BOSTON (AP) — Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run homer in Boston's seven-run first inning, and the Red Sox pounded the AL East-leading New York Yankees 19-3 on Thursday night in the opener of their four-game series.The 19 runs were the most scored by the Red Sox against the Yankees in the 117-year history of the rivalry.Bogaerts finished with four hits, including a solo shot in the eighth. Andrew Benintendi and Jackie Bradley Jr. had three hits apiece.New York right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (7-6) allowed 12 runs and 12 hits in 3 1/3 innings. It was the most earned runs ever allowed by a Yankees pitcher against Boston since the earned run became an official stat in 1913.Rick Porcello (9-7) pitched six innings of three-run ball for Boston.CARDINALS 6, PIRATES 3PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt homered in his career-high fourth straight game, helping the Cardinals finish a four-game sweep of the Pirates.St. Louis (55-47) won for the eighth time in nine games to move into a tie with the idle Chicago... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt's power streak helped lift the St. Louis Cardinals into a share of the NL Central lead for the first time since early May.Goldschmidt homered in his career-high fourth straight game, lifting the Cardinals over Pittsburgh 6-3 on Thursday for a four-game sweep of the Pirates.St. Louis (55-47) won for the eighth time in nine games to move into a tie with the idle Chicago Cubs atop the division. St. Louis last held the lead before play on May 7.Goldschmidt drove in nine runs and had four of the Cardinals' 12 home runs during the sweep.Kolten Wong and Dexter Fowler also connected for St. Louis. Miles Mikolas (7-10) allowed three runs in six innings.Pittsburgh has dropped 11 of 13. Pirates right-hander Joe Musgrove (7-9) was charged with five earned runs in five innings.ROCKIES 8, NATIONALS 7WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington ace Max Scherzer lasted five innings in his return from the injured list, and the Rockies beat the Nationals in a battle of worn-out bullpens.Ian... [More]

July 281931 — Bob Fothergill of Chicago hit a home run and a triple in an 11-run eighth inning. The White Sox set an American League record by recording 12 hits in the inning and beat the New York Yankees 14-12.1940 — King Kong Keller hit three homers to give the New York Yankees a 10-9 win over Chicago in the first game of a doubleheader split.1951 — Clyde Vollmer of Boston hit a grand slam in the 16th inning, the latest ever hit in a major league game. The Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians, 8-4, in 16.1971 — Sixteen-time Gold Glove winner Brooks Robinson committed three errors in the sixth inning against the Oakland A's. Frank Robinson's three-run homer in the ninth won the game for the Orioles.1976 — John Odom (five innings) and Francisco Barrios (four innings) combined on a no-hitter as the Chicago White Sox beat Oakland 2-1.1983 — AL president Lee McPhail ruled that George Brett's "pine tar" home run against New York on July 24 should count. The umpires had disallowed the homer because... [More]

Jean Segura hit a three-run, walk-off homer against Edwin Díaz moments after Maikel Franco hit a tying, two-run shot against the closer in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 6-3 Thursday to complete a four-game sweep.New York's Todd Frazier hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Hector Neris with one out in the ninth, but the Phillies rallied in the bottom of the inning — their fourth straight win since utility man Brad Miller brought a bamboo plant into the clubhouse as a good-luck charm.Díaz (1-5) walked Cesar Hernandez to start, and Franco followed with his third homer of the series. He hit go-ahead, two-run homers in each of the first two games. Pinch-hitter Sean Rodriguez walked with one out and advanced to second on Scott Kingery's hard-hit, bad-hop single off Frazier's glove at third.Segura then slammed his 10th homer into the seats in left. He leaped on his way down the first base line and got mobbed by teammates after circling the bases.It... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a three-run homer to help chase Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell in the first inning, CC Sabathia got his 250th career win and the New York Yankees thumped the Tampa Bay Rays 12-1 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.Gleyber Torres added a grand slam during a six-run seventh inning, and New York three-hit Tampa Bay to win its fifth in a row and extend its lead the AL East over the second-place Rays to 3½ games. Tampa Bay was swept for the second time this season — the other came against Boston in April.Snell (4-6) walked four, gave up two hits and was charged with six runs while getting one out on 39 pitches in the shortest start of his career.Sabathia (4-4) pitched one-run ball over six innings. He struck out seven and allowed three hits and three walks.ANGELS 11, BLUE JAYS 6TORONTO (AP) — Mike Trout hit two home runs, including his sixth career grand slam, and had a career-best seven RBIs as Los Angeles beat Toronto.Justin Upton also homered for the... [More]

