Oct. 6 1915 — Philadelphia rookie Elmer Myers made a spectacular debut by striking out 12 Washington batters while allowing just two hits. Myers walked 5 in the 4-0 win his only game this year. 1926 — Babe Ruth hit three homers to lead the Yankees to a 10-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth game of the World Series. 1948 — In the opening game of the World Series, the Boston Braves beat Bob Feller and the Cleveland Indians 1-0 with two hits and the benefit of a disputed call on a pickoff attempt in the eighth by Feller. 1963 — Frank Howard led Los Angeles to a 2-1 win over the New York Yankees with a home run and a single, giving the Dodgers a four-game sweep in the World Series. 1966 — Jim Palmer, 20, became the youngest player to pitch a World Series shutout as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-0. Sandy Koufax was the loser, his last appearance in the major leagues. Dodger outfielder Willie Davis committed three errors on successive plays in the fifth... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The White Sox finally got back to October — and they liked it. They are hoping for a longer stay as soon as next year. Chicago's breakout season was stopped by a three-game loss at Oakland in the AL wild-card round. But it looks as if the White Sox have a bright future after stopping a string of seven consecutive losing records with their first playoff appearance since 2008. “It’s just the start of something. I think it was good for us to get in," shortstop Tim Anderson said. “Guys got a taste of it, and I think it’s just going to make them more hungry to get back there.” The 27-year-old Anderson leads a young core playing under team-friendly deals, and José Abreu is one of the front-runners for AL MVP after driving in 60 runs during the pandemic-shortened season. Lucas Giolito, who pitched his first no-hitter in August, fronts the rotation, and the bullpen has promising options. Manager Rick Renteria said he started thinking about next year right after Thursday's season-ending... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman singled home the winning run in the 13th inning, finally ending the longest scoreless duel in postseason history as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 in the opener of their NL wild-card series on Wednesday. The East champion Braves won the first game of a postseason series for the first time since the 2001 NL Division Series and can wrap up the best-of-three series on Thursday. If they do, it will snap a record-tying streak of 10 straight playoff round losses. What began as a pitching showdown between between Cy Young contenders Trevor Bauer of the Reds and Atlanta’s Max Fried devolved into a strikeout contest. The teams combined for a postseason record 37 Ks — 21 by the Braves. After a couple of hits in the 13th against Archie Bradley, Freeman drove one into center field off Amir Garrett against a five-man infield with one out to end a game that dragged on for more than 4 1/2 hours. A four-time All-Star, Freeman produced another big year... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ CRAZY EIGHT How’s this for wild: MLB is set to stage eight postseason games on the same day for the first time. National League clubs will open their best-of-three wild-card series, while four American League teams are already facing elimination after starting Tuesday. The Reds and Braves open things with a dynamite pitching matchup between Trevor Bauer and Max Fried at noon ET, and baseball will be on TV until the Brewers and Dodgers wrap their 10 p.m. ET tilt. With the expansion of the first round from a pair of wild-card games to eight best-of-three series, there are a maximum 65 possible postseason games this year. In the 1960s, there were 66 postseason games in the entire decade, with league championship series starting in 1969. The day starts with a showdown between NL Cy Young Award contenders. Bauer (5-4, 1.73 ERA) was at his best down the stretch for Cincinnati, including a 12-strikeout performance against Milwaukee in his... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Wednesday: ___ CRAZY EIGHT How’s this for wild: MLB is set to stage eight postseason games on the same day for the first time. National League clubs will open their best-of-three wild-card series, while four American League teams are already facing elimination after starting Tuesday. The Reds and Braves open things with a dynamite pitching matchup between Trevor Bauer and Max Fried at noon ET, and baseball will be on TV until the Brewers and Dodgers wrap their 10 p.m. ET tilt. With the expansion of the first round from a pair of wild-card games to eight best-of-three series, there are a maximum 65 possible postseason games this year. In the 1960s, there were 66 postseason games in the entire decade, with league championship series starting in 1969. The day starts with a showdown between NL Cy Young Award contenders. The right-handed Bauer (5-4, 1.73 ERA) was at his best down the stretch for Cincinnati, including a 12-strikeout performance against... