PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Civale struck out six and didn’t issue a walk while picking up the first complete game of his young career as the Cleveland Indians pushed their winning streak to five with a 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.The 25-year-old Civale allowed five hits and narrowly missed a shutout when Pittsburgh pushed across a run with Josh Bell’s sacrifice fly in the ninth. Carlos Santana broke open a scoreless game with a three-run homer in the sixth inning. Domingo Santana added a bases-clearing double in the eighth as the Indians improved to a season-best six games over .500 (15-9).Santana turned on a full-count cutter from reliever Dovydas Neverauskas (0-3) and sent it over the right-field seats for his third home run of the season. Pittsburgh’s National League-worst batting average dropped to .211 when it failed to muster much of anything against Civale. The Pirates have dropped 13 of 15 and their 4-16 record is the worst in the major leagues.METS 5, MARLINS... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Civale struck out six and didn’t issue a walk while picking up the first complete game of his young career as the Cleveland Indians pushed their winning streak to five with a 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.The 25-year-old Civale allowed five hits and narrowly missed a shutout when Pittsburgh pushed across a run with Josh Bell’s sacrifice fly in the ninth. Carlos Santana broke open a scoreless game with a three-run homer in the sixth inning. Domingo Santana added a bases-clearing double in the eighth as the Indians improved to a season-best six games over .500 (15-9).Santana turned on a full-count cutter from reliever Dovydas Neverauskas (0-3) and sent it over the right-field seats for his third home run of the season. Pittsburgh’s National League-worst batting average dropped to .211 when it failed to muster much of anything against Civale. The Pirates have dropped 13 of 15 and their 4-16 record is the worst in the major leagues.METS 5, MARLINS... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Civale struck out six and didn’t issue a walk while picking up the first complete game of his young career as the Cleveland Indians pushed their winning streak to five with a 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.The 25-year-old Civale allowed five hits and narrowly missed a shutout when Pittsburgh pushed across a run with Josh Bell’s sacrifice fly in the ninth. Carlos Santana broke open a scoreless game with a three-run homer in the sixth inning. Domingo Santana added a bases-clearing double in the eighth as the Indians improved to a season-best six games over .500 (15-9).Santana turned on a full-count cutter from reliever Dovydas Neverauskas (0-3) and sent it over the right-field seats for his third home run of the season. Pittsburgh’s National League-worst batting average dropped to .211 when it failed to muster much of anything against Civale. The Pirates have dropped 13 of 15 and their 4-16 record is the worst in the major leagues.BLUE JAYS... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole posted his 20th straight regular-season win, becoming the sixth pitcher to reach the mark by throwing seven sharp innings to lead the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 10-3 Friday night.Cole (4-0) allowed one run and four hits. He struck out eight, walked none and threw 95 pitches.Cole’s only defeat since May 2019 was in the World Series opener last year, when he pitched for Houston and lost to Washington. The Yankees improved to 7-0 at home for the fourth time since 1959 (also 2017, 1998 and 1987). New York also beat Boston for the seventh straight time.Gary Sánchez homered for the second straight game and Gleyber Torres had four hits, including a two-run double in the third. Mike Tauchman drove in four runs and started in right field for Aaron Judge, who landed on the injured list with a mild right calf strain. Clint Frazier also hit a two-run double in the eighth.DJ LeMahieu had two more hits and ended the night with a .429 average. It was his 69th... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole posted his 20th straight regular-season win, becoming the sixth pitcher to reach the mark by throwing seven sharp innings to lead the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 10-3 Friday night.Cole (4-0) allowed one run and four hits. He struck out eight, walked none and threw 95 pitches.Cole’s only defeat since May 2019 was in the World Series opener last year, when he pitched for Houston and lost to Washington. The Yankees improved to 7-0 at home for the fourth time since 1959 (also 2017, 1998 and 1987). New York also beat Boston for the seventh straight time.Gary Sánchez homered for the second straight game and Gleyber Torres had four hits, including a two-run double in the third. Mike Tauchman drove in four runs and started in right field for Aaron Judge, who landed on the injured list with a mild right calf strain. Clint Frazier also hit a two-run double in the eighth.DJ LeMahieu had two more hits and ended the night with a .429 average. It was his 69th... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole posted his 20th straight regular-season win, becoming the sixth pitcher to reach the mark by throwing seven sharp innings to lead the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 10-3 Friday night.Cole (4-0) allowed one run and four hits. He struck out eight, walked none and threw 95 pitches.Cole’s only defeat since May 2019 was in the World Series opener last year, when he pitched for Houston and lost to Washington. The Yankees improved to 7-0 at home for the fourth time since 1959 (also 2017, 1998 and 1987). New York also beat Boston for the seventh straight time.Gary Sánchez homered for the second straight game and Gleyber Torres had four hits, including a two-run double in the third. Mike Tauchman drove in four runs and started in right field for Aaron Judge, who landed on the injured list with a mild right calf strain. Clint Frazier also hit a two-run double in the eighth.DJ LeMahieu had two more hits and ended the night with a .429 average. It was his 69th... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole posted his 20th straight regular-season win, becoming the sixth pitcher to reach the mark by throwing seven sharp innings to lead the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 10-3 Friday night.Cole (4-0) allowed one run and four hits. He struck out eight, walked none and threw 95 pitches.Cole’s only defeat since May 2019 was in the World Series opener last year, when he pitched for Houston and lost to Washington. The Yankees improved to 7-0 at home for the fourth time since 1959 (also 2017, 1998 and 1987). New York also beat Boston for the seventh straight time.Gary Sánchez homered for the second straight game and Gleyber Torres had four hits, including a two-run double in the third. Mike Tauchman drove in four runs and started in right field for Aaron Judge, who landed on the injured list with a mild right calf strain. Clint Frazier also hit a two-run double in the eighth.DJ LeMahieu had two more hits and ended the night with a .429 average. It was his 69th... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole posted his 20th straight regular-season win, becoming the sixth pitcher to reach the mark by throwing seven sharp innings to lead the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 10-3 Friday night.Cole (4-0) allowed one run and four hits. He struck out eight, walked none and threw 95 pitches.Cole’s only defeat since May 2019 was in the World Series opener last year, when he pitched for Houston and lost to Washington. The Yankees improved to 7-0 at home for the fourth time since 1959 (also 2017, 1998 and 1987). New York also beat Boston for the seventh straight time.Gary Sánchez homered for the second straight game and Gleyber Torres had four hits, including a two-run double in the third. Mike Tauchman drove in four runs and started in right field for Aaron Judge, who landed on the injured list with a mild right calf strain. Clint Frazier also hit a two-run double in the eighth.DJ LeMahieu had two more hits and ended the night with a .429 average. It was his 69th... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pinch-hitter Michael Perez hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning on his 28th birthday, six Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a two-hitter and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the AL East-leading New York Yankees 1-0 on Friday night.Yoshi Tsutsugo drew a leadoff walk from Adam Ottavino (2-1) in the eighth and went to second with one out when Kevin Kiermaier walked. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch before Perez put the Rays up 1-0 on his fly to center.Chaz Roe (2-0) went the final two innings for the win.Masahiro Tanaka allowed one hit and struck out five over five innings, retiring his final 13 batters after giving up a first-inning single to Yandy Diaz. The Yankees’ right-hander needed just 59 pitches in his second start after beginning the season on the concussion list after being struck in the head by Giancarlo Stanton’s liner during a July 4th summer camp simulated game.Three New York pitchers also limited the Rays to just two hits.MARLINS 4, METS 3NEW... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pinch-hitter Michael Perez hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning on his 28th birthday, six Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a two-hitter and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the AL East-leading New York Yankees 1-0 on Friday night.Yoshi Tsutsugo drew a leadoff walk from Adam Ottavino (2-1) in the eighth and went to second with one out when Kevin Kiermaier walked. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch before Perez put the Rays up 1-0 on his fly to center.Chaz Roe (2-0) went the final two innings for the win.Masahiro Tanaka allowed one hit and struck out five over five innings, retiring his final 13 batters after giving up a first-inning single to Yandy Diaz. The Yankees’ right-hander needed just 59 pitches in his second start after beginning the season on the concussion list after being struck in the head by Giancarlo Stanton’s liner during a July 4th summer camp simulated game.Three New York pitchers also limited the Rays to just two hits.MARLINS 4, METS 3NEW... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge homered twice and drove in five runs, connecting for the fifth straight game and breaking an eighth-inning tie with a tape-measure shot that powered the New York Yankees past the Boston Red Sox 9-7 on Sunday night for their sixth consecutive victory. Luke Voit also went deep in a back-and forth slugfest to help the Yankees (7-1) finish a three-game sweep in the first series this season between the longtime rivals. New York has won six in a row and 11 of 12 against Boston since last July.DJ LeMahieu tied it 7 in the eighth with a two-out RBI single off Matt Barnes (0-1) past diving second baseman José Peraza. The clutch hit came after Mike Tauchman, who entered on defense in the seventh, walked and stole second.Judge then launched a no-doubt drive that landed several rows up in the raised bleachers beyond the left-center bullpen for his sixth home run already this year. The big slugger socked a three-run shot in the second, making him the first Yankees player... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Wright and the Atlanta bullpen combined on a 10-hit shutout and the Braves won their fifth in a row, beating the Mets 4-0 Sunday and blanking a New York lineup that found out late that slugger Yoenis Céspedes had opted out of playing any more this season.The Mets released a statement from general manager Brodie Van Wagenen in the early innings that Céspedes wasn’t at the ballpark and the team hadn’t been able to contact him.After the game, Van Wagenen said: “He’s decided to opt out of the remainder of the season for COVID-related reasons.”A two-time All-Star, the 34-year-old Céspedes returned to the lineup this season for the first time since July 20, 2018, after a series of injuries.The Braves sent New York to its fifth straight loss.Wright worked around five hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. Relievers Tyler Matzek (1-0), A.J. Minter, Shane Greene and Mark Melancon combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings.New York's David Peterson (1-1) went six innings, striking out... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Wright and the Atlanta bullpen combined on a 10-hit shutout and the Braves won their fifth in a row, beating the Mets 4-0 Sunday and blanking a New York lineup that found out late that slugger Yoenis Céspedes had opted out of playing any more this season.The Mets released a statement from general manager Brodie Van Wagenen in the early innings that Céspedes wasn’t at the ballpark and the team hadn’t been able to contact him.After the game, Van Wagenen said: “He’s decided to opt out of the remainder of the season for COVID-related reasons.”A two-time All-Star, the 34-year-old Céspedes returned to the lineup this season for the first time since July 20, 2018, after a series of injuries.The Braves sent New York to its fifth straight loss.Wright worked around five hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. Relievers Tyler Matzek (1-0), A.J. Minter, Shane Greene and Mark Melancon combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings.New York's David Peterson (1-1) went six innings, striking out... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Wright and the Atlanta bullpen combined on a 10-hit shutout and the Braves won their fifth in a row, beating the Mets 4-0 Sunday and blanking a New York lineup that found out late that slugger Yoenis Céspedes had opted out of playing any more this season.The Mets released a statement from general manager Brodie Van Wagenen in the early innings that Céspedes wasn’t at the ballpark and the team hadn’t been able to contact him.After the game, Van Wagenen said: “He’s decided to opt out of the remainder of the season for COVID-related reasons.”A two-time All-Star, the 34-year-old Céspedes returned to the lineup this season for the first time since July 20, 2018, after a series of injuries.The Braves sent New York to its fifth straight loss.Wright worked around five hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. Relievers Tyler Matzek (1-0), A.J. Minter, Shane Greene and Mark Melancon combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings.New York's David Peterson (1-1) went six innings, striking out... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Benches cleared Tuesday night during the Dodgers’ 5-2 victory over the Astros in the first game between the teams since it was revealed that Houston illegally stole signs en route to a 2017 championship that came at Los Angeles’ expense in the World Series.The fracas occurred after Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly threw high-and-tight pitches to Astros stars Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa in the sixth inning. Kelly threw an errant breaking ball over Correa’s head. Correa, who homered and finished with three hits, took off his batting helmet and stared Kelly down before continuing the at-bat. Kelly struck out Correa, then stuck out his tongue and made a face in his direction. Correa started walking toward him and the players exchanged words, prompting the benches to clear in the first such incident of this pandemic-delayed season. There was plenty of yelling and crowding — outlawed as MLB tries to play a 60-game season amid the pandemic — but no pushing or punches thrown.Order was... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Javier Báez homered twice, doubled and scored on a deft dive to the plate, Alec Mills went six solid innings, and the Chicago Cubs extended their opening surge, beating the Cincinnati Reds 8-5 on Tuesday night.Chicago has won four of its first five games, scoring first in each one. Jason Kipnis’ triple — Shogo Akiyama lost it in the sun — got the Cubs going again.Mills (1-0) added to Chicago’s stretch of impressive starts, holding the Reds to two hits in six innings. Chicago’s starters have a 1.80 ERA and a .131 opponent batting average this season.The Reds got two-run homers by Nick Castellanos — his first since signing a $64 million deal — and Freddy Galvis but fell to 1-4, tied for the worst start in the majors.Cody Reed (0-1) allowed two runs in the fifth after relieving starter Tyler Mahle.DIAMONDBACKS 4, RANGERS 1ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Merrill Kelly took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up a home run as Arizona beat Texas. Rougned Odor’s one-out... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Javier Báez homered twice, doubled and scored on a deft dive to the plate, Alec Mills went six solid innings, and the Chicago Cubs extended their opening surge, beating the Cincinnati Reds 8-5 on Tuesday night.Chicago has won four of its first five games, scoring first in each one. Jason Kipnis’ triple — Shogo Akiyama lost it in the sun — got the Cubs going again.Mills (1-0) added to Chicago’s stretch of impressive starts, holding the Reds to two hits in six innings. Chicago’s starters have a 1.80 ERA and a .131 opponent batting average this season.The Reds got two-run homers by Nick Castellanos — his first since signing a $64 million deal — and Freddy Galvis but fell to 1-4, tied for the worst start in the majors.Cody Reed (0-1) allowed two runs in the fifth after relieving starter Tyler Mahle.BLUE JAYS 5, NATIONALS 1WASHINGTON (AP) — The reigning World Series champions dropped to 1-4 in the pandemic-shortened season with a 5-1 loss to Toronto that included two outfielders... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Monday's series opener between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians has been postponed by rain.The teams will make up the game as part of a traditional doubleheader on Tuesday, starting at 3:40 p.m.A severe storm pushed through Northeast Ohio and forced both teams indoors for batting practice at Progressive Field before the game was called about 75 minutes before the scheduled first pitch.Cleveland's Aaron Civale will start Tuesday's first game against Chicago's Dylan Cease. Adam Plutko will start the second game for the Indians against Carlos Rodón.Before Monday's game was postponed, the White Sox announced manager Rick Renteria will be kept away from the team pending the results of medical tests. Renteria woke up Monday with “a slight cough and nasal congestion” and the team had him taken to a hospital.Bench coach Joe McEwing will manage the team until the White Sox learn more about the 58-year-old Renteria’s condition. Renteria is in his fourth season with the club.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland's players met Tuesday with owner Paul Dolan to discuss a potential name change for the team, which has been called the Indians for the past 105 years.Manager Terry Francona said the group had an “honest” conversation and he came away proud of how it was handled by all involved.“The way the players expressed themselves in a mature manner and in a respectful manner, and the way Paul listened and spoke back to the players,” said Francona, who attended the meeting along with team president Chris Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff. “I was really, really happy and content to just sit there and let them talk back and forth.”Francona stressed that nothing has been resolved over the controversial topic.The franchise recently announced it was in the early stages of meeting with the community and appropriate stakeholders “to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name.”The Indians' move coincided with the recent decision by Washington's NFL team... [More]

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Cleveland Indians outfielder Oscar Mercado will undergo an MRI on his left wrist, which he injured while making a diving catch in an exhibition game.Manager Terry Francona said Mercado, who had a solid rookie season in 2019, will have the imaging tests on Friday. The team will provide an update on his status once the tests are completed and evaluated.Mercado got hurt when he caught a ball hit by San Francisco’s Alex Dickerson in the fourth inning of Thursday's game in Scottsdale. The 25-year-old did not return, and the Indians said the initial diagnosis was that Mercado sustained a sprain.Before getting hurt, Mercado hit a two-run homer in the top of the inning.Cleveland's outfield situation remains fluid, and Mercado's injury is the latest to hit the team at spring training.Mercado batted .269 with 15 homers and 59 RBIs in 118 games last season and was penciled in for a starting spot this year.His versatility will allow Francona to play him in any of the three outfield... [More]