ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday: ___ OHTANI DAY Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani (3-1, 3.60) takes the mound for the first time since being named an All-Star on both sides of the ball. Ohtani plans to participate in next week's Home Run Derby, then pitch and hit in the All-Star Game, meaning this will likely be his last turn pitching for Los Angeles before the break. The right-hander struggled in his last outing, allowing seven runs in 2/3 of an inning at Yankee Stadium. He'll try to bounce back against the Red Sox and another AL All-Star, Nathan Eovaldi (9-4, 3.41). Boston has a major league-most five All-Stars. CITI BREW ON TAP Mets ace Jacob deGrom (7-2) looks to lower his major league-best 0.95 ERA when New York hosts Milwaukee in a matchup of NL division leaders. The two-time Cy Young Award winner allowed a season-high three earned runs over seven innings last week in Atlanta, but joined Hall of Famer Randy Johnson (1993 and ’99) as the only pitchers with four... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday: ___ OHTANI DAY Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani (3-1, 3.60) takes the mound for the first time since being named an All-Star on both sides of the ball. Ohtani plans to participate in next week's Home Run Derby, then pitch and hit in the All-Star Game, meaning this will likely be his last turn pitching for Los Angeles before the break. The right-hander struggled in his last outing, allowing seven runs in 2/3 of an inning at Yankee Stadium. He'll try to bounce back against the Red Sox and another AL All-Star, Nathan Eovaldi (9-4, 3.41). Boston has a major league-most five All-Stars. CITI BREW ON TAP Mets ace Jacob deGrom (7-2) looks to lower his major league-best 0.95 ERA when New York hosts Milwaukee in a matchup of NL division leaders. The two-time Cy Young Award winner allowed a season-high three earned runs over seven innings last week in Atlanta, but joined Hall of Famer Randy Johnson (1993 and ’99) as the only pitchers with four... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve belted a grand slam in the 10th inning and the Houston Astros, saved by Carlos Correa’s tying homer in the ninth, beat the Texas Rangers 6-3 on Tuesday night to give manager Dusty Baker quite an exciting birthday gift. After Texas drove in the automatic runner in the top of the 10th for a 3-2 lead, Rangers rookie reliever Demarcus Evans (0-2) walked Myles Straw and pinch-hitter Jason Castro to load the bases with no outs in the bottom half. Altuve then launched his soaring shot into left field to put the Astros on top and start the party. Altuve was doused with water at home plate before sharing a hug with Baker, who celebrated his 72nd birthday. Correa hit a solo homer to the opposite field shot with two outs and two strikes in the ninth off Josh Sborz, making it 2-all. Nate Lowe’s RBI single off Ryan Pressly (3-1) with two outs in the 10th put the Rangers up. GIANTS 9, DIAMONDBACKS 8 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks blew a seven-run lead and lost... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve belted a grand slam in the 10th inning and the Houston Astros, saved by Carlos Correa’s tying homer in the ninth, beat the Texas Rangers 6-3 on Tuesday night to give manager Dusty Baker quite an exciting birthday gift. After Texas drove in the automatic runner in the top of the 10th for a 3-2 lead, Rangers rookie reliever Demarcus Evans (0-2) walked Myles Straw and pinch-hitter Jason Castro to load the bases with no outs in the bottom half. Altuve then launched his soaring shot into left field to put the Astros on top and start the party. Altuve was doused with water at home plate before sharing a hug with Baker, who celebrated his 72nd birthday. Correa hit a solo homer to the opposite field shot with two outs and two strikes in the ninth off Josh Sborz, making it 2-all. Nate Lowe’s RBI single off Ryan Pressly (3-1) with two outs in the 10th put the Rangers up. METS 3, CUBS 2 NEW YORK (AP) — Taijuan Walker struck out a career-high 12, Pete Alonso drove in three... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve belted a grand slam in the 10th inning and the Houston Astros, saved by Carlos Correa’s tying homer in the ninth, beat the Texas Rangers 6-3 on Tuesday night to give manager Dusty Baker quite an exciting birthday gift. After Texas drove in the automatic runner in the top of the 10th for a 3-2 lead, Rangers rookie reliever Demarcus Evans (0-2) walked Myles Straw and pinch-hitter Jason Castro to load the bases with no outs in the bottom half. Altuve then launched his soaring shot into left field to put the Astros on top and start the party. Altuve was doused with water at home plate before sharing a hug with Baker, who celebrated his 72nd birthday. Correa hit a solo homer to the opposite field shot with two outs and two strikes in the ninth off Josh Sborz, making it 2-all. Nate Lowe’s RBI single off Ryan Pressly (3-1) with two outs in the 10th put the Rangers up. METS 3, CUBS 2 NEW YORK (AP) — Taijuan Walker struck out a career-high 12, Pete Alonso drove in three... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve belted a grand slam in the 10th inning and the Houston Astros, saved by Carlos Correa’s tying homer in the ninth, beat the Texas Rangers 6-3 on Tuesday night to give manager Dusty Baker quite an exciting birthday gift. After Texas drove in the automatic runner in the top of the 10th for a 3-2 lead, Rangers rookie reliever Demarcus Evans (0-2) walked Myles Straw and pinch-hitter Jason Castro to load the bases with no outs in the bottom half. Altuve then launched his soaring shot into left field to put the Astros on top and start the party. Altuve was doused with water at home plate before sharing a hug with Baker, who celebrated his 72nd birthday. Correa hit a solo homer to the opposite field shot with two outs and two strikes in the ninth off Josh Sborz, making it 2-all. Nate Lowe’s RBI single off Ryan Pressly (3-1) with two outs in the 10th put the Rangers up. METS 3, CUBS 2 NEW YORK (AP) — Taijuan Walker struck out a career-high 12, Pete Alonso drove in three... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Taijuan Walker struck out a career-high 12, Pete Alonso drove in three runs and the surging New York Mets threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth inning of a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night. Walker (6-2) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings, and he walked none for the third time. Javier Báez put the Cubs ahead 2-0 in the third with his 15th home run. Alonso hit a two-run single in the bottom half and a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Seth Lugo got six outs for his first save since returning on June 2 from elbow surgery, and the NL East-leading Mets (34-25) won for the fifth time in six games to move nine games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2019 season. Alec Mills (2-1) allowed three runs, five hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. CARDINALS 2, MARLINS 1 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt hit a game-ending homer in the ninth inning and drove in both runs as St. Louis beat Miami. St. Louis has won two in a row... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ DEBUT TIME IN TEXAS Tyler Ivey is set for his major league debut for Houston against his hometown Texas Rangers just a few miles from where the right-hander grew up watching the Astros’ biggest rival. The 25-year-old expects about 50 family members and friends to be at Globe Life Field, across the street from where Ivey watched the Rangers at Globe Life Park, which is now a football venue. He is replacing injured starter José Urquidy. “Growing up a Rangers fan, it’s really crazy,” said Ivey, who spent some time in his youth in the Houston suburb of Katy and cheered for the Astros as well. “To be able to make my debut in my hometown is something. I just can’t describe it.” Ivey appeared in two games at Triple-A Sugar Land. He pitched for Texas A&M as a freshman before transferring to a junior college and getting drafted by the Astros. During his last full minor league season in 2019, Ivey was suspended after umpires found a foreign... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third time in two games, Domingo Germán had another stellar outing at Camden Yards and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-2 on Saturday night. After hitting two home runs Friday, Judge provided New York a 5-0 lead with a two-run shot in the second. Six of Judge’s 11 homers this season have come against Baltimore. Germán (3-2) allowed one run and four hits with six strikeouts and two walks over six innings. He has won all four of his career starts in Baltimore. Tyler Wade had three hits while batting ninth for New York, which improved to 4-1 on its 10-game road trip and has won 11 of its last 14 games overall. The Yankees took a 3-0 lead in the first on a passed ball by catcher Chance Sisco and a two-run single by Gary Sánchez off Jorge López (1-4). Judge increased the margin with the two-run homer in the second. He has hit 23 home runs in 59 career games against Baltimore. BLUE JAYS 4, PHILLIES 0 DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third time in two games, Domingo Germán had another stellar outing at Camden Yards and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-2 on Saturday night. After hitting two home runs Friday, Judge provided New York a 5-0 lead with a two-run shot in the second. Six of Judge’s 11 homers this season have come against