OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Trevor Cahill pitched one-hit ball for seven shutout innings and the Oakland Athletics, far behind in the AL West standings earlier this summer, tied Houston for the division lead by beating the Astros 7-1 Saturday.Khris Davis, Matt Olson, Josh Phegley and Stephen Piscotty each hit two of Oakland's team record-tying eight doubles as the A's won for the sixth time in seven games. The Athletics trailed the defending World Series champion Astros by 11 1/2 games on June 24 and were still 10 out on July 10.Houston has lost seven of eight and dropped 12 of 19 since owning a six-game lead on July 24. The next day, reigning AL MVP Jose Altuve went on the disabled list, and the star second baseman is still out.Cahill (5-2) struck out seven, walked one and retired 14 straight batters during one stretch.Tony Kemp homered in the ninth for Houston's only other hit. Dallas Keuchel (9-10) gave up five runs in 5 2/3 innings.ROCKIES 5, BRAVES 3, 10 INNINGSATLANTA (AP) — Colorado struck... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Trevor Cahill pitched one-hit ball for seven shutout innings and the Oakland Athletics, far behind in the AL West standings earlier this summer, tied Houston for the division lead by beating the Astros 7-1 Saturday.Khris Davis, Matt Olson, Josh Phegley and Stephen Piscotty each hit two of Oakland's team record-tying eight doubles as the A's won for the sixth time in seven games. The Athletics trailed the defending World Series champion Astros by 11 1/2 games on June 24 and were still 10 out on July 10.Houston has lost seven of eight and dropped 12 of 19 since owning a six-game lead on July 24. The next day, reigning AL MVP Jose Altuve went on the disabled list, and the star second baseman is still out.Cahill (5-2) struck out seven, walked one and retired 14 straight batters during one stretch.Tony Kemp homered in the ninth for Houston's only other hit. Dallas Keuchel (9-10) gave up five runs in 5 2/3 innings.ROCKIES 5, BRAVES 3, 10 INNINGSATLANTA (AP) — Colorado struck... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds traded right-hander Dylan Floro and a minor league pitcher to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday for two minor league pitchers.The Reds also optioned utility player Brandon Dixon to Triple-A Louisville and recalled Tanner Rainey and Cody Reed from Louisville to bolster a depleted bullpen.The Dodgers sent James Marinan and Anerurys Zabala to the Reds for Floro, Zach Neal and international signing bonus pool space. Marinan will report to Billings of the rookie-level Pioneer League and Zabala to Single-A Dayton.Floro was 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA in 25 relief appearances this season with Cincinnati."He's got a good arm, a heavy sinker, puts the ball in the ground," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "He's a guy that can go multiple innings if we need as well."Rainey had no record in five previous stints with the Reds this season. Reed had spent the entire season with the Bats.Dixon hit .219 with a home run over 29 games, including 2 for 8 with two RBIs as a pinch hitter.To make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers designated right-hander Daniel Corcino for assignment.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds traded right-hander Dylan Floro and a minor league pitcher to the Los Angeles Dodgers for two minor league pitchers on Wednesday.The Reds also optioned utility player Brandon Dixon to Triple-A Louisville and recalled Tanner Rainey and Cody Reed from Louisville to bolster a depleted bullpen.The Dodgers sent James Marinan and Anerurys Zabala to the Reds for Floro, Zach Neal and international signing bonus pool space. Marinan will report to Billings of the rookie-level Pioneer League and Zabala to Single-A Dayton.Floro was 3-2 with a 2.72 earned-run average in 25 relief appearances this season with Cincinnati.Rainey has no record in five previous stints with the Reds this season. Reed has spent the entire season with the Bats.Dixon hit .219 with a home run and two runs batted in over 29 games, including 2-for-8 with two RBIs as a pinch-hitter.

ATLANTA (AP) — Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto has been ejected for arguing a called third strike in the first inning Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves.It is the eighth career ejection for Votto, a five-time All-Star and the 2010 NL MVP.Brandon Dixon took his place in the field.Votto was thrown out after taking a high strike from Sean Newcomb. After home plate umpire Carlos Torres called him out, Votto stepped from the batter's box, walked in front of the plate and turned to disagree.As Votto kept talking, Torres held up his hand three different times before issuing the ejection. Third base coach Billy Hatcher came over to restrain Votto as interim manager Jim Riggleman came out of the dugout to speak with Torres.Votto leads the NL in on-base percentage and walks. His 265 career homers rank fifth on the Reds' career list.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

HOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander got some run support for the first time in nearly a month and led the Houston Astros over the San Francisco Giants 4-1 on Wednesday.Verlander (6-2) struck out nine and walked one in six innings, allowing one run and three hits as his major league-leading ERA rose slightly to 1.08. He had given up just three runs over 29 innings during his previous four starts, but the Astros had scored just three runs in that span, getting shut out twice.Ken Giles pitched the ninth to remain perfect in nine save chances.George Springer hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the fifth on a 93 mph fastball from Jeff Samardzija (1-3), driving the ball off the facade above the left-field seats. Carlos Correa added an RBI single later in the inning.INDIANS 1, CUBS 0CHICAGO (AP) — Adam Plutko carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and Andrew Miller provided stellar relief work, helping Cleveland beat Chicago.Plutko (2-0) struck out four and walked four in his second major league... [More]

Dixon is batting .264/.279/.391 for Double-A Tulsa, including 12 stolen bases and four home runs.

That said, he's also sporting an ugly 59:4 K:BB in 47 games. Dixon is a former third round pick (2013), but advancing beyond Double-A is going to be a challenge for him given his lack of plate discipline.