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]

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Conforto and Todd Frazier hit back-to-back homers with two outs in the ninth inning, and the New York Mets stunned the Miami Marlins 4-3 on Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader.Conforto drove in three more runs in the second game, and Jason Vargas pitched six effective innings to help the Mets win 5-2.In the opener, Kyle Barraclough entered with one out in the ninth and retired pinch-hitter Dominic Smith before Conforto lined a 1-0 changeup into the second deck in right to tie it. Frazier then hit a 1-1 pitch to left center field for his first walk-off homer since June 2015 for Cincinnati.Barraclough (0-6) blew a save for the seventh time in 17 opportunities. Jerry Blevins (3-2) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.Rookie starter Sandy Alcantara befuddled the Mets, permitting just two hits, with his only real blemish coming off the bat of the opposing pitcher. Steven Matz hit his first career homer, a two-run shot in the second inning to tie it at 2. Peter... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Conforto and Todd Frazier hit back-to-back homers with two outs in the ninth inning, and the New York Mets stunned the Miami Marlins 4-3 on Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader.Kyle Barraclough entered with one out in the ninth and retired pinch-hitter Dominic Smith before Conforto lined a 1-0 changeup into the second deck in right to tie it. Frazier then hit a 1-1 pitch to left center field for his first walk-off homer since June 2015 for Cincinnati.Barraclough (0-6) blew a save for the seventh time in 17 opportunities.Jerry Blevins (3-2) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.Rookie starter Sandy Alcantara befuddled the Mets offense, permitting just two hits, with his only real blemish coming off the bat of the opposing pitcher. Steven Matz hit his first career homer, a two-run shot into the left-field seats in the second inning to tie it at 2.Peter O'Brien and Isaac Galloway went deep in the top of the second against Matz.ROCKIES 10, DIAMONDBACKS 3DENVER... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Aaron Nola are going pitch for pitch in the NL Cy Young Award race.Problem is, that prize might not do the trio justice. Not according to baseball's advanced analytics.With 2½ weeks left in the season, it's time to ask: Should one of those three be MVP?"It's the best player in the league," deGrom said. "If that happens to be a pitcher and they can win it, then it's well deserved."There's no debating deGrom's dominance, even if it's not translating into wins for the struggling New York Mets. Scherzer's awards-season resume is more traditional, bolstered by league-leading totals in victories and strikeouts. And Nola is right there, too, in a breakout season with the Philadelphia Phillies.But an MVP? For three pitchers who are going to miss the postseason? Some don't think pitchers should even be considered for the award, though they've won 25 times before.The stats devised by sabermetricians suggest it would be a swing and a miss not to consider... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Aaron Nola are going pitch for pitch in the NL Cy Young Award race.Problem is, that prize might not do the trio justice. Not according to baseball's advanced analytics.With 2½ weeks left in the season, it's time to ask: Should one of those three could be MVP?"It's the best player in the league," deGrom said. "If that happens to be a pitcher and they can win it, then it's well deserved."There's no debating deGrom's dominance, even if it's not translating into wins for the struggling New York Mets. Scherzer's awards-season resume is more traditional, bolstered by league-leading totals in victories and strikeouts. And Nola is right there, too, in a breakout season with the Philadelphia Phillies.But an MVP? For three pitchers who are going to miss the postseason? Some don't think pitchers should even be considered for the award, though they've won 25 times before.The stats devised by sabermetricians suggest it would be a swing and a miss not to... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matt Kemp beat the Diamondbacks for the second straight game, hitting a two-run double in the ninth inning that lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers over Arizona 3-2 Sunday for sole possession of first place in the NL West.A day after Kemp launched a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth against Archie Bradley, the Dodgers' slugger tagged him again.Kemp's one-out drive off the wall in left-center field put Los Angeles alone atop the West for the first time since Aug. 7. The Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks by identical 3-2 scores three days in a row, after Arizona won the series opener at Dodger Stadium.Brad Boxberger (2-5) started the ninth and put the potential tying and go-ahead runs on with consecutive walks to pinch-hitter Alex Verdugo and Max Muncy. The runners advanced on Enrique Hernandez's sacrifice bunt and set up Kemp.Daniel Descalso homered leading off the ninth against Caleb Ferguson to put Arizona ahead 2-1.Kenley Jansen (1-5) got the last three outs.ASTROS 4,... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matt Kemp beat the Diamondbacks for the second straight game, hitting a two-run double in the ninth inning that lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers over Arizona 3-2 Sunday for sole possession of first place in the NL West.A day after Kemp launched a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth against Archie Bradley, the Dodgers' slugger tagged him again.Kemp's one-out drive off the wall in left-center field put Los Angeles alone atop the West for the first time since Aug. 7. The Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks by identical 3-2 scores three days in a row, after Arizona won the series opener at Dodger Stadium.Brad Boxberger (2-5) started the ninth and put the potential tying and go-ahead runs on with consecutive walks to pinch-hitter Alex Verdugo and Max Muncy. The runners advanced on Enrique Hernandez's sacrifice bunt and set up Kemp.Daniel Descalso homered leading off the ninth against Caleb Ferguson to put Arizona ahead 2-1.Kenley Jansen (1-5) got the last three outs.BRAVES 5,... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Hendricks pitched six strong innings, Javier Baez notched his NL-leading 99th RBI and Kris Bryant doubled and had two hits in his return from the disabled list to lead the Chicago Cubs past the Philadelphia Phillies 7-1 on Saturday night.Ian Happ homered and Baez had three hits for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who have won nine of 11.Bryant had been sidelined since July 23 with left shoulder inflammation. The 2016 NL MVP doubled and scored in the third and singled in the eighth.Hendricks (11-10) allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks.Nick Williams had two hits and an RBI for the Phillies, who fell three games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East.The Cubs, helped by another Phillies error, scored a pair of runs in the first off Zach Eflin (9-6).DODGERS 3, DIAMONDBACKS 2LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matt Kemp slugged a go-ahead, two-strike, three-run homer in the eighth inning, lifting Los Angeles over Arizona and into a tie atop the NL West.With... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Hendricks pitched six strong innings, Javier Baez notched his NL-leading 99th RBI and Kris Bryant doubled and had two hits in his return from the disabled list to lead the Chicago Cubs past the Philadelphia Phillies 7-1 on Saturday night.Ian Happ homered and Baez had three hits for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who have won nine of 11.Bryant had been sidelined since July 23 with left shoulder inflammation. The 2016 NL MVP doubled and scored in the third and singled in the eighth.Hendricks (11-10) allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks.Nick Williams had two hits and an RBI for the Phillies, who fell three games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East.The Cubs, helped by another Phillies error, scored a pair of runs in the first off Zach Eflin (9-6).DODGERS 3, DIAMONDBACKS 2LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matt Kemp slugged a go-ahead, two-strike, three-run homer in the eighth inning, lifting Los Angeles over Arizona and into a tie atop the NL West.With... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Hendricks pitched six strong innings, Javier Baez notched his NL-leading 99th RBI and Kris Bryant doubled and had two hits in his return from the disabled list to lead the Chicago Cubs past the Philadelphia Phillies 7-1 on Saturday night.Ian Happ homered and Baez had three hits for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who have won nine of 11.Bryant had been sidelined since July 23 with left shoulder inflammation. The 2016 NL MVP doubled and scored in the third and singled in the eighth.Hendricks (11-10) allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks.Nick Williams had two hits and an RBI for the Phillies, who fell three games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East.The Cubs, helped by another Phillies error, scored a pair of runs in the first off Zach Eflin (9-6).YANKEES 2, TIGERS 1NEW YORK (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka pitched seven strong innings for his first win since July, rookie Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer and New York beat Detroit.The Yankees got... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Justin Turner homered on Zack Greinke's first pitch of the eighth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 on Friday night.Los Angeles began the day two games behind Arizona in the NL West and 2 1/2 games back in the wild-card race.The Dodgers also announced they had acquired third baseman David Freese from the Pirates in exchange for minor league infielder Jesus Manuel Valdez.Kenley Jansen worked the ninth for his 33rd save. Paul Goldschmidt doubled with one out, but Jansen struck out David Peralta and retired Eduardo Escobar on a grounder to shortstop.Enrique Hernandez also homered for Los Angeles, and Dylan Floro (5-3) got the win.Goldschmidt hit his 31st homer for Arizona, and Greinke (13-9) gave up six hits in 7 1/3 innings.WHITE SOX 6, RED SOX 1CHICAGO (AP) — Yoan Moncada and Matt Davidson homered for Chicago, and prized prospect Michael Kopech combined with three relievers on a five-hitter.Major league-leading Boston had won three in... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres drove in the go-ahead run one batter after a contested check swing loaded the bases for New York in the eighth inning, and the Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 7-5 on Friday night as they await the arrival of 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen.Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks and Miguel Andujar homered in the sixth to end Jordan Zimmermann's bid for a second career no-hitter. Zimmermann carried a 3-0 lead and a no-hitter into the inning behind a solo homer from Niko Goodrum and a two-run triple by Jim Adduci.New York trailed 5-4 when it loaded the bases against Joe Jimenez (4-4) on a double by Gardner and walks by Hicks and Luke Voit. Voit was ruled to have checked his swing on a 3-2, two-out pitch. Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire was ejected for arguing that Voit went around.Torres then lined an 0-1 pitch from Alex Wilson to left field for a single, and the ball ricocheted off the head of diving left fielder Mikie Mahtook, allowing two runs to score for a 6-5 Yankees lead.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres drove in the go-ahead run one batter after a contested check swing loaded the bases for New York in the eighth inning, and the Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 7-5 on Friday night as they await the arrival of 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen.Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks and Miguel Andujar homered in the sixth to end Jordan Zimmermann's bid for a second career no-hitter. Zimmermann carried a 3-0 lead and a no-hitter into the inning behind a solo homer from Niko Goodrum and a two-run triple by Jim Adduci.New York trailed 5-4 when it loaded the bases against Joe Jimenez (4-4) on a double by Gardner and walks by Hicks and Luke Voit. Voit was ruled to have checked his swing on a 3-2, two-out pitch. Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire was ejected for arguing that Voit went around.Torres then lined an 0-1 pitch from Alex Wilson to left field for a single, and the ball ricocheted off the head of diving left fielder Mikie Mahtook, allowing two runs to score for a 6-5 Yankees lead.... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — At one point during Anthony Rizzo's tough start, the big first baseman visited Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon in his office.Rizzo and Maddon talked hitting, and Maddon wrote down what he thought Rizzo's numbers would look like by the end of the season. Fast forward to the last days of August, and Rizzo's statistics are beginning to approach his usual numbers — where Maddon thought they would go eventually.Only Rizzo might have to just trust his manager on that one."I wrote the numbers down a couple months ago. I just have to remember where I put them," a grinning Maddon said.At the end of perhaps his most challenging season in Chicago, the 64-year-old Maddon remains as comfortable with himself as the day he took over four years ago, when he boldly talked about the playoffs at a bar in the shadow in the Wrigley Field.Maddon's personality — his steady hand, and perhaps more importantly, his subtle changes over the years — is a major reason why the Cubs just keep winning through... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Sonny Gray made the most of a foray into the starting rotation by taking a three-hitter into the seventh inning, and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 Saturday night for a doubleheader sweep.In the opener, rookie Miguel Andujar homered and had four RBIs, J.A. Happ (15-6) won his fifth straight start and New York rolled to a 10-3 victory.Gray (10-8) gave up three hits, a walk and struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander had been exiled to the bullpen after yielding seven runs in a loss to Baltimore on Aug. 1.Gray allowed only one runner past second base in helping the Yankees notch their seventh win in eight games to pull seven games behind first-place Boston in the AL East.Austin Romine homered, had three hits and scored three runs for the Yankees, who led 4-0 after four innings against Andrew Cashner (4-12).Andujar had two hits in each game to raise his batting average to .300. He leads AL rookies in batting, multihit games (43) and RBIs (70).RAYS... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Sonny Gray made the most of a foray into the starting rotation by taking a three-hitter into the seventh inning, and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 Saturday night for a doubleheader sweep.In the opener, rookie Miguel Andujar homered and had four RBIs, J.A. Happ (15-6) won his fifth straight start and New York rolled to a 10-3 victory.Gray (10-8) gave up three hits, a walk and struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander had been exiled to the bullpen after yielding seven runs in a loss to Baltimore on Aug. 1.Gray allowed only one runner past second base in helping the Yankees notch their seventh win in eight games to pull seven games behind first-place Boston in the AL East.Austin Romine homered, had three hits and scored three runs for the Yankees, who led 4-0 after four innings against Andrew Cashner (4-12).Andujar had two hits in each game to raise his batting average to .300. He leads AL rookies in batting, multihit games (43) and RBIs (70).RAYS... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Aaron Nola outdueled Max Scherzer in a meeting of All-Star aces, Odubel Herrera hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Washington Nationals 2-0 Thursday.Nola (15-3) was masterful in his matchup with the three-time Cy Young Award winner, allowing five hits and one walk. He escaped his biggest jam with his final pitch, striking out Bryce Harper with runners on first and second to end the eighth.Nola struck out nine and finished with a 2.13 ERA — the exact same ERA as Scherzer.Scherzer (16-6) was nearly as good in the first matchup of starters with at least 150 innings and a sub-2.25 ERA since St. Louis' John Tudor faced Mets ace Dwight Gooden on Sept. 11, 1985. Scherzer gave up two hits in seven innings and struck out 10, increasing his major league-leading total to 244.Pat Neshek pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.BRAVES 5, MARLINS 0MIAMI (AP) — Rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. hit his 21st home run and got hit by another Miami... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Aaron Nola outdueled Max Scherzer in a meeting of All-Star aces, Odubel Herrera hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Washington Nationals 2-0 Thursday.Nola (15-3) was masterful in his matchup with the three-time Cy Young Award winner, allowing five hits and one walk. He escaped his biggest jam with his final pitch, striking out Bryce Harper with runners on first and second to end the eighth.Nola struck out nine and finished with a 2.13 ERA — the exact same ERA as Scherzer.Scherzer (16-6) was nearly as good in the first matchup of starters with at least 150 innings and a sub-2.25 ERA since St. Louis' John Tudor faced Mets ace Dwight Gooden on Sept. 11, 1985. Scherzer gave up two hits in seven innings and struck out 10, increasing his major league-leading total to 244.Pat Neshek pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.BRAVES 5, MARLINS 0MIAMI (AP) — Rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. hit his 21st home run and got hit by another Miami... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul DeJong hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Kenley Jansen in the ninth inning, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals to a 3-1 victory and a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night.The Cardinals' eighth straight road win helped them improve to 17-4 this month, the most wins in the majors. They've homered in 15 straight games, one off the current season mark of 16 in a row by Philadelphia.St. Louis remained 2½ games behind the NL Central-leading Cubs.For Jansen, it was a familiar ending.The All-Star closer, who became a father for the third time earlier in the day, gave up consecutive homers to Jedd Gyorko and Matt Carpenter in the series opener Monday. That was Jansen's first game back after missing time because of an irregular heartbeat.This time, Gyorko singled off Jansen (0-5) and DeJong followed with a drive to left-center to give the Cardinals their first lead.Jordan Hicks struck out Cody Bellinger, Brian Dozier and Chris Taylor to earn his fifth... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Rookie Freddy Peralta tossed seven scoreless innings and drove in a run with his first career hit, combining with two relievers on a five-hitter to lead the Milwaukee Brewers past the Cincinnati Reds 4-0 on Wednesday.Christian Yelich homered and finished a triple shy of the cycle, reaching base five times and driving in two runs for Milwaukee. He opened the first with his 21st homer, doubled in the third, walked in the fourth and singled in the sixth and eighth.Peralta (6-4) allowed just three singles, striking out seven and walking two to win for the second time in seven starts. The 22-year-old right-hander did not allow a hit until Jose Peraza's single to open the fourth.Peralta was 0-for-22 with 11 strikeouts this season before he drove in the Brewers' second run with a fourth-inning single.Robert Stephenson (0-2) allowed four runs on nine hits in five innings, walking three and striking out four.The Reds loaded the bases in the eighth against Taylor Williams, but Jeremy... [More]