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Mookie Betts, meet Devin Williams and his devastating changeup. Aaron Judge, take a closer look at a much improved Shane Bieber. Fernando Tatis Jr., say hello to Jack Flaherty. Welcome to the first round of the 2020 playoffs, a class with an unusual amount of homework — and precious little room for error. After the pandemic-shortened regular season was limited to regional play, seven of the eight wild-card series involve teams that haven't played any meaningful games against each other since last year. The one exception is Blake Snell and Tampa Bay taking on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Toronto in an all-AL East matchup. “It’s like the old days, man, when you played a team you’ve never played before. It’s exactly what it is,” said Sandy Alomar Jr., the acting manager for the Indians. “It’s very strange." That means a lot of video and scouting work before the AL playoffs begin Tuesday and the NL postseason starts Wednesday. And the advance reports might be a tick or two off after... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Randy Arozarena homered twice and the Tampa Bay Rays clinched their first AL East title in 10 years Wednesday night with an 8-5 victory over the New York Mets. Joey Wendle and Brandon Lowe also went deep to help Tyler Glasnow (5-1) win his fifth straight decision. Tampa Bay will be home at quirky Tropicana Field for a best-of-three first-round playoff series beginning next Tuesday. It is the third division crown for the thrifty Rays, who also won the AL East in 2008 and 2010. Their inaugural season was 1998. After missing a chance to clinch Tuesday, the Rays went into Wednesday again needing just a win or a New York Yankees loss against Toronto to lock up the division championship. The Rays (37-20) broke a 2-all tie in the sixth on Arozarena’s two-run homer off Michael Wacha (1-4) and pulled away. As has become customary during this pandemic-shortened season, the celebration was muted. After Nick Anderson fanned Andres Gimenez for the final out, the closer exchanged a hug... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Thursday: PADRES PREDICAMENT Fresh off clinching their first playoff berth in 14 seasons, San Diego is hoping for good news concerning Mike Clevinger. Clevinger was suddenly pulled after only one inning of his start Wednesday and sent for an MRI on his right biceps. The Padres got him a big trade with Cleveland on Aug. 31 and he had been the presumed Game 1 starter in the wild-card round next Wednesday. If Clevinger can’t go, that role could go to Dinelson Lamet. Clevinger’s start had been pushed back from Saturday night because of tightness in his right biceps. He had thrown a bullpen session this week and seemed fine to go, but his biceps tightened up after he threw a curveball to the second batter of the game against the Angels. “We’re comfortable with our options, yeah, but like I said, we’re not going to flip out and freak out,” manager Jayce Tingler said. A NEW ERA No Brewers pitcher has won an ERA title -- Corbin Burnes could become... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Tim Anderson hit two of Chicago’s five solo homers, and the White Sox — already guaranteed a playoff spot — took another step toward the AL Central title by overpowering the Cincinnati Reds 5-0 on Saturday night. Chicago has won eight of its last 10 games, securing at least a wild card and its first postseason appearance since 2008. José Abreu hit his fifth homer in eight games as the White Sox piled them up, including three in a row in the eighth off Robert Stephenson. Abreu has 18 homers overall. The Reds managed six hits as they had their season-high winning streak snapped at six games. Cincinnati (26-27) wasted a chance to move above .500 for the first time since its season-opening win over the Tigers. Nomar Mazara was in a 3-for-25 slump with 11 strikeouts when he connected off Trevor Bauer (4-4) in the fifth inning for his first homer. One out later, Anderson’s ninth homer made it 2-0. Bauer went seven innings and gave up five hits while throwing 107 pitches. Matt... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Monday:BOXED OUTMajor League Baseball is looking into the circumstances that led to Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo being ejected from a luxury box in Atlanta for yelling at umpires.Rizzo was tossed in the seventh inning Sunday. Veteran crew chief Joe West said he told the commissioner’s office on Friday that Rizzo had been hollering at the umps earlier in the Nationals-Braves series.“I wouldn’t take that from a player. I wouldn’t take that from a manager,” West told The Associated Press. “If it was Donald Trump, I’d eject him, too. But I’d still vote for him.”MLB said it had started an inquiry.“We have already been in communication with the Nationals regarding what transpired during today’s game, and we will speak with the umpiring crew today,” MLB said in a statement. “We will expect Joe West’s crew to provide a full account of their perspective, and we will follow up with them accordingly.”FOND FAREWELLThe Cardinals are... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt hit a three-run homer off a struggling Jon Lester, and the St. Louis Cardinals gained ground in the NL Central race by beating the Chicago Cubs 7-3 on Sunday night.St. Louis pulled within 1 1/2 games of Chicago with its third consecutive win over the division leaders. The longtime rivals have one game left in their pandemic-shortened season series on Monday.Dakota Hudson (2-2) worked five innings of three-run ball, shrugging off a shaky start.Chicago dropped to 10-15 since its 13-3 start. Anthony Rizzo and Jason Kipnis homered for the Cubs, but Lester (2-2) lasted just 3 1/3 innings in another lackluster performance.ANGELS 9, ASTROS 5ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Anthony Rendon homered, Jared Walsh and Justin Upton delivered key hits during a four-run eighth inning and Los Angeles swept the four-game series.The Angels have a won a season-high five straight. They trailed by at least three runs in each game against Houston before rallying.Mike Mayers (1-0), the fifth... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt hit a three-run homer off a struggling Jon Lester, and the St. Louis Cardinals gained ground in the NL Central race by beating the Chicago Cubs 7-3 on Sunday night.St. Louis pulled within 1 1/2 games of Chicago with its third consecutive win over the division leaders. The longtime rivals have one game left in their pandemic-shortened season series on Monday.Dakota Hudson (2-2) worked five innings of three-run ball, shrugging off a shaky start.Chicago dropped to 10-15 since its 13-3 start. Anthony Rizzo and Jason Kipnis homered for the Cubs, but Lester (2-2) lasted just 3 1/3 innings in another lackluster performance.ANGELS 9, ASTROS 5ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Anthony Rendon homered, Jared Walsh and Justin Upton delivered key hits during a four-run eighth inning and Los Angeles swept the four-game series.The Angels have a won a season-high five straight. They trailed by at least three runs in each game against Houston before rallying.Mike Mayers (1-0), the fifth... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Monday:BOXED OUTMajor League Baseball is looking into the circumstances that led to Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo being ejected from a luxury box in Atlanta for yelling at umpires.Rizzo was tossed in the seventh inning Sunday. Veteran crew chief Joe West said he told the commissioner’s office on Friday that Rizzo had been hollering at the umps earlier in the Nationals-Braves series.“I wouldn’t take that from a player. I wouldn’t take that from a manager,” West told The Associated Press. “If it was Donald Trump, I’d eject him, too. But I’d still vote for him.”MLB said it had started an inquiry.“We have already been in communication with the Nationals regarding what transpired during today’s game, and we will speak with the umpiring crew today,” MLB said in a statement. “We will expect Joe West’s crew to provide a full account of their perspective, and we will follow up with them accordingly.”FOND FAREWELLThe Cardinals are... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman threw a 101 mph fastball near the head of pinch-hitter Michael Brosseau while closing out his first save of the season, prompting the benches to empty after New York ended a six-game losing streak against the Tampa Bay Rays with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night.Chapman’s first pitch to Brosseau with two outs in the ninth inning whizzed past Brosseau’s head, and umpires met before issuing warnings to both benches amid a budding rivalry that’s been dominated this season by Tampa Bay. Chapman struck out Brosseau to end it, and Brosseau began walking toward the visiting dugout before turning back to exchange words with someone on the Yankees. The dugouts and benches emptied and players gathered near home plate, but they mostly kept their distance before dispersing to their respective clubhouses.DJ LeMahieu homered twice, and Gio Urshela hit a tiebreaking, three-run Little League homer in the sixth inning as New York beat the Rays at Yankee Stadium for... [More]

Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman threw a 101 mph fastball near the head of pinch-hitter Michael Brosseau while closing out his first save of the season, prompting the benches to empty after New York ended a six-game losing streak against the Tampa Bay Rays with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night.Chapman’s first pitch to Brosseau with two outs in the ninth inning whizzed past Brosseau’s head, and umpires met before issuing warnings to both benches amid a budding rivalry that’s been dominated this season by Tampa Bay. Chapman struck out Brosseau to end it, and Brosseau began walking toward the visiting dugout before turning back to exchange words with someone on the Yankees. The dugouts and benches emptied and players gathered near home plate, but they mostly kept their distance before dispersing to their respective clubhouses.DJ LeMahieu homered twice, and Gio Urshela hit a tiebreaking, three-run Little League homer in the sixth inning as New York beat the Rays at Yankee Stadium for the first time... