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]

Sept. 11906 — The Philadelphia Athletics beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1 in 24 innings. Jack Coombs of the Athletics and Joe Harris of the Red Sox pitched all 24 innings. Coombs fanned 18.1930 — Wes Ferrell of Cleveland beat the St. Louis Browns 9-5 for his 13th straight victory.1931 — Lou Gehrig hit his third grand slam in four days as the Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1.1945 — The Philadelphia Phillies, behind Vince DiMaggio’s grand slam, beat the Braves 8-3 in Boston. It was the fourth grand slam of the year for DiMaggio to tie a major league mark.1958 — Vinegar Bend Mizell of the St. Louis Cardinals set a National League record by walking nine batters and tossing a shutout. Mizell beat Cincinnati 1-0 in the first game of a doubleheader.1963 — Curt Simmons of the St. Louis Cardinals allowed six hits, drove in two runs with a triple and stole home plate in a 7-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Simmons’ steal of home is the last by a pitcher.1967 — Cincinnati’s Bob Lee walked Dick... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Dansby Swanson hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a four-run rally that gave the Atlanta Braves a stunning 7-6 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.With the Braves trailing 6-3 against Washington closer Daniel Hudson (1-2), Adam Duvall made it close by hitting a two-run shot that just cleared the wall in left field. Johan Camargo followed with a single, but Hudson retired the next two hitters to put the Braves down to their final out.It never came.Swanson drove one over the wall in right-center for the game winner. The rally ruined a memorable night for Washington rookie Luis Garcia, who became the first player born in the 2000s to hit a big league homer. The youngest player in the majors at age 20, Garcia hit a two-run shot off Touki Toussaint in the second inning. Asdrubal Cabrera, Juan Soto and Eric Thames also homered for the defending World Series champs, but it wasn’t enough.DODGERS 11, MARINERS 9LOS ANGELES (AP) —... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Dansby Swanson hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a four-run rally that gave the Atlanta Braves a stunning 7-6 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.With the Braves trailing 6-3 against Washington closer Daniel Hudson (1-2), Adam Duvall made it close by hitting a two-run shot that just cleared the wall in left field. Johan Camargo followed with a single, but Hudson retired the next two hitters to put the Braves down to their final out.It never came.Swanson drove one over the wall in right-center for the game winner. The rally ruined a memorable night for Washington rookie Luis Garcia, who became the first player born in the 2000s to hit a big league homer. The youngest player in the majors at age 20, Garcia hit a two-run shot off Touki Toussaint in the second inning. Asdrubal Cabrera, Juan Soto and Eric Thames also homered for the defending World Series champs, but it wasn’t enough.TWINS 4, ROYALS 1MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Nelson... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Hunter Renfroe homered twice and Tampa Bay pitchers set a team nine-inning record with 19 strikeouts in the Rays’ 14-5 romp over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz (0-1) gave up six runs, four hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. The 2018 All-Star was designated for assignment after the game.Tyler Glasnow struck out nine and allowed one hit over four innings in first start after missing part of summer camp with the Rays after testing positive for the coronavirus. Diego Castillo (1-0) struck out two in a 10-pitch fifth and Jalen Beeks fanned seven over his three innings.Dansby Swanson and Matt Adams homered for the Braves. Swanson tied a career-high with five RBIs and stopped a 41-game homerless streak in Atlanta’s 14-1 win Sunday night over the New York Mets.CUBS 8, REDS 7CINCINNATI (AP) — Anthony Rizzo homered for the third time and Chicago let most of a seven-run lead slip away before Jeremy Jeffress closed out a victory over... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Hunter Renfroe homered twice and Tampa Bay pitchers set a team nine-inning record with 19 strikeouts in the Rays’ 14-5 romp over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz (0-1) gave up six runs, four hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. The 2018 All-Star was designated for assignment after the game.Tyler Glasnow struck out nine and allowed one hit over four innings in first start after missing part of summer camp with the Rays after testing positive for the coronavirus. Diego Castillo (1-0) struck out two in a 10-pitch fifth and Jalen Beeks fanned seven over his three innings.Dansby Swanson and Matt Adams homered for the Braves. Swanson tied a career-high with five RBIs and stopped a 41-game homerless streak in Atlanta’s 14-1 win Sunday night over the New York Mets.ATHLETICS 3, ANGELS 0OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mark Canha homered for the first time this season, Chris Bassitt (1-0) escaped a big jam and Oakland beat Los Angeles as the teams... