Bryce Harper blew kisses at a booing crowd to punctuate his home run, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 2-1 in eight innings Friday night for a doubleheader split after Aaron Nola matched a long-standing major league record with 10 straight strikeouts in the opener. Odúbel Herrera drove in the tiebreaking run with a groundout against reliever Sean Reid-Foley (2-1) in the eighth as both games took an extra inning to determine a winner. Nola tied Tom Seaver’s mark for consecutive strikeouts set 51 years ago, but the Mets rallied to win the first game 2-1 in eight innings on big hits by Francisco Lindor and Dominic Smith. Following a costly error by third baseman Alec Bohm in the bottom of the seventh, Archie Bradley (3-1) limited the damage and allowed only pinch-hitter James McCann’s tying sacrifice fly in the nightcap. In the opener, Seth Lugo (1-0) struck out three in the top of the eighth and stranded two runners for the NL East leaders, playing their third doubleheader... [More]

Bryce Harper blew kisses at a booing crowd to punctuate his home run, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 2-1 in eight innings Friday night for a doubleheader split after Aaron Nola matched a long-standing major league record with 10 straight strikeouts in the opener. Odúbel Herrera drove in the tiebreaking run with a groundout against reliever Sean Reid-Foley (2-1) in the eighth as both games took an extra inning to determine a winner. Nola tied Tom Seaver’s mark for consecutive strikeouts set 51 years ago, but the Mets rallied to win the first game 2-1 in eight innings on big hits by Francisco Lindor and Dominic Smith. Following a costly error by third baseman Alec Bohm in the bottom of the seventh, Archie Bradley (3-1) limited the damage and allowed only pinch-hitter James McCann’s tying sacrifice fly in the nightcap. In the opener, Seth Lugo (1-0) struck out three in the top of the eighth and stranded two runners for the NL East leaders, playing their third doubleheader... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Zach Davies and three Chicago Cubs relievers combined for the seventh no-hitter in the majors this year, blanking the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 Thursday night and tying the record for most in a single baseball season since 1900. The Dodgers drew eight walks, getting at least one from each Cubs pitcher, but managed no other baserunners. Davies (5-4) issued five walks and used 94 pitches to get through six innings against the defending World Series champions in the 16th start of his first season with the Cubs. Ryan Tepera and Andrew Chafin each went one inning. Craig Kimbrel then walked Chris Taylor leading off the ninth, but the closer struck out Cody Bellinger, Albert Pujols and pinch-hitter Will Smith to finish the 17th no-hitter in Cubs history — the team’s first combined effort. Javier Báez homered in the first inning and Willson Contreras added a two-run shot in the sixth for the Cubs, who happily celebrated the franchise’s first no-hitter since last Sept. 13, when... [More]

American LeagueMay 19 — Corey Kluber, New York Yankees at Texas Rangers, 2-0 May 18 — Spencer Turnbull, Detroit Tigers at Seattle Mariners, 5-0 May 5 — John Means, Baltimore Orioles at Seattle Mariners, 6-0 April 14 — Carlos Rodon, Chicago White Sox vs. Cleveland Indians, 8-0 National LeagueJune 24 — Zach Davies, Ryan Tepera (7), Andrew Chafin (8), Craig Kimbrel (9), Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-0 May 7 — Wade Miley, Cincinnati Reds at Cleveland Indians, 3-0 April 9 — Joe Musgrove, San Diego Padres at Texas Rangers, 3-0

American LeagueBaltimore — John Means, Baltimore Orioles vs. Seattle Mariners, 6-0, May 5,2021 Boston — Jon Lester vs. Kansas City, 7-0, May 19, 2008 Chicago — Carlos Rodon vs. Cleveland Indians, 8-0, April 14, 2021 Cleveland — x-Len Barker vs. Toronto, 3-0, May 15, 1981 Detroit — Spencer Turnbull at Seattle, 5-0, May 18, 2021 Houston — Justin Verlander at Toronto, 2-0, Sept. 1, 2019 Kansas City — Bret Saberhagen vs. Chicago White Sox, 7-0, Aug. 26, 1991 Los Angeles — Taylor Cole, Felix Pena (3), vs. Seattle, 13-0, July 12, 2019 Minnesota — Francisco Liriano at Chicago White Sox, 1-0, May 3, 2011 New York — Corey Kluber at Texas, 2-0, May 19, 2021 Oakland — Mike Fiers vs. Cincinnati, 2-0, May 7, 2019 Seattle — James Paxton at Toronto, 5-0, May 8, 2018 Tampa Bay — Matt Garza vs. Detroit, 5-0, July 26, 2010 Texas — x-Kenny Rogers vs. California, 4-0, July 28, 1994 Toronto — Dave Stieb at Cleveland, 3-0, Sept. 2, 1990 National League Arizona — Edwin Jackson at Tampa Bay, 1-0, June 26, 2010... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Chicago Cubs are working on a combined no-hitter through eight innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night. The Cubs led 4-0 in their quest for the majors’ seventh no-hitter of the year — which would match four other seasons for the most in the majors since 1900. The Dodgers drew seven walks, but had no other baserunners heading to the ninth. Right-hander Zach Davies started with six resilient innings, and reliever Ryan Tepera issued one walk in the seventh. Andrew Chafin yielded another walk in the eighth. Davies issued five walks and used 94 pitches to get through the first six innings, but still managed to keep the defending World Series champions without a hit in the 16th start of his first season with the Cubs. Tepera, the busiest reliever in Chicago's solid bullpen, walked Gavin Lux with two outs in the seventh. Austin Barnes lined out to second to end another hitless inning. Chafin walked Mookie Betts with one out, but Max Muncy hit a grounder... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Chicago Cubs are working on a combined no-hitter through seven innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night. Right-hander Zach Davies started with six resilient innings, and reliever Ryan Tepera kept it up in the seventh. The Dodgers drew six walks, but had no other baserunners. Davies issued five walks and used 94 pitches to get through the first six innings, but still managed to keep the defending World Series champions without a hit in the 16th start of his first season with the Cubs. Tepera, the busiest reliever in Chicago's solid bullpen, walked Gavin Lux with two outs in the seventh. Austin Barnes lined out to second to end another hitless inning. The Cubs led 4-0 in their quest for the majors' seventh no-hitter of the season. Davies bounced back sharply after yielding a career-high eight runs in his last start against Miami. Those eight runs matched the number he had allowed in his previous six starts combined, and he regained his excellent form... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Cubs reliever Ryan Tepera has had his three-game suspension for throwing at Milwaukee’s Brandon Woodruff reduced to two games. Tepera began his suspension with Sunday's series finale against the Brewers. The Cubs begin a four-game series at Atlanta on Monday night. Tepera also was fined by MLB senior vice president for on-field operations Michael Hill. He appealed the discipline to MLB special adviser John McHale Jr. The 33-year-old Tepera threw a pitch behind Woodruff in the fifth inning of Chicago's 3-2 victory at Milwaukee on April 13. Cubs catcher Willson Contreras had been plunked earlier in the game, and Tepera said he wanted to send a message because he felt his team had been hit too often in the past couple of years. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ WELL RESTED Jacob deGrom and the Mets hope to finally play some baseball. New York has had four games in six days either postponed or suspended due to weather, including a snow out Friday night for the opener of their series at Colorado. The club has had seven postponements this season, including all three games of its opening series against Washington, which was called off due to the Nationals’ COVID-19 outbreak. Saturday’s forecast in Denver looks chilly but clear, making it likely deGrom (0-1, 0.64) will finally get back on the mound two days after he was initially supposed to take his turn. New York’s ace will start the opener of a doubleheader against Chi Chi Gonzalez (1-0, 3.60), and Mets lefty Joe Lucchesi (0-0, 0.00) will face Germán Márquez (0-1, 4.02) in the late game. BEAT-UP BEARS Willson Contreras and the Cubs are feeling understandably unsettled in the box. Chicago batters were plunked four times by Braves starter Kyle... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ WELL RESTED Jacob deGrom and the Mets hope to finally play some baseball. New York has had four games in six days either postponed or suspended due to weather, including a snow out Friday night for the opener of their series at Colorado. The club has had seven postponements this season, including all three games of its opening series against Washington, which was called off due to the Nationals’ COVID-19 outbreak. Saturday’s forecast in Denver looks chilly but clear, making it likely deGrom (0-1, 0.64) will finally get back on the mound two days after he was initially supposed to take his turn. New York’s ace will start the opener of a doubleheader against Chi Chi Gonzalez (1-0, 3.60), and Mets lefty Joe Lucchesi (0-0, 0.00) will face Germán Márquez (0-1, 4.02) in the late game. BEAT-UP BEARS Willson Contreras and the Cubs are feeling understandably unsettled in the box. Chicago batters were plunked four times by Braves starter Kyle... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Friday: ___ SO-CAL SHOWDOWN San Diego rookie Ryan Weathers makes his first big league start when Mookie Betts and the champion Dodgers visit Petco Park in the first matchup this season between the NL West rivals. Los Angeles swept the Padres in the NL Division Series last year, and both teams added more stars in the offseason. The series opener could mark the return of San Diego shortstop Fernando Tatís Jr., who's eligible to come off the disabled list after partially dislocating his shoulder. Walker Buehler is lined up to pitch for the Dodgers, who own the best record in the majors this year. Weathers, a 21-year-old lefty, has a 1.50 ERA in three relief appearances since making his debut this season. “I think it’s a little different heading in,” Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer said. “Obviously having a little bit of history with them in the postseason last year, maybe that’ll spice things up a little bit.” WATCH OUT The Cubs will be minus manager... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Friday: ___ SO-CAL SHOWDOWN San Diego rookie Ryan Weathers makes his first big league start when Mookie Betts and the champion Dodgers visit Petco Park in the first matchup this season between the NL West rivals. Los Angeles swept the Padres in the NL Division Series last year, and both teams added more stars in the offseason. Walker Buehler is lined up to pitch for the Dodgers, who own the best record in the majors this year. Weathers, a 21-year-old lefty, has a 1.50 ERA in three relief appearances since making his debut this season. “I think it’s a little different heading in,” Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer said. “Obviously having a little bit of history with them in the postseason last year, maybe that’ll spice things up a little bit.” WATCH OUT The Cubs will be minus manager David Ross for the series opener against Atlanta at Wrigley Field. He’s been suspended for one game by Major League Baseball in the aftermath of a dust-up in Milwaukee... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Tepera was suspended for three games on Thursday by Major League Baseball, which concluded he intentionally threw at Milwaukee's Brandon Woodruff this week. Tepera appealed the penalty handed down by MLB senior vice president for on-field operations Michael Hill. Tepera, who also was fined, will not have to serve any discipline while the appeal is pending before MLB special adviser John McHale Jr. Cubs manager David Ross was suspended for one game and fined because of Tepera's actions. Managers immediately serve discipline, and Ross will sit out the Cubs' series opener against Atlanta on Friday. Chicago's Willson Contreras was hit by a pitch from oodruff leading off the fourth inning on Tuesday night. Tepera threw a pitch behind Woodruff in the fifth. Contreras hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Brent Suter in the eighth, and the Cubs went on to win 3-2. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rafael Devers homered for the fourth straight game and the streaking Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on a snowy Tuesday in a series opener moved back following the fatal police shooting of a Black man in a nearby suburb. Hunter Renfroe hit a solo homer and Bobby Dalbec added a pair of RBI doubles as Boston won its seventh in a row after losing its first three games of the season. Monday’s game was postponed due to safety and sensitivity concerns in the Twin Cities after the police shooting a day earlier of Daunte Wright during a traffic stop. The Twins held a moment of silence for Wright prior to Tuesday’s game. Snow flurries fell for most of the game and it was 33 degrees for the first pitch. That made for the third-coldest start at Target Field, the record being 27 degrees on April 7, 2018. Adam Ottavino (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief. Matt Barnes pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the season. Randy Dobnak (0-2) took the... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rafael Devers homered for the fourth straight game and the streaking Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on a snowy Tuesday in a series opener moved back following the fatal police shooting of a Black man in a nearby suburb. Hunter Renfroe hit a solo homer and Bobby Dalbec added a pair of RBI doubles as Boston won its seventh in a row after losing its first three games of the season. Monday’s game was postponed due to safety and sensitivity concerns in the Twin Cities after the police shooting a day earlier of Daunte Wright during a traffic stop. The Twins held a moment of silence for Wright prior to Tuesday’s game. Snow flurries fell for most of the game and it was 33 degrees for the first pitch. That made for the third-coldest start at Target Field, the record being 27 degrees on April 7, 2018. Adam Ottavino (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief. Matt Barnes pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the season. Randy Dobnak (0-2) took the... [More]