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:PLAYER PROTESTSAfter three games were called off while players used their platform to call attention to racial injustice, the question is whether more postponements or a wider boycott in baseball are possible.Three games that weren't played Wednesday were set to be made up as part of doubleheaders on Thursday. Those games will be between the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres, and Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.The Brewers were the first team to decide not to take the field as a protest over the shooting by police of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the team's home state of Wisconsin. Other MLB games had finished, were in progress or just about to start as the Brewers' decision was announced.Braves star Freddie Freeman said he expected his team would discuss the boycotts during its off day. Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez, in emotional postgame remarks, said he would talk to... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Michael Perez hit a go-ahead solo homer in the eighth inning and the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 on Wednesday night.Perez homered to center off Mychal Givens (0-1). It was his first long ball since Aug. 10, 2018.Ryan Sherriff (1-0) worked a perfect eighth in his first big league game since May 7, 2018, due to Tommy John surgery. Diego Castillo pitched the ninth to get his first save. Ten Tampa Bay relievers have a save this season.Brandon Lowe hit his 10th homer for the Rays, who have won nine of 11. The Orioles are 8-3 on the road after losing the first two games of the series. Their only other defeat away from home came opening day at Boston.BLUE JAYS 9, RED SOX 1BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Rowdy Tellez drove in four runs with two homers and a double, and Toronto beat Boston.Vladimir Guererro Jr. hit a pair of doubles, including a three-run bouncer down the left field line that keyed a four-run seventh inning for Toronto (15-14).... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Michael Perez hit a go-ahead solo homer in the eighth inning and the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 on Wednesday night.Perez homered to center off Mychal Givens (0-1). It was his first long ball since Aug. 10, 2018.Ryan Sherriff (1-0) worked a perfect eighth in his first big league game since May 7, 2018, due to Tommy John surgery. Diego Castillo pitched the ninth to get his first save. Ten Tampa Bay relievers have a save this season.Brandon Lowe hit his 10th homer for the Rays, who have won nine of 11. The Orioles are 8-3 on the road after losing the first two games of the series. Their only other defeat away from home came opening day at Boston.BLUE JAYS 9, RED SOX 1BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Rowdy Tellez drove in four runs with two homers and a double, and Toronto beat Boston.Vladimir Guererro Jr. hit a pair of doubles, including a three-run bouncer down the left field line that keyed a four-run seventh inning for Toronto (15-14).... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Thursday:PLAYER PROTESTSAfter three games were called off while players used their platform to call attention to racial injustice, the question is whether more postponements or a wider boycott in baseball are possible.Three games that weren't played Wednesday were expected to be made up as part of doubleheaders on Thursday. Those games will be between the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres, and Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.The Brewers were the first team to decide not to take the field as a protest over the shooting by police of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the team's home state of Wisconsin. Other MLB games had finished, were in progress or just about to start as the Brewers' decision was announced.Braves star Freddie Freeman said he expected his team would discuss the boycotts during its off day. Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez, in emotional postgame remarks, said he would... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Michael Perez hit a go-ahead solo homer in the eighth inning and the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 on Wednesday night.Perez homered to center off Mychal Givens (0-1). It was his first long ball since Aug. 10, 2018.Ryan Sherriff (1-0) worked a perfect eighth in his first big league game since May 7, 2018, due to Tommy John surgery. Diego Castillo pitched the ninth to get his first save. Ten Tampa Bay relievers have a save this season.Brandon Lowe hit his 10th homer for the Rays, who have won nine of 11. The Orioles are 8-3 on the road after losing the first two games of the series. Their only other defeat away from home came opening day at Boston.BLUE JAYS 9, RED SOX 1BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Rowdy Tellez drove in four runs with two homers and a double, and Toronto beat Boston.Vladimir Guererro Jr. hit a pair of doubles, including a three-run bouncer down the left field line that keyed a four-run seventh inning for Toronto (15-14).... [More]