PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nick Kingham carried a perfect game into the seventh inning in his major league debut to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to their fifth straight win, 5-0 over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.Kingham, a 26-year-old rookie right-hander, retired 20 straight before Paul DeJong singled down the left-field line with two outs in the seventh. He finished with one hit and nine strikeouts on 98 pitches (72 strikes) after being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis earlier in the day.He joined Johnny Cueto as the only pitchers in the last 100 years with one hit allowed, at least nine strikeouts and zero walks in a debut.Luke Weaver (2-2) took the loss after allowing four runs and six hits with six strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.RED SOX 4, RAYS 3BOSTON (AP) — Sandy Leon hit a go-ahead RBI single with two outs in the eighth inning against Tampa Bay closer Alex Colome (2-3), helping the Red Sox snap the Rays' eight-game winning streak.J.D. Martinez had four singles and drove in two runs for... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nick Kingham carried a perfect game into the seventh inning in his major league debut to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to their fifth straight win, 5-0 over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.Kingham, a 26-year-old rookie right-hander, retired 20 straight before Paul DeJong singled down the left-field line with two outs in the seventh. He finished with one hit and nine strikeouts on 98 pitches (72 strikes) after being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis earlier in the day.He joined Johnny Cueto as the only pitchers in the last 100 years with one hit allowed, at least nine strikeouts and zero walks in a debut.Luke Weaver (2-2) took the loss after allowing four runs and six hits with six strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.RED SOX 4, RAYS 3BOSTON (AP) — Sandy Leon hit a go-ahead RBI single with two outs in the eighth inning against Tampa Bay closer Alex Colome (2-3), helping the Red Sox snap the Rays' eight-game winning streak.J.D. Martinez had four singles and drove in two runs for... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Tyson Ross lost his bid to pitch the first no-hitter in the history of the San Diego Padres when rookie center fielder Franchy Cordero appeared to misplay a ball with two outs in the eighth inning Friday night of a 4-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.Playing their 7,835th game since joining the majors in 1969, the Padres again came agonizingly close to their first no-no. They remain the only team in the big leagues that has never thrown a no-hitter.Ross had a 1-0 lead with two outs in the eighth when Christian Walker lined a drive to deep center. Cordero seemed to get a late break on the ball, then had it sail just over his outstretched glove for a double that made it 1-all. Ross was pulled after throwing a career-high 127 pitches. The right-hander, who turns 31 on Sunday, struck out 10 and walked three. He retired 18 straight after walking Jarrod Dyson in the first. Brad Hand (1-2) relieved Ross and got the last four outs — they combined on the 29th one-hitter in Padres'... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Yoenis Cespedes, who struck out in his previous four at-bats, hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the 12th inning to lift the New York Mets to a 5-3 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.Cespedes' single to right field drove in winning pitcher Robert Gsellman from second base. Cespedes scored on Asdrubal Cabrera's double off Josh Ravin (0-1) to right field. Cabrera ran halfway to third before stopping and trying to return to second. A review showed he was out at second, overturning the original call. Ravin hit Gsellman with a pitch to open the 12th. Gsellman moved to second on Amed Rosario's sacrifice. Michael Conforto popped out before Cespedes delivered the go-ahead hit.Gsellman (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings. Jeurys Familia pitched a perfect 12th for his eighth save.ASTROS 10, WHITE SOX 0CHICAGO (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched six sparkling innings, Carlos Correa homered twice and the Houston Astros pounded the White Sox.George Springer also drove in four... [More]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Francisco Lindor homered in his native Puerto Rico, Corey Kluber allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings and the Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 6-1 on Tuesday night in the first regular-season game on the island commonwealth since 2010.Michael Brantley and Jose Ramirez each had three hits for Cleveland before a sold-out crowd of 19,516 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Brantley and Ramirez hit consecutive homers in the sixth, and Yonder Alonso added a solo homer in the eighth.Kluber (2-1) allowed five hits and struck out six, lowering his ERA to 1.52. Minnesota's Jake Odorizzi (1-1) gave up four runs and six hits in five-plus innings.RED SOX 10, ANGELS 1ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mookie Betts led off with the first of his three homers, and Boston chased Shohei Ohtani just two innings into his third big-league start.Ohtani (2-1) yielded four hits and three runs on 66 pitches before exiting with a blister on his pitching hand. The two-way Japanese sensation couldn't... [More]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Francisco Lindor homered in his native Puerto Rico, Corey Kluber allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings and the Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 6-1 on Tuesday night in the first regular-season game on the island commonwealth since 2010.Michael Brantley and Jose Ramirez each had three hits for Cleveland before a sold-out crowd of 19,516 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Brantley and Ramirez hit consecutive homers in the sixth, and Yonder Alonso added a solo homer in the eighth.Kluber (2-1) allowed five hits and struck out six, lowering his ERA to 1.52. Minnesota's Jake Odorizzi (1-1) gave up four runs and six hits in five-plus innings.DIAMONDBACKS 1, GIANTS 0PHOENIX (AP) — Patrick Corbin lost his no-hit bid on a checked-swing infield single with two outs in the eighth inning but finished a one-hitter to lift Arizona.Corbin (3-0) walked one but otherwise was cruising toward what would have been the franchise's third no-hitter. Brandon Belt ended it with a softly... [More]

A look at what's happening all around the majors today:___BIRD WATCHINGAlex Cobb's debut for the Baltimore Orioles is a tough assignment. The right-hander faces J.D. Martinez, Mookie Betts and the fast-starting Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Cobb signed a $57 million, four-year contract with the Orioles as a free agent on March 21. He went 10-12 last year with a 3.66 ERA for Tampa Bay in his first full year back after missing nearly two seasons because of Tommy John surgery. Boston is 11-2 for only the second time in team history, matching the 1918 World Series champions.EMPTY SEATSPlaying before sparse crowds at home, the Miami Marlins host Jameson Taillon and the first-place Pittsburgh Pirates (9-4). In his previous start, Taillon (2-0, 1.26 ERA) threw a one-hitter in a 5-0 win over Cincinnati. Miami (4-9) has posted abysmal attendance numbers this week, averaging 6,556 fans for a three-game series with the New York Mets before drawing 6,852 for Friday night's victory over Pittsburgh.... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays have placed third baseman Josh Donaldson on the 10-day disabled with right shoulder inflammation.Donaldson, the AL's MVP in 2015, is batting .239 with three home runs and nine RBIs in 12 games. He's been dealing with the injury since the beginning of the season and will work out in Florida.Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Donaldson underwent an MRI at the Cleveland Clinic on Thursday."He'll go down there and get on a throwing program," Gibbons said. "Hopefully it's not too long. I don't think it will be."Donaldson has made seven starts at third base while also being used as the designated hitter. Gibbons said Yangervis Solarte, who played third base Friday against the Cleveland Indians, will see most of the time there. Catcher Russell Martin can also play third.Donaldson was a centerpiece of Toronto's powerhouse offense that made the playoffs in 2015 and 2016. He led the league with 41 home runs and 123 RBIs while winning the MVP. Donaldson hit 37 homers with 99 RBIs the following season. He is 32, is making $23 million, and can be a free agent after the season. He's been selected to the All-Star team three times.Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez has been called up from Triple-A Buffalo and started in right field Friday. He batted .261 with eight homers and 20 RBIs in 26 games with the Blue Jays last season.