BOSTON (AP) — Greg Allen hit a tiebreaking homer right after Boston pitcher Rick Porcello was struck in the midsection by a line drive, and Corey Kluber tied for the major league wins lead as the Cleveland Indians beat the Red Sox 5-4 Monday night.Kluber (16-6) pitched into the seventh inning and matched Washington's Max Scherzer and the Yankees' Luis Severino for the most victories in the majors. Michael Brantley and Melky Cabrera also homered to help the AL Central-leading Indians improve to 14-4 in August.Xander Bogaerts had an early two-run single and an RBI single in the ninth for East-leading Boston. Ian Kinsler flied out with two runners on base, leaving the Red Sox with just their fifth loss in 22 games.In a matchup of the AL's last two Cy Young Award winners, it was 3-all into the seventh. Porcello (15-6) retired the leadoff batter and retired the next hitter. Yan Gomes followed with a liner that hit Porcello near the stomach — Porcello retrieved the ball near the mound, threw... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. became the youngest player in major league history to homer in five straight games, hitting a leadoff shot on the first pitch and later adding a three-run drive to help the surging Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 10-6 on Tuesday night.The 20-year-old Acuna homered on Miami's first pitch for the second straight night and became the first player to hit a leadoff homer in three consecutive games since Baltimore's Brady Anderson went deep in four straight in 1996. On Monday, he became the fourth player in major league history to hit leadoff homers in both games of a doubleheader.Acuna connected in the first off Trevor Richards and homered to right-center, his 19th of the year, off Adam Conley (3-3) to give the Braves a 10-6 lead in the seventh.Freddie Freeman hit his 20th homer to tie it in the sixth, and Dansby Swanson had a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh as the NL East-leading Braves won for the 13th time in 17 games.Acuna, who has homered in seven... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. became the youngest player in major league history to homer in five straight games, hitting a leadoff shot on the first pitch and later adding a three-run drive to help the surging Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 10-6 on Tuesday night.The 20-year-old Acuna homered on Miami's first pitch for the second straight night and became the first player to hit a leadoff homer in three consecutive games since Baltimore's Brady Anderson went deep in four straight in 1996. On Monday, he became the fourth player in major league history to hit leadoff homers in both games of a doubleheader.Acuna connected in the first off Trevor Richards and homered to right-center, his 19th of the year, off Adam Conley (3-3) to give the Braves a 10-6 lead in the seventh.Freddie Freeman hit his 20th homer to tie it in the sixth, and Dansby Swanson had a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh as the NL East-leading Braves won for the 13th time in 17 games.Acuna, who has homered in seven... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Steve Pearce homered three times, the second a three-run drive in an eight-run fourth inning as the Boston Red Sox rallied from an early deficit to beat the New York Yankees 15-7 on Thursday night and take a season-high 6½-game lead in the AL East.In the opener of a four-game series that gave New York the potential to erase most of its division deficit, the Red Sox instead opened a bigger gap, taking advantage of manager Aaron Boone's decision to pull starter CC Sabathia after three innings with a 4-2 lead. Jonathan Holder (1-2) faced seven batters and did not record an out.Mookie Betts had four hits and two walks, reaching safely all six times he came to the plate. Pearce, J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler and Andrew Benintendi had three hits apiece for Boston.Didi Grigorius homered twice, Aaron Hicks hit one and Giancarlo Stanton got his 25th of the season for the Yankees, who have lost just twice in the past week but dropped two games in the division.Brian Johnson (2-3), making... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Steve Pearce homered three times, the second a three-run drive in an eight-run fourth inning as the Boston Red Sox rallied from an early deficit to beat the New York Yankees 15-7 on Thursday night and take a season-high 6½-game lead in the AL East.In the opener of a four-game series that gave New York the potential to erase most of its division deficit, the Red Sox instead opened a bigger gap, taking advantage of manager Aaron Boone's decision to pull starter CC Sabathia after three innings with a 4-2 lead. Jonathan Holder (1-2) faced seven batters and did not record an out.Mookie Betts had four hits and two walks, reaching safely all six times he came to the plate. Pearce, J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler and Andrew Benintendi had three hits apiece for Boston.Didi Grigorius homered twice, Aaron Hicks hit one and Giancarlo Stanton got his 25th of the season for the Yankees, who have lost just twice in the past week but dropped two games in the division.Brian Johnson (2-3), making... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aroldis Chapman had flamed out, throwing three of 19 pitches for strikes and enabling the Mets to cut a four-run, ninth-inning deficit in half.Chasen Shreve to the rescue. Yes, Chasen Shreve.Maligned last month, Shreve entered with the bases loaded, got Devin Mesoraco to hit into a run-scoring, double-play grounder and retired Wilmer Flores on a slow roller in front of the mound.With his second big league save and first since August 2016, Shreve preserved a 7-6 Subway Series victory Saturday that enabled Sonny Gray (7-7) to win consecutive starts for the first time since the Yankees acquired him last summer.On another tumult-filled day for the last-place Mets, closer Jeurys Familia was traded to Oakland for a pair of minor leaguers and slugging outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was out of the lineup because of body soreness, one game after returning from a two-month absence. Cespedes said Friday night he may need surgery on both heels that would require an eight-to-10-month recovery.Aaron... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aroldis Chapman had flamed out, throwing three of 19 pitches for strikes and enabling the Mets to cut a four-run, ninth-inning deficit in half.Chasen Shreve to the rescue. Yes, Chasen Shreve.Maligned last month, Shreve entered with the bases loaded, got Devin Mesoraco to hit into a run-scoring, double-play grounder and retired Wilmer Flores on a slow roller in front of the mound.With his second big league save and first since August 2016, Shreve preserved a 7-6 Subway Series victory Saturday that enabled Sonny Gray (7-7) to win consecutive starts for the first time since the Yankees acquired him last summer.On another tumult-filled day for the last-place Mets, closer Jeurys Familia was traded to Oakland for a pair of minor leaguers and slugging outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was out of the lineup because of body soreness, one game after returning from a two-month absence. Cespedes said Friday night he may need surgery on both heels that would require an eight-to-10-month recovery.Aaron... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aroldis Chapman had flamed out, throwing three of 19 pitches for strikes and enabling the Mets to cut a four-run, ninth-inning deficit in half.Chasen Shreve to the rescue. Yes, Chasen Shreve.Maligned last month, Shreve entered with the bases loaded, got Devin Mesoraco to hit into a run-scoring, double-play grounder and retired Wilmer Flores on a slow roller in front of the mound.With his second big league save and first since August 2016, Shreve preserved a 7-6 Subway Series victory Saturday that enabled Sonny Gray (7-7) to win consecutive starts for the first time since the Yankees acquired him last summer.On another tumult-filled day for the last-place Mets, closer Jeurys Familia was traded to Oakland for a pair of minor leaguers and slugging outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was out of the lineup because of body soreness, one game after returning from a two-month absence. Cespedes said Friday night he may need surgery on both heels that would require an eight-to-10-month recovery.Aaron... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Jonny Venters has made a successful return to the majors after enduring three Tommy John surgeries and a six-year absence.Pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays in his first big league appearance since the 2012 NL wild-card game, Venters entered in the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. He retired Chris Davis on a grounder , the only batter he faced."Oh man, it was an amazing experience, just to get out there on a big league mound in a big league game," Venters said. "To be able to get an out and help this team win, it was a special thing that I'll never forget the rest of my life."It was lefty vs. lefty, and Venters got the better of Baltimore's slugger."We're going to view Jonny in that role, to come in and get a lefty out," manager Kevin Cash said after an 8-4 win. "I thought it was perfect. It worked out. He came in got a big out with a two-run lead for us."Venters received high fives and fist bumps in the Tampa Bay dugout because, after all, it... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Jonny Venters has made a successful return to the majors after enduring three Tommy John surgeries and a six-year absence.Pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays in his first big league appearance since the 2012 NL wild-card game, Venters entered in the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. He retired Chris Davis on a grounder — the only batter he faced.He received high fives and fist bumps in the Tampa Bay dugout because, after all, it was a comeback that everyone could appreciate.Hours before the 8-4 win over Baltimorer, Venters was sitting out a rain delay in the minors during a morning game when he got word the Rays were recalling him from Triple-A Durham.So the 33-year-old lefty hopped into his truck, grabbed a flight to Baltimore and was in the clubhouse when Tampa Bay formally announced the move."It's hard to put into words how I'm feeling. It's been an emotional day," Venters said. "I'm excited to be here. Grateful for the opportunity. Hopefully... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Jonny Venters has made a successful return to the majors after enduring three Tommy John surgeries and a six-year absence.Pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays in his first big league appearance since the 2012 NL wild-card game, Venters entered in the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. He retired Chris Davis on a grounder — the only batter he faced.He received high fives and fist bumps in the Tampa Bay dugout because, after all, it was a comeback that everyone could appreciate.Hours earlier, Venters was sitting out a rain delay in the minors during a morning game when he got word the Rays were recalling him from Triple-A Durham.So the 33-year-old lefty hopped into his truck, grabbed a flight to Baltimore and was in the clubhouse when Tampa Bay formally announced the move."It's hard to put into words how I'm feeling. It's been an emotional day," Venters said. "I'm excited to be here. Grateful for the opportunity. Hopefully go out and get some people... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Jonny Venters is back in the big leagues, ready to pitch for the Tampa Bay Rays after enduring three Tommy John surgeries and a six-year absence.Venters was sitting out a rain delay in the minors during a Wednesday morning game when he got word the Rays were recalling him from Triple-A Durham.So the 33-year-old lefty hopped into his truck, grabbed a flight to Baltimore and was in the clubhouse when Tampa Bay formally announced the move."It's hard to put into words how I'm feeling. It's been an emotional day," Venters said. "I'm excited to be here. Grateful for the opportunity. Hopefully go out and get some people out today."Venters last pitched in the majors for Atlanta in the 2012 NL wild-card game, a year after he was an NL All-Star. Since then, he had elbow ligament replacement surgery in 2013 and 2014 after getting it done originally in 2005."After the last time, I all but made up my mind I wasn't going to do it again," Venters said. "Then I spoke with the doctors and... [More]