DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies remained one game ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown. The Dodgers won 3-1 in San Francisco.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies entered the night with a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night to finish the... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies entered the night with a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night to finish the... [More]

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Jason Vargas never talks to fans from the on-deck circle, just like major league teams never line up after a game and shake hands.Put a big league game in a tiny park full of 11 and 12 year olds, though, and those kinds of customs get tossed aside.Amed Rosario had three hits and drove in three runs, and the New York Mets went from cheering on players in the Little League World Series to impressing the youngsters in an 8-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night.Jeff McNeil added a two-run single to back Vargas (3-8) as the Mets claimed the second Little League Classic and prevented the Phillies from moving into first place in the NL East. Philadelphia dropped into a three-way tie for the top NL wild card."I had some cool interactions with the kids," Vargas said of his in-game dialogue. "They were having a great time."Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer for the Phillies, but Nick Pivetta (7-10) allowed six runs in 3 2/3 innings in Philadelphia's seventh... [More]

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Amed Rosario had three hits and drove in three runs, and the New York Mets went from cheering on players in the Little League World Series to impressing the youngsters in an 8-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night.Jeff McNeil added a two-run single to back Jason Vargas (3-8) as the Mets claimed the second Little League Classic and prevented the Phillies from moving into first place in the NL East.Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer for the Phillies, but Nick Pivetta (7-10) allowed six runs in 3 2/3 innings in Philadelphia's seventh loss in 11 games.Players and families from the 16 teams competing in the nearby LLWS packed into 2,500-seat Bowman Field, the 92-year-old home of the Phillies' Class A affiliate in the New York-Penn League.The spotlight shined on New York's Todd Frazier and Michael Conforto and Philadelphia's Scott Kingery, who are among 54 players who reached the majors after playing in the LLWS."Pretty surreal because I walked into... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Phillies have placed right-hander Ben Lively on the 10-day disabled list because of a strained lower back.Righty Jake Thompson was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take Lively's roster spot before Friday night's game against Atlanta.Lively was 0-2 with a 6.84 ERA in five starts. He earned a spot in the rotation coming out of spring training because of an injury to Jerad Eickhoff.Thompson began the season in Philadelphia and had a 7.20 ERA and one save in two appearances.Manager Gabe Kapler hasn't decided who will start in place of Lively on Tuesday at Miami.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

The Latest on baseball's opening day (all times Eastern):7:20 p.m.Matt Davidson became the fourth player in major league history to homer three times on opening day, and the White Sox have homered six times total against the Kansas City Royals, as they spoil their AL Central rivals' 50th anniversary celebration at Kauffman Stadium.Tim Anderson also homered twice and Jose Abreu went deep for the White Sox, matching the big league record for opening-day homers set by the Mets in 1988.Three of the four players to homer three times on opening day have done so against the Royals.___7:15 p.m.Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw gave up consecutive singles to open the first inning against the San Francisco Giants.Austin Jackson singled to left center and Joe Panik followed with a single to right field. Kershaw then got Giants newcomer Andrew McCutchen to hit into a double play to shortstop before striking out clean-up hitter Buster Posey to end the inning.Kershaw had a 0.00 ERA in six spring training starts.___7:10... [More]

The Latest on baseball's opening day (all times Eastern):7 p.m.Felix Hernandez will join select company when he makes his 10th straight opening day start for the Seattle Mariners.Hernandez will become just the seventh pitcher to make at least 10 straight opening day starts, joining Steve Carlton, Roy Halladay, Walter Johnson, Robin Roberts, Tom Seaver and Jack Morris. Carlton, Johnson and Halladay started 10 straight; Roberts and Seaver started 12 straight; and Morris started 14 straight opening days from 1980 to 1993.Hernandez has started 11 season openers overall in his career beginning in 2007. The one gap came in 2008 when Erik Bedard started the opener for Seattle.___5:50 p.m.Justin Verlander has finished his first opening day start for the Houston Astros with six scoreless innings.Verlander struck out five, walked two and hit a batter while throwing 90 pitches for the World Series champions in their season opener at the Texas Rangers. The big right-hander, who had started nine of... [More]

The Latest on baseball's opening day (all times Eastern):5:50 p.m.Justin Verlander has finished his first opening day start for the Houston Astros with six scoreless innings.Verlander struck out five, walked two and hit a batter while throwing 90 pitches for the World Series champions in their season opener at the Texas Rangers. The big right-hander, who had started nine of the previous 10 openers for Detroit, allowed four singles.Verlander has a 0.90 ERA in his six regular-season starts since getting traded from the Tigers to the Astros last Aug. 31. He was 5-0 last September, then won four more postseason games, and was the AL Championship Series MVP.Houston led 3-0 when Chris Devenski took over for Verlander at the start of the seventh inning.___5:45 p.m.Some of the biggest names in Dodgers history are gathering for opening day against the rival Giants as the franchise marks its 60th anniversary in Los Angeles.Sandy Koufax and Fernando Valenzuela chatted each other up on the field under... [More]

