TORONTO (AP) — James Paxton of the Seattle Mariners became the first Canadian to pitch a no-hitter in his home country, shutting down the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0 Tuesday night.Paxton joined Dick Fowler of the 1945 Philadelphia Athletics as the only Canadians to throw a no-hitter.Paxton, who's from British Columbia, pointed to a giant tattoo on his right forearm of a maple leaf — a national symbol of Canada — as he celebrated to a standing ovation at Rogers Centre.The 29-year-old lefty nicknamed "The Big Maple" threw 99 pitches in tossing the third no-hitter in the majors this year — all three have come in different countries.Oakland's Sean Manaea pitched one against Boston on April 21 in California. Four Los Angeles Dodgers combined to no-hit San Diego in Mexico last Friday.Coming off a career-high 16 strikeouts in his last start, Paxton (2-1) was electric once again, hitting 100 mph with his fastball while retiring Josh Donaldson on a grounder to end it.Paxton struck out seven, walked three... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — James Paxton of the Seattle Mariners became the first Canadian to pitch a no-hitter in his home country, shutting down the Toronto Blue Jays 5-0 Tuesday night.Paxton joined Dick Fowler of the 1945 Philadelphia Athletics as the only Canadians to throw a no-hitter.Paxton, who's from British Columbia, pointed to a giant tattoo on his right forearm of a maple leaf — a national symbol of Canada — as he celebrated to a standing ovation at Rogers Centre.The 29-year-old lefty nicknamed "The Big Maple" threw 99 pitches in tossing the third no-hitter in the majors this year — all three have come in different countries.Oakland's Sean Manaea pitched one against Boston on April 21 in California. Four Los Angeles Dodgers combined to no-hit San Diego in Mexico last Friday.Coming off a career-high 16 strikeouts in his last start, Paxton (2-1) was electric once again, hitting 100 mph with his fastball while retiring Josh Donaldson on a grounder to end it.Paxton struck out seven, walked three... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Kansas City Royals have taken a 10-run, first-inning lead over the Baltimore Orioles after hitting four homers before making an out.The brunt of the Royals' outburst at Camden Yards came against Dylan Bundy, who yielded seven runs without retiring a single batter.After Jon Jay hit a leadoff single, Jorge Soler, Mike Moustakas and Salvador Perez connected in succession.Bundy then walked the next two batters before Alex Gordon hit a shot over the right-field wall to end Bundy's outing.Mike Wright and gave up a single before the ninth batter, Ryan Goins, flied out. The crowd responded with a mock cheer.All told, the Royals had nine hits in the inning and tied a club record with four homers.Baltimore entered the game with a six-game losing streak. Reinstated from the disabled list before the game, Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop said, "I hope we can start a winning streak, turn it around today."___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — The San Diego Padres rebounded nicely from Los Angeles' combined no-hitter, using two-run homers by Eric Hosmer and Raffy Lopez to beat the Dodgers 7-4 on Saturday night in the first major league series in Mexico since 1999.A day after the first no-hitter ever outside the U.S. or Canada, Travis Jankowski led off the first with a triple for San Diego's first hit of the series. Hosmer then hit a drive over the wall in right against Kenta Maeda.Lopez's first homer of the season erased a 4-3 Los Angeles lead in the sixth.Kirby Yates got two outs for the win, and Brad Hand worked the ninth for his eighth save.Josh Fields (2-1) allowed Lopez's homer.On Friday night, Walker Buehler and three relievers posted the 12th combined no-hitter in major league history, leading the Dodgers to a 4-0 victory.YANKEES 5, INDIANS 2NEW YORK (AP) — Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor's double error led to a pair of runs in a four-run fifth inning off previously unhittable Trevor Bauer,... [More]

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — The San Diego Padres rebounded nicely from Los Angeles' combined no-hitter, using two-run homers by Eric Hosmer and Raffy Lopez to beat the Dodgers 7-4 on Saturday night in the first major league series in Mexico since 1999.A day after the first no-hitter ever outside the U.S. or Canada, Travis Jankowski led off the first with a triple for San Diego's first hit of the series. Hosmer then hit a drive over the wall in right against Kenta Maeda.Lopez's first homer of the season erased a 4-3 Los Angeles lead in the sixth, and Chase Headley and Carlos Asuaje contributed RBI singles in the eighth against Daniel Hudson.Kirby Yates got two outs for the win, and Brad Hand worked the ninth for his eighth save.Josh Fields (2-1) allowed Lopez's homer.On Friday night, Walker Buehler and three relievers posted the 12th combined no-hitter in major league history, leading the Dodgers to a 4-0 victory.YANKEES 5, INDIANS 2NEW YORK (AP) — Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor's double... [More]