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Hunter Renfroe homered twice and Tampa Bay pitchers set a team nine-inning record with 19 strikeouts in the Rays’ 14-5 romp over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz (0-1) gave up six runs, four hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. The 2018 All-Star was designated for assignment after the game.Tyler Glasnow struck out nine and allowed one hit over four innings in first start after missing part of summer camp with the Rays after testing positive for the coronavirus. Diego Castillo (1-0) struck out two in a 10-pitch fifth and Jalen Beeks fanned seven over his three innings.Dansby Swanson and Matt Adams homered for the Braves. Swanson tied a career-high with five RBIs and stopped a 41-game homerless streak in Atlanta’s 14-1 win Sunday night over the New York Mets.ATHLETICS 3, ANGELS 0OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Mark Canha homered for the first time this season, Chris Bassitt (1-0) escaped a big jam and Oakland beat Los Angeles as the teams... [More]

As baseball nears the two-week countdown to the start of its delayed season, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep more players, including Boston Red Sox projected opening day starter Eduardo Rodriguez, off the field.On Tuesday, one day after Major League Baseball released its 60-game schedule, there was continued evidence of the difficulties caused by the pandemic.The San Francisco Giants suspended workouts at Oracle Park as they awaited the results of weekend tests for the coronavirus. The Chicago Cubs' workout was delayed. Oakland left-hander Jake Diekman, who has ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune condition, said teams having to call off workouts because of delays in test results “just can't happen.”“I know they’re trying their hardest, but I don’t know if that’s good enough for right now,” Diekman said Tuesday. “It’s a little worrisome. Say we go on a 10-day road trip and we only get results one time. That’s not very good with 45 or 50 people in a clubhouse at one time.”Giants manager... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Jake Diekman has serious questions about Major League Baseball's ability to pull off a season given the issues everywhere getting timely test results, forcing delays and cancellations of workouts.For now, Diekman still plans to play. He must be extra careful given he has the autoimmune condition ulcerative colitis.“Once the regular season hits there’s no way I’m opting out, but if they don’t get the testing figured out then this whole thing will get shut down,” Diekman said Tuesday. “During the season there’s no way we can go 72 hours or longer without knowing our result, there’s just no way. There’s no way that can possibly happen and this be safe for all 60, 70 days or whatever it is.”The Oakland lefty said “I'm high risk so I'm going to have to speak out. I don't want to get sick” and represents others who must take added precautions because of an underlying condition.“There's a little part in everyone's mind that thinks this whole thing's going to get shut down,”... [More]

As baseball nears the two-week countdown to the start of its delayed season, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep more players, including Boston Red Sox projected opening day starter Eduardo Rodriguez, off the field.On Tuesday, one day after Major League Baseball released its 60-game schedule, there was continued evidence of the difficulties caused by the pandemic.The San Francisco Giants suspended workouts at Oracle Park as they awaited the results of weekend tests for the coronavirus. The Chicago Cubs' workout was delayed. Oakland left-hander Jake Diekman, who has ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune condition, said teams having to call off workouts because of delays in test results “just can't happen.”“I know they’re trying their hardest, but I don’t know if that’s good enough for right now,” Diekman said Tuesday. “It’s a little worrisome. Say we go on a 10-day road trip and we only get results one time. That’s not very good with 45 or 50 people in a clubhouse at one time.”Giants manager... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Left-handed reliever Jake Diekman agreed to a $7.5 million, two-year contract to return to the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday after joining the club in a trade from Kansas City before last July’s deadline.Diekman’s deal includes a $4 million team option for the 2022 season. Oakland, which earned the top AL wild card last season before losing at home to Tampa Bay, re-signed Diekman a day after declining to offer a contract to former closer Blake Treinen, letting the 2018 All-Star become a free agent.After the season ended, manager Bob Melvin and general manager David Forst said the A’s might need to do even more — they won 97 games and still were 10 behind the majors-leading 107-win Houston Astros in the AL West — to guarantee themselves a long playoff series in October. Oakland lost in the wild-card game for the second straight year.The right-handed Treinen posted a 0.78 ERA in 2018, but that number ballooned to 4.91 in 2019.Diekman’s deal pays him $2.75 million in... