NEW YORK (AP) — Noah Syndergaard pitched out of trouble in a rusty return from the disabled list and helped himself with an RBI single as the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Friday night.Amed Rosario tripled and doubled, both times over Bryce Harper's head in center field, and the Mets won for only the sixth time in their last 26 home games. Brandon Nimmo had three hits for New York, which built a three-run cushion in the first inning against struggling starter Tanner Roark.Roark (3-12) became the first 12-game loser in the majors this season. He allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings.Matt Adams homered for the inconsistent Nationals, who fell back to .500 at 47-47. They have lost just three of 13 games at Citi Field since the start of last season.After missing seven weeks with a strained ligament in his right index finger, Syndergaard (5-1) came out firing 99 mph fastballs.Robert Gsellman gave up Adams' upper-deck shot in the eighth but got six outs for his... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rick Porcello hit a three-run double off former teammate Max Scherzer and pitched six effective innings, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 4-3 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.Porcello got his first career extra-base hit came in the second inning on a 0-2 pitch after the Nationals intentionally walked Jackie Bradley Jr. Porcello drove Scherzer's 96-mph fastball over the head of Juan Soto in left center for his first RBIs since 2009.Scherzer and Porcello were teammates for five seasons with the Detroit Tigers.Porcello (10-3) allowed two runs and seven hits. Craig Kimbrel got four outs for his 25th save.Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon and Daniel Murphy homered for the Nationals. Scherzer (10-5) struck out nine in six innings.BRAVES 5, YANKEES 3, 11 INNINGSNEW YORK (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning that nicked the glove of a leaping Aaron Judge in right field, and the Braves beat the Yankees in a matchup of two of baseball's best... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:CLUTCH CITYAlex Bregman is red-hot at the plate as the Astros travel to Tampa Bay for a four-game series, and he's been especially good late in games. Bregman has homered in three straight, including a game-ending two-run shot Wednesday to cap Houston's rally from five runs down against Toronto. That was the second walk-off hit this month for Bregman, who also had a game-ending single in Game 5 of last year's World Series. Bregman is 9 for 17 with three homers and five doubles since shaving his mustache midway through a game Sunday.TAKE TWODodgers ace Clayton Kershaw looks to sharpen his stuff against the Cubs in his second start since ending a DL stint for a lower back strain. Kershaw stumbled through three innings against the Mets last Saturday after surprisingly nixing a scheduled minor league rehab assignment, though Los Angeles beat New York 8-3 that day behind stellar relief work from rookie Caleb Ferguson. The 21-year-old left-hander... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Thursday:CLUTCH CITYAlex Bregman is red-hot at the plate as the Astros travel to Tampa Bay for a four-game series, and he's been especially good late in games. Bregman has homered in three straight, including a game-ending two-run shot Wednesday to cap Houston's rally from five runs down against Toronto. That was the second walk-off hit this month for Bregman, who also had a game-ending single in Game 5 of last year's World Series. Bregman is 9 for 17 with three homers and five doubles since shaving his mustache midway through a game Sunday.TAKE TWODodgers ace Clayton Kershaw looks to sharpen his stuff against the Cubs in his second start since ending a DL stint for a lower back strain. Kershaw stumbled through three innings against the Mets last Saturday after surprisingly nixing a scheduled minor league rehab assignment, though Los Angeles beat New York 8-3 that day behind stellar relief work from rookie Caleb Ferguson. The 21-year-old left-hander... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Wilmer Font worked into the sixth inning to get his first major league win, Willy Adames homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 4-0 on Saturday.Font (1-3) allowed three hits, one walk and struck out four over 5 2/3 innings. Four relievers completed a four-hitter.Adames had an RBI single during a two-run second and added a solo homer in the seventh off Sonny Gray (5-5).The Rays have won the first two of a three-game series against the Yankees, who have the best record in the majors.New York (50-24), coming off a three-game sweep over Seattle, is the only team in the big leagues not to have dropped more than two straight games this year. This is the latest the Yankees have gone into a season without losing three in a row since August 1954.REDS 11, CUBS 2CINCINNATI (AP) — Anthony DeSclafani hit the first grand slam by a Cincinnati pitcher in 59 years, helping the last-place Reds beat the Chicago Cubs for their sixth consecutive victory.It was Cincinnati's... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Wilmer Font worked into the sixth inning to get his first major league win, Willy Adames homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 4-0 on Saturday.Font (1-3) allowed three hits, one walk and struck out four over 5 2/3 innings. Four relievers completed a four-hitter.Adames had an RBI single during a two-run second and added a solo homer in the seventh off Sonny Gray (5-5).The Rays have won the first two of a three-game series against the Yankees, who have the best record in the majors.New York (50-24), coming off a three-game sweep over Seattle, is the only team in the big leagues not to have dropped more than two straight games this year. This is the latest the Yankees have gone into a season without losing three in a row since August 1954.REDS 11, CUBS 2CINCINNATI (AP) — Anthony DeSclafani hit the first grand slam by a Cincinnati pitcher in 59 years, helping the last-place Reds beat the Chicago Cubs for their sixth consecutive victory.It was Cincinnati's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Clayton