PITTSBURGH (AP) — A fan casually walked to home plate and approached Philadelphia hitter Brad Miller for a handshake before being apprehended, and the Phillies later beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 Sunday on Rhys Hoskins' home run in the 11th inning.Moments after Bryce Harper argued a called third strike and Hoskins spiked his bat after being hit by a pitch, things turned bizarre in the sixth inning at PNC Park.That's when a man carrying a cellphone came out of the crowd and strolled toward Miller in the batter's box. Miller backed away and the man kept walking, leisurely getting near the Phillies' dugout on the first base side, where he was handcuffed by security personnel and led away.Miller then grounded into an inning-ending double play.Hoskins hit his 21st home run, connecting off Chris Stratton (1-3). The drive came right after Harper again seemed displeased with plate umpire Ben May when striking out looking to start the inning.Phillies reliever Ranger Suárez (3-0) got Starling Marte... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:THE REPLACEMENTSJosé Berríos will fill in for fellow Minnesota right-hander Jake Odorizzi in the All-Star Game. Odorizzi left Tuesday's game in Oakland with a blister on his right middle finger and was headed for the injured list. Hunter Pence was replaced by Boston's Xander Bogaerts.Pence has been out since June 16 with a right groin strain and was pulled off his rehab assignment Tuesday after aggravating the injury during a minor league game. Brandon Lowe was set to replace Tommy La Stella on the AL squad. But Lowe's status also is questionable because of a right leg injury. Lowe also fouled a ball off his leg and left a game Tuesday night.TRADITIONAL STARTERSThe AL East-leading New York Yankees and second-place Tampa Bay start a four-game series in Florida on Thursday night and neither team is scheduled to use an opener.The Rays have done it 28 times, while Yankees right-hander Chad Green has filled the role seven times and left-hander... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Thursday:THE REPLACEMENTSJosé Berríos will fill in for fellow Minnesota right-hander Jake Odorizzi in the All-Star Game. Odorizzi left Tuesday's game in Oakland with a blister on his right middle finger and was headed for the injured list. Hunter Pence was replaced by Boston's Xander Bogaerts.Pence has been out since June 16 with a right groin strain and was pulled off his rehab assignment Tuesday after aggravating the injury during a minor league game. Brandon Lowe was set to replace Tommy La Stella on the AL squad. But Lowe's status also is questionable because of a right leg injury. Lowe also fouled a ball off his leg and left a game Tuesday night.TRADITIONAL STARTERSThe AL East-leading New York Yankees and second-place Tampa Bay start a four-game series in Florida on Thursday night and neither team is scheduled to use an opener.The Rays have done it 28 times, while Yankees right-hander Chad Green has filled the role seven times and left-hander... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Los Angeles Angels second baseman Tommy La Stella is expected to miss at least two months with a broken bone in his lower right leg, and outfielder Brian Goodwin also was placed on the 10-day injured list after getting hit by a pitch on his right wrist.La Stella fouled a 97 mph fastball off his leg just below the knee and immediately went to the ground in pain in the sixth inning of Tuesday's 9-4 win over the Texas Rangers. It was the first game for the Angels since the death a day earlier of 27-year-old pitcher Tyler Skaggs.Three days after being named an All-Star for the first time as an AL reserve, La Stella instead was replaced on the roster by Tampa Bay's Brandon Lowe. La Stella was moving around on crutches in the clubhouse.Goodwin was hit by a pitch from reliever Jesse Biddle in the seventh inning, but stayed in the game. He was replaced in the eighth by pinch-hitter Shohei Ohtani. Tests revealed that there was no fracture, improving his chances of returning when eligible to come off the IL.Infielder Matt Thaiss and outfielder Jarrett Parker were called up Wednesday from Triple-A Salt Lake City, with the 24-year-old Thaiss making his major league debut as the starting third baseman against the Rangers.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DETROIT (AP) — Charlie Morton allowed five hits in seven innings, extending his unbeaten streak to 20 starts and leading the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night.Morton (7-0) hasn't lost since Aug. 11, and only Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers, at 21 starts, has a longer active unbeaten streak. Morton struck out eight with no walks and needed just 83 pitches to complete seven innings.Austin Meadows tripled and scored on a throwing error in the third to open the scoring. Tampa Bay scored two more runs in the fifth and snapped its four-game losing streak.Spencer Turnbull (3-5) allowed three runs in five innings.METS 7, GIANTS 0NEW YORK (AP) — Jason Vargas pitched his first shutout in two years, Amed Rosario hit a three-run homer and New York won despite losing Robinson Canó hours after his return from the injured list.Michael Conforto and Adeiny Hechavarría each had a solo homer for the Mets, who ended a three-game skid with their second win in seven games.Canó... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Noah Syndergaard became the first pitcher in 36 years to homer and throw a shutout in a 1-0 victory, lifting the New York Mets over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.Syndergaard (2-3) struck out 10 and allowed four hits in his third career complete game, shaking off a sloppy start to the season with a do-it-all effort. He became the first Mets starter to get an out in the eighth this season, and the franchise's first starter ever to go yard in a 1-0 complete-game win.Thor did his hammering in the third inning, driving a ball 407 feet to the opposite field in left-center off Tyler Mahle (0-4).The previous pitcher to homer in a 1-0 complete-game win was the Los Angeles Dodgers' Bob Welch against the Reds on June 17, 1983, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.NATIONALS 2, CARDINALS 1WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg reached 1,500 strikeouts in fewer innings than any pitcher in major league history, and Washington beat St. Louis after a long rain delay to salvage the finale... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Christian Vazquez hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning, and the Boston Red Sox completed an uplifting three-game sweep of the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-3 victory Sunday.Rafael Devers singled off Jose Alvarado (0-2) to start the 11th and went to second when Michael Chavis walked.Both runners moved up a base on Jackie Bradley's sacrifice bunt and Vazquez followed with his fly that Kevin Kiermaier ran down in center field.Marcus Walden (3-0) allowed an infield hit over two scoreless innings and Ryan Brasier worked the 11th to get his sixth save.After starting the season by losing eight of 10, the defending World Series champions are 7-5 over the last 12 games and went from eight to five games behind the Rays.DODGERS 6, BREWERS 5MILWAUKEE (AP) — Cody Bellinger reached over the right field wall to rob Christian Yelich in the eighth inning of yet another home run, then hit a solo drive off Josh Hader with two outs in the ninth to lift Los Angeles over... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Christian Vazquez hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning, and the Boston Red Sox completed an uplifting three-game sweep of the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-3 victory Sunday.Rafael Devers singled off Jose Alvarado (0-2) to start the 11th and went to second when Michael Chavis walked.Both runners moved up a base on Jackie Bradley's sacrifice bunt and Vazquez followed with his fly that Kevin Kiermaier ran down in center field.Marcus Walden (3-0) allowed an infield hit over two scoreless innings and Ryan Brasier worked the 11th to get his sixth save.After starting the season by losing eight of 10, the defending World Series champions are 7-5 over the last 12 games and went from eight to five games behind the Rays.DODGERS 6, BREWERS 5MILWAUKEE (AP) — Cody Bellinger reached over the right field wall to rob Christian Yelich in the eighth inning of yet another home run, then hit a solo drive off Josh Hader with two outs in the ninth to lift Los Angeles over... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Fiercely energetic Tim Anderson spiked his bat to celebrate a home run and Kansas City's Brad Keller responded by drilling him with a fastball, setting off a benches-clearing fracas in the Royals' 4-3, 10-inning victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.Anderson tossed his bat toward the White Sox dugout following his two-run drive in the fourth inning. Keller hit him in the buttocks with his first pitch leading off the sixth.Anderson, the AL's leading hitter, was restrained by Royals catcher Martin Maldonado but kept jawing with Keller on the way to first base. The dugouts and bullpens emptied, though no punches appeared to be thrown. White Sox manager Rick Renteria and Royals bench coach Dale Sveum shoved each other, and the usually mild-mannered Renteria was particularly animated.There were four ejections — Anderson, Keller, Renteria and Sveum.Hunter Dozier led off the 10th with a tiebreaking homer against Nate Jones (0-1). His drive to left on a 2-0 fastball made... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Fiercely energetic Tim Anderson spiked his bat to celebrate a home run and Kansas City's Brad Keller responded by drilling him with a fastball, setting off a benches-clearing fracas in the Royals' 4-3, 10-inning victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.Anderson tossed his bat toward the White Sox dugout following his two-run drive in the fourth inning. Keller hit him in the buttocks with his first pitch leading off the sixth.Anderson, the AL's leading hitter, was restrained by Royals catcher Martin Maldonado but kept jawing with Keller on the way to first base. The dugouts and bullpens emptied, though no punches appeared to be thrown. White Sox manager Rick Renteria and Royals bench coach Dale Sveum shoved each other, and the usually mild-mannered Renteria was particularly animated.There were four ejections — Anderson, Keller, Renteria and Sveum.Hunter Dozier led off the 10th with a tiebreaking homer against Nate Jones (0-1). His drive to left on a 2-0 fastball made... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout is hopeful he won't be out of the Los Angeles Angels' lineup for long, but he remains cautious since it is early in the season.The star outfielder was out of the lineup Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers in order to rest the right groin he strained Tuesday night."It was really sore yesterday but not as sore today," said Trout, who received treatment and did not take batting practice. "Missing a couple games this early in the season is not that big of a deal."Trout added that he was pleased with the progress made overnight, which is why he thinks he won't be out for long. The Angels have Thursday off before beginning a three-game series Friday in Chicago against the Cubs.Trout, who signed a record $426.5 million, 12-year contract near the end of spring training, is second in the AL with a .406 batting average. The two-time MVP is tied for third in home runs (five) and tied for fourth in RBIs (12). He has reached base safely in all 12 games.Weather... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels star outfielder Mike Trout is out of the lineup for Wednesday night's game against the Milwaukee Brewers in order to rest the right groin he strained Tuesday night.Trout said before the game that he received treatment all day and he wasn't taking batting practice. He said he is feeling better and left open the possibility of being back this weekend.Brian Goodwin will move to center field and David Fletcher gets the start in left. The Angels have Thursday off before beginning a three-game series Friday in Chicago against the Cubs.Trout, who signed a record $426.5 million, 12-year contract near the end of spring training, is second in the AL with a .406 batting average. The two-time MVP is tied for third in home runs (five) and tied for fourth in RBIs (12). He has reached base safely in all 12 games.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — Trevor Bauer was pulled by manager Terry Francona after seven hitless innings and 117 pitches, and watched from the dugout as Toronto's Freddy Galvis broke up Cleveland's bid for a combined no-hitter with a leadoff single in the ninth inning of the Indians' 4-1 win Thursday night.Bauer was attempting to throw Cleveland's first no-hitter in 38 years — on the 25th anniversary of Progressive Field's opening — but was taken out as his pitch count increased."It was the right decision," Bauer said.Jon Edwards got two outs in the eighth before closer Brad Hand worked out of a bases-loaded jam. Hand, however, gave up a hard single to center by Galvis. Alen Hansen followed with Toronto's second hit and the Blue Jays scored before Hand struck out two for his third save.Bauer (1-0) walked six and struck out eight. The Indians haven't pitched a no-hitter since Len Barker's perfect game against Toronto in 1981.Aaron Sanchez (1-1) took the loss. This was the third time this season the... [More]

With opening day just around the corner, the list of notable players who are going to be absent keeps growing.World Series MVP Steve Pearce will start the season on the injured list for the Boston Red Sox, and Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Steven Souza Jr. went down with a knee injury Monday night when he slipped on home plate.Earlier in the day, Baltimore put scheduled opening-day starter Alex Cobb on the 10-day injured list with a strained right groin.Pearce exited an exhibition game last weekend due to discomfort in his left calf. The right-handed batter normally platoons with lefty-hitting Mitch Moreland at first base, but the Red Sox will begin defense of their championship Thursday in Seattle without Pearce."We have to do it that way," manager Alex Cora said. "It makes sense for us, it makes sense for him. He should be back sooner rather than later but he won't be ready for Seattle, so why take a chance?"Sam Travis will likely make the team and take Pearce's spot on the opening-day... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals selected the contract of first baseman Lucas Duda from Triple-A Omaha and waived outfielder Brian Goodwin on Monday as they continued to shape their opening day roster.Duda attended spring training with Minnesota on a minor league contract, was released last week and signed a minor league deal with the Royals on Friday. He gets a $1.25 million, one-year contract from Kansas City and the chance to earn $250,000 in performance bonuses.He hit .242 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs in 87 games for the Royals last season and was traded to Atlanta in August. Duda appeared in 20 games down the stretch, hitting .222 with a homer and two RBIs.Duda was 0 for 3 in three games during the Braves' Division Series loss to the Dodgers.Goodwin hit .200 with three homers and 12 RBIs for the Nationals last season before a late-July trade to Kansas City. He played in 27 games for the Royals, hitting .266 with three homers and 13 RBIs.Kansas City opens the season Thursday against the Chicago White Sox.