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Left-handed reliever Jake Diekman agreed to a $7.5 million, two-year contract to return to the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday after joining the club in a trade from Kansas City before last July’s deadline.Diekman’s deal includes a team option for the 2022 season. Oakland, which earned the top AL wild card last season before losing at home to Tampa Bay, re-signed Diekman a day after declining to offer a contract to former closer Blake Treinen, letting the 2018 All-Star become a free agent.After the season ended, manager Bob Melvin and general manager David Forst said the A’s might need to do even more — they won 97 games and still were 10 behind the majors-leading 107-win Houston Astros in the AL West — to guarantee themselves a long playoff series in October. Oakland lost in the wild-card game for the second straight year.The right-handed Treinen posted a 0.78 ERA in 2018, but that number ballooned to 4.91 in 2019.Oakland also announced Tuesday that it reached minor... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Left-handed reliever Jake Diekman reached agreement on a $7.5 million, two-year contract with the Oakland Athletics after joining the club in a trade from Kansas City before last July’s deadline.Diekman’s deal includes a team option for the 2022 season. Oakland also announced Tuesday that it reached minor league agreements with right-hander Jordan Weems and outfielder Dillon Thomas and each receives an invite to spring training.After the season, Oakland declined its half of a $5.75 million mutual option on the 32-year-old Diekman, who went 1-1 with a 4.43 ERA in 28 outings for the A’s following his July 27 trade after beginning 0-6 with the Royals. Diekman received a $500,000 buyout, then the A’s decided to bring him back on a new contract.He made a career-high 76 relief appearances and was second in the AL in games pitched.In an interesting stat, Diekman had two appearances on May 19 last season with two different clubs. He pitched one inning for the Royals in Anaheim on May 19, and then got into a September game with Oakland against Detroit that had been resumed but with the stats credited for May 19.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon became a free agent Thursday, a day after homering to spark Washington's seventh-inning comeback in Game 7 of the World Series.Houston pitcher Gerrit Cole also went free after warming up in the bullpen but never getting into the season finale.And Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg, the World Series MVP, could be joining them in the next few days. He has the right to opt out of his contract, which has $100 million over four years remaining.Baseball's business season starts shortly after the final out."I think it's hard to kind of fast-forward," Astros manager AJ Hinch said. "Seasons end really fast. I don't care if you get all the way to the seventh game of the World Series. It's all of a sudden — boom! — it's over."Cole, Rendon and Strasburg all are represented by Scott Boras, known for slow, methodical negotiations. Last winter, he reached outfielder Bryce Harper's $330 million, 13-year contract with Philadelphia on Feb. 28.Cole,... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Versatile Oakland reliever Yusmeiro Petit had his $5.5 million contract option for the 2020 season exercised by the Athletics on Friday.The A's declined their half of a $5.75 million mutual option on left-handed pitcher Jake Diekman, who came to Oakland in a trade from Kansas City on July 27 and went 1-1 with a 4.43 ERA in 28 outings for Oakland after beginning 0-6 with the Royals. Diekman gets a $500,000 buyout.Petit made an AL-leading 80 appearances in 2019, when the 97-win A's lost for a second straight year in the AL wild card game.He went 5-3 with a 2.71 ERA and .194 opponent batting average. The right-hander — who agreed to a $10 million, two-year contract with the A's in November 2017 — would have received a $1 million buyout.The A's also announced next year's coaching staff Thursday under manager Bob Melvin on Thursday.Bench coach Ryan Christenson, hitting coach Darren Bush, pitching coach Scott Emerson, bullpen coach Marcus Jensen and quality control coach Mark Kotsay will remain in their current positions while Eric Martins has been promoted to the major league staff as assistant hitting coach after serving five years in a hitting coach role in the minors.Mike Aldrete moves from assistant hitting coach to first base coach while Al Pedrique goes from first base coach to third base to replace Matt Williams, new manager of the Kia Tigers in South Korea.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at the American League wild-card game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics:___Schedule: Wednesday, at Oakland, California, 8:09 p.m. EDT (ESPN).