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — The Cubs finalized an $800,000, one-year contract with reliever Ryan Tepera on Tuesday, a deal that allows him to earn up to $1.75 million, and opened a roster spot by designating right-hander Duane Underwood Jr. for assignment. Tepera can earn $800,000 in performance bonuses for games pitched: $50,000 each for 30 and 35, $100,000 apiece for 40 and 45, $150,000 each for 50 and 55, and $200,000 for 60. He also can earn $150,000 in roster bonuses for days on the active roster: $50,000 each for 90, 120 and 150. The 33-year-old also played for Chicago last season, going 0-1 with a 3.92 ERA in 21 games. The right-hander limited lefty batters to a .188 average (6 for 32). Tepera made $323,383 in prorated base pay and $211,212 in earned bonuses for $534,595 in total pay. He became a free agent when the Cubs failed to offer a contract by the Dec. 2 deadline. Tepera spent his first five years with Toronto. He is 12-12 with a 3.66 ERA and 10 saves in 237 career appearances. Underwood, 26, went 1-0 with a 5.66 ERA in 17 games with Chicago during the pandemic-shortened season. He was selected by the Cubs in the second round of the 2012 amateur draft. The team also announced right-hander Robert Stock cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Iowa. He remains in camp as a non-roster invitee to big league spring training. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — The Cubs finalized an $800,000, one-year deal with reliever Ryan Tepera on Tuesday, a deal that allows him to earn up to $1.75 million, and opened a roster spot by designating right-hander Duane Underwood Jr. for assignment. Tepera can earn $800,000 in performance bonuses for games pitched: $50,000 each for 30 and 35, $100,000 apiece for 40 and 45, $150,000 each for 50 and 55, and $200,000 for 60. He also can earn $150,000 in roster bonuses for days on the active roster: $50,000 each for 90, 120 and 150. The 33-year-old also played for Chicago last season, going 0-1 with a 3.92 ERA in 21 games. The right-hander limited lefty batters to a .188 average (6 for 32). Tepera made $323,383 in prorated base pay and $211,212 in earned bonuses for $534,595 in total pay. He became a free agent when the Cubs failed to offer a contract by the Dec. 2 deadline. Tepera spent his first five years with Toronto. He is 12-12 with a 3.66 ERA and 10 saves in 237 career appearances. Underwood, 26, went 1-0 with a 5.66 ERA in 17 games with Chicago during the pandemic-shortened season. He was selected by the Cubs in the second round of the 2012 amateur draft. The team also announced right-hander Robert Stock cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Iowa. He remains in camp as a non-roster invitee to big league spring training. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr. became free agents Wednesday when the Chicago Cubs declined to offer contracts to two key players from their historic 2016 World Series championship. While Schwarber, Almora, slugger José Martínez and pitcher Ryan Tepera were non-tendered, the Cubs offered 2021 contracts to infielders Kris Bryant and Javier Báez, catchers Willson Contreras and Victor Caratini, and outfielder Ian Happ. They agreed to one-year deals with relievers Kyle Ryan ($800,000 in majors, $250,000 in minors), Colin Rea ($702,500) and Dan Winkler ($900,000), avoiding arbitration with all three. Chicago also announced it had claimed reliever Robert Stock off waivers from the Boston Red Sox. The 31-year-old right-hander was designated for assignment last week. Wednesday's non-tender deadline was the first major look at the state of the Cubs since Jed Hoyer was promoted to president of baseball operations last month, replacing Theo Epstein. While the Cubs held onto All-Star... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr. became free agents Wednesday when the Chicago Cubs declined to offer contracts to two key players from their historic 2016 World Series championship. While Schwarber, Almora, slugger José Martínez and pitcher Ryan Tepera were non-tendered, the Cubs offered 2021 contracts to infielders Kris Bryant and Javier Báez, catchers Willson Contreras and Victor Caratini, and outfielder Ian Happ. They agreed to one-year deals with relievers Kyle Ryan, Colin Rea ($702,500) and Dan Winkler, avoiding arbitration with all three. Chicago also announced it had claimed reliever Robert Stock off waivers from the Boston Red Sox. The 31-year-old right-hander was designated for assignment last week. Wednesday's non-tender deadline was the first major look at the state of the Cubs since Jed Hoyer was promoted to president of baseball operations last month, replacing Theo Epstein. While the Cubs held onto All-Star sluggers Bryant, Báez, and Contreras, those players... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr. became free agents Wednesday when the Chicago Cubs declined to offer contracts to two key players from their historic 2016 World Series championship. While Schwarber, Almora, slugger José Martínez and pitcher Ryan Tepera were non-tendered, the Cubs offered 2021 contracts to infielders Kris Bryant and Javier Báez, catchers Willson Contreras and Victor Caratini, and outfielder Ian Happ. They agreed to one-year deals with relievers Kyle Ryan, Colin Rea and Dan Winkler, avoiding arbitration with all three. Chicago also announced it had claimed reliever Robert Stock off waivers from the Boston Red Sox. The 31-year-old right-hander was designated for assignment last week. Wednesday's non-tender deadline was the first major look at the state of the Cubs since Jed Hoyer was promoted to president of baseball operations last month, replacing Theo Epstein. While the Cubs held onto All-Star sluggers Bryant, Báez, and Contreras, those players could... [More]