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Brett Phillips has always been the fastest player on his team, whether he was playing in Little League, starring at Seminole High School or climbing the rungs of the minor league ladder.When he looks around the Kansas City Royals' clubhouse, though, the fleet-footed outfielder was left to ask a very sobering and sincere question: "What am I, the 10th fastest now?"Not quite. But just about.You see, the Royals identified a market inefficiency a few years ago when it came to bullpen arms, stockpiling huge talents at low costs and effectively shortening games. The result was twofold: They won back-to-back American League pennants and the 2015 World Series, and every other team noticed what they had done and began to offer big contracts to premier relievers.Unable to keep up with those escalating costs, the Royals turned their attention to speed and defense as they dive headlong into a rebuild. Now, they view stolen bases as grossly undervalued in an era of power hitters,... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals and speedy outfielder Billy Hamilton finalized a $5.25 million contract Tuesday that includes up to $1 million in performance bonuses and a mutual option for 2020.The Royals hope that spacious Kauffman Stadium will allow Hamilton to better use his speed than the bandbox of Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, where he spent his first six seasons with the Reds."Speed, athleticism, defensive ability. He brings a sense of trepidation when he steps on the field, not only as a defender but as an offensive player, too," manager Ned Yost said at the winter meetings in Las Vegas. "I've talked to a lot of Cincinnati people about him and they absolutely loved him. But we've been spoiled for years with Lorenzo Cain in center field, a tremendous defender in a big ballpark and having Billy roaming that ground from gap to gap out there."Hamilton's deal, announced Tuesday, calls for a $4.25 million salary next year and a $7.5 million mutual option with... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals and speedy outfielder Billy Hamilton have finalized a $5.25 million contract that includes up to $1 million in performance bonuses and a mutual option for 2020.The Royals hope that spacious Kauffman Stadium will allow Hamilton to better use his speed than the bandbox of Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, where he spent his first six seasons with the Reds.His deal, announced Tuesday, calls for a $4.25 million salary next year and a $7.5 million mutual option with a $1 million buyout He can earn $100,000 each for making 325 plate appearances and every additional 25 through 550.The 28-year-old made his big league debut in 2013, then proceeded to have four consecutive seasons in which he stole at least 50 bases. That number dipped to 34 last season, when the switch-hitting Hamilton hit .236 with four homers and 29 RBIs as the Reds' everyday center fielder.The Reds ultimately did not tender Hamilton a contract after paying him $4.6 million... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals and speedy outfielder Billy Hamilton have agreed to a $5.25 million contract for next season that includes up to $1 million in incentives.The Royals hope that spacious Kauffman Stadium will allow Hamilton to better use his speed than the bandbox of Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, where he spent his first six seasons with the Reds.His deal, announced Tuesday, includes a mutual option for 2020.The 28-year-old Hamilton made his big league debut in 2013, then proceeded to have four consecutive seasons in which he stole at least 50 bases. That number dipped to 34 last season, when the switch-hitting Hamilton hit .236 with four homers and 29 RBIs as the Reds' everyday center fielder.The Reds ultimately did not tender Hamilton a contract after paying him $4.6 million in the second year of arbitration. The Royals now control him through the 2019 season and Kansas City now has three of the top eight base-stealers in the majors last season.The... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals and speedy outfielder Billy Hamilton have agreed to a $5.25 million contract for next season that includes up to $1 million in incentives, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday.The Royals hope that spacious Kauffman Stadium will allow Hamilton to better use his speed than the bandbox of Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, where he spent his first six seasons with the Reds. The person who confirmed the deal spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the deal was pending a physical.The 28-year-old Hamilton made his big league debut in 2013, then proceeded to have four consecutive seasons in which he stole at least 50 bases. That number dipped to 34 last season, when the switch-hitting Hamilton hit .236 with four homers and 29 RBIs as the Reds' everyday center fielder.The Reds ultimately did not tender Hamilton a contract after paying him $4.6 million in the second year of arbitration. The Royals now... [More]