NEW YORK (AP) — Kiké Hernández snapped an 0-for-27 skid with a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the Boston Red Sox completed their major league-best 20th come-from-behind victory, beating the New York Yankees 5-3 Saturday night. Hernández got his first RBI since May 20 by roping a two-out fastball from Chad Green (0-4) to the wall in left, scoring Rafael Devers from first. Christian Vázquez scored Hernández a batter later with a grounder that skipped over the first-base bag, and Bobby Dalbec followed with a two-run homer. Former Yankees minor leaguer Garrett Whitlock (1-1) was credited with his first major league win. Closer Matt Barnes earned his 14th save. Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer for New York and added a sacrifice fly. GIANTS 4, CUBS 3 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Unbeaten Kevin Gausman struck out 10 in seven innings, Alex Dickerson homered for the second consecutive game and San Francisco beat Chicago. San Francisco won its third straight over the Cubs. The Giants have... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kiké Hernández snapped an 0-for-27 skid with a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the Boston Red Sox completed their major league-best 20th come-from-behind victory, beating the New York Yankees 5-3 Saturday night. Hernández got his first RBI since May 20 by roping a two-out fastball from Chad Green (0-4) to the wall in left, scoring Rafael Devers from first. Christian Vázquez scored Hernández a batter later with a grounder that skipped over the first-base bag, and Bobby Dalbec followed with a two-run homer. Former Yankees minor leaguer Garrett Whitlock (1-1) was credited with his first major league win. Closer Matt Barnes earned his 14th save. Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer for New York and added a sacrifice fly. GIANTS 4, CUBS 3 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Unbeaten Kevin Gausman struck out 10 in seven innings, Alex Dickerson homered for the second consecutive game and San Francisco beat Chicago. San Francisco won its third straight over the Cubs. The Giants have... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kiké Hernández snapped an 0-for-27 skid with a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the Boston Red Sox completed their major league-best 20th come-from-behind victory, beating the New York Yankees 5-3 Saturday night. Hernández got his first RBI since May 20 by roping a two-out fastball from Chad Green (0-4) to the wall in left, scoring Rafael Devers from first. Christian Vázquez scored Hernández a batter later with a grounder that skipped over the first-base bag, and Bobby Dalbec followed with a two-run homer. Former Yankees minor leaguer Garrett Whitlock (1-1) was credited with his first major league win. Closer Matt Barnes earned his 14th save. Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer for New York and added a sacrifice fly. GIANTS 4, CUBS 3 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Unbeaten Kevin Gausman struck out 10 in seven innings, Alex Dickerson homered for the second consecutive game and San Francisco beat Chicago. San Francisco won its third straight over the Cubs. The Giants have... [More]

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Joe Panik homered, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Houston Astros 6-2 on Saturday. Panik’s tiebreaking three-run shot off José Urquidy gave Toronto a 4-1 lead in the fourth inning. Guerrero connected in the fifth, sending a two-run drive deep to left for his 18th homer. Guerrero finished with three hits, raising his batting average to .338. Ross Stripling pitched five innings of one-run ball for the Blue Jays, who improved to 3-1 at their temporary home in Buffalo. Stripling (2-3) allowed seven hits, struck out four and walked one. Carlos Correa had three hits and Myles Straw drove in two runs for the Astros. Urquidy (4-3) was tagged for a season-high six runs in 4 1/3 innings. He allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of his previous nine starts this season. RAYS 3, RANGERS 0 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rich Hill pitched another five scoreless innings as Tampa Bay blanked Texas. The 41-year-old Hill (5-2) struck out three and allowed two... [More]

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Joe Panik homered, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Houston Astros 6-2 on Saturday. Panik’s tiebreaking three-run shot off José Urquidy gave Toronto a 4-1 lead in the fourth inning. Guerrero connected in the fifth, sending a two-run drive deep to left for his 18th homer. Guerrero finished with three hits, raising his batting average to .338. Ross Stripling pitched five innings of one-run ball for the Blue Jays, who improved to 3-1 at their temporary home in Buffalo. Stripling (2-3) allowed seven hits, struck out four and walked one. Carlos Correa had three hits and Myles Straw drove in two runs for the Astros. Urquidy (4-3) was tagged for a season-high six runs in 4 1/3 innings. He allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of his previous nine starts this season. RAYS 3, RANGERS 0 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rich Hill pitched another five scoreless innings as Tampa Bay blanked Texas. The 41-year-old Hill (5-2) struck out three and allowed two... [More]

