ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols had a two-run double for his 2,999th career hit, and Luis Valbuena and Andrelton Simmons drove in three runs apiece in the Los Angeles Angels' 12-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.Pujols did not get a hit in his final three plate appearances after moving to the brink of the 3,000-hit club in the second inning. He gets another chance Friday in Seattle.Angels rookie right-hander Jaime Barria (2-1) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of his third career start, finishing with six innings of four-hit ball.Manny Machado drove in two runs for the last-place Orioles, who have lost 15 of 18. Chris Tillman (1-5) recorded just three outs and was charged with seven runs.MARINERS 4, ATHLETICS 1SEATTLE (AP) — Dee Gordon had a big night on the bases, Nelson Cruz hit a two-run homer and the Mariners won their first game since Ichiro Suzuki was moved from the roster to the front office.Hours after the Mariners announced Suzuki's new role for the... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Aroldis Chapman struck out AL MVP Jose Altuve on three straight 101 mph fastballs with two on to end the game, and the New York Yankees got a key hit from rookie Gleyber Torres during a three-run rally in the ninth inning to seesaw past the Houston Astros 6-5 Thursday.The Yankees won a wild one to take three of four from the team that beat them in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series last October.New York took a 3-0 lead into the seventh, trailed 5-3 going into the ninth and let a bounced third strike give the Astros their final chance.Pinch hitter Evan Gattis fanned but reached on Chapman's two-out wild pitch, and George Springer followed with a single. Altuve went down swinging, giving Chapman his seventh save.Chasen Shreve (1-0) got the last two outs of the eighth for the win. Will Harris (1-2) got the loss.NATIONALS 3, PIRATES 1WASHINGTON (AP) — Trea Turner and Ryan Zimmerman homered in the sixth inning, helping Washington complete a four-game series sweep.Jeremy Hellickson... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Wilson Ramos went deep again and scored on Denard Span's inside-the-park homer, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 12-6 on Saturday for their eighth consecutive victory.It's the longest win streak for Tampa Bay since taking nine in a row in July 2014. The resurgent Rays have won nine of 10 overall to move within one game of .500 at 12-13.Johnny Field and Carlos Gomez also connected for Tampa Bay, and Matt Duffy finished with four hits. Field's three-run drive in the ninth was his first career homer.Ramos belted a two-run shot in the third against David Price (2-3), extending his homer streak to three games.Boston lost for the fifth time in seven games. It also had to replace star outfielder Mookie Betts after the fourth inning due to tightness in his right hamstring.ASTROS 11, ATHLETICS 0HOUSTON (AP) — Lance McCullers threw seven sharp innings, Jose Altuve had four hits and Houston beat Oakland.Altuve hit a towering home run that left the ballpark and doubled.... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Wilson Ramos went deep again and scored on Denard Span's inside-the-park homer, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 12-6 on Saturday for their eighth consecutive victory.It's the longest win streak for Tampa Bay since taking nine in a row in July 2014. The resurgent Rays have won nine of 10 overall to move within one game of .500 at 12-13.Johnny Field and Carlos Gomez also connected for Tampa Bay, and Matt Duffy finished with four hits. Field's three-run drive in the ninth was his first career homer.Ramos belted a two-run shot in the third against David Price (2-3), extending his homer streak to three games.Boston lost for the fifth time in seven games. It also had to replace star outfielder Mookie Betts after the fourth inning due to tightness in his right hamstring.ASTROS 11, ATHLETICS 0HOUSTON (AP) — Lance McCullers threw seven sharp innings, Jose Altuve had four hits and Houston beat Oakland.Altuve hit a towering home run that left the ballpark and doubled.... [More]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Francisco Lindor homered in his native Puerto Rico, Corey Kluber allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings and the Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 6-1 on Tuesday night in the first regular-season game on the island commonwealth since 2010.Michael Brantley and Jose Ramirez each had three hits for Cleveland before a sold-out crowd of 19,516 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Brantley and Ramirez hit consecutive homers in the sixth, and Yonder Alonso added a solo homer in the eighth.Kluber (2-1) allowed five hits and struck out six, lowering his ERA to 1.52. Minnesota's Jake Odorizzi (1-1) gave up four runs and six hits in five-plus innings.RED SOX 10, ANGELS 1ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mookie Betts led off with the first of his three homers, and Boston chased Shohei Ohtani just two innings into his third big-league start.Ohtani (2-1) yielded four hits and three runs on 66 pitches before