ games ahead of Cleveland, whose run of three straight division titles... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Max Kepler homered three times and José Berríos (8-2) locked up Cleveland's lineup into the seventh inning as the Minnesota Twins avoided a sweep — and their first three-game losing streak — by beating the Indians 5-4 on Thursday night.Kepler, who entered hitless in his previous 21 at-bats, connected in the first, third and seventh innings off Indians starter Trevor Bauer (4-6). Kepler also walked in the fifth.The 26-year-old outfielder came up in the ninth with a chance to become the 19th player in history to hit four homers in one game — a feat rarer than a perfect game. But left-hander Josh Smith kept the left-handed swinging Kepler in the park, getting him to hit a hard grounder to the right side that he beat out for a single.It was Kepler's second career three-homer game. The other one also came against the Indians on Aug. 1, 2016.The AL-Central leading Twins took the series finale and again moved 10½ games ahead of Cleveland, whose run of three straight division titles... [More]

RHP Josh Smith was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday. He was recalled from Nashville on July 24 for his second stint with the A's. Smith is 2-1 with a 4.89 ERA in 26 relief appearances for the A's this season. In his second stint, he had a 0.82 ERA and did not allow a run in seven of his eight appearances. Smith was optioned to open a spot on the 25-man roster for RHP Chris Hatcher, who was acquired Tuesday from the Dodgers in exchange for $500,000 international slot money.

RHP Josh Smith was optioned to Nashville to clear a 25-man roster spot for right-hander Chris Hatcher, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. Smith was recalled from Nashville on July 24 for his second stint with the A's this year and did not allow a run in seven of his eight appearances. He compiled an 0.82 ERA during his second stint and is 2-1 with a 4.89 ERA in 26 relief appearances overall with the A's. Smith is 4-1 with a 3.62 ERA in 14 relief appearances with Nashville.

RHP Josh Smith was recalled from Nashville Monday and INF/OF Matt Olson was optioned to the Triple-A club. This is Smith's second stint with the A's. He was selected from Nashville May 3 and appeared in 18 games, going 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in 24 innings (15 strikeouts, 12 walks). He allowed just one earned run over his first eight innings but 17 earned runs over his final 16 innings before being optioned to Nashville July 1. In 14 relief appearances over two stints with Nashville, he is 4-1 with a 3.62 ERA. Smith started his second stint of the season with the A's Monday by pitching two innings of relief in the 4-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. He allowed one hit, one walk and no runs.

RHP Josh Smith was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Saturday. He had no decisions and a 6.75 ERA in 18 relief appearances for the A's. He had 15 strikeouts and 12 walks over 24.0 innings of work. Smith was optioned to open a roster spot for RHP Paul Blackburn, who was called up from Nashville and started against Atlanta in his major league debut.

RHP Josh Smith was recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday. Smith won his lone decision and notched a save in five games during spring training for Oakland. He owns a 2-0 mark with a 3.29 ERA with Nashville while limiting the opposition to a .146 batting average.

RHP Josh Smith retired the first 12 batters he faced Thursday night before giving up a solo homer to Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist leading off the fifth. In just his second start of the season, Smith allowed two runs and three hits with a walk and a strikeout. "Smith's innings this year are invaluable," said Reds manager Bryan Price. "He's pitched in a multitude of roles, starter, long relief, middle relief. He's getting acclimated to pitching in the big leagues in high leverage situations.'