DETROIT (AP) — Gregory Polanco hit a three-run homer in the 13th inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 13-10 victory over Detroit on Friday — about an hour after the Tigers spilled onto the field to celebrate what they thought was a game-winning hit of their own.Nicholas Castellanos was initially called safe at home in the bottom of the 10th for the Tigers, but a replay review took the run away and the teams played on. Polanco's drive to right-center on a 3-0 pitch from Alex Wilson (0-1) finally gave the Pirates a comfortable lead — or as comfortable as could be on a wacky day in which both teams scored four runs in the ninth.Detroit put two men on base in the 13th, but Steven Brault (1-0) was able to hold on and finish his third scoreless inning of relief.By the time the 5-hour, 27-minute game was over, there were only three umpires and one manager left. Plate umpire Mike Everitt exited in the eighth with a concussion after being hit in the mask by a pitch. And Ron Gardenhire — in... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Gregory Polanco hit a three-run homer in the 13th inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 13-10 victory over Detroit on Friday — about an hour after the Tigers spilled onto the field to celebrate what they thought was a game-winning hit of their own.Nicholas Castellanos was initially called safe at home in the bottom of the 10th for the Tigers, but a replay review took the run away and the teams played on. Polanco's drive to right-center on a 3-0 pitch from Alex Wilson (0-1) finally gave the Pirates a comfortable lead — or as comfortable as could be on a wacky day in which both teams scored four runs in the ninth.Detroit put two men on base in the 13th, but Steven Brault (1-0) was able to hold on and finish his third scoreless inning of relief.By the time the 5-hour, 27-minute game was over, there were only three umpires and one manager left. Plate umpire Mike Everitt exited in the eighth with a concussion after being hit in the mask by a pitch. And Ron Gardenhire — in... [More]

Shohei Ohtani went only one way in his spring training debut for the Los Angeles Angels and got pulled early.The Japanese star pitcher and hitter was scheduled to throw two innings in his start Saturday, but was taken out after giving up two hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings during a 6-5 win over Milwaukee.Angels manager Mike Scioscia didn't put Ohtani in the batting order.The 23-year-old righty struck out two and his fastball reached 97 mph. He allowed one run, on a homer by Keon Broxton. Ohtani threw 31 pitches, 17 for strikes."Besides the results, I mean, I had a lot of fun out there, so I think it went all well," Ohtani said through a translator.Ohtani has been hitting some long home runs in batting practice."I had a lot of fun out there today and obviously I'm excited to hit and pitch again, and I just want to keep on getting better and have good results from here on out," he said.Scioscia said Ohtani will hit early in the week, as the designated hitter."It was great to see him,"... [More]

Shohei Ohtani went only one way in his spring training debut for the Los Angeles Angels and got pulled early.The Japanese star pitcher and hitter was scheduled to throw two innings in his start Saturday, but was taken out after giving up two hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings during a 6-5 win over Milwaukee.Angels manager Mike Scioscia didn't put Ohtani in the batting order.The 23-year-old righty struck out two and his fastball reached 97 mph. He allowed one run, on a homer by Keon Broxton. Ohtani threw 31 pitches, 17 for strikes."Besides the results, I mean, I had a lot of fun out there, so I think it went all well," Ohtani said through a translator.Ohtani has been hitting some long home runs in batting practice."I had a lot of fun out there today and obviously I'm excited to hit and pitch again, and I just want to keep on getting better and have good results from here on out," he said.Scioscia said Ohtani will hit early in the week, as the designated hitter."It was great to see him,"... [More]

RHP Eddie Butler was optioned to Triple-A Iowa to make room on the roster for John Lackey. Butler pitched in 13 games, 11 of them starts, and went 4-3 with a 3.95 ERA. Butler pitched 54 2/3 innings, struck out 30 and walked 28. Butler made 38 appearances over three seasons for Colorado and was acquired by the Cubs in January.

RHP Eddie Butler will move to the bullpen thanks to the trade for LHP Jose Quintana, according to manager Joe Maddon. Butler was 4-3 with a 3.88 ERA in 12 games, (11 starts) but now Quintana needs a spot.

RHP Eddie Butler had a no-decision in his 11th start of the season on Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. But he did have his third scoreless outing, although it was also his fifth of fewer than five innings pitched. "I would have liked to have been more effective with my pitches, but I was able to do enough to keep us there, knotted a zero for a while," Butler said.

RHP Eddie Butler (4-3, 4.18 ERA) makes his 11th start of the season and sixth at home in Friday afternoon's series opener against the Pirates. He has faced Pittsburgh three times in his career, twice as a starter and has an 0-1 all-time record. He had a no-decision outing on June 16 at PNC Park, going 5 2/3 innings while giving up four earned runs in the Cubs' 9-5 victory. He began 2017 with Triple-A Iowa and went 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in five starts before an early May call-up.