exiting with a blister on his pitching hand. The two-way Japanese sensation couldn't... [More]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Francisco Lindor homered in his native Puerto Rico, Corey Kluber allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings and the Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 6-1 on Tuesday night in the first regular-season game on the island commonwealth since 2010.Michael Brantley and Jose Ramirez each had three hits for Cleveland before a sold-out crowd of 19,516 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Brantley and Ramirez hit consecutive homers in the sixth, and Yonder Alonso added a solo homer in the eighth.Kluber (2-1) allowed five hits and struck out six, lowering his ERA to 1.52. Minnesota's Jake Odorizzi (1-1) gave up four runs and six hits in five-plus innings.DIAMONDBACKS 1, GIANTS 0PHOENIX (AP) — Patrick Corbin lost his no-hit bid on a checked-swing infield single with two outs in the eighth inning but finished a one-hitter to lift Arizona.Corbin (3-0) walked one but otherwise was cruising toward what would have been the franchise's third no-hitter. Brandon Belt ended it with a softly... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a bases-loaded triple in Los Angeles' five-run seventh inning, helping the Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 7-1 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.Ian Kinsler homered on his first swing in his return to the Angels' lineup, and Nick Tropeano (1-0) pitched shutout ball into the seventh for his first major league win since 2016.Los Angeles has won eight of nine.Ohtani drove a 1-2 pitch from Brandon Maurer to right-center, scoring Kole Calhoun, Andrelton Simmons and Luis Valbuena. The Royals walked Ohtani intentionally in the sixth with first base open and Simmons on second.Ohtani is tied with Mike Trout for the Angels' lead with 11 RBIs in 26 at-bats. Trout went 3 for 4 with his fifth home run.Kinsler led off the game with a home run for the 47th time in his career, driving a 1-0 pitch from Ian Kennedy (1-1) out to left. Kinsler missed the previous 11 games with an adductor strain.RED SOX 6, YANKEES 3BOSTON (AP) — Rick Porcello pitched... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a bases-loaded triple in a five-run seventh inning to help the streaking Los Angeles Angels beat the Kansas City Royals 7-1 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.Ian Kinsler homered on his first swing in his return to the Angels' lineup, and Nick Tropeano (1-0) pitched shutout ball into the seventh for his first major league win since 2016.Los Angeles has won eight of nine.Ohtani drove a 1-2 pitch from Brandon Maurer to right-center, scoring Kole Calhoun, Andrelton Simmons and Luis Valbuena. The Royals walked Ohtani intentionally in the sixth with first base open and Simmons on second.Ohtani is tied with Mike Trout for the Angels' lead with 11 RBIs in 26 at-bats. Trout went 3 for 4 with his fifth home run and has 55 at-bats.Kinsler led off the game with a home run for the 47th time in his career, driving a 1-0 pitch from Ian Kennedy (1-1) out to left. Kinsler missed the previous 11 games with an adductor strain.RED SOX 6, YANKEES 3BOSTON... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Jose Martinez drove in six runs Thursday night and Yadier Molina homered in his return from a one-game suspension, powering the St. Louis Cardinals to a 13-4 victory that left the Cincinnati Reds mired in their worst start since 1955.The Cardinals homered a season-high four times while piling up a season high in runs. The Reds helped by walking 11 batters, three of them with the bases loaded.The Reds fell to 2-10, the worst record in the majors and their worst start since an identical mark in 1955.Infielder Cliff Pennington pitched the ninth for Cincinnati and gave up a pair of walks and Martinez's second RBI single of the game.Paul DeJong's solo shot deep into the upper deck in center off Austin Brice (0-2) snapped a 4-4 tie in the sixth. Martinez and Molina hit back-to-back drives in the seventh, when St. Louis put it away with seven runs. Martinez added a two-run double in the inning.Michael Wacha (2-1) went five innings and extended his streak of beating Cincinnati.PIRATES... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Rookie sensation Shohei Ohtani hit a home run for the third straight game and the Los Angeles Angels rallied from an early six-run deficit to beat Oakland.The two-way star from Japan connected for a long, solo drive in the second inning. The ball landed in the rocks beyond the center field wall after traveling 449 feet and was measured with a 112.3 mph exit velocity according to Statcast, the hardest-hit and longest of Ohtani's three major league homers.Ohtani, who is batting .462 (6 for 13) with six RBIs at home, drew a walk on four pitches with the bases loaded to pull the Angels within 8-7 in the fifth.The 23-year-old is scheduled to pitch Sunday — he won his first big league start last weekend against the A's. It's uncertain if he'll be the designated hitter on Saturday and try to extend his homer streak, a day before he starts.Jim Johnson (1-0) got the win. Blake Treinen (0-1) took the loss for the A's, who hit five home runs.ORIOLES 7, YANKEES 3, 14 INNINGSNEW... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Pedro Alvarez hit a grand slam in the 14th inning, Manny Machado homered twice and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Yankees 7-3 Friday night after New York saw four players forced to make early exits.Yankees starter CC Sabathia left with hip soreness, star catcher Gary Sanchez limped off with a possible leg cramp right before Alvarez struck, third baseman Brandon Drury was lifted for migraines and second baseman Tyler Wade was removed because of flu-like symptoms.Alvarez connected off Jonathan Holder (0-1) after midnight, deciding a game that took 5 hours, 20 minutes and included 14 pitchers and a couple of wild misadventures on the basepaths.Rookie Pedro Araujo (1-1) got the win.BRAVES 8, ROCKIES 3DENVER (AP) — It was 27 degrees at gametime, and Brandon McCarthy used his arm and bat to help Atlanta win at Coors Field in Colorado's home opener.The coldest recorded start in major league history was 23 games at Coors when these same teams met on April 23, 2013.Brandon McCarthy... [More]

A look at what's happening all around baseball today:___WINTRY MIXSnow is in the forecast at Coors Field, where the Colorado Rockies host Atlanta in their home opener. There's also a chance of snow at Yankee Stadium when New York plays Baltimore.Players and fans alike have been shivering this season, with cold and snow contributing to a plethora of postponements in Detroit, Cincinnati, New York and Kansas City."It's cold," Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts said Thursday at Fenway Park, where Boston played its home opener. "You keep trying to play mind tricks, but it's still 40 degrees. No matter how much you say 'mind over matter,' it still matters."REST UPMiguel Cabrera and the Tigers are off, a day after the star slugger jammed his left hip rounding the bag on a single against the White Sox. Cabrera said his hip began to tighten up when he went to play first base. Cabrera tweaked himself in the first inning of a game Detroit won in the 10th. He said he thought the day off would help a lot.NEW... [More]

A look at what's happening all around baseball Friday:___WINTRY MIXSnow is in the forecast at Coors Field, where the Colorado Rockies host Atlanta in their home opener. There's also a chance of snow at Yankee Stadium when New York plays Baltimore.Players and fans alike have been shivering this season, with cold and snow contributing to a plethora of postponements in Detroit, Cincinnati, New York and Kansas City."It's cold," Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts said Thursday at Fenway Park, where Boston played its home opener. "You keep trying to play mind tricks, but it's still 40 degrees. No matter how much you say 'mind over matter,' it still matters."REST UPMiguel Cabrera and the Tigers are off, a day after the star slugger jammed his left hip rounding the bag on a single against the White Sox. Cabrera said his hip began to tighten up when he went to play first base. Cabrera tweaked himself in the first inning of a game Detroit won in the 10th. He said he thought the day off would help a... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jameson Taillon downplayed the idea that the location of his locker inside the Pittsburgh Pirates clubhouse symbolizes anything."I guess I can trip people on the way to the kitchen," the linchpin of Pittsburgh's young starting rotation said with a laugh.Clubhouse manager Scott Bonnett scooted Taillon over a few spots during the offseason to some prime real estate in one of the corners, a position that offers a quick exit should Taillon need it.It also confers, at least in a small way, a sense of status. The last two tenants of Taillon's new digs happened to be Gerrit Cole and A.J. Burnett, important figures in Pittsburgh's run to three straight playoff berths from 2013-15."Those two guys had some pretty good things working for them here," Taillon said.At the moment, Taillon does, too. He overpowered the Minnesota Twins for more than five innings in Pittsburgh's 5-4 victory at cold, cloudy and not particularly crowded PNC Park on Monday, a victory that gave the Pirates... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani won his major league pitching debut, throwing three-hit ball over six innings and leading the Los Angeles Angels past the Oakland Athletics 7-4 on Sunday.The two-way star from Japan took the mound three days after he was the designated hitter in the opener. Reaching the upper-90s (mph) with his fastball and showing a nifty splitter, Ohtani struck out six and retired 14 of his final 15 batters.Ohtani didn't hit while pitching. Albert Pujols was the DH and went 0 for 5.Ohtani (1-0) pounded his glove following a 1-2-3 shutdown fifth. He walked one, and the only damage against him came on Matt Chapman's three-run homer in the second.Mike Trout hit a tying double in the fifth and Justin Upton followed with a go-ahead sacrifice fly. Keynan Middleton earned his first save.Daniel Gossett (0-1) allowed four runs in four innings for Oakland.ASTROS 8, RANGERS 2ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Gerrit Cole struck out 11 over seven innings in his Houston debut, and the defending... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Justin Smoak hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth to rally the Toronto Blue Jays past the New York Yankees 7-4 on Sunday.After connecting off reliever Tommy Kahnle in the seventh, Smoak brought the crowd of 29,091 to its feet with his second career slam, a drive against David Robertson (0-1).Smoak went 3 for 4 with a walk and six RBIs as Toronto gained a series split, winning the final two games.Smoak's other grand slam also came against the Yankees, in 2015.Tyler Clippard (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning, and Seung Hwan Oh finished for his first save.TWINS 7, ORIOLES 0BALTIMORE (AP) — Jose Berrios pitched a three-hitter for his first career complete game, and Minnesota got two home runs from Brian Dozier in a rout of Baltimore.Only one batter reached against Berrios over the first eight innings — No. 9 hitter Chance Sisco, whose third-inning double whisked by the raised glove of left fielder Eddie Rosario at the wall.Berrios then... [More]

Once again, Greg Bird is hurt as spring training comes to a close.The oft-injured New York Yankees first baseman will need surgery on his ailing right ankle and could be sidelined for two months. The team learned of the setback Monday while in Atlanta for its final exhibition game, three days before the season opener at Toronto."Obviously, we were hoping it was going to be a shorter-term thing," said rookie manager Aaron Boone, who took over a club that reached Game 7 of the AL Championship Series last year. "But we feel like we got some answers. We feel like we know what the surgery's going to accomplish."Bird will have surgery to remove a small broken spur on the outside of his right ankle. Dr. Martin O'Malley is scheduled to operate Tuesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.The slugger is expected to be out for six to eight weeks."Hopefully this is something he will now put behind him for good," Boone said. "We feel pretty good that the surgery is fairly minor and they're... [More]

Once again, Greg Bird is hurt as spring training comes to a close.The oft-injured New York Yankees first baseman will need surgery on his ailing right ankle and could be sidelined for two months. The team learned of the setback Monday while in Atlanta for its final exhibition game, three days before the season opener at Toronto."Obviously, we were hoping it was going to be a shorter-term thing," said rookie manager Aaron Boone, who took over a club that reached Game 7 of the AL Championship Series last year. "But we feel like we got some answers. We feel like we know what the surgery's going to accomplish."Bird will have surgery to remove a small broken spur on the outside of his right ankle. Dr. Martin O'Malley is scheduled to operate Tuesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.The slugger is expected to be out for six to eight weeks."Hopefully this is something he will now put behind him for good," Boone said. "We feel pretty good that the surgery is fairly minor and they're... [More]

Capsules of National League Central teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Chicago Cubs2017: 92-70, first place, lost to Dodgers in NLCS.Manager: Joe Maddon (fourth season).He's Here: RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Steve Cishek, LHP Drew Smyly, C Chris Gimenez.He's Outta Here: RHP Wade Davis, C Alex Avila, C Rene Rivera.Projected Lineup: CF Ian Happ (.253, 24 HRs, 68 RBIs, .842 OPS) or Albert Almora Jr. (.298, 8, 46), 3B Kris Bryant (.295, 29, 73, 38 2Bs, 111 runs), 1B Anthony Rizzo (.273, 32, 109, 91 BBs), C Willson Contreras (.276, 21, 74), LF Kyle Schwarber (.211, 30, 59), SS Addison Russell (.239, 12, 43), RF Jason Heyward (.259, 11, 59), 2B Javier Baez (.273, 23, 75, .796 OPS).Rotation: LH Jon Lester (13-8, 4.33 ERA, 180 Ks), RH Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03), RH Yu Darvish (10-12, 3.86, 209 Ks with Rangers and Dodgers), LH Jose Quintana (11-11, 4.15, 207 Ks with White Sox and Cubs), RH Tyler Chatwood (8-15, 4.69 with Rockies).Key Relievers: RH Brandon... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Depending on the person asked in the clubhouse, the Pittsburgh Pirates are rebuilding. Or they're not. They're retooling. Or they're not. They're pointing toward 2019 and beyond. Or they're focused on the here and now.The next six months will offer a chance at clarity.The Pirates head into 2018 without Andrew McCutchen in the outfield on opening day for the first time in nearly a decade and without Gerrit Cole in the rotation for the first time since the start of 2013, traded in offseason moves that saved the franchise millions of dollars. Though both transactions included the Pirates picking up a handful of players they believe can make an immediate impact — including starting pitcher Joe Musgrove and third baseman Colin Moran — they left established Pirates like Josh Harrison wondering aloud whether the club cared about winning or making money.Harrison suggested the team consider moving him if it didn't plan to contend. Third baseman David Freese chastised a clubhouse... [More]