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — The San Diego Padres rebounded nicely from Los Angeles' combined no-hitter, using two-run homers by Eric Hosmer and Raffy Lopez to beat the Dodgers 7-4 on Saturday night in the first major league series in Mexico since 1999.A day after the first no-hitter ever outside the U.S. or Canada, Travis Jankowski led off the first with a triple for San Diego's first hit of the series. Hosmer then hit a drive over the wall in right against Kenta Maeda.Lopez's first homer of the season erased a 4-3 Los Angeles lead in the sixth, and Chase Headley and Carlos Asuaje contributed RBI singles in the eighth against Daniel Hudson.Kirby Yates got two outs for the win, and Brad Hand worked the ninth for his eighth save.Josh Fields (2-1) allowed Lopez's homer.On Friday night, Walker Buehler and three relievers posted the 12th combined no-hitter in major league history, leading the Dodgers to a 4-0 victory.YANKEES 5, INDIANS 2NEW YORK (AP) — Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor's double... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Slumping Bryce Harper was moved to the leadoff spot for the first time since 2013 and responded with a three-run homer that helped Max Scherzer win his fifth straight start as the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-4 Wednesday night.Harper entered in a 5-for-35 slump and had not gotten an extra-base hit since April 16. He grounded out in the first inning against Chad Kuhl (3-2), followed Wilmer Difo's go-ahead homer in the third with a flyout, then gave the Nationals a 5-0 lead in the fifth with his ninth homer this season.Scherzer (6-1) allowed two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out eight and walked one.YANKEES 4, ASTROS 0HOUSTON (AP) — Gary Sanchez hit a three-run homer in the ninth off Ken Giles (0-1), who punched himself on the face and chin when he walked to the dugout after he was knocked out later in the inning, then threw a bat in the dugout and kicked it. New York won for the ninth time in 10 games.Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Slumping Bryce Harper was moved to the leadoff spot for the first time since 2013 and responded with a three-run homer that helped Max Scherzer win his fifth straight start as the Washington Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-4 Wednesday night.Harper entered in a 5-for-35 slump and had not gotten an extra-base hit since April 16. He grounded out in the first inning against Chad Kuhl (3-2), followed Wilmer Difo's go-ahead homer in the third with a flyout, then gave the Nationals a 5-0 lead in the fifth with his ninth homer this season.Scherzer (6-1) allowed two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out eight and walked one.YANKEES 4, ASTROS 0HOUSTON (AP) — Gary Sanchez hit a three-run homer in the ninth off Ken Giles (0-1), who punched himself on the face and chin when he walked to the dugout after he was knocked out later in the inning, then threw a bat in the dugout and kicked it. New York won for the ninth time in 10 games.Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Tyson Ross lost his bid to pitch the first no-hitter in the history of the San Diego Padres when rookie center fielder Franchy Cordero appeared to misplay a ball with two outs in the eighth inning Friday night of a 4-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.Playing their 7,835th game since joining the majors in 1969, the Padres again came agonizingly close to their first no-no. They remain the only team in the big leagues that has never thrown a no-hitter.Ross had a 1-0 lead with two outs in the eighth when Christian Walker lined a drive to deep center. Cordero seemed to get a late break on the ball, then had it sail just over his outstretched glove for a double that made it 1-all. Ross was pulled after throwing a career-high 127 pitches. The right-hander, who turns 31 on Sunday, struck out 10 and walked three. He retired 18 straight after walking Jarrod Dyson in the first. Brad Hand (1-2) relieved Ross and got the last four outs — they combined on the 29th one-hitter in Padres'... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Yoenis Cespedes, who struck out in his previous four at-bats, hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the 12th inning to lift the New York Mets to a 5-3 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.Cespedes' single to right field drove in winning pitcher Robert Gsellman from second base. Cespedes scored on Asdrubal Cabrera's double off Josh Ravin (0-1) to right field. Cabrera ran halfway to third before stopping and trying to return to second. A review showed he was out at second, overturning the original call. Ravin hit Gsellman with a pitch to open the 12th. Gsellman moved to second on Amed Rosario's sacrifice. Michael Conforto popped out before Cespedes delivered the go-ahead hit.Gsellman (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings. Jeurys Familia pitched a perfect 12th for his eighth save.ASTROS 10, WHITE SOX 0CHICAGO (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched six sparkling innings, Carlos Correa homered twice and the Houston Astros pounded the White Sox.George Springer also drove in four... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The temperature was 32 degrees, the lowest for the start of a game in the 25-year history of Progressive Field, when starter Cleveland Mike Clevinger threw the first pitch to Kansas City's Jon Jay on Sunday.The previous record was 33 degrees for games against Toronto on April 5 and April 7, 1996.Neither club took batting practice, and players on both teams were bundled up when they came on the field. Several wore hoods under their caps to try and stay warm to combat the frigid conditions, which have been fairly common throughout Major League Baseball in the season's first two weeks.The Royals have already had two games postponed due to weather.Saturday's temperature was 34 at first pitch, and the game's only run came on Lucas Duda's seventh-inning homer off Trevor Bauer. The teams combined for nine hits and Royals starter Ian Kennedy said the ball felt like an ice cube before he rubbed it up.According to records kept by the Indians dating to 1970, the lowest game-time temperature at Municipal Stadium, the club's home on Lake Erie until 1993, was 32 degrees on April 7, 1979. Cleveland's Rick Waits pitched a one-hit shutout that day against Boston, with Jerry Remy getting the only Red Sox hit.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

CLEVELAND (AP) — Lucas Duda homered off Trevor Bauer for the game's only run and Ian Kennedy pitched six shutout innings, leading the Kansas City Royals to a 1-0 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday in frigid, football-like weather conditions.Duda's shot in the seventh off Bauer (0-1) was one of only three hits by Kansas City and a rare highlight as the teams survived nine innings with the temperature hovering around freezing.Kennedy (1-0) allowed four hits, walked none and struck out eight. The right-hander was only in trouble once, but worked out of the sixth-inning jam. Blaine Boyer and Justin Grimm pitched an inning apiece before closer Kelvin Herrera worked a perfect ninth for his second save.The temperature was 34 at gametime, one degree above the coldest start to a game in the 25-year history of Progressive Field. Players on both teams bundled up, with several wearing hoods under their caps to try and stay warm.Bauer matched Kennedy and then some, giving up just three hits... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Talk about carrying some baggage into the season.Kansas City will be without Salvador Perez for up to six weeks after the star catcher sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee while carrying a suitcase up some stairs in his home.The injury occurred Tuesday night, when the Royals returned to Kansas City from spring training. The five-time All-Star heard a "pop" and immediately called Royals trainer Nick Kenney, who advised Perez to ice the knee and come in for an MRI exam Wednesday.The exam revealed a Grade 2 sprain with a minor tear of the ligament.No surgery is required, and recovery can be as little as four weeks. But the freak injury leaves the Royals without one of their top hitters when they open against the White Sox on Thursday."Hopefully," Royals manager Ned Yost said, "it's shorter than longer."Perez was wearing a bulky black brace on his knee when he arrived at Kauffman Stadium for the club's final preseason workout Wednesday. Later, he... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez has been on Kansas City Royals teams that were picked to lose 90 games, finish last in the AL Central and struggle so much that a total rebuild would have been apropos.Matter of fact, a lot like this one.But those teams usually exceeded expectations, winning the AL pennant one year and the World Series the next, before starting to backtrack. And the veteran catcher with the quick smile and quicker throw to second base believes the Royals can do the same thing this season.They'll start that chase on opening day against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday."It happens every year. Nobody believes in Kansas City. That's what I saw on my internet, the social (media)," said Perez, who will begin the season on the disabled list after sustaining a freak knee injury while carrying a suitcase up some stairs in his home Tuesday night."We need to come play hard," Perez said, "and see what happens after the last out."The Royals and White Sox both have high hopes,... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Talk about carrying some baggage into the season.Kansas City will be without Salvador Perez for up to six week after the star catcher sprained the medial collateral in his left knee while carrying a suitcase up some stairs in his home.The injury occurred Tuesday night, when the Royals returned to Kansas City from spring training. The five-time All-Star heard a "pop" and immediately called Royals trainer Nick Kenney, who advised Perez to ice the knee and come in for an MRI exam on Wednesday.The exam revealed a Grade 2 sprain with a minor tear of the ligament.No surgery is required, and recovery can be as little as four weeks. But the freak injury leaves the Royals without one of their top hitters when they open against the White Sox on Thursday."Hopefully," Royals manager Ned Yost said, "it's shorter than longer."Perez was wearing a bulky black brace on his knee when he arrived at Kauffman Stadium for the club's final preseason workout Wednesday. Later, he told reporters... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez has been on Kansas City Royals teams that were picked to lose 90 games, finish last in the AL Central and struggle so much that a total rebuild would have been apropos.Matter of fact, a lot like this one.But those teams usually exceeded expectations, winning the AL pennant one year and the World Series the next, before starting to backtrack. And the veteran catcher with the quick smile and quicker throw to second base believes the Royals can do the same thing this season.They'll start that chase on opening day against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday."It happens every year. Nobody believes in Kansas City. That's what I saw on my internet, the social (media)," Perez said. "We need to come play hard and see what happens after the last out."The Royals and White Sox both have high hopes, even if nobody else does.Kansas City lost star first baseman Eric Hosmer and outfielder Lorenzo Cain as free agents, and big questions remain elsewhere in the lineup.... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — For the second consecutive season, the San Francisco Giants will be without injured ace Madison Bumgarner for a while.Bumgarner broke a bone in his pitching hand Friday when it was hit by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City's Whit Merrifield during a spring training game.The Giants said X-rays showed the 28-year-old fractured the fifth metacarpal on the outside of his left hand. Bumgarner said the timeline for recovery is four to six weeks and he will have a pin inserted into his pinkie Saturday."It's tough. But I can handle it," Bumgarner said. "These guys can handle it. This obviously was not what I was expecting out of my last start. But it happened and I can deal with it."Bumgarner, the 2014 World Series MVP, missed nearly three months with a shoulder injury last season after a dirt bike accident on April 20 during an off day in Colorado.His latest setback is a huge blow to the Giants as they try to rebound from a surprising last-place finish in the NL West... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — For the second consecutive season, the San Francisco Giants will be without injured ace Madison Bumgarner for a while.Bumgarner broke a bone in his pitching hand Friday when it was hit by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City's Whit Merrifield during a spring training game.The Giants said X-rays showed the 28-year-old fractured the fifth metacarpal on the outside of his left hand. Bumgarner said the timeline for recovery is four to six weeks and he will have a pin inserted into his pinkie Saturday."It's tough. But I can handle it," Bumgarner said. "These guys can handle it. This obviously was not what I was expecting out of my last start. But it happened and I can deal with it."Bumgarner, the 2014 World Series MVP, missed nearly three months with a shoulder injury last season after a dirt bike accident on April 20 during an off day in Colorado.His latest setback is a huge blow to the Giants as they try to rebound from a surprising last-place finish in the NL West... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Clayton Kershaw finished spring training with a 0.00 ERA.The Los Angeles Dodgers' three-time NL Cy Young Award winner stretched his scoreless streak to 21 1/3 innings with 6 2/3 innings against Kansas City in his final tuneup for Thursday's opener against San Francisco. He allowed a leadoff single to Jon Jay and no other hits. He struck out four and walked none in a 10-0 win."He was efficient as he could ever be," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday. "He had everything working, fastball to both sides of the plate, the slider had the depth, the breaking ball was sharp. Clayton threw the ball really well. It was really encouraging for all of us. He doesn't smile too often after outings, but I think he was pretty pleased."Kershaw allowed 12 hits in six starts, struck out 23 and walked four. The left-hander was pitching for the first time since turning 30 on Monday."Physically I feel great, which is good," Kershaw said. "I've obviously pitched in the playoffs before,... [More]

Capsules of American League Central teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Cleveland Indians2017: 102-60, first place, lost to Yankees in ALDS.Manager: Terry Francona (sixth season).He's Here: 1B-DH Yonder Alonso, LF Rajai Davis, RHP Alexi Ogando.He's Outta Here: 1B Carlos Santana, OF Jay Bruce, RHP Bryan Shaw, RHP Joe Smith, OF Austin Jackson, LHP Boone Logan.Projected Lineup: SS Francisco Lindor (.273, 33 HRs, 89 RBIs, 44 2Bs, 15 SBs, 10 errors), 2B Jason Kipnis (.232, 12 HRs, 35 RBIs in 90 games), 3B Jose Ramirez (.318, 29, 83, AL-leading 56 2Bs), DH Edwin Encarnacion (.258, 38, 107), 1B Yonder Alonso (.266, career-high 28 HRs, 67 RBIs with Athletics and Mariners), RF Lonnie Chisenhall (.288, 12, 53 in 82 games), C Roberto Perez (.207, 8, 38, club went 44-22 in his starts) or Yan Gomes (.232, 14, 56), CF Bradley Zimmer (.241, 8, 39, 18 SBs, 0 errors), LF Michael Brantley (.299, 9, 52 in 90 games) or Rajai Davis (.235, 5, 20, 29 SBs with Oakland and Boston).Rotation: RH Corey Kluber... [More]