Kershaw was encouraged by how he felt after a shaky, abbreviated return to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.Kershaw came off the disabled list and allowed two runs in three innings against the New York Mets. He threw 55 pitches, starting out strong before laboring through his final inning in an 8-3 win."Good to be back," Kershaw said. "Now I can focus on getting better."The lefty ace was scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City at Omaha, but Los Angeles decided Friday to have him pitch in New York because of precarious weather in Nebraska. Kershaw had been sidelined since June 1 with a lower back strain.Kershaw was electric in the first inning. He froze leadoff man Brandon Nimmo on a curveball for a three-pitch strikeout, got Todd Frazier looking for a five-pitch K and induced a weak grounder to the mound from Asdrubal Cabrera.The three-time Cy Young Award winner wasn't as sharp after that. Michael Conforto and Jose Bautista lined consecutive... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Clayton Kershaw was shaky in an abbreviated return to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.Kershaw came off the disabled list and allowed two runs in three innings against the New York Mets. He threw 55 pitches, starting out strong before laboring through his final inning.The lefty ace was scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City at Omaha, but Los Angeles decided Friday to have him pitch in New York because of precarious weather in Nebraska. Kershaw had been sidelined since June 1 with a lower back strain.Kershaw was electric in the first inning. He froze leadoff man Brandon Nimmo on a curveball for a three-pitch strikeout, got Todd Frazier looking for a five-pitch K and induced a weak grounder to the mound from Asdrubal Cabrera.The three-time Cy Young Award winner wasn't as sharp after that. Michael Conforto and Jose Bautista lined consecutive doubles off him in the second inning to tie it at 1, and Kershaw threw 25 pitches in the third inning, including... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Clayton Kershaw has been activated from the disabled list and was set to pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers despite a shaky forecast at Citi Field.The lefty ace was scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City at Omaha, but Los Angeles decided Friday to have him pitch in New York on Saturday because of precarious weather in Nebraska. Kershaw has been sidelined since June 1 with a lower back strain.Skies were gray in New York throughout the day, and it might begin to rain before the game, per weather reports.Kershaw will oppose Mets ace Jacob deGrom, though Kershaw's outing will likely be short. Manager Dave Roberts said there won't be restrictions on Kershaw, though before the switch, he was expected to throw no more than four innings or 60 pitches for Oklahoma City.Rookie left-hander Caleb Ferguson (0-1, 7.59 ERA) will be ready in reserve. The 21-year-old left-hander had been slated to make his fourth major league start Saturday.Kershaw pleaded with Roberts... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:PHILLY SPECIALOdubel Herrera has homered in five straight games, tying a Philadelphia record. Chase Utley (twice in 2008), Bobby Abreu (2005), Mike Schmidt (1979) and Dick Allen (1969) also connected five in row for the Phillies. Ken Griffey, Jr. (1993), Don Mattingly (1987) and Dale Long (1956) share the major league record with homers in eight consecutive games.Herrera now takes aim against rookie right-hander Erick Fedde (0-2, 5.63 ERA) at Nationals Park.CITI SURPRISEClayton Kershaw is set to make an unexpected return from the disabled list, starting for the Dodgers in a marquee matchup against Mets ace Jacob deGrom. Kershaw has been sidelined since June 1 with a lower back strain. The three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP originally was scheduled to make a rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Oklahoma City at Omaha, but heavy rain in the forecast caused the Dodgers to change plans. There's rain forecast at Citi Field, too,... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Saturday:PHILLY SPECIALOdubel Herrera has homered in five straight games, tying a Philadelphia record. Chase Utley (twice in 2008), Bobby Abreu (2005), Mike Schmidt (1979) and Dick Allen (1969) also connected five in row for the Phillies. Ken Griffey, Jr. (1993), Don Mattingly (1987) and Dale Long (1956) share the major league record with homers in eight consecutive games.Herrera now takes aim against rookie right-hander Erick Fedde (0-2, 5.63 ERA) at Nationals Park.CITI SURPRISEClayton Kershaw is set to make an unexpected return from the disabled list, starting for the Dodgers in a marquee matchup against Mets ace Jacob deGrom. Kershaw has been sidelined since June 1 with a lower back strain. The three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP originally was scheduled to make a rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Oklahoma City at Omaha, but heavy rain in the forecast caused the Dodgers to change plans. There's rain forecast at Citi Field, too,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Clayton Kershaw is set to make a surprise return from the disabled list Saturday night, starting for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a marquee matchup against New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom.Kershaw has been sidelined since June 1 with a lower back strain. The three-time Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP originally was scheduled to make a rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Oklahoma City at Omaha, but rain in the forecast caused the Dodgers to change plans.Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts says Friday that Kershaw will be limited against the Mets, with rookie left-hander Caleb Ferguson ready in reserve. The 21-year-old Ferguson had been slated to start Saturday.There's rain in the New York forecast Saturday as well, but Roberts says the Dodgers feel more comfortable keeping Kershaw with the big league club.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball