OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A's lefty Sean Manaea pitched the first no-hitter against Boston in 25 years, with an overturned call preserving the gem Saturday night in Oakland's 3-0 win over the sizzling Red Sox.Manaea struck out 10, walked two and threw 108 pitches to finish off Oakland's first no-no since Dallas Braden tossed a perfect game against Tampa Bay in 2010.Manaea got Hanley Ramirez to ground out to complete the first no-hitter versus the Red Sox since Seattle's Chris Bosio did it in 1993.Boston looked as if it had a hit with two outs in the sixth at the Oakland Coliseum. Andrew Benintendi hit a grounder to the right side, slid around first baseman Matt Olson and was ruled safe.After the umpires conferred, Benintendi was ruled out for going wide of the baseline.Sandy Leon reached in the Red Sox fifth when A's shortstop Marcus Semien dropped a popup. The play was scored as an error.Manaea (3-2) had been battered by Boston in three previous starts. But the 26-year-old cooled off a hard-hitting... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A's lefty Sean Manaea pitched the first no-hitter against Boston in 25 years, with an overturned call preserving the gem Saturday night in Oakland's 3-0 win over the sizzling Red Sox.Manaea struck out 10, walked two and threw 108 pitches to finish off Oakland's first no-no since Dallas Braden tossed a perfect game against Tampa Bay in 2010.Manaea got Hanley Ramirez to ground out to complete the first no-hitter versus the Red Sox since Seattle's Chris Bosio did it in 1993.Boston looked as if it had a hit with two outs in the sixth at the Oakland Coliseum. Andrew Benintendi hit a grounder to the right side, slid around first baseman Matt Olson and was ruled safe.After the umpires conferred, Benintendi was ruled out for going wide of the baseline.Sandy Leon reached in the Red Sox fifth when A's shortstop Marcus Semien dropped a popup. The play was scored as an error.Manaea (3-2) had been battered by Boston in three previous starts. But the 26-year-old cooled off a hard-hitting... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Bartolo Colon carried a perfect game into the eighth inning and Robinson Chirinos drove in all three runs for the Texas Rangers during their 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros in 10 innings Sunday night.The 44-year-old Colon turned back the clock and dominated the defending World Series champions for seven innings, retiring his first 21 batters in an entertaining pitchers' duel with Astros ace Justin Verlander.Colon walked Carlos Correa to start the eighth before Josh Reddick lined an 0-2 delivery down the right-field line for a double that put runners at second and third, spoiling the no-hit bid as well.Opposing fans in Houston gave Colon a standing ovation. Two outs later, he was pulled with the score tied at 1.Chirinos homered in the third for the only hit off Verlander, who struck out 11 over eight innings.In the 10th, Chirinos launched a two-run double off Hector Rondon (1-1) that short-hopped the wall in straightaway center field. Jake Diekman pitched out of trouble... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Andrew Benintendi got three hits and the Boston Red Sox extended the best start in their 118-year history, beating the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 Sunday at frigid Fenway Park.Mitch Moreland also had three hits for the Red Sox, who completed a three-game sweep of the shortened series and improved to a major league-best 13-2 under new manager Alex Cora.The series was supposed to last four games, but the traditional Patriots' Day game scheduled for Monday morning at 11:05 a.m. was postponed late Sunday afternoon because of a forecast that calls for heavy rain throughout the day.The game will be made up May 17. It is the first time the Patriots' Day game in Boston has been postponed since 1984.Manny Machado had an RBI double for Baltimore, which has lost five of six.Boston ace Chris Sale gave up one run and two hits in five innings, striking eight and walking two.Heath Hembree (2-0) worked two innings of scoreless relief. Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his fifth save.Dylan Bundy... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-3 on Saturday to get to 12-2 — the best start in their 118-year history.Andrew Benintendi had a two-run single and an RBI double, and J.D. Martinez hit a solo homer for the Red Sox.Only once — in 1918 — had Boston started 11-2.Alex Cobb (0-1) was roughed up in his Orioles debut, giving up eight runs — seven earned — in 3 2/3 innings. Pedro Alvarez had a two-run homer for Baltimore, which has lost four of five.Hector Velazquez (2-0) gave up two runs in five innings. Marcus Walden pitched the final three innings for his first big-league save.BREWERS 5, METS 1NEW YORK (AP) — Chase Anderson breezed into the seventh inning, Jonathan Villar sliced a three-run homer inside the foul pole and Milwaukee stopped the Mets' nine-game winning streak.Jett Bandy also went deep against Matt Harvey (0-1) on a windy Fireworks Night at Citi Field as the Brewers cooled off New York... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-3 on Saturday to get to 12-2 — the best start in their 118-year history.Andrew Benintendi had a two-run single and an RBI double, and J.D. Martinez hit a solo homer for the Red Sox.Only once — in 1918 — had Boston started 11-2.Alex Cobb (0-1) was roughed up in his Orioles debut, giving up eight runs — seven earned — in 3 2/3 innings. Pedro Alvarez had a two-run homer for Baltimore, which has lost four of five.Hector Velazquez (2-0) gave up two runs in five innings. Marcus Walden pitched the final three innings for his first big-league save.BREWERS 5, METS 1NEW YORK (AP) — Chase Anderson breezed into the seventh inning, Jonathan Villar sliced a three-run homer inside the foul pole and Milwaukee stopped the Mets' nine-game winning streak.Jett Bandy also went deep against Matt Harvey (0-1) on a windy Fireworks Night at Citi Field as the Brewers cooled off New York... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Tyler Austin rushed the mound after being hit by a pitch from Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly, triggering a bench-clearing brawl in a ramped-up rivalry as the New York Yankees ended Boston's nine-game winning streak with a 10-7 victory Wednesday night.Benches cleared briefly in the third after Austin's spikes clipped Brock Holt's leg on a slide into second base. Holt took issue with the contact and they exchanged words before being separated.Then with the Yankees leading 10-6 in the seventh, Kelly caught Austin on the side with a 98 mph fastball. Austin slammed his bat on the plate, threw it down and took four steps toward the mound while hollering. Kelly waved Austin at him, and things quickly escalated.Austin, Kelly, New York reliever Tommy Kahnle and Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin were ejected.The Yankees scored four runs off David Price (1-1) in the first inning before the lefty ace exited the game with a tingling sensation in his pitching hand.Gary Sanchez hit two home... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Tyler Austin rushed the mound after being hit by a pitch from Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly, triggering a bench-clearing brawl in a ramped-up rivalry as the New York Yankees ended Boston's nine-game winning streak with a 10-7 victory Wednesday night.Benches cleared briefly in the third after Austin's spikes clipped Brock Holt's leg on a slide into second base. Holt took issue with the contact and they exchanged words before being separated.Then with the Yankees leading 10-6 in the seventh, Kelly caught Austin on the side with a 98 mph fastball. Austin slammed his bat on the plate, threw it down and took four steps toward the mound while hollering. Kelly waved Austin at him, and things quickly escalated.Austin, Kelly, New York reliever Tommy Kahnle and Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin were ejected.The Yankees scored four runs off David Price (1-1) in the first inning before the lefty ace exited the game with a tingling sensation in his pitching hand.Gary Sanchez hit two home... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a grand slam on a monster night, leading Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox over the New York Yankees 14-1 Tuesday for their ninth straight victory.Betts went 4 for 4, scoring five runs and driving in four. His third career slam capped a nine-run burst in the sixth inning that turned the first matchup of the season between the AL East rivals into a rout.Sale (1-0) allowed one run in six innings, striking out eight. Luis Severino (2-1) gave up five runs in five innings.Aaron Judge had three hits for the Yankees, including his third home run of the season.Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton went 2 for 4. He struck out his first two times up against Sale, and has now fanned 22 times in 46 at-bats.GIANTS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 4SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Andrew McCutchen hit a bases-loaded single for his second walk-off of San Francisco's homestand.McCutchen lined the first pitch he got from Jorge De La Rosa (0-1) for a clean single into left-center, his 10th career game-ending... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Max Scherzer stole the first base of his professional career and allowed only two singles in his fifth big league shutout, and the Washington Nationals ended a five-game losing skid while getting back to .500 with a 2-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.Scherzer (2-1), the winner of the past two NL Cy Young Awards, did not let the Braves push a runner beyond first base. Kurt Suzuki got a hit in the second, and Nick Markakis did in the fifth, but neither advanced.Scherzer managed to get farther than that: He swiped second after singling off reliever Peter Moylan in the seventh.Howie Kendrick delivered all the offense Washington needed with a two-run double.Scherzer struck out 10 and walked none in his ninth complete game in 299 major league starts. And he needed only 102 pitches, a far more efficient outing than his previous time on the mound: He threw 110 over five innings in a 7-1 loss at Atlanta on April 4.Julio Teheran (0-1) went six innings for the Braves,... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Robbie Ray worked around five walks over six innings and the bullpen closed out a two-hitter, helping the Arizona Diamondbacks spoil the St. Louis Cardinals' home opener 3-1 on Thursday night.Arizona improved to 6-1 for the second straight season and tied a franchise record for its best seven-game start. The team was also 6-1 in 2000. St. Louis dropped its first home opener since 2015.Ray (2-0) gave up a run and two hits while striking out nine. He was making his first appearance in St. Louis since being knocked out of a game by a line drive off his head on July 28, 2017.David Peralta capped off a two-run second inning with an RBI single. He pushed the lead to 3-0 with a double in the fourth.Brad Boxberger picked up his third save in three chances. Four Arizona relievers were perfect except for an error by first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in the eighth.Adam Wainwright (0-1) came off the 10-day disabled list to make the start for St. Louis. He gave up four hits and three runs... [More]

A look at what's happening all around the majors today:___FENWAY FESTIVITIESDavid Price gets a new opportunity to win over Boston fans when the Red Sox play their home opener against Tampa Bay. The $217 million left-hander held the Rays scoreless for seven innings when he started the second game of the season. Rookie manager Alex Cora said his mother will be in the crowd to see his first game in Boston. Ceremonies for the 107th opener at Fenway Park will include an F-16 flyover by the 134th Fighter Squadron in Vermont's Air National Guard, known as "The Green Mountain Boys." Clear skies were expected but forecasts called for a strong wind and temperatures in the low 40s. "Opening day is always fun," Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts said, "although it's not fun when it's 40."PAIR OF ACESWashington's home opener against the NL East rival Mets features an outstanding pitching matchup. Stephen Strasburg (1-0) starts for the Nationals vs. Jacob deGrom (1-0). New York is off to a 4-1 start, while... [More]

Once again, Greg Bird is hurt as spring training comes to a close.The oft-injured New York Yankees first baseman will need surgery on his ailing right ankle and could be sidelined for two months. The team learned of the setback Monday while in Atlanta for its final exhibition game, three days before the season opener at Toronto."Obviously, we were hoping it was going to be a shorter-term thing," said rookie manager Aaron Boone, who took over a club that reached Game 7 of the AL Championship Series last year. "But we feel like we got some answers. We feel like we know what the surgery's going to accomplish."Bird will have surgery to remove a small broken spur on the outside of his right ankle. Dr. Martin O'Malley is scheduled to operate Tuesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.The slugger is expected to be out for six to eight weeks."Hopefully this is something he will now put behind him for good," Boone said. "We feel pretty good that the surgery is fairly minor and they're... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Saying he's not disappointed about being passed over as Arizona's opening day starter, Robbie Ray dominated a minor league game in his final spring training appearance on Sunday. And with that, he pronounced himself ready to build on his breakout 15-win season of a year ago.Ray struck out 12 with no walks in 6 1-3 innings against Colorado players from the high Class A ranks. He allowed two runs on five hits, including a two-run homer. He threw 86 pitches.Ray said his command was "really good.""Obviously it's tough when you go and play guys (on the back field) to get the adrenalin going, the same atmosphere that you're going to encounter in a big league game," he said, "but it went really well."When manager Torey Lovullo announced last week that Zack Greinke would not be ready to start on opening day, the obvious choice to replace him would've seemed to be Ray. Greinke was 17-7 with a 3.20 ERA and 215 strikeouts in 32 starts last season — Ray was 15-5 with a 2.89... [More]

Capsules of National League West teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Los Angeles Dodgers2017: 104-58, first place, lost to Houston in World Series.Manager: Dave Roberts (third season).He's Here: OF Matt Kemp, RHP Tom Koehler, LHP Scott Alexander, LHP Henry Owens.He's Outta Here: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Brandon McCarthy, LHP Tony Watson, LHP Luis Avilan, LHP Scott Kazmir, LHP Adam Liberatore, OF Andre Ethier, INF Charlie Culberson, OF Curtis Granderson, LHP Grant Dayton, OF Franklin Gutierrez, RHP Josh Ravin.Projected Lineup: CF Chris Taylor (.288, 21 HRs, 72 RBIs, 17 SBs), SS Corey Seager (.295, 22, 77), 3B Justin Turner (.322, 21, 71, will start season on DL with broken left wrist), 1B Cody Bellinger (.267, 39, 97, 10 SBs), RF Yasiel Puig (.263, 28, 74), LF Matt Kemp (.276, 19, 64 in 115 games with Braves) or Joc Pederson (.212, 11, 35 in 102 games), C Austin Barnes (.289, 8, 38) or Yasmani Grandal (.247, 22, 58), 2B Logan Forsythe (.224, 6,... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks were one of baseball's big surprises a year ago. The surprise this year would be if they don't keep winning."Last year we kind of snuck up on people and had to earn their respect," said Torey Lovullo, the National League manager of the year in his first season in the desert. "I think we've done that, which I'm very proud of."Nearly everyone is back from the team that went 93-69 — 24 more wins than the previous year — and earned the National League's No. 1 wild card spot. Optimism abounds in the clubhouse."We learned from last year," outfielder David Peralta said, "and that's why we're going to be better this year."Not quite everybody returns. The glaring omission is outfielder J.D. Martinez, whose torrid performance after he came in a mid-season trade with Detroit (29 home runs, 65 RBIs in 62 games), carried the Diamondbacks down the stretch. Arizona couldn't afford to keep the free agent Martinez but tried to make up for some of that lost offense... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks were one of baseball's big surprises a year ago. The surprise this year would be if they don't keep winning."Last year we kind of snuck up on people and had to earn their respect," said Torey Lovullo, the National League manager of the year in his first season in the desert. "I think we've done that, which I'm very proud of."Nearly everyone is back from the team that went 93-69 — 24 more wins than the previous year — and earned the National League's No. 1 wild card spot. Optimism abounds in the clubhouse."We learned from last year," outfielder David Peralta said, "and that's why we're going to be better this year."Not quite everybody returns. The glaring omission is outfielder J.D. Martinez, whose torrid performance after he came in a mid-season trade with Detroit (29 home runs, 65 RBIs in 62 games), carried the Diamondbacks down the stretch. Arizona couldn't afford to keep the free agent Martinez but tried to make up for some of that lost offense... [More]

Capsules of National League West teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Los Angeles Dodgers2017: 104-58, first place, lost to Houston in World Series.Manager: Dave Roberts (third season).He's Here: OF Matt Kemp, RHP Tom Koehler, LHP Scott Alexander, LHP Henry Owens.He's Outta Here: 1B Adrian Gonzalez, RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Brandon McCarthy, LHP Tony Watson, LHP Luis Avilan, LHP Scott Kazmir, LHP Adam Liberatore, OF Andre Ethier, INF Charlie Culberson, OF Curtis Granderson, LHP Grant Dayton, OF Franklin Gutierrez, RHP Josh Ravin.Projected Lineup: CF Chris Taylor (.288, 21 HRs, 72 RBIs, 17 SBs), SS Corey Seager (.295, 22, 77), 3B Justin Turner (.322, 21, 71, will start season on DL with broken left wrist), 1B Cody Bellinger (.267, 39, 97, 10 SBs), RF Yasiel Puig (.263, 28, 74), LF Matt Kemp (.276, 19, 64 in 115 games with Braves) or Joc Pederson (.212, 11, 35 in 102 games), C Austin Barnes (.289, 8, 38) or Yasmani Grandal (.247, 22, 58), 2B Logan Forsythe (.224, 6,... [More]

The first base position has traditionally been loaded with talent and a primary source of power for fantasy players. With overall HR totals increasing for four straight seasons, and perceived depth at the position, some fantasy managers may put off selecting a first baseman until the later rounds of their drafts. That used to be a good strategy but in 2018 it may expose you to risk.There's quality talent at the position in the later rounds, but if you wait too long, you might end up with a first baseman better qualified to be your corner infielder.If you want to roster one of the top bats at the position, grab your first baseman by the fifth round of a 12 team rotisserie league. Here's what you can expect with regards to the first base position in National Fantasy Baseball Championship (NFBC) drafts:Paul Goldschmidt is a mid to late first round pick. No, the humidor will not be his kryptonite. He'll still hit approximately 30 HRs. He is one of the few first basemen who can steal 20 plus... [More]

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani was rocked for seven runs and seven hits over 1 1/3 innings in his second major league spring training start for the Los Angeles Angels, allowing long home runs to Colorado's Ian Desmond and Nolan Arenado that went over the left-field berm on Friday in an 18-6 loss.The 23-year-old Japanese two-way star made his first big league exhibition appearance since Feb. 24, when he pitched 1 1/3 innings against Milwaukee and gave up Keon Broxton's home run leading off the second.Desmond hit a solo homer and Arenado had a three-run shot. Charlie Blackmon had a two-run single, and DJ LeMahieu a run-scoring infield single.Desmond also hit a solo homer off Tyler Warmoth. Kole Calhoun homered for the Angels and Justin Upton went deep for the third time.ELSEHWERE AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUESROYALS 12, PADRES 4Mike Moustakas hit a two-run single in his first spring training appearance for Kansas City after rejoining the Royals. Salvador Perez homered twice,... [More]