The Latest on baseball's opening day (all times Eastern):5:22 p.m.Zach Duke performed a baseball rarity at Camden Yards, striking out four in an inning.Unfortunately for the Twins reliever, he yielded two runs in the process.Duke entered in the seventh inning of a scoreless game and promptly struck out Trey Mancini, who reached when the third strike got past catcher Jason Castro.Duke also struck out Tim Beckham, Craig Gentry and Chris Davis. Between those Ks, however, Caleb Joseph hit a two-run triple.The last Twins pitcher to strike out four in an inning was Tyler Duffy in May 2016.___4:50 p.m.Braves catcher Tyler Flowers has left the game after injuring his left oblique while batting in Atlanta.In his first at-bat of the season, Flowers fouled off a pitch and a winced in pain before heading straight to the clubhouse.He was replaced by Kurt Suzuki.Flowers had surgery on both his left wrist and forearm after the 2017 season, the result of being hit by 20 pitches over the course of the season.... [More]

The Latest on baseball's opening day (all times Eastern):4:50 p.m.Braves catcher Tyler Flowers has left the game after injuring his left oblique while batting in Atlanta.In his first at-bat of the season, Flowers fouled off a pitch and a winced in pain before heading straight to the clubhouse.He was replaced by Kurt Suzuki.Flowers had surgery on both his left wrist and forearm after the 2017 season, the result of being hit by 20 pitches over the course of the season. But the Braves announced that he left the game with "left oblique discomfort."The 32-year-old Flowers is coming off one of his best years, hitting a career-high .281 with 12 homers and 49 RBIs. He combined with Suzuki to give the Braves one of baseball's most productive catching duos.___4:40 p.m.Just like that, Shohei Ohtani has his first major league hit.Ohtani lined a first-pitch single down the right-field line against Oakland's Kendall Graveman with two outs in the second inning and the Angels ahead 1-0.The two-way Japanese... [More]

The Latest on baseball's opening day (all times Eastern):4:20 p.m.Giancarlo Stanton quickly got into the swing with his new team.Stanton has hit a two-run homer in his first at-bat with the New York Yankees. He connected in the first inning against Toronto lefty J.A. Happ at Rogers Centre.Stanton led the majors with 59 homers last year and was the NL MVP. Traded to the Yankees in the winter, he batted third in his Yankees debut and was the designated hitter.After taking a called strike on the first pitch, Stanton lined an opposite-field shot estimated at 426 feet over the wall in right.Teammate Aaron Judge, who topped the AL with 52 homers, raised his arm in the dugout and broke into a smile. In 2016, Judge homered in his big league debut with the Yankees.___4:17 p.m.The Royals have marked the start of their 50th season with a lengthy celebration that included such franchise luminaries as Bo Jackson and Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett.The club honored players from every era, highlighting... [More]

The Latest on baseball's opening day (all times Eastern):3:42 p.m.George Springer has led off the season for the World Series champion Houston Astros with his 100th career homer.Springer, the World Series MVP, hit a 2-0 pitch from Texas Rangers starter Cole Hamels into the right-field seats in Arlington, Texas.It is the second year in a row that Springer has hit a leadoff homer in the season opener.___3:30 p.m.The first home run of the season at Camden Yards was turned into an out by Orioles right fielder Craig Gentry.Minnesota's Eddie Rosario lifted a drive that was headed over the 7-foot wall before Gentry leaped, stuck up his glove and snagged the baseball before it disappeared.Orioles starter Dylan Bundy remains perfect through two innings, thanks to Gentry's sensational grab.___2:45 p.m.Atlanta and Philadelphia set their 25-man rosters ahead of opening day at SunTrust Park.The Braves got down to the limit by placing four players on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26.... [More]

The Latest on baseball's opening day (all times Eastern):3:30 p.m.The first home run of the season at Camden Yards was turned into an out by Orioles right fielder Craig Gentry.Minnesota's Eddie Rosario lifted a drive that was headed over the 7-foot wall before Gentry leaped, stuck up his glove and snagged the baseball before it disappeared.Orioles starter Dylan Bundy remains perfect through two innings, thanks to Gentry's sensational grab.___2:45 p.m.Atlanta and Philadelphia set their 25-man rosters ahead of opening day at SunTrust Park.The Braves got down to the limit by placing four players on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26. They include third basemam Johan Camargo (right oblique muscle strain), left-handed pitcher Luiz Gohara (left ankle sprain) and right-hander Chase Whitley (right heel infection).Left-hander Jacob Lindgren, who is recovering from elbow surgery, also went on the DL.The Braves are carrying 12 pitchers and 13 position players until they need a fifth... [More]

