BALTIMORE (AP) — Kendrys Morales had his home run streak snapped at seven games by the Baltimore Orioles, who ended an eight-game skid by defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 7-0 on Monday night.Striving to tie the major league record of homering in eight straight games, Morales went 0 for 3 with a walk and did not hit the ball out of the infield. In his final chance, the Toronto slugger swung through a slider from Paul Fry to strike out in the eighth inning.Though he failed to match the mark shared by Dale Long, Don Mattingly and Ken Griffey Jr., Morales owns the big league record for successive games with a home run by a switch-hitter. He also owns the franchise record for consecutive games with a long ball.Facing Baltimore rookie David Hess, against whom he homered last week, Morales struck out in the first inning, grounded out in the fourth and drew a four-pitch walk in the sixth.Hess (3-8) tossed six innings of four-hit ball to earn his first win since May 25. He was 0-7 in his previous... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Kendrys Morales had his home run streak snapped at seven games by the Baltimore Orioles, who ended an eight-game skid by defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 7-0 on Monday night.Striving to tie the major league record of homering in eight straight games, Morales went 0 for 3 with a walk and did not hit the ball out of the infield. In his final chance, the Toronto slugger swung through a slider from Paul Fry to strike out in the eighth inning.Though he failed to match the mark shared by Dale Long, Don Mattingly and Ken Griffey Jr., Morales owns the big league record for successive games with a home run by a switch-hitter. He also owns the franchise record for consecutive games with a long ball.Facing Baltimore rookie David Hess, against whom he homered last week, Morales struck out in the first inning, grounded out in the fourth and drew a four-pitch walk in the sixth.Hess (3-8) tossed six innings of four-hit ball to earn his first win since May 25. He was 0-7 in his previous... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Kendrys Morales had his home run streak snapped at seven games by the Baltimore Orioles, who ended an eight-game skid by defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 7-0 on Monday night.Striving to tie the major league record of homering in eight straight games, Morales went 0 for 3 with a walk and did not hit the ball out of the infield. In his final chance, the Toronto slugger swung through a slider from Paul Fry to strike out in the eighth inning.Though he failed to match the mark shared by Dale Long, Don Mattingly and Ken Griffey Jr., Morales owns the big league record for successive games with a home run by a switch-hitter. He also owns the franchise record for consecutive games with a long ball.Facing Baltimore rookie David Hess, against whom he homered last week, Morales struck out in the first inning, grounded out in the fourth and drew a four-pitch walk in the sixth.Hess (3-8) tossed six innings of four-hit ball to earn his first win since May 25. He was 0-7 in his previous... [More]

Trivia time: When is the last time the major league leader in ERA had fewer wins than the guy who finished last?The answer is coming up in a few paragraphs, but the question is relevant because it could happen again this year. Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox, currently bringing up the rear among pitchers who qualify for the ERA title, notched his 10th victory of the season Saturday night, which is two more than major league ERA leader Jacob deGrom has.DeGrom's plight has been well documented. Pitching for the woeful Mets, he's 8-8 with a 1.71 ERA. Giolito is 10-9 with a 5.85 ERA. It's a stark example of why a pitcher's won-lost record can be deceiving, but Giolito's progress is worth watching over the final few weeks of the season. The White Sox are 18-17 since the All-Star break and showing signs that their rebuild is heading in the right direction.Left-hander Carlos Rodon has a 2.71 ERA in 13 starts this year, and highly touted prospect Michael Kopech is in the majors now — he... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Rookie David Bote struck again, connecting in the 10th inning for another game-ending home run that sent the Chicago Cubs over the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Friday for their third straight victory.Bote got behind 0-2 before driving Raisel Iglesias' next pitch deep to left field with one out. The infielder hit a bottom-of-the-ninth, two-out grand slam that beat Washington 4-3 on Aug. 12.Iglesias (2-2) had made seven straight scoreless appearances. Jesse Chavez (4-2), the sixth Cubs reliever, pitched a scoreless inning.Daniel Murphy hit his first homer since being traded Tuesday from Washington to the NL Central-leading Cubs. Alec Mills pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his first major league start.Cincinnati wasted a terrific start by Matt Harvey in its fourth loss in five games. Harvey struck out six in 5 1/3 innings after reportedly being claimed off waivers by Milwaukee. He stayed with the Reds when they couldn't work out a deal.BREWERS 7, PIRATES 6, 15 inningsMILWAUKEE... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Rookie David Bote struck again, connecting in the 10th inning for another game-ending home run that sent the Chicago Cubs over the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Friday for their third straight victory.Bote got behind 0-2 before driving Raisel Iglesias' next pitch deep to left field with one out. The infielder hit a bottom-of-the-ninth, two-out grand slam that beat Washington 4-3 on Aug. 12.Iglesias (2-2) had made seven straight scoreless appearances. Jesse Chavez (4-2), the sixth Cubs reliever, pitched a scoreless inning.Daniel Murphy hit his first homer since being traded Tuesday from Washington to the NL Central-leading Cubs. Alec Mills pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his first major league start.Cincinnati wasted a terrific start by Matt Harvey in its fourth loss in five games. Harvey struck out six in 5 1/3 innings after reportedly being claimed off waivers by Milwaukee. He stayed with the Reds when they couldn't work out a deal.RAYS 10, RED SOX 3ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:SOUTH BEACH STANTONGiancarlo Stanton returns to Marlins Park for the first time since Miami traded him to the New York Yankees in December. Stanton spent his first eight years with the Marlins and was the NL MVP last season when he hit 59 home runs.Stanton went 0 for 7 with four strikeouts in mid-April when the Marlins visited Yankee Stadium. The slugger has 32 homers this year and 299 in his career going into this two-game series."It's going to be weird for sure walking in, going to the visitors' side," Stanton said. "But I am looking forward to it. It's a big part of my life, my time down there. It will be a cool experience."MISSED YOUStar second baseman Jose Altuve is set to come off the disabled list and rejoin the Astros. Houston wobbled minus the reigning AL MVP, whose knee trouble put him on the DL for the first time in his career. The World Series champs lost 13 of the next 20 games after Altuve was sidelined July 25. He has led... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:SOUTH BEACH STANTONGiancarlo Stanton returns to Marlins Park for the first time since Miami traded him to the New York Yankees in December. Stanton spent his first eight years with the Marlins and was the NL MVP last season when he hit 59 home runs.Stanton went 0 for 7 with four strikeouts in mid-April when the Marlins visited Yankee Stadium. The slugger has 32 homers this year and 299 in his career going into this two-game series."It's going to be weird for sure walking in, going to the visitors' side," Stanton said. "But I am looking forward to it. It's a big part of my life, my time down there. It will be a cool experience."MISSED YOUStar second baseman Jose Altuve is set to come off the disabled list and rejoin the Astros. Houston wobbled minus the reigning AL MVP, whose knee trouble put him on the DL for the first time in his career. The World Series champs lost 13 of the next 20 games after Altuve was sidelined July 25. He has led... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Trevor Cahill pitched one-hit ball for seven shutout innings and the Oakland Athletics, far behind in the AL West standings earlier this summer, tied Houston for the division lead by beating the Astros 7-1 Saturday.Khris Davis, Matt Olson, Josh Phegley and Stephen Piscotty each hit two of Oakland's team record-tying eight doubles as the A's won for the sixth time in seven games. The Athletics trailed the defending World Series champion Astros by 11 1/2 games on June 24 and were still 10 out on July 10.Houston has lost seven of eight and dropped 12 of 19 since owning a six-game lead on July 24. The next day, reigning AL MVP Jose Altuve went on the disabled list, and the star second baseman is still out.Cahill (5-2) struck out seven, walked one and retired 14 straight batters during one stretch.Tony Kemp homered in the ninth for Houston's only other hit. Dallas Keuchel (9-10) gave up five runs in 5 2/3 innings.ROCKIES 5, BRAVES 3, 10 INNINGSATLANTA (AP) — Colorado struck... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Trevor Cahill pitched one-hit ball for seven shutout innings and the Oakland Athletics, far behind in the AL West standings earlier this summer, tied Houston for the division lead by beating the Astros 7-1 Saturday.Khris Davis, Matt Olson, Josh Phegley and Stephen Piscotty each hit two of Oakland's team record-tying eight doubles as the A's won for the sixth time in seven games. The Athletics trailed the defending World Series champion Astros by 11 1/2 games on June 24 and were still 10 out on July 10.Houston has lost seven of eight and dropped 12 of 19 since owning a six-game lead on July 24. The next day, reigning AL MVP Jose Altuve went on the disabled list, and the star second baseman is still out.Cahill (5-2) struck out seven, walked one and retired 14 straight batters during one stretch.Tony Kemp homered in the ninth for Houston's only other hit. Dallas Keuchel (9-10) gave up five runs in 5 2/3 innings.ROCKIES 5, BRAVES 3, 10 INNINGSATLANTA (AP) — Colorado struck... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Sunday:BIG-N-LITTLETodd Frazier, Michael Conforto and Scott Kingery will be back in familiar territory when the Mets and Phillies play under the lights in the Little League Classic at Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The game will be held at Bowman Field, which seats about 2,500 fans as the home of the Williamsport Crosscutters, a Philadelphia affiliate in the Class A New York-Penn League. Nearby is the field where Frazier, Conforto and Kingery all played in the Little League World Series.GONNA START SOMETHING?Jose Urena is set to start for the Marlins vs. Washington at Nationals Park. Urena's previous outing lasted only one pitch — he hit dynamic rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. with a fastball, setting off a bench-clearing incident in Atlanta, and was ejected. Major League Baseball suspended Urena six games, but the right-hander has appealed and can continue to play. There's speculation Urena will drop his appeal after this game, meaning he would miss the... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:ACUNA AGAIN!Atlanta rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. has homered five games in a row — at 20, he's the youngest major leaguer to do that. He's also hit leadoff home runs in three straight, connecting the last two days on the first pitch Miami threw.Acuna later added his 19th homer with a three-run drive in the seventh inning Tuesday night.Brady Anderson was last player with so much leadoff success, homering four straight times to start games for Baltimore in 1996.Acuna has matched the Atlanta record for consecutive games with a home run set by Brian McCann in 2006. Acuna will try to keep the streaks going when the Braves face Jose Urena and the Marlins at SunTrust Park.SKIDDINGMinus MVP Jose Altuve, the AL West-leading Astros are struggling. They've matched a season high with five straight losses, have dropped nine in a row at home, and their lead in the AL West is down to just a game over surging Oakland. Houston will try to reverse the slides... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Wednesday:ACUNA AGAIN!Atlanta rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. has homered five games in a row — at 20, he's the youngest major leaguer to do that. He's also hit leadoff home runs in three straight, connecting the last two days on the first pitch Miami threw.Acuna later added his 19th homer with a three-run drive in the seventh inning Tuesday night.Brady Anderson was last player with so much leadoff success, homering four straight times to start games for Baltimore in 1996.Acuna has matched the Atlanta record for consecutive games with a home run set by Brian McCann in 2006. Acuna will try to keep the streaks going when the Braves face Jose Urena and the Marlins at SunTrust Park.SKIDDINGMinus MVP Jose Altuve, the AL West-leading Astros are struggling. They've matched a season high with five straight losses and have dropped nine in a row at home. Houston will try to reverse the slides when Gerrit Cole (10-5, 2.75 ERA) starts vs. Colorado lefty Tyler Anderson... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve is headed to the disabled list.The reigning American League MVP is bound for the 10-day disabled list for the first time in his career after battling right knee soreness since exiting Wednesday's 3-2 loss in Colorado in the fifth inning."If they think it is better to go on the disabled list for the team and for me in order for me to come back healthy and strong," Altuve said. "So, we got to do it."Altuve is batting .329 with nine home runs and 46 RBIs for the Astros this season and had missed the last two games.