Joe Girardi held up the Philadelphia Phillies’ roster on a sheet of paper and made it clear improvements in the offseason don’t matter once players hit the field. “This paper doesn’t mean a lot, right? We have to go out and prove it and guys have to play up to their potential,” Girardi said during a virtual session with reporters on Wednesday. “And that’s what spring training is all about, getting guys in the best possible position to go out and compete starting April 1. And we will work very, very hard at that. But I like the improvements that we’ve made.” Pitchers and catchers reported to camp and the first full team workout is scheduled for Monday. The Phillies fell one win short of qualifying for the expanded postseason last year and haven’t had a winning record since they last reached the playoffs in 2011. The team suffered its third straight September collapse, going 1-7 in the final eight games. Their failure cost general manager Matt Klentak his job. David Dombrowski was hired to... [More]

Joe Girardi help up the Philadelphia Phillies’ roster on a sheet of paper and made it clear improvements in the offseason don’t matter once players hit the field. “This paper doesn’t mean a lot, right? We have to go out and prove it and guys have to play up to their potential,” Girardi said during a virtual session with reporters on Wednesday. “And that’s what spring training is all about, getting guys in the best possible position to go out and compete starting April 1. And we will work very, very hard at that. But I like the improvements that we’ve made.” Pitchers and catchers reported to camp and the first full team workout is scheduled for Monday. The Phillies fell one win short of qualifying for the expanded postseason last year and haven’t had a winning record since they last reached the playoffs in 2011. The team suffered its third straight September collapse, going 1-7 in the final eight games. Their failure cost general manager Matt Klentak his job. David Dombrowski was hired to... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League East entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad: ___ Atlanta Braves Manager: Brian Snitker (sixth season). 2020: 35-25, first place, lost to Dodgers in NL Championship Series. Training Town: North Port, Florida. Park: CoolToday Park. First Workout: Feb. 18/23. He’s Here: RHP Charlie Morton, LHP Drew Smyly, RHP Carl Edwards, SS Ehire Adrianza, RHP Victor Arano. He’s Outta Here: OF Nick Markakis, OF Adam Duvall, INF Charlie Culberson, RHP Mike Foltynewicz, RHP Mark Melancon, C Tyler Flowers, RHP Shane Greene, RHP Darren O’Day, RHP Jhoulys Chacin, INF Adeiny Hechavarria, LHP Cole Hamels. Going campin’: The key offseason move was re-signing left fielder Marcell Ozuna to a four-year, $65 million deal. Morton and Smyly add experience to the rotation. The team can take a cautious approach with 2020 opening day starter Mike Soroka’s return from... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Right-hander Chase Anderson and the Philadelphia Phillies finalized their $4 million, one-year contract on Monday. He can earn $250,000 in performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 starts. Anderson was 1-2 with a 7.22 ERA in 10 appearances for Toronto last season. He earned $3,148,148 in prorated pay from a $8.5 million salary under the option season of a contract that originally guaranteed $11.75 million for two years. The 33-year-old was 29-16 with a 3.63 ERA over the previous three seasons in Milwaukee. Anderson is 54-42 with a 4.06 ERA in 167 starts and nine relief appearances over seven major league seasons with Arizona (2014-15), Milwaukee (2016-19) and Toronto (2020). He will be in the mix for a spot in the rotation with Vince Velasquez, Spencer Howard and Matt Moore. Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, and Zach Eflin should again start the season as Philadelphia's top three starters. Philadelphia finalized a $3 million, one-year deal with Moore last week after he spent one season pitching in Japan. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies and right-hander Chase Anderson have agreed on a one-year contract, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal is pending a physical. Anderson was 1-2 with a 7.22 ERA in 10 appearances for Toronto last season. The 33-year-old was 29-16 with a 3.63 ERA over the previous three seasons in Milwaukee. The Phillies also finalized a $3 million, one-year deal with left-hander Matt Moore on Wednesday. Moore pitched in Japan last year, going 6-3 with a 2.65 ERA in 15 starts. He is 54-56 with a 4.51 ERA in nine major league seasons. Anderson and Moore add more depth to a starting rotation that features Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler and Zach Eflin. Spencer Howard and Vince Velasquez also will compete for starts. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A third straight September collapse left the Philadelphia Phillies out of the postseason for the ninth straight season. Major changes could be coming. President Andy MacPhail and general manager Matt Klentak are clearly on the hot seat after failing to produce a winning record in any of their five seasons together. Manager Joe Girardi isn’t going anywhere after one season, but Phillies managing partner John Middleton is expected to take a hard look at a front office that hasn’t built a winner despite a payroll above $200 million. The Phillies went 1-7 in their final eight games to finish 28-32 in the pandemic-shortened season. Just one more win would’ve given them a wild-card berth. They went 8-20 in September 2018 and 12-16 in September 2019, prompting the club to fire Gabe Kapler as manager after two seasons. “I think we could have just as easily won 38 games, 35 games, I really do,” Girardi said. “I don’t think we were that far from being a 35- to a 38-win total,... [More]

Kansas City's Brady Singer took a no-hitter into the eighth inning Thursday. Then, a night later, Casey Mize began a game with five hitless frames for Detroit.For fans of the Royals and Tigers, it was a welcome glimpse of what the future could hold.Singer and Mize were both drafted in the first round in 2018 — Mize was the top pick overall — and each has had a chance to pitch during this pandemic-shortened season. Neither has particularly good numbers overall, but this past week was a step in the right direction.Singer is 2-4 with a 4.66 ERA in nine starts. His eight-inning effort Thursday was the first time he'd lasted at least six. Mize hasn't gone six innings yet, but he went 5 1/3 on Friday for his longest start. He is 0-1 with a 5.85 ERA.These two aren't alone with their growing pains. Plenty of other young pitchers have had similar struggles this year. Toronto's Nate Pearson (0-0, 6.61 ERA) made four starts but has had elbow issues recently, San Diego's Luis Patino (0-0, 5.52) has... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Braxton Garrett allowed three hits over five innings to win his major league debut, and the Miami Marlins beat the Phillies 8-1 to complete doubleheader sweep and leapfrog Philadelphia for second place in the NL East.Rookie Sixto Sánchez pitched a three-hitter over seven innings to win the opener 2-1, his first complete game in five major league starts.Garrett, a 23-year-old left-hander, was recalled as Miami’s 29th man. Garrett (1-0) allowed one run, struck out six and walked two, giving up a second-inning homer to Alex Bohm, who is 10 for 20 in the series.Starling Marte had three hits, including a pair of doubles, and Jesús Aguilar had two hits and two RBIs.Miami (23-21) has won four of the first six-games against the Phillies (23-22) in the major leagues’ first seven-game, regular-season series since 1967. The teams play again Monday.Zach Eflin (2-2) allowed four runs, eight hits and two walks in four-plus innings for the Phillies, who have lost five of seven.Aguilar, Matt... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Rookie Sixto Sánchez pitched a three-hitter over seven innings for his first complete game in five major league starts, leading the Miami Marlins over Philadelphia 2-1 Sunday in a doubleheader opener to close on the second-place Phillies in the NL East.Facing the organization that traded him before the 2019 season, Sanchez (3-1) struck out four, walked three and hit a batter. He became the second Marlins pitcher to go the distance by his fifth game. The Marlins acquired Sanchez and catcher Jorge Alfaro for catcher J.T. Realmuto, who did not play after getting banged up Saturday.Miami (22-20), in line for a playoff berth as a wild card, moved within a half-game of the Phillies (23-21). Zach Eflin (2-1) was to start the second game for Philadelphia, the next-to-last game of the major leagues' first seven-game, regular-season series since 1967.Rookie Ramón Rosso (0-1) made his first big league start after five relief appearances and allowed two runs, two hits and three walks in... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alex Bregman singled in the go-ahead run during a five-run ninth inning, and the Astros rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5 under smoky skies Saturday night in Houston’s first visit since the infamous 2017 World Series.The Dodgers blew a three-run lead in the ninth when Kenley Jansen (3-1) got knocked around, giving up four consecutive hits without an out.Josh James (1-0) got the victory with 1 1/3 innings of relief. Ryan Pressly earned his ninth save.The game lacked the fiery emotion of the teams’ matchup on July 29. But there were multiple reminders that Dodger fans haven’t forgotten the Astros’ cheating scandal from their championship three years ago.A plane towed a banner reading “Houston Cheats Bang Bang” over the stadium.WHITE SOX 14, TIGERS 0CHICAGO (AP) — José Abreu hit two three-run homers and matched a career high with seven RBIs, and the White Sox earned their eighth straight win against the Tigers.Abreu went 4 for 4 a day after his career-best 22-game... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alex Bregman singled in the go-ahead run during a five-run ninth inning, and the Astros rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-5 under smoky skies Saturday night in Houston’s first visit since the infamous 2017 World Series.The Dodgers blew a three-run lead in the ninth when Kenley Jansen (3-1) got knocked around, giving up four consecutive hits without an out.Josh James (1-0) got the victory with 1 1/3 innings of relief. Ryan Pressly earned his ninth save.The game lacked the fiery emotion of the teams’ matchup on July 29. But there were multiple reminders that Dodger fans haven’t forgotten the Astros’ cheating scandal from their championship three years ago.A plane towed a banner reading “Houston Cheats Bang Bang” over the stadium.WHITE SOX 14, TIGERS 0CHICAGO (AP) — José Abreu hit two three-run homers and matched a career high with seven RBIs, and the White Sox earned their eighth straight win against the Tigers.Abreu went 4 for 4 a day after his career-best 22-game... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:ON PAUSEThe Giants and Padres will see if their game Sunday at Petco Park will be played after someone in the San Francisco organization tested positive for the coronavirus.The teams lined up for a moment of silence for the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the national anthem on Friday night, then the game was postponed. Tonight's game also was called off.This was the first postponement due to COVID-19 for both teams. There have been 45 major league games postponed this season because of coronavirus concerns.BIRD WORTH WATCHINGOrioles right-hander Dean Kremer goes for a repeat shutdown of the Yankees after he pitched one-run ball over six innings against New York in his major league debut last Sunday.Kremer limited the Yankees to one hit, struck out seven and retired 14 of his final 15 batters. The 24-year-old was acquired from the Dodgers in 2018 as part of a deal that sent away Manny Machado.Jordan Montgomery is set... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Aaron Nola gives his seven-inning complete game victory an asterisk. As for the doubleheader nightcap, the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen remains a big question mark.Nola struck out 10 and went the distance for the first time in his career as Philadelphia handed the Miami Marlins their worst drubbing in two days, winning Friday's opener 11-0.The Phillies went with a bullpen game in the nightcap, and their struggling relief corps had another rocky night in a 5-3 loss. Jorge Alfaro had his fourth consecutive two-RBI game for the Marlins, who scored on three relievers.Officially, Nola's performance went in the books as a complete game.“I don’t feel like it counts,” he said. “Nine innings is a complete game. But I felt good today. I’m glad I finished it out.”With the split, the second-place Phillies remained half a game ahead of the third-place Marlins in the NL East. Miami's split came two days after they got routed 29-9 in Atlanta.GAME 1Nola (5-3) didn't allow a hit until Brian... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Undefeated Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler ripped a fingernail putting on his pants, delaying his next start for two days and perhaps longer.Wheeler might lose the nail on the middle finger of his right hand.“Just one of those stupid things,” he said Friday. “I tripped a little bit, I lost my balance, and my jeans yanked out of my hand.”Wheeler, 4-0 with a 2.47 ERA in eight starts, had been scheduled to pitch Saturday in Miami. That start has been pushed back to Monday, which is probably wishful thinking, manager Joe Girardi said.For now, Wheeler’s finger is swollen, sore and taped.“We don’t think it’s a DL thing, but it depends on what happens to the nail,” Girardi said. "He had a good day today with treatment.”Wheeler planned to throw a side session Saturday.He said the nail has been an issue throughout his career, and it’s prone to catch on things. He hurt it Wednesday shortly after the team arrived in Miami.“It’s just going to be a day to day thing,” he said. “We’ll see how the soreness goes, and see how this thing starts healing up.”Spencer Howard is scheduled to start in place of Wheeler on Saturday.___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Jorge Alfaro had his fourth consecutive two-RBI game, and the Miami Marlins salvaged a split of their doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies by winning 5-3 Friday night.Alfaro's two-run single capped a three-run fourth for the Marlins. Yimi Garcia gave up a run for the first time this season but earned his first save since 2015.In the opener, Aaron Nola struck out 10 and went the distance for the first time in his career as the Phillies handed the Marlins their worst drubbing in two days, winning 11-0. Officially, the performance went in the books as a complete game.“I don’t feel like it counts,” Nola said. “Nine innings is a complete game. But I felt good today. I'm glad I finished it out.”While Nola cruised, Game 1 was another rough outing for Marlins pitchers, who gave up a National League record 29 runs against Atlanta on Wednesday.With the split, third-place Miami remained half a game behind the second-place Phillies in the NL East.GAME 1Nola (5-3) didn't allow... [More]