CF Byron Buxton is regarded as the fastest player in the majors but that alone won't make you a base-stealing whiz. It hasn't been until this season that he has blossomed as a stealer of bases. Buxton entered Friday night having swiped 22 bases in a row this season and had been thrown out just once in 28 attempts overall. Some of the credit goes to Minnesota's third- and first-base coaches plus manager Paul Molitor. Buxton had three hits Friday night, including a two-run double. "He's getting the head (of the bat) out," Molitor said. "I know his hand is feeling better. (We wanted) to get him down there a little bit in the lineup, get him back on track, and he's responded."

LOS ANGELES -- Rookie Cody Bellinger hit his 39th homer as the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched their fifth straight NL West Division title with a 4-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants Friday night.Bellinger hit a three-run homer in the third inning off Jeff Samardzija (9-15). He broke a tie with Wally Berger (1930) and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson (1956) for the homers hit a by National League. Rich Hill (11-8) drove in the other run and allowed a run in six innings, for the Dodgers who clinched on former manager Tommy Lasorda's 90th birthday.Pablo Sandoval homered in the ninth off Los Angeles closer Kenley Jansen.Blue Jays 8, Yankees 1TORONTO -- Ryan Goins pulled off the hidden ball trick and hit a grand slam off Masahiro Tanaka asToronto routed New York.Goins pulled off the trick in the third inning to retire Todd Frazier, who was on second base. He then chased Tanaka (12-12) in the sixth inning with his second career grand slam.Teoscar Hernandez and Russell Martin also homered for Toronto... [More]

CF Byron Buxton had a two-run, two-out single in the fourth inning Thursday night against the Tigers that broke a 1-1 tie in the three-run frame. "Byron picked us up," manager Paul Molitor said. "Buxton's two-out knock was probably the biggest at-bat of the night." He also walked and scored in the four-run eighth along with making a couple of standout catches on defense.

MIAMI -- Giancarlo Stanton drilled his major-league-leading 55th homer to lead the Miami Marlins to a 13-1 win over the New York Mets on Monday.It was Miami's first game at Marlins Park since Sept. 6, with three contests were moved to Milwaukee due to Hurricane Irma. The Marlins won for just the fourth time in their past 21 games.Stanton's homer traveled 455 feet and was clocked at 114 mph. He went 2-for-5 with three runs scored and four RBIs. After not going deep since Sept. 9, Stanton has now launched the most homers by a National League player since Ryan Howard hit 58 for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2006.New York's Matt Harvey (5-6) took the loss after allowing a season-high 12 hits, two walks and seven runs in four innings.Yankees 2, Twins 1NEW YORK -- Aroldis Chapman recorded the final five outs after Dellin Betances loaded the bases in the eighth inning as New York held to beat Minnesota.Chapman entered after Betances was booed off the mound for hitting Robbie Grossman with a pitch... [More]

OF Byron Buxton hit his 16th home run of the season, the most by a Twins center fielder since Torii Hunter hit 28 in 2007. Twenty of Buxton's past 42 hits (four doubles, five triples and 11 home runs) have been for extra bases, and he is batting .339 (62-for-183) since July 4.

CF Byron Buxton stole his 26th base in the fourth inning. It was the 21st consecutive steal for Buxton without being caught, tied for the third-longest streak in team history with Zoilo Versalles. Buxton is one game behind the record streaks of Matt Lawton and Chuck Knoblauch. Buxton had two hits and is now hitting .524 in five games against the Blue Jays this season.

CF Byron Buxton hit his first career walk-off home run at the big league level to give the Twins a 3-2 win Thursday over the Blue Jays. Buxton said his last walk-off homer was with Low-A Cedar Rapids. Thursday's blast, a solo shot in the 10th inning, was Buxton's 15th homer of the season.

CF Byron Buxton was in a 1-for-21 skid before his home run and single Saturday. A bruised left hand had been affecting his swing. "It's a little tough swinging the bat, but that's something I have to deal with," Buxton said. "Even though my bat at struggling a little bit right now, defensively, I know I still have got to be out there." Twins manager Paul Molitor said the injury will not worsen from playing and Buxton's outfield defense is treasured. "It's going to be an on-going issue," Molitor said. "I think it's the right thing to do is keep running him out there. Some swings affect him more than others. Some swings it doesn't affect him at all."