The Latest on baseball's opening day (all times Eastern):2:45 p.m.Atlanta and Philadelphia set their 25-man rosters ahead of opening day at SunTrust Park.The Braves got down to the limit by placing four players on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26. They include third basemam Johan Camargo (right oblique muscle strain), left-handed pitcher Luiz Gohara (left ankle sprain) and right-hander Chase Whitley (right heel infection).Left-hander Jacob Lindgren, who is recovering from elbow surgery, also went on the DL.The Braves are carrying 12 pitchers and 13 position players until they need a fifth starter, which is not expected until April 17 because of three off days early in the season. Anibal Sanchez is expected to fill the role until Gohara is ready.The Phillies placed three players on the 10-day disabled list: right-handers Jerad Eickhoff (right lat strain), Tommy Hunter (right hamstring strain) and Mark Leiter Jr. (right forearm strain), all retroactive to March 26.Jake Arrieta... [More]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Jake Arrieta felt fine after his second spring training start with the Philadelphia Phillies, and that was more important than the mediocre results.Arrieta allowed four runs, seven hits and struck out three over three innings Tuesday in the Phillies' 5-5, nine-inning tie against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He also had a balk and a throwing error on an errant pickoff attempt to first base."My body is bouncing back really well the after day," Arrieta said. "I haven't been sore at all, knock on wood. Arm strength, I'm happy where it is. All signs point in a really positive direction."He threw 45 pitches, up from 31 in his first outing on March 22, when he pitched two innings against Detroit.Arrieta and the Phillies finalized a $75 million, three-year contract on March 12, a deal that could be worth up to $135 million over five seasons."I think he demonstrated he's a veteran," Kapler said. "He ran a pretty high pitch count early on (26 in the first). He was featuring a lot... [More]

Capsules of National League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Washington Nationals2017: 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS.Manager: Dave Martinez (first season).He's Here: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds.He's Outta Here: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers.Projected Lineup: SS Trea Turner (.284, 11 HRs, 45 RBIs, 46 SBs in 98 games), LF Adam Eaton (.297, 2, 13 in 23 games), RF Bryce Harper (.319, 29, 87), 3B Anthony Rendon (.301, 25, 100, 41 2Bs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.322, 23, 93, 43 2Bs; expected to begin season on DL recovering from knee surgery), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.303, 36, 108, 33 2Bs), CF Michael A. Taylor (.271, 19, 53), C Matt Wieters (.225, 10, 52).Rotation: RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA, NL-high 268 Ks, 200 2/3 IP, 3rd Cy Young Award), RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52, 204 Ks), LH Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96, 79 walks), RH Tanner Roark (13-11,... [More]

Capsules of National League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Washington Nationals2017: 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS.Manager: Dave Martinez (first season).He's Here: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds.He's Outta Here: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers.Projected Lineup: SS Trea Turner (.284, 11 HRs, 45 RBIs, 46 SBs in 98 games), LF Adam Eaton (.297, 2, 13 in 23 games), RF Bryce Harper (.319, 29, 87), 3B Anthony Rendon (.301, 25, 100, 41 2Bs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.322, 23, 93, 43 2Bs; expected to begin season on DL recovering from knee surgery), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.303, 36, 108, 33 2Bs), CF Michael A. Taylor (.271, 19, 53), C Matt Wieters (.225, 10, 52).Rotation: RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA, NL-high 268 Ks, 200 2/3 IP, 3rd Cy Young Award), RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52, 204 Ks), LH Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96, 79 walks), RH Tanner Roark (13-11,... [More]

Capsules of National League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Washington Nationals2017: 97-65, first place, lost to Cubs in NLDS.Manager: Dave Martinez (first season).He's Here: 1B-OF Matt Adams, C Miguel Montero, RHP Jeremy Hellickson, RHP Joaquin Benoit, INF Matt Reynolds.He's Outta Here: Manager Dusty Baker, LF Jayson Werth, 1B-LF Adam Lind, C Jose Lobaton, RHP Matt Albers.Projected Lineup: SS Trea Turner (.284, 11 HRs, 45 RBIs, 46 SBs in 98 games), LF Adam Eaton (.297, 2, 13 in 23 games), RF Bryce Harper (.319, 29, 87), 3B Anthony Rendon (.301, 25, 100, 41 2Bs), 2B Daniel Murphy (.322, 23, 93, 43 2Bs, expected to begin season on DL recovering from knee surgery), 1B Ryan Zimmerman (.303, 36, 108, 33 2Bs), CF Michael A. Taylor (.271, 19, 53), C Matt Wieters (.225, 10, 52).Rotation: RH Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA, NL-high 268 Ks, 200 2/3 IP, 3rd Cy Young Award), RH Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52, 204 Ks), LH Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96, 79 walks), RH Tanner Roark (13-11,... [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]