CHICAGO (AP) — Jon Lester combined with two relievers on a one-hitter, and the Cubs took advantage of a first-inning slip by center fielder Starling Marte in a 2-0 victory Saturday over the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago's 11th win in 13 games.Lester (7-2) allowed a two-out triple in the third to Austin Meadows, then retired Starling Marte on a groundout. Lester struck out five and walked two in seven innings, improving to 5-1 in his past six starts.Justin Wilson and Steve Cishek each pitched a perfect inning. Cishek got his second save as the Cubs remained a half-game behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee.Nick Kingham (2-3) allowed both runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings. Pittsburgh lost for the sixth time in seven games and is 5-16 following a 26-17 start, losing seven straight series.YANKEES 4, METS 3NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit a tiebreaking drive in the eighth inning and the Yankees won a game of home run derby, beating the Mets for their sixth straight victory in the Subway Series.Rookies... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Max Scherzer pitched eight strong innings to become the first 10-game winner in the majors this season, striking out 13 in the Washington Nationals' 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.Scherzer (10-1) won his ninth consecutive decision while scattering five hits and did not allow a runner past second base until pinch hitter Brad Miller's two-out double in the eighth.Sean Doolittle pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 16 opportunities.Scherzer struck out Johnny Field, Christian Arroyo and Daniel Robertson on a combined nine pitches in the sixth inning. It was the third nine pitch/three strikeout inning in Nationals history and the first since Scherzer did it against Philadelphia on May 14, 2017.Tampa Bay starter Nathan Eovaldi (1-1) gave up four runs in five innings in his second start back from Tommy John surgery.DIAMONDBACKS 3, GIANTS 2SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Madison Bumgarner tossed six solid innings in his long-awaited season debut but was outpitched... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Max Scherzer pitched eight strong innings to become the first 10-game winner in the majors this season, striking out 13 in the Washington Nationals' 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.Scherzer (10-1) won his ninth consecutive decision while scattering five hits and did not allow a runner past second base until pinch hitter Brad Miller's two-out double in the eighth.Sean Doolittle pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 16 opportunities.Scherzer struck out Johnny Field, Christian Arroyo and Daniel Robertson on a combined nine pitches in the sixth inning. It was the third nine pitch/three strikeout inning in Nationals history and the first since Scherzer did it against Philadelphia on May 14, 2017.Tampa Bay starter Nathan Eovaldi (1-1) gave up four runs in five innings in his second start back from Tommy John surgery.RED SOX 6, TIGERS 0BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit his 20th home run, Steven Wright pitched seven sharp innings in his first start of the season... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Max Scherzer pitched eight strong innings to become the first 10-game winner in the majors this season, striking out 13 in the Washington Nationals' 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.Scherzer (10-1) won his ninth consecutive decision while scattering five hits and did not allow a runner past second base until pinch hitter Brad Miller's two-out double in the eighth.Sean Doolittle pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 16 opportunities.Scherzer struck out Johnny Field, Christian Arroyo and Daniel Robertson on a combined nine pitches in the sixth inning. It was the third nine pitch/three strikeout inning in Nationals history and the first since Scherzer did it against Philadelphia on May 14, 2017.Tampa Bay starter Nathan Eovaldi (1-1) gave up four runs in five innings in his second start back from Tommy John surgery.RED SOX 6, TIGERS 0BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit his 20th home run, Steven Wright pitched seven sharp innings in his first start of the season... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Brett Gardner tied it with his second homer of the game, a one-out, two-run drive in the ninth inning, Gleyber Torres hit a winning single in the 10th and the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Houston Astros 6-5 Tuesday night.The Yankees won despite making five errors — including two by Torres at second base — for the first time since 2014. They also came up with a startling defensive play in the 10th when Aroldis Chapman (2-0) threw a 100 mph fastball to the backstop that took a fortuitous carom to catcher Gary Sanchez, who threw out Tony Kemp at third base.Miguel Andujar doubled against Brad Peacock (1-3) with two outs in the 10th, and Torres lined an opposite-field single to right.RED SOX 8, BLUE JAYS 3BOSTON (AP) — Sandy Leon hit a home run and two doubles, Xander Bogaerts also homered and Rick Porcello took a three-hitter into the seventh inning, helping Boston beat Toronto to match the second-best start in franchise history.J.D. Martinez also had two of Boston's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Brett Gardner tied it with his second homer of the game, a one-out, two-run drive in the ninth inning, Gleyber Torres hit a winning single in the 10th and the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Houston Astros 6-5 Tuesday night.The Yankees won despite making five errors — including two by Torres at second base — for the first time since 2014. They also came up with a startling defensive play in the 10th when Aroldis Chapman (2-0) threw a 100 mph fastball to the backstop that took a fortuitous carom to catcher Gary Sanchez, who threw out Tony Kemp at third base.Miguel Andujar doubled against Brad Peacock (1-3) with two outs in the 10th, and Torres lined an opposite-field single to right.RED SOX 8, BLUE JAYS 3BOSTON (AP) — Sandy Leon hit a home run and two doubles, Xander Bogaerts also homered and Rick Porcello took a three-hitter into the seventh inning, helping Boston beat Toronto to match the second-best start in franchise history.J.D. Martinez also had two of Boston's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka pitched six sharp innings and struck out Japanese countryman Shohei Ohtani twice as the New York Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 Sunday.Brett Gardner had three hits for New York, which won five of six against the Angels this season.Although Ohtani was pushed back from Sunday's scheduled start due to what the Angels called "workload management," Tanaka (6-2) held up his end up of the highly anticipated pitchers' duel that never materialized. Tanaka struck out eight and allowed just Andrelton Simmons' sixth-inning home run in his longest outing in nearly a month.Pitching on his 30th birthday, Angels right-hander Garrett Richards (4-4) allowed three runs over 2 1/3 innings and matched a season high with five walks.Aroldis Chapman walked Ohtani to begin the ninth, but struck out a pair to earn his 10th save in 11 chances.BRAVES 7, RED SOX 1BOSTON (AP) — Prized rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. took a high-flying tumble while beating out an infield hit, exiting... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani struck out nine while throwing 7 2/3 innings of excellent six-hit ball in his seventh career start, and the Los Angeles Angels snapped their five-game skid with a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.Martin Maldonado homered and drove in two runs, and Zack Cozart drove in two more runs on sacrifice flies as the Angels wrapped up a disappointing 11-game homestand with only four victories — including both games started by Ohtani (4-1).Los Angeles' rookie two-way sensation had another strong outing in the longest start of his stateside career. Ohtani retired 12 straight Rays after yielding rookie Johnny Field's homer leading off the third. Blake Parker pitched the ninth for his second save.While Ohtani threw 110 pitches, reliever Sergio Romo started for Tampa Bay for the second consecutive day. He faced the Angels' first six batters and got four outs while becoming the first pitcher in 38 years to last at least one inning in back-to-back starts.... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani struck out nine while throwing 7 2/3 innings of excellent six-hit ball in his seventh career start, and the Los Angeles Angels snapped their five-game skid with a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.Martin Maldonado homered and drove in two runs, and Zack Cozart drove in two more runs on sacrifice flies as the Angels wrapped up a disappointing 11-game homestand with only four victories — including both games started by Ohtani (4-1).Los Angeles' rookie two-way sensation had another strong outing in the longest start of his stateside career. Ohtani retired 12 straight Rays after yielding rookie Johnny Field's homer leading off the third. Blake Parker pitched the ninth for his second save.While Ohtani threw 110 pitches, reliever Sergio Romo started for Tampa Bay for the second consecutive day. He faced the Angels' first six batters and got four outs while becoming the first pitcher in 38 years to last at least one inning in back-to-back starts.... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Kemp had a pinch-hit, two-run double in the ninth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers survived a sterling performance by Max Scherzer to beat the Washington Nationals 5-4 on Saturday night and sweep a day-night doubleheader.Scherzer struck out 13 in seven innings, and Washington led 4-3 entering the ninth. But closer Sean Doolittle (1-2) allowed singles to Austin Barnes and Logan Forsythe, and Kemp then hit a line drive to the wall in left field to score them both.Erik Goeddel (3-0) worked a scoreless eighth in his Dodgers debut after being acquired off waivers on Friday from Seattle Mariners. Kenley Jansen worked the ninth for his eighth save, and his second on the day.The Dodgers used eight pitchers. Starter Rich Hill threw just two pitches before leaving with a recurrence of the blister on his left middle finger that has already put him on the disabled list twice this season.In the first game, Ross Stripling (1-1) struck out a career-high nine in six strong innings... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Not so fast, Cincinnati Reds.Two days after they caught the Mets batting out of order, the Reds were tripped up in a double-switch that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts successfully argued on Friday night.In the seventh inning, Jesse Winker moved from left to right field and Adam Duvall entered the game in left.Scott Schebler made the last out of the inning and assumed he was coming out of the game, so he left the field.Winker was supposed to come off, but instead went to right as Schebler ran off."I didn't know Schebler ran off the field until Dave Roberts alerted the umpire and I realized then, 'Oh boy, we got a mess here,'" interim Reds manager Jim Riggleman said.Roberts said he knew something was wrong when reliever Amir Garrett was in the leadoff spot, but the Reds had him hitting sixth."The wrong player left and the umpires were on it," he said. "They got it right."Winker raised his arms in right as if to ask what was going on while the umpires convened. Eventually, plate umpire Alan Porter beckoned him to leave the field. Winker did and was replaced by Alex Blandino, who had never played right before."It was a mess," Riggleman said.On Wednesday, the Reds hosted the Mets, whose official lineup card had Asdrubal Cabrera batting second and Wilmer Flores third. But Flores hit second and Cabrera third, leading Riggleman to point out the error.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Brett Gardner capped a slump-busting performance with a go-ahead, two-run triple off Craig Kimbrel in the eighth inning, Aaron Judge followed with a homer and the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-6 Wednesday night for their 17th victory in 18 games.Kimbrel entered with two on and one out to face Gardner seeking the first five-out save of his career. Gardner drilled a full-count pitch into left-center field, well over the head of center fielder Mookie Betts, who was playing shallow. Neil Walker scored easily from third and rookie Gleyber Torres raced from first and slid past a lunging tag attempted by catcher Christian Vazquez.Judge followed with a line drive to center measured at 117 mph off the bat, his ninth homer of the season. He had three hits and three RBIs as New York won its eighth straight overall and 11th in a row at home.Kimbrel replaced Matt Barnes (0-1) after a double by Walker and a one-out walk to Torres.Yankees reliever Jonathan Holder... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Brett Gardner capped a slump-busting performance with a go-ahead, two-run triple off Craig Kimbrel in the eighth inning, Aaron Judge followed with a homer and the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-6 Wednesday night for their 17th victory in 18 games.Kimbrel entered with two on and one out to face Gardner seeking the first five-out save of his career. Gardner drilled a full-count pitch into left-center field, well over the head of center fielder Mookie Betts, who was playing shallow. Neil Walker scored easily from third and rookie Gleyber Torres raced from first and slid past a lunging tag attempted by catcher Christian Vazquez.Judge followed with a line drive to center measured at 117 mph off the bat, his ninth homer of the season. He had three hits and three RBIs as New York won its eighth straight overall and 11th in a row at home.Kimbrel replaced Matt Barnes (0-1) after a double by Walker and a one-out walk to Torres.Yankees reliever Jonathan Holder... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Brett Gardner capped a slump-busting performance with a go-ahead, two-run triple off Craig Kimbrel in the eighth inning, Aaron Judge followed with a homer and the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-6 Wednesday night for their 17th victory in 18 games.Kimbrel entered with two on and one out to face Gardner seeking the first five-out save of his career. Gardner drilled a full-count pitch into left-center field, well over the head of center fielder Mookie Betts, who was playing shallow. Neil Walker scored easily from third and rookie Gleyber Torres raced from first and slid past a lunging tag attempted by catcher Christian Vazquez.Judge followed with a line drive to center measured at 117 mph off the bat, his ninth homer of the season. He had three hits and three RBIs as New York won its eighth straight overall and 11th in a row at home.Kimbrel replaced Matt Barnes (0-1) after a double by Walker and a one-out walk to Torres.Yankees reliever Jonathan Holder... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Brett Gardner capped a slump-busting performance with a go-ahead, two-run triple off Craig Kimbrel in the eighth inning, Aaron Judge followed with a homer and the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-6 Wednesday night for their 17th victory in 18 games.Kimbrel (1-2) entered with two on and one out to face Gardner seeking the first five-out save of his career. Gardner drilled a full-count pitch into left-center field, well over the head of center fielder Mookie Betts, who was playing shallow. Neil Walker scored easily from third and rookie Gleyber Torres raced from first and slid past a lunging tag attempted by catcher Christian Vazquez.Judge followed with a line drive to center measured at 117 mph off the bat, his ninth homer of the season. He had three hits and three RBIs as New York won its eighth straight.Yankees reliever Jonathan Holder (1-1) cleaned up a mess left by Chasen Shreve in the eighth, getting Benintendi to ground out with the bases loaded.Aroldis... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Gerrit Cole struck out nine to raise his major league-leading total to 86, and the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 4-1 Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.Max Stassi and Derek Fisher hit consecutive home runs with two outs in the seventh off Daniel Mengden (2-4) for a 2-1 lead. Yuli Gurriel added a two-run double against Yusmiero Petit that extended his hitting streak to 11 games.Cole (4-1) allowed one run, four hits and three walks in six innings. His 1.43 ERA is second in the major leagues behind the 1.17 of teammate Justin Verlander.Ken Giles pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save and second in two days. Before Tuesday, he had not pitched since allowing four runs in the ninth inning of a May 1 loss to the New York Yankees.REDS 2, METS 1, 10 INNINGSCINCINNATI (AP) — The New York Mets wasted a first-inning rally by batting out of turn, and Adam Duvall led off the 10th with a homer to win it for Cincinnati.Duvall connected for his first career game-ending... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Mets batted out of order in the first inning against the Reds on Wednesday, undercutting a rally.Wilmer Flores batted second and struck out against Sal Romano for the second out of the inning. Asdrubal Cabrera came up next — following the batting order announced pregame — and doubled to left.When cleanup hitter Jay Bruce came to the plate, umpire Gabe Morales took out the lineup card the Mets had turned in and called an out for batting out of turn.The Mets' lineup card was different than the announced order, showing Cabrera batting second and Flores third.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Mets batted out of order in the first inning against the Reds on Wednesday, undercutting a rally.Wilmer Flores batted second and struck out against Sal Romano for the second out of the inning. Asdrubal Cabrera came up next — following the batting order announced pregame — and doubled to left.When cleanup hitter Jay Bruce came to the plate, umpire Gabe Morales took out the lineup card that the Mets had turned in and called an out for batting out of turn. The Mets' lineup card was different than the announced order, showing Cabrera batting second and Flores third.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets left fielder Yoenis Cespedes left a game against Colorado after one inning because of tightness in his right hip.Cespedes made contact with a short padded fence while reaching into the stands to catch Gerardo Parra's popup that ended the top of the first Sunday. Cespedes singled in the bottom half, went to third on Asdrubal Cabrera's single and scored on Todd Frazier's sacrifice fly.Brandon Nimmo replaced Cespedes at the start of the second inning.Cespedes is hitting .246 with seven homers and 26 RBIs in 32 games.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols had a two-run double for his 2,999th career hit, and Luis Valbuena and Andrelton Simmons drove in three runs apiece in the Los Angeles Angels' 12-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.Pujols did not get a hit in his final three plate appearances after moving to the brink of the 3,000-hit club in the second inning. He gets another chance Friday in Seattle.Angels rookie right-hander Jaime Barria (2-1) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of his third career start, finishing with six innings of four-hit ball.Manny Machado drove in two runs for the last-place Orioles, who have lost 15 of 18. Chris Tillman (1-5) recorded just three outs and was charged with seven runs.MARINERS 4, ATHLETICS 1SEATTLE (AP) — Dee Gordon had a big night on the bases, Nelson Cruz hit a two-run homer and the Mariners won their first game since Ichiro Suzuki was moved from the roster to the front office.Hours after the Mariners announced Suzuki's new role for the... [More]