MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich became the first major leaguer to hit for the cycle twice in one season against the same team, driving in four runs to lead the Milwaukee Brewers over the Cincinnati Reds 8-0 on Monday night.Less than three weeks after his cycle in Cincinnati, the streaking slugger accomplished the feat against the last-place Reds once again to help the Brewers in their playoff pursuit. Milwaukee stayed 2½ games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central and maintained a three-game lead in the wild-card race.Yelich singled in the first inning, doubled in the second, launched a two-run homer in the fifth and completed the cycle with a two-run triple in the sixth. With the Brewers nursing a large lead, he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.Yelich's huge second half has turned him into a top contender for the NL MVP award. He also hit for the cycle when he went 6 for 6 in a 13-12 comeback victory on Aug. 29 at Cincinnati, making him the fifth player to... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich became the first major leaguer to hit for the cycle twice in one season against the same team, driving in four runs to lead the Milwaukee Brewers over the Cincinnati Reds 8-0 on Monday night.Less than three weeks after his cycle in Cincinnati, the streaking slugger accomplished the feat against the last-place Reds once again to help the Brewers in their playoff pursuit. Milwaukee began the night 2½ games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central but with a three-game lead in the wild-card race.Yelich singled in the first inning, doubled in the second, launched a two-run homer in the fifth and completed the cycle with a two-run triple in the sixth. With the Brewers nursing a large lead, he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.Yelich's huge second half has turned him into a top contender for the NL MVP award. He also hit for the cycle when he went 6 for 6 in a 13-12 comeback victory on Aug. 29 at Cincinnati, making him the fifth player... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich became the first major leaguer to hit for the cycle twice in one season against the same team, driving in four runs to lead the Milwaukee Brewers over the Cincinnati Reds 8-0 on Monday night.Less than three weeks after his cycle in Cincinnati, the streaking slugger accomplished the feat against the last-place Reds once again to help the Brewers in their playoff pursuit. Milwaukee began the night 2½ games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central but with a three-game lead in the wild-card race.Yelich singled in the first inning, doubled in the second, launched a two-run homer in the fifth and completed the cycle with a two-run triple in the sixth. With the Brewers nursing a large lead, he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.Yelich's huge second half has turned him into a top contender for the NL MVP award. He also hit for the cycle when he went 6 for 6 in a 13-12 comeback victory on Aug. 29 at Cincinnati, making him the fifth player... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit his 41st home run and the Boston Red Sox moved closer to winning the AL East title, completing a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with a 4-3 victory Thursday night.Xander Bogaerts scored the go-ahead run on an eighth-inning error after the Blue Jays rallied in the top half with two runs to tie it 3-all.Rafael Devers also homered for the major league-leading Red Sox (101-46). They pulled 10 1/2 games ahead of the idle New York Yankees and decreased their magic number to six for clinching a third straight division crown. Boston is the only team in the majors that's already locked up a playoff berth.Brandon Workman (5-0) faced one batter, ending Toronto's eighth-inning rally, and got the win. Craig Kimbrel earned his 40th save. Danny Barnes (3-3) took the loss.Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered for the Blue Jays.ROCKIES 10, DIAMONDBACKS 3DENVER (AP) — Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story homered, Kyle Freeland pitched effectively into the seventh, and Colorado beat... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit his 41st home run and the Boston Red Sox moved closer to winning the AL East title, completing a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with a 4-3 victory Thursday night.Xander Bogaerts scored the go-ahead run on an eighth-inning error after the Blue Jays rallied in the top half with two runs to tie it 3-all.Rafael Devers also homered for the major league-leading Red Sox (101-46). They pulled 10 1/2 games ahead of the idle New York Yankees and decreased their magic number to six for clinching a third straight division crown. Boston is the only team in the majors that's already locked up a playoff berth.Brandon Workman (5-0) faced one batter, ending Toronto's eighth-inning rally, and got the win. Craig Kimbrel earned his 40th save. Danny Barnes (3-3) took the loss.Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered for the Blue Jays.ROCKIES 10, DIAMONDBACKS 3DENVER (AP) — Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story homered, Kyle Freeland pitched effectively into the seventh, and Colorado beat... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox reached 100 wins for the first time since Ted Williams returned from World War II in the 1946 season, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 on Wednesday night.David Price (15-6) won his sixth straight decision, allowing three hits and striking out seven. Unbeaten in 11 starts since July 1, Price left after 92 pitches with a lead earned when Rafael Devers scampered home on a wild pitch by Aaron Sanchez (4-6) in the fifth inning.Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 39th save in 44 chances.A night after becoming the first major league team this year to clinch a playoff spot, Boston won for the 10th time in 14 games and moved a season-high 54 games above .500.Jonathan Davis had his first major league hit for Toronto.TWINS 3, YANKEES 1MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jake Odorizzi's no-hit bid was broken up when Greg Bird hit a run-scoring double with one out in the eighth inning, and Minnesota beat the Yankees to take two of three from New York.The Yankees' lead over Oakland... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox reached 100 wins for the first time since Ted Williams returned from World War II in the 1946 season, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 on Wednesday night.David Price (15-6) won his sixth straight decision, allowing three hits and striking out seven. Unbeaten in 11 starts since July 1, Price left after 92 pitches with a lead earned when Rafael Devers scampered home on a wild pitch by Aaron Sanchez (4-6) in the fifth inning.Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 39th save in 44 chances.A night after becoming the first major league team this year to clinch a playoff spot, Boston won for the 10th time in 14 games and moved a season-high 54 games above .500.Jonathan Davis had his first major league hit for Toronto.TWINS 3, YANKEES 1MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jake Odorizzi's no-hit bid was broken up when Greg Bird hit a run-scoring double with one out in the eighth inning, and Minnesota beat the Yankees to take two of three from New York.The Yankees' lead over Oakland... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox reached 100 wins for the first time since Ted Williams returned from World War II in the 1946 season, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 on Wednesday night.David Price (15-6) won his sixth straight decision, allowing three hits and striking out seven. Unbeaten in 11 starts since July 1, Price left after 92 pitches with a lead earned when Rafael Devers scampered home on a wild pitch by Aaron Sanchez (4-6) in the fifth inning.Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 39th save in 44 chances.A night after becoming the first major league team this year to clinch a playoff spot, Boston won for the 10th time in 14 games and moved a season-high 54 games above .500.Jonathan Davis had his first major league hit for Toronto.TWINS 3, YANKEES 1MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jake Odorizzi's no-hit bid was broken up when Greg Bird hit a run-scoring double with one out in the eighth inning, and Minnesota beat the Yankees to take two of three from New York.The Yankees' lead over Oakland... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox reached 100 wins for the first time since Ted Williams returned from World War II in the 1946 season, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 on Wednesday night.David Price (15-6) won his sixth straight decision, allowing three hits and striking out seven. Unbeaten in 11 starts since July 1, Price left after 92 pitches with a lead earned when Rafael Devers scampered home on a wild pitch by Aaron Sanchez (4-6) in the fifth inning.Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 39th save in 44 chances.A night after becoming the first major league team this year to clinch a playoff spot, Boston won for the 10th time in 14 games and moved a season-high 54 games above .500.Jonathan Davis had his first major league hit for Toronto.TWINS 3, YANKEES 1MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jake Odorizzi's no-hit bid was broken up when Greg Bird hit a run-scoring double with one out in the eighth inning, and Minnesota beat the Yankees to take two of three from New York.The Yankees' lead over Oakland... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox reached 100 wins for the first time since Ted Williams returned from World War II in the 1946 season, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 on Wednesday night.David Price (15-6) won his sixth straight decision, allowing three hits and striking out seven. Unbeaten in 11 starts since July 1, Price left after 92 pitches with a lead earned when Rafael Devers scampered home on a wild pitch by Aaron Sanchez (4-6) in the fifth inning.Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 39th save in 44 chances.A night after becoming the first major league team this year to clinch a playoff spot, Boston won for the 10th time in 14 games and moved a season-high 54 games above .500.Jonathan Davis had his first major league hit for Toronto.DODGERS 8, REDS 1CINCINNATI (AP) — Yasmani Grandal and Justin Turner drove in three runs each, and Los Angeles beat Cincinnati to avoid a season sweep by the last-place Reds.Joc Pederson homered for the Dodgers, and Grandal had three hits.Los Angeles... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shohei Ohtani homered twice during a huge night at the plate after getting bad news about his pitching arm, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 9-3 on Wednesday.Perhaps headed for Tommy John surgery, the two-way rookie sensation went 4 for 4 with three RBIs, four runs and a stolen base to power the Angels. About two hours before the game, the team announced Ohtani has new damage in his right elbow and ligament-replacement surgery has been recommended.The club said the Japanese star had an MRI earlier in the day that revealed the problem in his ulnar collateral ligament.Ohtani's homers were towering drives into the right-field seats. With his second two-homer game, the designated hitter tied Kenji Johjima's 2006 major league record of 18 homers by a Japanese rookie.Andrelton Simmons also homered for the Angels and drove in three runs.Adrian Beltre hit a two-run shot for Texas, the 472nd homer of his career, in the sixth inning against Jim Johnson. Three... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shohei Ohtani homered twice during a huge night at the plate after getting bad news about his pitching arm, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 9-3 on Wednesday.Perhaps headed for Tommy John surgery, the two-way rookie sensation went 4 for 4 with three RBIs, four runs and a stolen base to power the Angels. About two hours before the game, the team announced Ohtani has new damage in his right elbow and ligament-replacement surgery has been recommended.The club said the Japanese star had an MRI earlier in the day that revealed the problem in his ulnar collateral ligament.Ohtani's homers were towering drives into the right-field seats. With his second two-homer game, the designated hitter tied Kenji Johjima's 2006 major league record of 18 homers by a Japanese rookie.Andrelton Simmons also homered for the Angels and drove in three runs.Adrian Beltre hit a two-run shot for Texas, the 472nd homer of his career, in the sixth inning against Jim Johnson. Three... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shohei Ohtani homered twice on a huge night at the plate after getting bad news about his pitching arm, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Texas Rangers 9-3 on Wednesday.Perhaps headed for Tommy John surgery, the two-way rookie sensation went 4 for 4 with three RBIs, four runs and a stolen base to power the Angels. About two hours before the game, the team announced Ohtani has new damage in his right elbow and ligament-replacement surgery has been recommended.The club said the Japanese star had an MRI earlier in the day that revealed the problem in his ulnar collateral ligament.Ohtani's homers were towering drives into the right-field seats. With his second two-homer game, the designated hitter tied Kenji Johjima's 2006 major league record of 18 homers by a Japanese rookie.Andrelton Simmons also homered for the Angels and drove in three runs.Adrian Beltre hit a two-run shot for Texas, the 472nd homer of his career, in the sixth inning against Jim Johnson. Three... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Pinch-running pitcher Vince Velasquez was called out for leaving second base early while tagging up, resulting in a game-ending double play that gave the Washington Nationals a 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.After Aaron Nola outpitched Max Scherzer for the second time in six days in a matchup of NL Cy Young Award contenders, the Phillies watched Washington rally for three runs in the ninth to take a 5-3 lead.Ramos got Philadelphia within a run with a pinch-hit double in the ninth, and Velasquez pinch-ran for the catcher. Greg Holland relieved and retired Jorge Alfaro on a flyball to center, with Velasquez moving to third as the potential tying run.But the Nationals appealed that Velasquez left too soon, and he was called out. A replay upheld the ruling.Anthony Rendon hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Pat Neshek (1-1) in the Nationals ninth. The Nationals trailed 3-2 when Bryce Harper drew a leadoff walk from Tommy Hunter. Neshek surrendered Rendon's... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Kendrys Morales became the seventh player in major league history to homer in at least seven consecutive games, going deep in the third inning of the Toronto Blue Jays' 8-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.Morales hit a two-run shot off Vince Velasquez, his 21st homer of the season. He has a chance to equal the major league record of homers in eight consecutive games, shared by Ken Griffey Jr., Dale Long and Don Mattingly.Rhys Hoskins and Carlos Santana hit back-to-back home runs for Philadelphia. Maikel Franco and Wilson Ramos each had two-run shots as the Phillies avoided a three-game sweep.Ramos had four hits. He singled in the first, doubled home a run in the second, singled in the sixth and homered off Tyler Clippard in the eighth, his 15th.Velasquez (9-9) allowed two runs and three hits in five innings for the victory as Philadelphia won for the second time in eight games.Marco Estrada (7-10) allowed five runs and seven hits in two-plus innings as Toronto's... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Kendrys Morales became the seventh player in major league history to homer in at least seven consecutive games, going deep in the third inning of the Toronto Blue Jays' 8-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.Morales hit a two-run shot off Vince Velasquez, his 21st homer of the season. He has a chance to equal the major league record of homers in eight consecutive games, shared by Ken Griffey Jr., Dale Long and Don Mattingly.Rhys Hoskins and Carlos Santana hit back-to-back home runs for Philadelphia. Maikel Franco and Wilson Ramos each had two-run shots as the Phillies avoided a three-game sweep.Ramos had four hits. He singled in the first, doubled home a run in the second, singled in the sixth and homered off Tyler Clippard in the eighth, his 15th.Velasquez (9-9) allowed two runs and three hits in five innings for the victory as Philadelphia won for the second time in eight games.Marco Estrada (7-10) allowed five runs and seven hits in two-plus innings as Toronto's... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Center fielder Greg Allen made two superb catches to help fellow rookie Shane Bieber hold down Boston, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Red Sox 6-3 Tuesday night in a matchup of AL division leaders.Melky Cabrera homered for the second straight game and Yan Gomes also connected for Cleveland. The Indians have won nine of 10, including the first two of the four-game series at Fenway Park.Boston, with the best record in the majors, has lost three in a row for just the second time this season.Allen doubled, singled and drove in a run. But he made the biggest impact with his glove.First, Allen raced back and slammed into the padded wall to take away an extra-base hit from Xander Bogaerts leading off the fifth inning. Then, with the Red Sox trying to rally in the seventh, Mitch Moreland hit a long drive toward the dirt triangle in deep center. Allen slid to a stop as he caught the ball over his shoulder — it was a sacrifice fly and finished Bieber, but thwarted Boston's momentum.Bieber... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Robinson Cano is back in the major leagues with the Seattle Mariners after serving an 80-game drug suspension.The eight-time All-Star has a new position — first base, for the first time — and a new spot in the batting order, too."It feels great to be back, especially the way the team is playing," Cano said before the game. "I'm excited. I was waiting for this moment."Cano's first game was fairly nondescript. He went 1 for 4 with a single in the Mariners' 3-2 loss to the Oakland Athletics and played error-free in his new position.Cano arrived in Oakland late Monday, woke up early Tuesday and was at the Coliseum taking batting practice underneath the outfield stands three hours before the scheduled first pitch."It was really hard, I'm not going to lie," Cano said. "It was so hard watching the game from home knowing that (I) should be in there. My daughter was the thing that kept me positive. That was the biggest thing, being around my family."The 35-year-old Cano rejoins... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Robinson Cano is back in the major leagues with the Seattle Mariners after serving an 80-game drug suspension.The eight-time All-Star has a new position — first base, for the first time — and a new spot in the batting order, too."It feels great to be back, especially the way the team is playing," Cano said before Tuesday night's game against the Oakland Athletics. "I'm excited. I was waiting for this moment."Cano arrived in Oakland late Monday, woke up early Tuesday and was at the Coliseum taking batting practice underneath the outfield stands three hours before the scheduled first pitch."It was really hard, I'm not going to lie," Cano said. "It was so hard watching the game from home knowing that (I) should be in there. My daughter was the thing that kept me positive. That was the biggest thing, being around my family."The 35-year-old Cano rejoins a Seattle team that is in the middle of a playoff race. The Mariners entered the day 1 ½ games behind the Athletics for... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuna Jr. pulled off one of the rarest feats in baseball history, hitting leadoff homers in both games of a doubleheader to send the first-place Atlanta Braves to a sweep of the Miami Marlins on Monday.The 20-year-old rookie hit an opposite-field drive into the Braves' bullpen in Game 1, powering Atlanta to a 9-1 victory. Haitian-American Touki Toussaint (1-0) pitched six strong innings to win his major league debut.It was more of the same from Acuna in the nightcap. He sent a towering shot into the seats in left-center, sparking the Braves to a 6-1 victory behind another strong outing on the mound from Mike Foltynewicz (10-7).Acuna appeared to be only the fourth player in big league history to hit a pair of leadoff homers in a doubleheader.Merandy Gonzalez (2-1) took the loss in the second game after being called up from Double-A Jacksonville for his first career start.Acuna hit his first leadoff homer off Pablo Lopez (2-3) and added a two-run double in the sixth,... [More]