Using the search engine at Baseball-Reference.com, The Associated Press evaluated each team's draft performance from 1996 through 2018, adding up wins above replacement (WAR) figures for drafted players.For each pick, the player's career WAR was added to the appropriate total for the team, depending on whether or not the player signed with the team after being drafted. Some players had their WAR totals included multiple times, if they were drafted more than once.Stats are through May 25. Compensation picks were considered part of the first round where applicable.___ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKSTotal WAR for all drafted players: 581.8 (MLB rank: 4th)Total WAR for drafted players who signed: 440.1 (rank: 5th)Total WAR for drafted players who did not sign: 141.7Impact players (10 WAR or more) drafted: 17 (rank: tie-9th)Impact players drafted and signed: 13 (rank: 12th)Most recent impact player drafted and signed: Trevor Bauer, 2011, first round, pick No. 3 (15.2 WAR)Lowest pick for impact player drafted... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:ON A ROLLAustin Meadows and the Rays have won six games in a row heading into another matchup with major league-leading Minnesota. Meadows drove in four runs Thursday night in a 14-3 rout of the Twins. The young outfielder has multiple hits in five consecutive games, not to mention three doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs during Tampa Bay's longest winning streak since taking eight straight in August last year. Minnesota right-hander Jose Berrios (7-2, 3.20 ERA) attempts to slow the Rays after allowing 13 runs (11 earned) and 29 hits over his last three outings.ARCH ENEMIESThe Cubs and Cardinals renew their rivalry in St. Louis, with Yu Darvish (2-3, 5.40 ERA) set to pitch the series opener for first-place Chicago against 2018 All-Star Miles Mikolas (4-5, 4.76). Darvish gave up 12 hits and six runs in a season-high seven innings of an 8-6 win against Cincinnati last time out. Mikolas is 3-0 with a 1.32 ERA in six career appearances, four... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Friday:ON A ROLLAustin Meadows and the Rays have won six games in a row heading into another matchup with major league-leading Minnesota. Meadows drove in four runs Thursday night in a 14-3 rout of the Twins. The young outfielder has multiple hits in five consecutive games, not to mention three doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs during Tampa Bay's longest winning streak since taking eight straight in August last year. Minnesota right-hander Jose Berrios (7-2, 3.20 ERA) attempts to slow the Rays after allowing 13 runs (11 earned) and 29 hits over his last three outings.ARCH ENEMIESThe Cubs and Cardinals renew their rivalry in St. Louis, with Yu Darvish (2-3, 5.40 ERA) set to pitch the series opener for first-place Chicago against 2018 All-Star Miles Mikolas (4-5, 4.76). Darvish gave up 12 hits and six runs in a season-high seven innings of an 8-6 win against Cincinnati last time out. Mikolas is 3-0 with a 1.32 ERA in six career appearances, four... [More]

May 191910 — Cy Young won the 500th game of his career as the Cleveland Indians beat the Washington Senators, 5-4, in 11 innings.1910 — Boston beat the Pirates 6-3 for the first time in 26 tries.1942 — Paul Waner of the Boston Braves got his 3,000th career hit off Pittsburgh's Rip Sewell in a 7-6, 11-inning loss to the Pirates.1956 — Pittsburgh's Dale Long hit a ninth-inning homer against the Chicago Cubs. It was Long's first of eight straight games with a homer.1962 — Stan Musial of St. Louis became the NL career hits leader. The 41-year-old got a ninth-inning single for his 3,431st hit and moved past Honus Wagner. The Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 8-1.1968 — After hitting 10 home runs in six games, Frank Howard of the Washington Senators was stopped by pitcher Earl Wilson of Detroit, which won the game 5-4.1981 — Pittsburgh's Jim Bibby gave up a leadoff single to Terry Harper of the Atlanta Braves, then retired the next 27 batters for a 5-0 one-hitter. Bibby also hit two doubles.2000... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit two homers, rookie Michael Chavis drove in five runs and the surging Boston Red Sox beat the stumbling Seattle Mariners 11-2 to complete a three-game sweep Sunday at soggy Fenway Park.The World Series champions have won five straight games and 16 of 22 following a 6-13 start.Omar Narváez homered for Seattle (20-23), which has lost four in a row and 15 of 19 after opening 13-2. The Mariners were outscored 34-8 in the series, completing a 2-8 trip.Hector Velázquez (1-2) gave up two runs in five innings for the Red Sox. Marco Gonzales (5-2) gave up four runs, two earned, in four innings.YANKEES 7, RAYS 1ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka (3-3) matched his season high of seven innings, allowing one run and five hits with seven strikeouts and no walks to outpitch reigning Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell. New York closed back within one-half game of AL East-leading Tampa Bay.Thairo Estrada homered just after play resumed following a ninth-inning power... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit two homers, rookie Michael Chavis drove in five runs and the surging Boston Red Sox beat the stumbling Seattle Mariners 11-2 to complete a three-game sweep Sunday at soggy Fenway Park.The World Series champions have won five straight games and 16 of 22 following a 6-13 start.Omar Narváez homered for Seattle (20-23), which has lost four in a row and 15 of 19 after opening 13-2. The Mariners were outscored 34-8 in the series, completing a 2-8 trip.Hector Velázquez (1-2) gave up two runs in five innings for the Red Sox. Marco Gonzales (5-2) gave up four runs, two earned, in four innings.YANKEES 7, RAYS 1ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka (3-3) matched his season high of seven innings, allowing one run and five hits with seven strikeouts and no walks to outpitch reigning Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell. New York closed back within one-half game of the AL East-leading Rays.Thairo Estrada homered just after play resumed following a ninth-inning power... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies reinstated infielder Daniel Murphy from the 10-day injured list before their game Wednesday against the Washington Nationals.Murphy was in the starting lineup at first base and batting third.The 34-year-old fractured his left index finger diving for a grounder in the second game of the season. He was placed on the IL on April 1 and missed 20 games. He is 1 for 10 with one run scored in two games.Murphy's fractured finger was the beginning of several injuries for the Rockies. Infielder Ryan McMahon (sprained left elbow) missed 10 games, outfielder David Dahl (core injury) was out for eight and catcher Chris Iannetta (right lat strain) has been out for nine.Pitcher Tyler Anderson missed a couple of starts with left knee inflammation before being recalled Monday and ace left-hander Kyle Freeland is on the injured list with a blister on his pitching hand. Relievers Jake McGee (left knee sprain) and Chris Rusin (back strain) also are out.Murphy's return gives... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies have reinstated infielder Daniel Murphy from the 10-day injured list before Wednesday's game against the Washington Nationals.Murphy is in the lineup at first base and batting third.The 34-year-old fractured his left index finger diving for a grounder in the second game of the season. He was placed on the IL on April 1. He is 1 for 10 with one run scored in two games.The Rockies signed Murphy to a two-year, $24 million contract in the offseason after two-plus seasons with the Nationals. He helped the New York Mets reach the World Series in 2015 and signed with Washington that offseason.The Nationals dealt him to the Chicago Cubs last season.Colorado optioned right-handed pitcher Jeff Hoffman to Triple-A Albuquerque.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Rockies first baseman Daniel Murphy probably will be sidelined for at least a month, Colorado manager Bud Black said Tuesday.The 34-year-old Murphy went 1 for 10 in two games after signing a $24 million, two-year contract. He was injured diving for a sharp grounder in the fourth inning Friday night against Miami. Murphy remained in the game and got his first hit with the Rockies in the ninth inning, but swelling in his finger worsened overnight and X-rays showed a fracture in the tip of his left index finger.Murphy went on the 10-day injured list Monday, a move retroactive to Saturday, and relief pitcher Jake McGee joined him Tuesday.McGee sprained his left knee while pitching in the eighth inning against Tampa Bay on Monday night, his second appearance this season. The 32-year-old left-hander was sidelined by left knee injuries in 2015 and 2016.Right-hander Carlos Estevez was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque.______More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper homered deep into the second deck in right-center field for his first hit with Philadelphia and celebrated with an emphatic curtain call, highlighting the Phillies' 8-6 win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.Hitless over five at-bats this season after signing a $330 million, 13-year deal, Harper crushed Jesse Biddle's fastball 465 feet with two outs in the seventh. Fans gave Harper a standing ovation and chanted "MVP! MVP!"After getting high fives in the dugout, Harper climbed out for a curtain call, throwing both fists in the air and shouting "Let's go!"Maikel Franco and J.T. Realmuto also went deep for Philadelphia. The game was tied at 4 in the fifth when Realmuto lined a two-run drive off Wes Parsons (0-1).Adam Morgan (1-0) faced one batter in the fifth inning.Dansby Swanson and Charlie Culberson homered, and Freddie Freeman had four hits and drove in two for the Braves.BREWERS 4, CARDINALS 2MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich became the first MVP to... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Colorado Rockies first baseman Daniel Murphy is out indefinitely with a broken finger on his left hand.Murphy was injured diving for a sharp grounder in the fourth inning Friday night against Miami. Murphy remained in the game and got his first hit with the Rockies in the ninth inning, but swelling on his finger worsened overnight.Murphy said Saturday that X-rays showed a fracture on the tip of his left index finger. He is likely headed to the injured list, though his prognosis won't be set until he visits a hand specialist Monday.Murphy signed a $24 million, two-year free agent contract with Colorado in the offseason. He is a career .299 hitter in 11 seasons.Ryan McMahon filled in at first base for the Rockies on Saturday during a 7-3 loss to Miami. He and Mark Reynolds are likely to be the primary replacements while Murphy is sidelined.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