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Rookie sensation Shohei Ohtani hit a home run for the third straight game and the Los Angeles Angels rallied from an early six-run deficit to beat Oakland.The two-way star from Japan connected for a long, solo drive in the second inning. The ball landed in the rocks beyond the center field wall after traveling 449 feet and was measured with a 112.3 mph exit velocity according to Statcast, the hardest-hit and longest of Ohtani's three major league homers.Ohtani, who is batting .462 (6 for 13) with six RBIs at home, drew a walk on four pitches with the bases loaded to pull the Angels within 8-7 in the fifth.The 23-year-old is scheduled to pitch Sunday — he won his first big league start last weekend against the A's. It's uncertain if he'll be the designated hitter on Saturday and try to extend his homer streak, a day before he starts.Jim Johnson (1-0) got the win. Blake Treinen (0-1) took the loss for the A's, who hit five home runs.ORIOLES 7, YANKEES 3, 14 INNINGSNEW... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Pedro Alvarez hit a grand slam in the 14th inning, Manny Machado homered twice and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Yankees 7-3 Friday night after New York saw four players forced to make early exits.Yankees starter CC Sabathia left with hip soreness, star catcher Gary Sanchez limped off with a possible leg cramp right before Alvarez struck, third baseman Brandon Drury was lifted for migraines and second baseman Tyler Wade was removed because of flu-like symptoms.Alvarez connected off Jonathan Holder (0-1) after midnight, deciding a game that took 5 hours, 20 minutes and included 14 pitchers and a couple of wild misadventures on the basepaths.Rookie Pedro Araujo (1-1) got the win.BRAVES 8, ROCKIES 3DENVER (AP) — It was 27 degrees at gametime, and Brandon McCarthy used his arm and bat to help Atlanta win at Coors Field in Colorado's home opener.The coldest recorded start in major league history was 23 games at Coors when these same teams met on April 23, 2013.Brandon McCarthy... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kenta Maeda struck out 10 over five innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers finally found their offense to beat the San Francisco Giants 5-0 on Saturday night for their first win of the season.After striking out 18 times in a pair of 1-0 defeats to open the season, the Dodgers got the loudest cheers in the first inning for a sacrifice fly by Yasiel Puig that scored their first run off Derek Holland (0-1). Matt Kemp followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.Maeda (1-0) allowed five hits and walked one. He faced baserunners in every inning except the fifth.Joe Panik, whose solo homers beat the Dodgers in the first two games, hit into a game-ending double play in the ninth.BREWERS 7, PADRES 3SAN DIEGO (AP) — Christian Yelich tied his career high with five hits, leading the Brewers to a sweep of their season-opening series.Yelich scored three times and drove in two runs as Milwaukee improved to 3-0 for the first time since it won its first five games in 2006. Lorenzo Cain had... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Adam Eaton had solo homer among his career-high five hits and Brian Goodwin hit his first career grand slam on Saturday, powering the Washington Nationals to a 13-7 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.The Nationals have won their first two games under new manager Dave Martinez, hired after Dusty Baker was fired last season following another quick exit in the playoffs. The last time they opened a season 3-0 was 2013, when they swept the Marlins.Matt Adams and Trea Turner also homered for Washington.Stephen Strasburg (1-0) gave up three runs — only one earned — in 6 1/3 innings while improving to 5-1 career against Cincinnati. Scott Schebler's homer in the fourth inning provided Cincinnati's first run of the season after 12 scoreless innings.The Nationals piled up six runs in six innings off Luis Castillo (0-1), the Reds' top young starter last season.BLUE JAYS 5, YANKEES 3TORONTO (AP) — Yangervis Solarte hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning of Toronto's first win of... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — Adam Eaton had solo homer among his career-high five hits and Brian Goodwin hit his first career grand slam on Saturday, powering the Washington Nationals to a 13-7 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.The Nationals have won their first two games under new manager Dave Martinez, hired after Dusty Baker was fired last season following another quick exit in the playoffs. The last time they opened a season 3-0 was 2013, when they swept the Marlins.Matt Adams and Trea Turner also homered for Washington.Stephen Strasburg (1-0) gave up three runs — only one earned — in 6 1/3 innings while improving to 5-1 career against Cincinnati. Scott Schebler's homer in the fourth inning provided Cincinnati's first run of the season after 12 scoreless innings.The Nationals piled up six runs in six innings off Luis Castillo (0-1), the Reds' top young starter last season.BLUE JAYS 5, YANKEES 3TORONTO (AP) — Yangervis Solarte hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning of Toronto's first win of... [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]