___Season Series: Athletics won 4-3.___Projected Lineups:Rays: 2B Joey Wendle (.231, 3 HRs, 19 RBIs in 75 games), LF Tommy Pham (.273, 21, 68, 33 2Bs), RF Austin Meadows (.291, 33, 89 in 138 games), C Travis d'Arnaud (.263, 16, 67 in 92 games with Rays; .087, 0, 2 in 10 games with Mets, and 1 at-bat in only game with Dodgers), 1B Ji-Man Choi (.261, 19, 63), DH Brandon Lowe (.270, 17, 51 in 82 games) or Avisail Garcia (.282, 20, 72, 25 2Bs in 125 games), 3B Matt Duffy (.252, 1, 12 in 46 games), CF Kevin Kiermaier (.228, 14, 55, 19 SBs in 129 games), SS Willy Adames (.254, 20, 52).Athletics: SS Marcus Semien (.285, 33, 92, 123 runs, 43 2Bs), RF Ramon Laureano (.288, 24, 67, 10 assists), 3B Matt Chapman (.249, 36, 91, 102 runs, 36 2Bs), 1B Matt Olson (.267, 36, 91), CF Mark Canha (.273, 26, 58), DH Khris Davis (.220, 23, 73), LF... [More]

A look at the American League wild-card game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics:___Schedule: Wednesday, at Oakland, California, 8:09 p.m. EDT (ESPN).___Season Series: Athletics won 4-3.___Projected Lineups:Rays: 2B Joey Wendle (.231, 3 HRs, 19 RBIs in 75 games), LF Tommy Pham (.273, 21, 68, 33 2Bs), RF Austin Meadows (.291, 33, 89 in 138 games), C Travis d'Arnaud (.263, 16, 67 in 92 games with Rays; .087, 0, 2 in 10 games with Mets, and 1 at-bat in only game with Dodgers), 1B Ji-Man Choi (.261, 19, 63), DH Brandon Lowe (.270, 17, 51 in 82 games) or Avisail Garcia (.282, 20, 72, 25 2Bs in 125 games), 3B Matt Duffy (.252, 1, 12 in 46 games), CF Kevin Kiermaier (.228, 14, 55, 19 SBs in 129 games), SS Willy Adames (.254, 20, 52).Athletics: SS Marcus Semien (.285, 33, 92, 123 runs, 43 2Bs), RF Ramon Laureano (.288, 24, 67, 10 assists), 3B Matt Chapman (.249, 36, 91, 102 runs, 36 2Bs), 1B Matt Olson (.267, 36, 91), CF Mark Canha (.273, 26, 58), DH Khris Davis (.220, 23, 73), LF... [More]

Sept. 11906 — The Philadelphia Athletics beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1 in 24 innings. Jack Coombs of the Athletics and Joe Harris of the Red Sox pitched all 24 innings. Coombs fanned 18.1930 — Wes Ferrell of Cleveland beat the St. Louis Browns 9-5 for his 13th straight victory.1931 — Lou Gehrig hit his third grand slam in four days as the Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1.1945 — The Philadelphia Phillies, behind Vince DiMaggio's grand slam, beat the Braves 8-3 in Boston. It was the fourth grand slam of the year for DiMaggio to tie a major league mark.1958 — Vinegar Bend Mizell of the St. Louis Cardinals set a National League record by walking nine batters and tossing a shutout. Mizell beat Cincinnati 1-0 in the first game of a doubleheader.1963 — Curt Simmons of the St. Louis Cardinals allowed six hits, drove in two runs with a triple and stole home plate in a 7-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. Simmons' steal of home is the last by a pitcher.1967 — Cincinnati's Bob Lee walked Dick... [More]

Athletics first. Marcus Semien homers to left field. Robbie Grossman called out on strikes. Matt Chapman hit by pitch. Matt Olson singles to center field. Matt Chapman to second. Mark Canha walks. Matt Olson to second. Matt Chapman to third. Seth Brown reaches on a fielder's choice to second base. Mark Canha out at second. Matt Olson to third. Matt Chapman scores. Jurickson Profar grounds out to first base to Ryan O'Hearn.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Athletics 2, Royals 0.Royals third. Nicky Lopez called out on strikes. Whit Merrifield hit by pitch. Jorge Soler reaches on a fielder's choice to third base. Whit Merrifield out at second. Hunter Dozier homers to left field. Jorge Soler scores. Alex Gordon hit by pitch. Ryan O'Hearn grounds out to first base, Jurickson Profar to Tanner Roark.2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Athletics 2, Royals 2.Athletics fifth. Robbie Grossman singles to center field. Chad Pinder strikes out swinging. Matt Olson reaches on a fielder's choice to... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Anthony Rendon homered and had four hits, including an RBI single in the 11th inning, and the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 7-5 on Sunday for their fifth straight victory.Juan Soto added three hits and Stephen Strasburg struck out 10 in six innings, helping Washington finish off its first sweep of Chicago since September 2012. The Nationals outscored the Cubs 23-10 in a three-game series between the top two teams in the NL wild-card standings.Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell and Victor Caratini homered for Chicago, which had won five in a row before Washington rolled into town. The Cubs fell 2½ games behind first-place St. Louis in the NL Central.The Nationals grabbed the lead for good when Howie Kendrick scored on Tyler Chatwood's wild pitch with Rendon at the plate in the 11th. Rendon then drove in Trea Turner with a single off Chatwood (5-2).Daniel Hudson (7-3) pitched two innings for the win.The Cubs played without Anthony Rizzo, sidelined by tightness in... [More]