NEW YORK (AP) — Asdrubal Cabrera hit a tiebreaking two-run double against his former team, helping the Washington Nationals beat the streaking New York Mets 7-4 Sunday.Nationals star Juan Soto was injured on Cabrera's bases-loaded hit in the seventh inning. Soto went from first to third but turned his right ankle after getting a late stop sign from third base coach Bob Henley. He was worked on by trainers in the outfield grass before coming out of the game.Victor Robles replaced Soto and homered off Edwin Díaz in the ninth.Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect ninth for his 26th save two nights after blowing a three-run lead in the final inning. The Nats bullpen had blown five consecutive save chances at Citi Field prior to Sunday.The Mets had won eight in a row. They dropped 1 1/2 games behind Washington for the top NL wild card.Jeff McNeil had two hits and two RBIs, and Robert Gsellman (2-3) got the loss.YANKEES 1, BLUE JAYS 0TORONTO (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka and Aroldis Chapman combined on a... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Aaron Sanchez looked like a reinvented pitcher in his Houston debut, throwing six stellar innings to start the Astros on a combined no-hitter Saturday night in their 9-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.Sanchez was an All-Star in 2016 and led the American League in ERA, but he's struggled badly this season and had lost 13 straight decisions to lead the majors with 14 losses. Three days after he was acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline, the 27-year-old right-hander teamed with Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski to shut down Seattle.It was the second time in less than a month the last-place Mariners were no-hit by multiple pitchers. The Los Angeles Angels used two pitchers in a combined no-hitter July 12 against Seattle on a night when they honored late left-hander Tyler Skaggs by all wearing his No. 45 in their first home game since his death.Sanchez (4-14) struck out six, walked two and hit a batter in his first victory since April 27 for Toronto.Seattle's... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Aaron Sanchez looked like a reinvented pitcher in his Houston debut, throwing six stellar innings to start the Astros on a combined no-hitter Saturday night in their 9-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.Sanchez was an All-Star in 2016 and led the American League in ERA, but he's struggled badly this season and had lost 13 straight decisions to lead the majors with 14 losses. Three days after he was acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline, the 27-year-old right-hander teamed with Will Harris, Joe Biagini and Chris Devenski to shut down Seattle.It was the second time in less than a month the last-place Mariners were no-hit by multiple pitchers. The Los Angeles Angels used two pitchers in a combined no-hitter July 12 against Seattle on a night when they honored late left-hander Tyler Skaggs by all wearing his No. 45 in their first home game since his death.Sanchez (4-14) struck out six, walked two and hit a batter in his first victory since April 27 for Toronto.Seattle's... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Shane Greene has emerged as one of baseball's top closers.Now, he's got a chance to finish games that really matter.Greene was among three relievers acquired by the first-place Atlanta Braves before the trade deadline, and he'll be assuming a high-profile role right away after working in relative anonymity with the woeful Detroit Tigers."I'll be out there in the ninth," Greene said bluntly before Thursday's game against the Cincinnati Reds.With one of baseball's most exciting young teams and holding a comfortable lead in the NL East, the Braves addressed their most pressing need by totally revamping the bullpen at the deadline.Greene will take over for struggling Luke Jackson as Atlanta's closer, Chris Martin assumes the eighth-inning setup role, and one-time closer Mark Melancon can expect to get the nod in the seventh when the Braves are looking to close out games with a 1-2-3 punch."This organization obviously has some issues they wanted to fix," Greene said. "We're here... [More]

Out of nowhere, the Houston Astros got a huge head start on October.On a dizzying day that featured two dozen trades, the Astros pulled off the biggest and most startling deal, adding ace Zack Greinke to an imposing rotation already loaded with All-Stars Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole.Plenty of familiar names were on the go Wednesday — Shane Greene and Mark Melancon boosted the Braves' bullpen, with Scooter Gennett, Jesús Aguilar, Mike Leake and Tanner Roark among those also moving.But it was the Astros' acquisition of Greinke from Arizona for four minor leaguers that quickly became the talk of baseball. The deal came right before the deadline for swapping players to still have them eligible for the postseason."We had him high on our list and we didn't know this was even remotely possible and it really wasn't until the last 48 hours and really the last 24 hours that we started to get traction on something," Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow said.The AL West leaders and 2017 World Series... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — With a second straight trip to the playoffs firmly in their sights, the Atlanta Braves had plenty of options for improving their roster at the trade deadline.They could've pursued a position player to replace the injured Nick Markakis. Another starting pitcher would've fit nicely in a rotation that has been shaky at times.In the end, the Braves decided to focus on the bullpen.Atlanta pulled off a couple of deals at the trade deadline Wednesday, picking up closer Shane Greene from the Detroit Tigers and former closer Mark Melancon from the San Francisco Giants.The acquisitions by the first-place Braves came after Tuesday's trade that brought another reliever, Chris Martin of the Texas Rangers."We engaged everything — position players, starting pitchers, the bullpen — right up until the end," general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. "At the end of the day, where we thought there were deals that made sense for us and what we had to give up and so on, the bullpen made the most... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — With a second straight trip to the playoffs firmly in their sights, the Atlanta Braves had plenty of options for improving their roster at the trade deadline.They could've pursued a position player to replace the injured Nick Markakis. Another starting pitcher would've fit nicely in a rotation that has been shaky at times.In the end, the Braves decided to focus on the bullpen.Atlanta pulled off a couple of deals at the trade deadline Wednesday, picking up closer Shane Green from the Detroit Tigers and former closer Mark Melancon from the San Francisco Giants.The acquisitions by the first-place Braves came after Tuesday's trade that brought another reliever, Chris Martin of the Texas Rangers."We engaged everything — position players, starting pitchers, the bullpen — right up until the end," general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. "At the end of the day, where we thought there were deals that made sense for us and what we had to give up and so on, the bullpen made the most sense.... [More]

The Latest on Major League Baseball's trade deadline (all times Eastern):6:40 p.m.The Los Angeles Angels have acquired catcher Max Stassi from the Houston Astros in exchange for minor-league outfielders Rainier Rivas and Raider Uceta.Stassi, who has played in parts of seven seasons with the Astros, is batting .167 with a home run and three RBIs in 31 games this season. General manager Billy Eppler said the move was more about adding catching depth and Stassi's strength behind the plate. According to MLB Statcast, Stassi is the second-best pitch framer in the AL with a 54.1% strike rate.Catcher Dustin Garneau was designated for assignment before Wednesday's game against the Detroit Tigers..___5:55 p.m.Mike Minor will make his scheduled start for the Rangers after the trade deadline passed with the All-Star lefty still in Texas.Hunter Pence, the All-Star designated hitter, is also still with his hometown team and in the lineup Wednesday night when Minor and the Rangers play the Seattle Mariners,... [More]

The Latest on Major League Baseball's trade deadline (all times Eastern):5:55 p.m.Mike Minor will make his scheduled start for the Rangers after the trade deadline passed with the All-Star lefty still in Texas.Hunter Pence, the All-Star designated hitter, is also still with his hometown team and in the lineup Wednesday night when Minor and the Rangers play the Seattle Mariners, an AL West rival that traded three pitchers Wednesday.Rangers general manager Jon Daniels says his team, which has dropped a game under .500, explored a lot of different options."There were a couple of things that got close later today that I thought might come to fruition, but ultimately it didn't line up for one side or the other," Daniels said, without getting into specifics.Minor, who is signed with the Rangers through next season, drew interest from teams looking to boost their rotations.Daniels said the Rangers weren't going to force a deal, and that the future options could include Minor pitching in Texas... [More]

The Latest on Major League Baseball's trade deadline (all times Eastern):5:25 p.m.The Chicago Cubs acquired outfielder Nicholas Castellanos from the Detroit Tigers for two minor league pitchers.The 27-year-old Castellanos hit .273 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs for Detroit this season. He's played third base and in the outfield during his career and has been considered a liability defensively, but Castellanos gives Chicago a productive bat against left-handed pitching.Detroit received right-handers Paul Richan and Alex Lange.Castellanos is tied for the major league lead with 37 doubles. He has a .347 average and a 1.026 OPS this year in 72 at-bats against lefties.___5:20 p.m.Milwaukee has acquired left-hander Drew Pomeranz and righty Ray Black from the San Francisco Giants for infield prospect Mauricio Dubon.Also Wednesday, San Francisco obtained second baseman Scooter Gennett from the Reds for a player to be named. Cincinnati will send cash to the Giants to cover part of Gennett's $9,775,000... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The NL East-leading Atlanta Braves have gotten some bullpen help, acquiring hard-throwing reliever Chris Martin from the Texas Rangers for former first-round draft pick Kolby Allard.Martin, whose fastball has averaged 96 mph this season, has 24 strikeouts and only one walk over his last 19 appearances since May 24 for his hometown Rangers. The 6-foot-8 Martin has four saves and a 3.08 ERA in 38 games this year, with 43 strikeouts and four walks in 38 innings."We felt he had as much upside as anybody on the trade market," Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Tuesday night after the deal was announced.Allard, a 21-year-old lefty, was the 14th overall pick by the Braves in the 2015 amateur draft and signed for a $3,042,400 bonus. That was the same year that Dansby Swanson, now Atlanta's shortstop, was the first overall pick by Arizona before Houston used the second pick to get Alex Bregman, the All-Star third baseman for the Astros.The Rangers were playing a... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Mike Leake of the Seattle Mariners lost his bid to pitch a perfect game on a leadoff single in the ninth inning by rookie Luis Rengifo, then finished off the Los Angeles Angels for a 10-0 win Friday night.A week after the worst start of his career, Leake almost achieved baseball immortality.The Angels hadn't come close to a hit and Leake hadn't gone to a three-ball count before Rengifo grounded a clean hit to right field on Leake's 79th pitch.The fans gave Leake a standing ovation and he quickly waved to acknowledge their cheers.After a walk, Leake (8-8) retired the next three batters for a one-hitter, striking out Mike Trout on a full-count pitch to end it. Leake fanned six overall and walked one.Leake's second career shutout came exactly a week after he was tagged by the Angels in his previous start, giving up seven runs on eight hits and a walk while getting just two outs. The Angels pitched a combined no-hitter that night in Anaheim while the entire club wore jerseys... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Josh Donaldson's bases-loaded single off Fernando Rodney in the ninth inning lifted the Atlanta Braves over the Washington Nationals 4-3 on Friday night after Luke Jackson allowed a tying, two-run homer to Victor Robles in the top half.Ronald Acuña Jr., who had three hits, led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk off Rodney (0-3) and took second on Dansby Swanson's single. Freddie Freeman walked on four pitches, loading the bases.Nationals manager Dave Martinez brought in left fielder Juan Soto as a fifth infielder, including three on the left side against the right-handed hitting Donaldson.Donaldson hit a 2-0 pitch over Robles to center-field warning track, and the Braves boosted their NL East lead to 6½ games over the second-place Nationals. Atlanta had lost its previous five home games against Washington.YANKEES 8, ROCKIES 2NEW YORK (AP) — Edwin Encarnación hit a go-ahead grand slam, a trio of ex-Rockies beat up on their former team and New York defeated Colorado.Encarnación... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Judge hit back-to-back homers to begin the bottom of the first inning, giving the Yankees a major league-record 28 straight games with a long ball, and New York held off the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 Tuesday night.Gleyber Torres and Edwin Encarnación each poked a solo shot over the short right field porch for the Yankees, who shook off another injury to Giancarlo Stanton and won for the 10th time in 11 games. The AL East leaders are 8-1 on a 10-game homestand that wraps up Wednesday.Aroldis Chapman allowed a run in the ninth before retiring Freddy Galvis on an easy grounder with two aboard for his 23rd save in 25 tries.Stanton exited in the fourth with a bruised right knee and was scheduled for an MRI. He got tangled up with Toronto pitcher Clayton Richard (0-4) in the first while getting thrown out on a headfirst slide into third base.Yankees rookie Nestor Cortes Jr. (3-0) pitched 4 1/3 solid innings in relief of opener Chad Green.RED SOX 6, WHITE SOX... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Judge hit back-to-back homers to begin the bottom of the first inning, giving the Yankees a major league-record 28 straight games with a long ball, and New York held off the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 Tuesday night.Gleyber Torres and Edwin Encarnación each poked a solo shot over the short right field porch for the Yankees, who shook off another injury to Giancarlo Stanton and won for the 10th time in 11 games. The AL East leaders are 8-1 on a 10-game homestand that wraps up Wednesday.Aroldis Chapman allowed a run in the ninth before retiring Freddy Galvis on an easy grounder with two aboard for his 23rd save in 25 tries.Stanton exited in the fourth with a bruised right knee and was scheduled for an MRI. He got tangled up with Toronto pitcher Clayton Richard (0-4) in the first while getting thrown out on a headfirst slide into third base.Yankees rookie Nestor Cortes Jr. (3-0) pitched 4 1/3 solid innings in relief of opener Chad Green.RED SOX 6, WHITE SOX... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Johan Camargo had a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the 10th inning, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 Sunday to win their fifth straight series.Overcoming an injury to standout rookie starting pitcher Mike Soroka, the Braves used the long ball and their bullpen to win the deciding matchup of a three-game set between NL East rivals.Camargo connected off Tanner Rainey (1-2) after Ozzie Albies drew a one-out walk, and Atlanta held on for its seventh victory in 10 extra-inning games this season.Josh Donaldson and Ronald Acuña Jr. also went deep for the first-place Braves.Juan Soto homered for the Nationals, who have lost two in a row following a five-game win streak.A.J. Minter (2-4) worked the ninth and Luke Jackson earned his 11th save despite giving up a run, two hits and a walk.ASTROS 9, YANKEES 4NEW YORK (AP) — Jose Altuve hit a leadoff homer, rookie Yordan Alvarez connected again and Houston ended its first seven-game skid in four years.New York had... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Johan Camargo had a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the 10th inning, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 Sunday to win their fifth straight series.Overcoming an injury to standout rookie starting pitcher Mike Soroka, the Braves used the long ball and their bullpen to win the deciding matchup of a three-game set between NL East rivals.Camargo connected off Tanner Rainey (1-2) after Ozzie Albies drew a one-out walk, and Atlanta held on for its seventh victory in 10 extra-inning games this season.Josh Donaldson and Ronald Acuña Jr. also went deep for the first-place Braves.Juan Soto homered for the Nationals, who have lost two in a row following a five-game win streak.A.J. Minter (2-4) worked the ninth and Luke Jackson earned his 11th save despite giving up a run, two hits and a walk.ASTROS 9, YANKEES 4NEW YORK (AP) — Jose Altuve hit a leadoff homer, rookie Yordan Alvarez connected again and Houston ended its first seven-game skid in four years.New York had... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani became the first Japanese-born player to hit for the cycle, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 Thursday night after a delay caused by a power outage.Ohtani hit a three-run homer in the first inning and completed the feat with a single in the seventh. He is the eighth Angels player to hit for the cycle and the first since Mike Trout on May 21, 2013.Albert Pujols also homered for the Angels, becoming the sixth player ever with 200 home runs in each league. He hit 445 in 11 seasons with St. Louis and has 200 in eight years with the Angels, including 12 this season.He led off the third with a double and tripled in the fifth before Pujols' home run. A two-out single in the seventh completed the cycle in just four plate appearances, and fans at Tropicana Field gave him a standing ovation.The game was held up 36 minutes by a power delay in the fourth with the Angels leading 3-0.Yarbrough (5-3) gave up five runs and five hits (all... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani became the first Japanese-born player to hit for the cycle, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 Thursday night after a delay caused by a power outage.Ohtani hit a three-run homer in the first inning and completed the feat with a single in the seventh. He is the eighth Angels player to hit for the cycle and the first since Mike Trout on May 21, 2013.Albert Pujols also homered for the Angels, becoming the sixth player ever with 200 home runs in each league. He hit 445 in 11 seasons with St. Louis and has 200 in eight years with the Angels, including 12 this season.He led off the third with a double and tripled in the fifth before Pujols' home run. A two-out single in the seventh completed the cycle in just four plate appearances, and fans at Tropicana Field gave him a standing ovation.The game was held up 36 minutes by a power delay in the fourth with the Angels leading 3-0.Yarbrough (5-3) gave up five runs and five hits (all... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Cole Hamels struck out nine in seven scoreless innings, singled twice and drove in two runs to lead the Chicago Cubs past the Colorado Rockies 10-1 in a testy game on Wednesday.Rockies All-Star third-baseman Nolan Arenado left in the fifth inning with a left forearm contusion after Hamels (6-2) hit him with a pitch in the third, and three more batters — including Hamels — were hit by pitches later in the game.Chicago's Kris Bryant was hit by pitches three times in the first two games of the series.Javier Báez and Kyle Schwarber homered for Chicago, which snapped a five-game road losing streak. Colorado's 10-game home winning streak ended.Chicago scored five times in the second off Antonio Sentenzela (5-5).BREWERS 6, ASTROS 3, 14 INNINGSHOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander set a career high with 15 strikeouts, but Mike Moustakas hit a two-run homer during Milwaukee's three-run 14th inning and the Brewers rallied to beat Houston.Christian Yelich started the 14th with a single against... [More]