A look at what's happening around the majors today:INJURIES MOUNTINGThe Houston Astros are hoping for good news on All-Star outfielder George Springer, who exited Sunday's loss to the Dodgers after hurting his left thumb on a headfirst slide. It's unclear how long the 2017 World Series MVP might be out. "He was in a lot of pain," manager AJ Hinch said. "He is going to get evaluated. Other than that I have no idea." Before the game, the defending champs put pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. on the 10-day disabled list with right elbow discomfort. And star second baseman Jose Altuve (right knee soreness) was sent back to Houston for further examination. Last year's AL MVP won't come off the DL when eligible this week.PLAYOFF PREVIEW?Jake Arrieta (9-6, 3.32 ERA) pitches for the Phillies, looking for their sixth straight victory when they visit Arizona in a matchup of NL division leaders. Zack Godley (12-6, 4.46) goes for the Diamondbacks.HAMELS' DAYCole Hamels makes his second start for the Cubs... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Monday:INJURIES MOUNTINGThe Houston Astros are hoping for good news on All-Star outfielder George Springer, who exited Sunday's loss to the Dodgers after hurting his left thumb on a headfirst slide. It's unclear how long the 2017 World Series MVP might be out. "He was in a lot of pain," manager AJ Hinch said. "He is going to get evaluated. Other than that I have no idea." Before the game, the defending champs put pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. on the 10-day disabled list with right elbow discomfort. And star second baseman Jose Altuve (right knee soreness) was sent back to Houston for further examination. Last year's AL MVP won't come off the DL when eligible this week.PLAYOFF PREVIEW?Jake Arrieta (9-6, 3.32 ERA) pitches for the Phillies, looking for their sixth straight victory when they visit Arizona in a matchup of NL division leaders. Zack Godley (12-6, 4.46) goes for the Diamondbacks.HAMELS DAYCole Hamels makes his second start for the Cubs... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:STARTING OUTBrian Dozier could make his first start for the Los Angeles Dodgers when they host Milwaukee. The power-hitting Minnesota second baseman was traded Tuesday, shortly before the deadline for making deals without waivers. The defending NL champion Dodgers have revamped their infield in the last two weeks, also getting star Manny Machado.MOVING DAYChris Archer, Jonathan Scoop and Wilson Ramos were part of the 15 trades made Tuesday as contenders prepped for the playoff race. Brandon Kintzler will celebrate his 34th birthday finishing the move from Washington to the Cubs — on his birthday last year, he was going from Minnesota to the Nationals.HURTINGAstros center fielder George Springer will see how his sore left shoulder is feeling. The World Series MVP jarred himself making a diving try, hoping to cut off a ball Tuesday night at Seattle. Houston already has star infielders Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa on the disabled list.WELCOMECole... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Wednesday:STARTING OUTBrian Dozier could make his first start for the Los Angeles Dodgers when they host Milwaukee. The power-hitting Minnesota second baseman was traded Tuesday, shortly before the deadline for making deals without waivers. The defending NL champion Dodgers have revamped their infield in the last two weeks, also getting star Manny Machado.MOVING DAYChris Archer, Jonathan Scoop and Wilson Ramos were part of the 15 trades made Tuesday as contenders prepped for the playoff race. Brandon Kintzler will celebrate his 34th birthday finishing the move from Washington to the Cubs — on his birthday last year, he was going from Minnesota to the Nationals.HURTINGAstros center fielder George Springer will see how his sore left shoulder is feeling. The World Series MVP jarred himself making a diving try, hoping to cut off a ball Tuesday night at Seattle. Houston already has star infielders Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa on the disabled list.WELCOMECole... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge sat side by side on the dais, together in public for the first time as Yankees teammates.Truly a big night in New York baseball.The towering duo joined several of the game's top stars in attendance Sunday night as the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America held its 95th annual dinner.Acquired by the Yankees in a December trade with Miami, the 6-foot-6 Stanton was on hand to collect the National League Most Valuable Player award after leading the majors with 59 home runs and 132 RBIs last season."This has been an amazing ride and I'm excited to be here in New York and experience the big city, bright lights, and this is going to be a lot of fun for me," said the eight-year veteran, drawing loud applause.Standing a smidge taller at 6-foot-7, Judge took home his own share of hardware. The 25-year-old outfielder was selected New York player of the year and also received the Joe DiMaggio Toast of the Town award.Stanton... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox may head to spring training without the middle-of-the-lineup hitter they have been seeking since David Ortiz retired at the end of the 2016 season.That's by necessity, not choice.After saying all winter that he would like a big bat to address the power outage that left the Red Sox last in the AL in homers in 2017, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said on Thursday that he's prepared to move forward without one."We'll keep working at it," Dombrowski said before the awards dinner for the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. "But I do think we have a good club, no matter what."After leading the majors in runs in 2016, Ortiz's last season before he retired, the Red Sox won 93 years for the second straight year in '17 to claim the first back-to-back AL East titles in franchise history. But without Ortiz, the offensive production plummeted: They were sixth in runs, and Mookie Betts led the team with 24 homers, the fewest... [More]