March 311961 — The Pacific Coast League's proposal to use a designated hitter for the pitcher was rejected by the Professional Baseball Rules Committee by a vote of 8-1.1968 — Seattle, the American League's second new team, announced its nickname — the Pilots.1995 — Major league baseball players end their strike when Federal judge Sonia Sotomayor of U.S. District Court in Manhattan rules against the owners in the labor dispute.1996 — The Seattle Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 in 12 innings in major league baseball's season opener, the first major league game played in March.1998 — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks looked like expansion teams in their first games. The Devil Rays fell behind 11-0 in an 11-6 loss to Detroit at Tropicana Field, and the Diamondbacks dropped a 9-2 decision to the Colorado Rockies at Bank One Ballpark. Milwaukee dropped a 2-1 decision at Atlanta in the Brewers' first game since becoming the only team to switch leagues this century.2003... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Kyle Freeland is trying to build on a breakout season, while Jose Urena wants to avoid a repeat.The two opening day starters square off Thursday when the Colorado Rockies play the Miami Marlins. Like their teams, the pitchers have very different outlooks on the season.Urena is an easy choice for the Marlins because he's 23-19 over the past two seasons, while the other four pitchers in their young rotation have a combined career record of 13-23. The right-hander lost his first seven decisions last year, which was largely a function of poor run support, and may be the reason he's taking a long view toward his second opening day start."We don't look for just one outing," Urena said. "We look for maybe 35 or 36 outings."Freeland blossomed into the Rockies' ace in his second major league season last year, when he went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA, the lowest in a full season in franchise history. With that achievement he earned his first opening day nod."It's a great feather in the cap... [More]

Bryce Harper got his first hit with Philadelphia, and Manny Machado homered for San Diego.Both of baseball's big offseason free agents are finally getting into the swing of things at spring training.Harper lined a 97 mph fastball to center field for a single in the fourth inning Wednesday against Detroit, snapping his 0-for-9 start to Grapefruit League play with the Phillies. The slugger jokingly gestured toward the dugout that he wanted to keep the ball as a souvenir.It was Harper's 16th plate appearance over six exhibition games. Spencer Turnbull struck him out swinging in the first inning.His final time up, Harper walked against Reed Garrett leading off the seventh. The 2015 NL MVP has struck out six times and drawn five walks."Took great swings on pitches that he just missed and fouled back," Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said after his team's 3-1 loss to the Tigers."And one swing, a foul ball (down the third base side) that was a real near-miss. You could see with just a little bit... [More]

Bryce Harper is on the board at spring training.The slugger lined a 97 mph fastball to center field in the fourth inning of Wednesday's game against Detroit for his first hit with the Philadelphia Phillies after an 0-for-9 start.Harper jokingly gestured toward the dugout that he wanted to keep the ball.It was Harper's 16th plate appearance over six exhibition games. Spencer Turnbull struck him out swinging in the first.His final time up, Harper walked against Reed Garrett to lead off the seventh. Harper has struck out six times and drawn five walks."Took great swings on pitches that he just missed and fouled back," Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said after the 3-1 loss to the Tigers."And one swing, a foul ball (down the third base side) that was a real near-miss. You could see with just a little bit better timing that ball is in the seats in left field. So, a lot to get excited about there with Bryce."Harper played seven innings in right field.Kapler plans to hit Harper third regularly during... [More]