OF Byron Buxton has been successful on his last 20 stolen base attempts, including one Monday. His success rate of 96.2 percent is the best in Twins history with at least 20 attempts. Two more and he'll match the team record for consecutive successful steals.

CF Byron Buxton returned to the lineup on Saturday after missing two games with a hand contusion. Buxton had entered Friday's game as a pinch-runner before making the start on Saturday. Buxton was 3-for-5 with two RBIs in the game, raising his season average to a season-high .253.

CF Byron Buxton was out of the lineup for the second straight game with a bone contusion in his hand but he is showing improvement. Buxton hit in the batting cage on Friday, but manager Paul Molitor said it went, "OK, not great." Buxton is considered day-to-day. He did enter in the ninth inning of Friday's game as a pinch-runner and Molitor said he could be used as a runner and defensive replacement while his hand heals enough to hit.

CF Byron Buxton has avoided a major injury after an MRI showed his injured hand is just a bone contusion. Buxton left Wednesday's game with the injury, which occurred when his hand slipped off the bat. Buxton had an MRI exam Thursday with the team fearing an injury to the hamate bone. But the test showed no fracture and Buxton is considered day-to-day.

CF Byron Buxton will be evaluated before Thursday's game after leaving Wednesday with a hand injury. Buxton was pinch-hit for in the seventh inning in the blowout win. Manager Paul Molitor said he took Buxton out as a precaution after he complained of an issue when his hand slipped off the bat during an at-bat. Molitor didn't have any details and said the hope is there is no significant injury.

CF Byron Buxton was named the American League Player of the Week. Buxton batted .333 (11-for-33) while hitting five home runs and driving in 10 runs during eight games with the Twins last week. It's the first AL Player of the Week honor of Buxton's career.

CF Byron Buxton had a three home runs, four hits and five RBIs in the 7-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays Sunday. All three were career bests for the 23-year-old as are his 13 homers for the season, which surpass his total of 10 in 2016. It was the eighth game in Twins history in which a player has hit three or more homers. INF Eddie Rosario also had a three-homer game this season on June 13. Buxton is batting .330 (32-for-97) with eight homers and 21 RBIs in August. "He's got a lot of ways he can help you win games, his legs, bunting, home runs, defense, arm," manager Paul Molitor said. "It's fun to watch some of that talent start to flourish." Said Buxton: "Some days you have like this where everything seems to be falling your way. Today was one of those days for me. I was seeing the ball good, being aggressive and not missing my pitches."

CF Byron Buxton was 3-for-5 with two RBIs, two bunt singles and a stolen base Friday night in the 6-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. He also made a diving catch on a liner to deep center by Toronto INF Rob Refsnyder to end the eighth inning with two runners on base. "A lot guys can play that position but he's special," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "The game is still in the balance if it gets over his head there. He shaded him that way but got an outstanding jump and closed on it. Just sheet athleticism." Buxton said: "I knew I got a got jump. I saw it well, saw it tailing away from me. I knew I had a good chance of getting there and making a play." He has 20 infield hits this season and is batting .345 (38-for-110) since July 4.

CF Byron Buxton homered for the Twins' lone run against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night. Buxton's home run was the 10th of the season, which ties a career high, matching the number of homers he hit in 2016. Buxton has recorded a hit in 13 of his last 15 games and is hitting .340 (19-of-57) with two doubles.

CF Byron Buxton had a single and home run in the second game of Monday night's doubleheader to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. Buxton is hitting .400 with four home runs, two doubles, two triples and 12 RBIs during the 12-game stretch.

OF Byron Buxton's speed was on full display Friday. Buxton started the game with a stand-up triple on a ball hit to the left-center field gap. In his next at-bat, Buxton raced around the bases for his second career inside-the-park homer. Buxton used his speed to round the bases in 13.85 seconds, according to Major League Baseball's Statcast -- the fastest time it has ever recorded. Buxton ended up a single shy of the cycle after lining out to second base in his fourth at-bat.

CF Byron Buxton drove in a run in the second inning as his hitting streak reached five games. It was Buxton's 24th RBI of the season, eight of which have come in the month of August. Buxton also robbed Edwin Encarnacion of a potential home run with a leaping catch at the wall in the seventh inning.