RHP Eddie Butler couldn't overcome a rough fourth inning on Saturday afternoon at Cincinnati. After allowing only two hits through three innings, the wheels came off for Butler in the fourth when he allowed four runs and three hits, one of which was a two-run double, the first major-league hit for Reds starter Jackson Stephens. Butler also issued a bases-loaded walk in the inning. "I was able to move it around in the zone (the first three innings," Butler said. "Once I started losing feel for it, the zone got smaller."

RHP Eddie Butler, a Virginia native, made his second career start at Nationals Park on Monday. He went five scoreless innings and was in line for the win as the Cubs were winning 1-0 when he left. Butler did get the win as the Cubs held on 5-4. "We had a really good game plan," said Butler, who gave up four hits. "Javy was making plays all over the field. The guys were making great plays to keep us in that situation (with the lead). It was intense. Sometimes I felt myself speed up a little bit."

RHP Eddie Butler (3-2, 4.19 ERA) will make his sixth start of the season on Monday at the Washington Nationals. In his only previous appearance against the Nats, Butler took the loss, allowing four runs in six innings at Washington on Aug. 6, 2015. This will be his fourth road start of the year. Butler, 26, started the season at Triple-A Iowa, going 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in five starts. He then pitched six scoreless innings in his Cubs debut on May 12 at the St. Louis Cardinals. He was the first pitcher in 11 years to pitch at least six scoreless frames in his Cubs debut.

RHP Eddie Butler had no decision and ended a streak of three straight starts of at least five innings pitched Wednesday. He worked four-plus innings, his shortest outing since May 19 against Milwaukee. Butler threw 31 pitches in the first inning and 92 for the game, allowing one run on five hits. He struck out four and walked three.

RHP Eddie Butler (3-2, 4.41 ERA) makes his eighth start of the season and fifth at home in Wednesday's series finale against the Padres. He had a no-decision in his last outing on June 16 in the Cubs' 9-5 victory. working 5 2/3 innings and allowing four earned runs on four hits. He owns a 7.41 ERA in four career starts abasing the Padres (including a relief outing) and second this season. He began the season at Triple-A Iowa and went 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in five starts.

RHP Eddie Butler allowed four runs on four hits, with three walks and no strikeouts, through 5 2/3 innings after initially shutting down the Pirates. Butler did not allow a hit through 3 1/3 innings. He pitched to the minimum numbers of batters to that point, 10. Then he didn't last the sixth, when he left after Pittsburgh scored twice to tie it and also got charged with a go-ahead run. "I started to get tired," Butler said. "I lost some velocity in that inning, but I still could have gotten through it if I had located my pitches better. I kept trying to get that third out and I just never got it."

RHP Eddie Butler will look to provide the Cubs some length on Friday night, when he takes the mound in the opener of a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Butler took the loss in his most recent start last Saturday, when he gave up three runs on six hits and one walk while striking out three over five innings as the Cubs fell to the Colorado Rockies, 9-1. It was the fifth straight start in which Butler has lasted fewer than six innings. The only time this season he tossed six innings was in his season debut on May 12. Butler is 0-1 with a 2.16 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against the Pirates.

RHP Eddie Butler (3-2) drew the loss Saturday against the Colorado Rockies. He allowed three runs and six hits in five innings. The Cubs' fifth starter has gone at least five innings in four of six starts this season.

RHP Eddie Butler (3-1) continued to make a case that he belongs on the Chicago Cubs roster on Monday. Called up last month after LHP Brett Anderson went on the disabled list, the Cubs right-hander allowed just one run in a 5 2/3 inning outing as Chicago beat the Miami Marlins 3-1. "Today we really attacked the zone, limited the walks and were ahead in the count a lot," said Butler, who gave up three hits, walked one and struck out four.

RHP Eddie Butler had allowed only three earned runs on nine hits over 14 innings in his first three starts for the Cubs going into Tuesday night. So the six runs he gave up on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings were season highs. His earned run average jumped from 1.93 to 4.42.

RHP Eddie Butler (2-0) has a 1.93 ERA in three starts with the Cubs since a call-up from Triple-A Iowa. He has allowed one or zero runs in five-plus innings in two of those outings. He improved to 4-0 lifetime against the Giants with a 2.96 ERA, accounting for half of his career total of wins (eight). Butler retired nine straight batters from the first to the fourth inning.

RHP Eddie Butler (1-0, 2.00 ERA) makes his third start of the season and second at home on Thursday. In his last start on May 19 against Milwaukee, he threw 92 pitches and lasted just three innings while giving up two earned runs and three hits in a no-decision. Butler is 3-0 with a 3.22 ERA in four career starts against the San Francisco Giants, including two scoreless outings of at least 5 1/3 innings.