Baltimore. Germán (3-2) allowed one run and four hits with six strikeouts and two walks over six innings. He has won all four of his career starts in Baltimore. Tyler Wade had three hits while batting ninth for New York, which improved to 4-1 on its 10-game road trip and has won 11 of its last 14 games overall. The Yankees took a 3-0 lead in the first on a passed ball by catcher Chance Sisco and a two-run single by Gary Sánchez off Jorge López (1-4). Judge increased the margin with the two-run homer in the second. He has hit 23 home runs in 59 career games against Baltimore. BLUE JAYS 4, PHILLIES 0 DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third time in two games, Domingo Germán had another stellar outing at Camden Yards and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-2 on Saturday night. After hitting two home runs Friday, Judge provided New York a 5-0 lead with a two-run shot in the second. Six of Judge’s 11 homers this season have come against Baltimore. Germán (3-2) allowed one run and four hits with six strikeouts and two walks over six innings. He has won all four of his career starts in Baltimore. Tyler Wade had three hits while batting ninth for New York, which improved to 4-1 on its 10-game road trip and has won 11 of its last 14 games overall. The Yankees took a 3-0 lead in the first on a passed ball by catcher Chance Sisco and a two-run single by Gary Sánchez off Jorge López (1-4). Judge increased the margin with the two-run homer in the second. He has hit 23 home runs in 59 career games against Baltimore. BLUE JAYS 4, PHILLIES 0 DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Aaron Judge homered for the third time in two games, Domingo Germán had another stellar outing at Camden Yards and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-2 on Saturday night. After hitting two home runs Friday, Judge provided New York a 5-0 lead with a two-run shot in the second. Six of Judge’s 11 homers this season have come against Baltimore. Germán (3-2) allowed one run and four hits with six strikeouts and two walks over six innings. He has won all four of his career starts in Baltimore. Tyler Wade had three hits while batting ninth for New York, which improved to 4-1 on its 10-game road trip and has won 11 of its last 14 games overall. The Yankees took a 3-0 lead in the first on a passed ball by catcher Chance Sisco and a two-run single by Gary Sánchez off Jorge López (1-4). Judge increased the margin with the two-run homer in the second. He has hit 23 home runs in 59 career games against Baltimore. BLUE JAYS 4, PHILLIES 0 DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ COUNT ’EM! Major League Baseball is full of huge numbers — 4,256 hits by Pete Rose, 511 wins for Cy Young, 2,632 consecutive games played by Cal Ripken Jr. Real soon, the sport will reach a big, round number: 20,000 total players. There had been 19,989 players in MLB history going into the weekend, according to baseballreference.com, boosted by Seattle rookies Jarred Kelenic and Logan Gilbert making their debuts Thursday night. The list that began in 1871 ranges from A to Z. First on the alphabetical chart is pitcher David Aardsma, who moved into the top spot ahead of Hank Aaron when he started out in 2004 for San Francisco. Aardsma’s last season was 2015 — that was the same year the player last on the list, pitcher Tony Zych, made his debut with the Mariners. Of all the nearly 20,000 players so far to get into at least one game, 266 have reached the Hall of Fame. Walter Alston played two innings in his only game in 1936 for the Cardinals,... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Saturday: ___ COUNT ’EM! Major League Baseball is full of huge numbers — 4,256 hits by Pete Rose, 511 wins for Cy Young, 2,632 consecutive games played by Cal Ripken Jr. Real soon, the sport will reach a big, round number: 20,000 total players. There had been 19,989 players in MLB history going into the weekend, according to baseballreference.com, boosted by Seattle rookies Jarred Kelenic and Logan Gilbert making their debuts Thursday night. The list that began in 1871 ranges from A to Z. First on the alphabetical chart is pitcher David Aardsma, who moved into the top spot ahead of Hank Aaron when he started out in 2004 for San Francisco. Aardsma’s last season was 2015 — that was the same year the player last on the list, pitcher Tony Zych, made his debut with the Mariners. Of all the nearly 20,000 players so far to get into at least one game, 266 have reached the Hall of Fame. Walter Alston played two innings in his only game in 1936 for the... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Saturday: ____ COUNT ’EM! Major League Baseball is full of huge numbers — 4,256 hits by Pete Rose, 511 wins for Cy Young, the 2,632 straight games by Cal Ripken Jr. Real soon, the sport will reach a big, round number: 20,000 total players. There had been 19,989 players in MLB history going into the weekend, according to baseballreference.com, boosted by Seattle rookies Jarred Kelenic and Logan Gilbert making their debuts Thursday night. The list that began in 1871 ranges from A to Z. First on the alphabetical chart is pitcher David Aardsma, who moved into the top spot ahead of Hank Aaron when he started out in 2004 for San Francisco. Aardsma’s last season was 2015 — that was the same year the player last on the list, pitcher Tony Zych, made his debut with the Mariners. Of all the nearly 20,000 players so far to get into at least one game, 266 have reached the Hall of Fame. Walter Alston played two innings in his only game in 1936 for the Cardinals,... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Corbin Burnes is going on the injured list after a remarkable April run. The Brewers announced Thursday that they had placed Burnes on the IL without specifying his issue. The move comes as the Brewers begin a four-game home series with the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. “The only thing I can say is we made an IL placement, (and) we're following Major League Baseball health and safety protocols," president of baseball operations David Stearns said. "I can't comment more than that. I'm not going to speculate on a return timetable or anything along those lines.” Manager Craig Counsell said the team likely will wait until after Saturday’s game before announcing who will take Burnes’ place in the rotation against the Dodgers on Sunday. Burnes is 2-2 with a 1.53 ERA and has recorded 49 strikeouts and no walks through 29 1/3 innings. He allowed one earned run through his first four starts before giving up five runs — four earned... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Corbin Burnes is going on the injured list after a remarkable April run. The Brewers announced Thursday that they had placed Burnes on the IL without specifying his issue. The move comes as the Brewers begin a four-game home series with the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Manager Craig Counsell said the team likely will wait until after Saturday’s game before announcing who will take Burnes’ place in the rotation against the Dodgers on Sunday. Burnes is 2-2 with a 1.53 ERA and has recorded 49 strikeouts and no walks through 29 1/3 innings. He allowed one earned run through his first four starts before giving up five runs — four earned — over five innings in an 8-0 loss to the Miami Marlins on Monday. The Brewers have already endured numerous injuries to key players. Outfielder Christian Yelich hasn’t played since April 11 due to a strained lower back. Outfielder Lorenzo Cain has been sidelined since April 13 because of... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich is returning to Milwaukee for an MRI on his strained lower back. The 2018 NL MVP had been eligible to be activated from the injured list during this weekend’s three-game series with the Chicago Cubs. “Nothing bad happened yesterday,” manager Craig Counsell said. “He did the day of work that we were expecting. We’re just at a plateau, and so we’re just trying to rule everything out and see if we can get any new bit, just another piece of information. It’s frustrating for Christian." The Brewers also said they placed pitchers Brett Anderson and Josh Lindblom on the injured list. Right-hander Phil Bickford and outfielder Corey Ray were recalled from the team's alternate site. Yelich hasn’t played since April 11. The Brewers placed him on the injured list April 17, with the move retroactive to April 14. He is batting .333 with one homer and six RBIs in nine games this season. The Brewers also have been missing center fielder Lorenzo Cain, who... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich is returning to Milwaukee for an MRI on his strained lower back. The 2018 NL MVP had been eligible to be activated from the injured list for this weekend’s three-game series with the Chicago Cubs. “Nothing bad happened yesterday,” manager Craig Counsell said. “He did the day of work that we were expecting. We’re just at a plateau, and so we’re just trying to rule everything out and see if we can get any new bit, just another piece of information. It’s frustrating for Christian." The Brewers also said they placed left-hander Brett Anderson on the injured list and recalled right-hander Phil Bickford from their alternate site. Yelich hasn’t played since April 11. The Brewers placed him on the injured list April 17, with the move retroactive to April 14. He has batted .333 with one homer and six RBIs in nine games this season. The Brewers also have been missing center fielder Lorenzo Cain, who went on the injured list April 14 with a quadriceps... [More]