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]

TORONTO (AP) — Josh Donaldson expects to join a free agent class that could also include fellow sluggers Bryce Harper and Manny Machado.First, the third baseman hopes to lead Toronto to the playoffs for the third time in four years.Donaldson won the AL MVP award in 2015 as the hard-hitting Blue Jays made the first of consecutive appearances in the AL Championship Series. He was limited to 113 games because of injuries last year, and Toronto scored an AL-low 693 runs as it slipped to 76-86 and finished behind Boston, New York and Tampa Bay in the AL East."I wouldn't say we're on anybody's radar at this point, which is fine," Donaldson said. "We believe we're very capable of doing damage. I believe we can still be a potent offense."Donaldson has hit .285 with 111 home runs and 300 RBIs over three seasons in Toronto."You look back at the last couple of years, he really has been the centerpiece," manager John Gibbons said.Donaldson set a record for a one-year contract for an arbitration-eligible... [More]

Capsules of American League East teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Boston Red Sox2017: 93-69, first place, lost to Houston in ALDS.Manager: Alex Cora (first season).He's Here: DH J.D. Martinez.He's Outta Here: Manager John Farrell, RHP Doug Fister, OF Chris Young, RHP Addison Reed, OF Rajai Davis, LHP Henry Owens, LHP Fernando Abad.Projected Lineup: RF Mookie Betts (.264, 24 HRs, 102 RBIs), LF Andrew Benintendi (.271, 20, 90), 1B Hanley Ramirez (.242, 23, 62) or Mitch Moreland (.246, 22, 79), DH J.D. Martinez (.303, 45, 104 with Tigers and Diamondbacks), 3B Rafael Devers (.284, 10, 30 in 58 games), SS Xander Bogaerts (.273, 10, 62), CF Jackie Bradley Jr. (.245, 17, 63), C Christian Vazquez (.290, 5, 32) or Sandy Leon (.225, 7, 39), 2B Eduardo Nunez (.313, 12, 58, 24 SBs with Giants and Red Sox) or Dustin Pedroia (.293, 7, 62, .369 OBP in 105 games, expected to be out until late May following knee surgery).Rotation: LH Chris Sale (17-8, 2.90 ERA, MLB-best 308 Ks, MLB-high 214... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons says he isn't counting on having shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in the lineup for opening day.Tulowitzki has been slowed by a bone spur in his right heel and hasn't played in any spring training games. The five-time All-Star didn't play after July 28 last year after injuring his right ankle."I don't expect he'll be ready," Gibbons said Sunday. "But he's moving in the right direction, so who knows?"The Blue Jays open on March 29 at home against the New York Yankees. If Tulowitzki can't play, Aledmys Diaz and Yangervis Solarte are potential replacements.The 33-year-old Tulowitzki batted .249 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs in 66 games last season. Sidelined by injuries, he hasn't played more than 131 games in any of the last six seasons.

TORONTO (AP) — The Blue Jays figure a healthy Aaron Sanchez can lead them back into the playoffs.Sanchez was an All-Star in 2016, when the right-hander went 15-2 with an American League-leading 3.00 ERA. But blisters on the middle finger of his pitching hand caused four stints on the disabled list. He went 1-3 with a 4.25 ERA and didn't pitch after July 19.Sanchez resumed throwing in early December and is confident his finger has healed"I'll have to maintain it like I have in years past, but no more of the disaster that it had last year," he said.Toronto used a club-record 14 starters last season en route to a 76-86 record and fourth-place finish in the AL East. Only Marcus Stroman and Marco Estrada made 30 starts, and the fill-ins weren't enough to make a playoff run.Some things to watch ahead of Blue Jays spring training in Florida:NEW LOOK: Outfielders Randal Grichuk and Curtis Granderson and infielders Aledmys Diaz and Yangervis Solarte are Toronto's primary offseason additions. Grichuk... [More]