WASHINGTON (AP) — Yan Gomes hit a game-ending single in the ninth inning, Erick Fedde extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and the Washington Nationals two-hit the first-place New York Mets in a 1-0 victory Friday night. Juan Soto opened the ninth with a walk and moved to third on Ryan Zimmerman’s single to right. Gomes then singled to left to beat Edwin Díaz (1-2). Brad Hand (4-2) pitched the ninth to close out Washington’s gem. The Nationals have won a season-high five straight. Fedde pitched seven dominant innings, allowing two hits and four walks while striking out six. The right-hander’s scoreless streak is the longest on the team this season. Fedde’s ERA is down to 3.33. Joey Lucchesi countered with 5 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out five. Three Mets relievers followed with 2 2/3 scoreless before Díaz struggled in the ninth. ORIOLES 7, BLUE JAYS 1 BALTIMORE (AP) — Cedric Mullins homered twice and Thomas Eshelman pitched effectively... [More]

Yermín Mercedes is hitting .346 with six home runs in his breakout rookie season, numbers that should win him praise from manager and everyone else rooting for the Chicago White Sox to make a run deep into October. And, no, he's never read the unwritten rules of baseball. He can’t, because, well, they’re unwritten. Tony La Russa seems to know them anyway, which isn’t surprising. And La Russa seems intent on teaching them to his young slugger, who made what might otherwise be chalked up to a rookie mistake by hitting a 47 mph pitch thrown by a position player over the fence in Minnesota the other night. Or maybe it wasn’t a mistake after all. Unwritten rules, it seems, can be a bit baffling, even to those who think they know them. That includes a septuagenarian manager who seems determined to prove every day that he is as out of touch with today’s game as his many critics claim. “I was upset because that’s not the time to swing 3-and-0,” La Russa said. “The Twins knew I was upset. With that... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ UP AND DOWN Shohei Ohtani (1-0, 2.10 ERA) makes his sixth pitching start of the season when the Angels face Aaron Civale (5-1, 3.40) and the Indians. Ohtani hit his major league-leading 14th home run during Tuesday night's 6-5 loss to Cleveland, connecting for the third straight day. The two-way star is the first pitcher since 1900 to rack up at least 40 strikeouts and allow 11 or fewer hits over his first five starts of a season. Los Angeles will again be without three-time AL MVP Mike Trout, who was placed on the injured list Tuesday with a strained right calf. Trout could be sidelined past the All-Star break after getting hurt on the bases Monday night. He is expected to miss six to eight weeks. “I felt a pop,” Trout said. "I knew it was bad when it happened. I’ve never felt anything like this before.” Trout leads the majors with a 1.090 OPS. The outfielder is hitting .333 with eight home runs and 18 RBIs. VIRUS UPDATE The streaking... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Twins reliever Tyler Duffey was ejected Tuesday night after throwing behind Chicago White Sox designated hitter Yermín Mercedes. With one out in the seventh and the White Sox up 4-2, Mercedes came to the plate and Duffey threw the first pitch behind the slugger’s legs. Duffey and manager Rocco Baldelli then were ejected by plate umpire Jim Reynolds. The Twins then rallied for a 5-4 victory. “There were no warnings,” Baldelli said. “The umpires got together. They made a decision that, obviously, if they threw him out of the game, they made the decision that they thought it was intentional on Duff’s end. We were due to pitch Yermín, who’s been very good against us, in and crowd him some too. That’s the way it played out. They threw him out of the game and we have to live with that, but it doesn’t mean we have to be happy about it.” Mercedes had Minnesota's attention after he homered in the ninth inning of Chicago's 16-4 victory on Monday night, driving a 3-0 pitch... [More]

White Sox manager Tony La Russa said Yermín Mercedes made a “big mistake” when he crushed a 3-0 pitch from infielder Willians Astudillo for a solo homer in the ninth inning of Monday night's 16-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins. The 76-year-old Hall of Fame manager said he was yelling for Mercedes to take. Instead, the rookie drove the 47-mph eephus pitch deep to center for his sixth homer — and touched off yet another debate about baseball's unwritten rules. The issue clearly lingered, too. When Mercedes batted in the seventh inning Tuesday night, Minnesota reliever Tyler Duffey threw the first pitch behind the slugger’s legs. Duffey and manager Rocco Baldelli then were ejected by home plate umpire Jim Reynolds. "I don’t have a problem with how the Twins handled that,” La Russa said after Chicago's 5-4 loss. Before the game, La Russa called out Mercedes. “That's just sportsmanship, respect for the game, respect for your opponent,” La Russa said. “He made a mistake, so there will be a... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors on Wednesday: ___ TROUT TROUBLE Angels star Mike Trout could be out past the All-Star break after straining his right calf on the bases. Trout is expected to miss six to eight weeks. The three-time AL MVP made an early exit Monday night in a 7-4 win over Cleveland. He came up limping when he ran toward third on a popup that ended the first inning. “I felt a pop,” Trout said. "I knew it was bad when it happened. I’ve never felt anything like this before.” Trout leads the majors with a 1.090 OPS. The outfielder is hitting .333 with eight home runs and 18 RBIs. TICKED-OFF TWINS A riled-up Twins team hosts the White Sox again in a series between AL Central rivals that's turned a little testy. Minnesota reliever Tyler Duffey was ejected Tuesday night after throwing behind the legs of Chicago rookie Yermín Mercedes. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli also was tossed by plate umpire Jim Reynolds. Mercedes got Minnesota’s attention when he homered on a 3-0... [More]

White Sox manager Tony La Russa said Yermín Mercedes made a “big mistake” when he crushed a 3-0 pitch from infielder Willians Astudillo for a solo homer in the ninth inning of Monday night's 16-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins. The 76-year-old Hall of Fame manager said he was yelling for Mercedes to take. Instead, the rookie drove the 47-mph eephus pitch deep to center for his sixth homer — and touched off yet another debate about baseball's unwritten rules. The issue clearly lingered, too. On Tuesday night when Mercedes came up in the seventh inning with the White Sox ahead 4-2, Minnesota reliever Tyler Duffey threw the first pitch behind the slugger’s legs. Duffey and manager Rocco Baldelli then were ejected by home plate umpire Jim Reynolds. Before the game, La Russa called out Mercedes. “That's just sportsmanship, respect for the game, respect for your opponent,” La Russa said. “He made a mistake, so there will be a consequence that he has to endure here within our family. But it... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Twins reliever Tyler Duffey was ejected Tuesday night after throwing behind Chicago White Sox designated hitter Yermín Mercedes. With one out in the seventh and the White Sox up 4-2, Mercedes came to the plate and Duffey threw the first pitch of the at-bat behind the slugger’s legs. Duffey and manager Rocco Baldelli then were ejected by home plate umpire Jim Reynolds. Mercedes had Minnesota's attention after he homered in the ninth inning of Chicago's 16-4 victory on Monday night, driving a 3-0 pitch from infielder Willians Astudillo deep to center. White Sox manager Tony La Russa said Mercedes made a mistake, and the Hall of Fame skipper apologized to the Twins. “There’s one thing acknowledging it, and that’s appreciated, but it doesn’t quell all of the emotions from all the guys in the clubhouse, in and of itself,” Baldelli said before Tuesday's game. There was no sign of any trouble before Duffey's pitch in the seventh. Bailey Ober pitched four innings for Minnesota in his major league debut. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

White Sox manager Tony La Russa said Yermín Mercedes made a “big mistake” when he crushed a 3-0 pitch from infielder Willians Astudillo for a solo homer in the ninth inning of Monday night's 16-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins. The 76-year-old Hall of Fame manager said he was yelling for Mercedes to take. Instead, the rookie drove the 47-mph eephus pitch deep to center for his sixth homer — and touched off yet another debate about baseball's unwritten rules. “That's just sportsmanship, respect for the game, respect for your opponent,” La Russa said Tuesday. “He made a mistake, so there will be a consequence that he has to endure here within our family. But it won't happen again because (third base coach Joe McEwing) will be on the lookout and I will be too, and we'll go running in front of the pitcher if we have to.” The 28-year-old Mercedes has been one of baseball's biggest surprises so far this year, and the designated hitter was back in the Chicago lineup for Tuesday night's game... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Oakland Athletics won their 12th consecutive game — their longest winning streak in almost two decades — with a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Oakland’s string is its longest since it won a franchise-record 20 in a row in 2002. It is the Athletics’ third-longest winning streak since moving to Oakland in 1968, and is the longest in the majors since Houston’s 12-game run from June 6-18, 2018. Ramón Laureano homered and Cole Irvin won consecutive starts for the first time in nearly two years as the A’s improved to 13-1 since dropping their first six games. Baltimore has lost seven of its eight home games. Irvin (2-2) had won back-to-back starts just once before, his first two career starts for Philadelphia in May 2019. Coming off six shutout innings against Detroit on Saturday, he stymied the Orioles for five innings. But Baltimore stitched together four singles in the sixth, capped by Pedro Severino’s RBI single, to end Irvin’s night. Jake Diekman... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Oakland Athletics won their 12th consecutive game — their longest winning streak in almost two decades — with a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Oakland’s string is its longest since it won a franchise-record 20 in a row in 2002. It is the Athletics’ third-longest winning streak since moving to Oakland in 1968, and is the longest in the majors since Houston’s 12-game run from June 6-18, 2018. Ramón Laureano homered and Cole Irvin won consecutive starts for the first time in nearly two years as the A’s improved to 13-1 since dropping their first six games. Baltimore has lost seven of its eight home games. Irvin (2-2) had won back-to-back starts just once before, his first two career starts for Philadelphia in May 2019. Coming off six shutout innings against Detroit on Saturday, he stymied the Orioles for five innings. But Baltimore stitched together four singles in the sixth, capped by Pedro Severino’s RBI single, to end Irvin’s night. Jake Diekman... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Oakland Athletics won their 12th consecutive game — their longest winning streak in almost two decades — with a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Oakland’s string is its longest since it won a franchise-record 20 in a row in 2002. It is the Athletics’ third-longest winning streak since moving to Oakland in 1968, and is the longest in the majors since Houston’s 12-game run from June 6-18, 2018. Ramón Laureano homered and Cole Irvin won consecutive starts for the first time in nearly two years as the A’s improved to 13-1 since dropping their first six games. Baltimore has lost seven of its eight home games. Irvin (2-2) had won back-to-back starts just once before, his first two career starts for Philadelphia in May 2019. Coming off six shutout innings against Detroit on Saturday, he stymied the Orioles for five innings. But Baltimore stitched together four singles in the sixth, capped by Pedro Severino’s RBI single, to end Irvin’s night. Jake Diekman... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Oakland Athletics won their 12th consecutive game — their longest winning streak in almost two decades — with a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Oakland’s string is its longest since it won a franchise-record 20 in a row in 2002. It is the Athletics’ third-longest winning streak since moving to Oakland in 1968, and is the longest in the majors since Houston’s 12-game run from June 6-18, 2018. Ramón Laureano homered and Cole Irvin won consecutive starts for the first time in nearly two years as the A’s improved to 13-1 since dropping their first six games. Baltimore has lost seven of its eight home games. Irvin (2-2) had won back-to-back starts just once before, his first two career starts for Philadelphia in May 2019. Coming off six shutout innings against Detroit on Saturday, he stymied the Orioles for five innings. But Baltimore stitched together four singles in the sixth, capped by Pedro Severino’s RBI single, to end Irvin’s night. Jake Diekman... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics extended their winning streak to 11, rallying from a two-run deficit and beating the Twins 13-12 on Wednesday when Luis Arraez threw away Ramón Laureano’s grounder for Minnesota’s second error of the 10th inning. Nelson Cruz had two home runs and four RBIs for the Twins, and Byron Buxton hit a two-run homer against Lou Trivino for a 12-10 lead in the 10th. Alex Colomé (1-2) got the first two outs in the bottom half with the automatic runner on second, then walked Seth Brown and Elvis Andrus, loading the bases. Mark Canha hit what should have been a game-ending grounder to second baseman Travis Blankehorn, who entered as a pinch runner for Josh Donaldson in the 10th, but Blankenhorn allowed the ball to bounce off his glove for a run-scoring error. Laureano hit a one-hopper to Arraez for what again should have been the final out. Arraez, who had moved to third from second base to third for the 10th, sailed his throw over first baseman Willians... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics extended their winning streak to 11, rallying from a two-run deficit and beating the Twins 13-12 on Wednesday when Luis Arraez threw away Ramón Laureano’s grounder for Minnesota’s second error of the 10th inning. Nelson Cruz had two home runs and four RBIs for the Twins, and Byron Buxton hit a two-run homer against Lou Trivino for a 12-10 lead in the 10th. Alex Colomé (1-2) got the first two outs in the bottom half with the automatic runner on second, then walked Seth Brown and Elvis Andrus, loading the bases. Mark Canha hit what should have been a game-ending grounder to second baseman Travis Blankehorn, who entered as a pinch runner for Josh Donaldson in the 10th, but Blankenhorn allowed the ball to bounce off his glove for a run-scoring error. Laureano hit a one-hopper to Arraez for what again should have been the final out. Arraez, who had moved to third from second base to third for the 10th, sailed his throw over first baseman Willians... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics extended their winning streak to 11, rallying from a two-run deficit and beating the Twins 13-12 on Wednesday when Luis Arraez threw away Ramón Laureano’s grounder for Minnesota’s second error of the 10th inning. Nelson Cruz had two home runs and four RBIs for the Twins, and Byron Buxton hit a two-run homer against Lou Trivino for a 12-10 lead in the 10th. Alex Colomé (1-2) got the first two outs in the bottom half with the automatic runner on second, then walked Seth Brown and Elvis Andrus, loading the bases. Mark Canha hit what should have been a game-ending grounder to second baseman Travis Blankehorn, who entered as a pinch runner for Josh Donaldson in the 10th, but Blankenhorn allowed the ball to bounce off his glove for a run-scoring error. Laureano hit a one-hopper to Arraez for what again should have been the final out. Arraez, who had moved to third from second base to third for the 10th, sailed his throw over first baseman Willians... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics extended their winning streak to 11, rallying from a two-run deficit and beating the Twins 13-12 on Wednesday when Luis Arraez threw away Ramón Laureano’s grounder for Minnesota’s second error of the 10th inning. Nelson Cruz had two home runs and four RBIs for the Twins, and Byron Buxton hit a two-run homer against Lou Trivino for a 12-10 lead in the 10th. Alex Colomé (1-2) got the first two outs in the bottom half with the automatic runner on second, then walked Seth Brown and Elvis Andrus, loading the bases. Mark Canha hit what should have been a game-ending grounder to second baseman Travis Blankehorn, who entered as a pinch runner for Josh Donaldson in the 10th, but Blankenhorn allowed the ball to bounce off his glove for a run-scoring error. Laureano hit a one-hopper to Arraez for what again should have been the final out. Arraez, who had moved to third from second base to third for the 10th, sailed his throw over first baseman Willians... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics extended their winning streak to 11, rallying from a two-run deficit and beating the Twins 13-12 on Wednesday when Luis Arraez threw away Ramón Laureano’s grounder for Minnesota’s second error of the 10th inning. Nelson Cruz had two home runs and four RBIs for the Twins, and Byron Buxton hit a two-run homer against Lou Trivino for a 12-10 lead in the 10th. Alex Colomé (1-2) got the first two outs in the bottom half with the automatic runner on second, then walked Seth Brown and Elvis Andrus, loading the bases. Mark Canha hit what should have been a game-ending grounder to second baseman Travis Blankehorn, who entered as a pinch runner for Josh Donaldson in the 10th, but Blankenhorn allowed the ball to bounce off his glove for a run-scoring error. Laureano hit a one-hopper to Arraez for what again should have been the final out. Arraez, who had moved to third from second base to third for the 10th, sailed his throw over first baseman Willians... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics extended their winning streak to 11, rallying from a two-run deficit and beating the Twins 13-12 on Wednesday when Luis Arraez threw away Ramón Laureano’s grounder for Minnesota’s second error of the 10th inning. Nelson Cruz had two home runs and four RBIs for the Twins, and Byron Buxton hit a two-run homer against Lou Trivino for a 12-10 lead in the 10th. Alex Colomé (1-2) got the first two outs in the bottom half with the automatic runner on second, then walked Seth Brown and Elvis Andrus, loading the bases. Mark Canha hit what should have been a game-ending grounder to second baseman Travis Blankehorn, who entered as a pinch runner for Josh Donaldson in the 10th, but Blankenhorn allowed the ball to bounce off his glove for a run-scoring error. Laureano hit a one-hopper to Arraez for what again should have been the final out. Arraez, who had moved to third from second base to third for the 10th, sailed his throw over first baseman Willians... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Randy Dobnak's road to the major leagues was so far off the traditional path he even chauffeured some ride-share customers along the way. The Minnesota Twins delivered the overachieving right-hander another big-time moment on Monday, in the form of a $9.25 million, five-year contract that includes three club options and could be worth $29.75 million over eight seasons. “I always believed in myself, even since I was a little kid. You have career days and stuff when you’re in elementary school and whatnot, and I was always like, ‘I want to be a baseball player,'” said Dobnak, whose place as the swingman of the 13-pitcher staff was secured last week. He'll be the team’s primary long reliever for now, essentially the sixth starter behind José Berríos, Kenta Maeda, Matt Shoemaker, Michael Pineda and J.A. Happ. This is a lot of money to guarantee a pitcher with 75 career major league innings, but the Twins saw enough improvement in his fastball and his slider this spring to... [More]