A look at what's happening around the majors today:LAST CHAPTERLocked in a tight race for the NL West title, the Rockies and Dodgers meet for the final time in the regular season. Los Angeles leads by 1½ games and will go for a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium when rookie Walker Buehler (7-5, 2.88 ERA) pitches against Tyler Anderson (6-9, 4.82). Colorado could be without slugger Trevor Story again after the All-Star shortstop hurt his right elbow Monday night. Tests showed inflammation but no structural damage, and the Rockies hope Story can return to the lineup in a few days. Story this year became the first shortstop in major league history with at least 40 doubles, 30 home runs and 25 steals in a season.END GAMEAs they pursue a third consecutive NL Central crown, the ninth inning is getting more and more complicated for the Chicago Cubs. The team announced Tuesday that closer Brandon Morrow will be shut down for the rest of the year because of an injured right elbow that's been slow... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Wednesday:LAST CHAPTERLocked in a tight race for the NL West title, the Rockies and Dodgers meet for the final time in the regular season. Rookie right-hander Walker Buehler (7-5, 2.88 ERA) pitches for Los Angeles against Tyler Anderson (6-9, 4.82) at Dodger Stadium. Colorado could be without slugger Trevor Story again after the All-Star shortstop hurt his right elbow Monday night. Tests showed inflammation but no structural damage, and the Rockies hope Story can return to the lineup in a few days. Story this year became the first shortstop in major league history with at least 40 doubles, 30 home runs and 25 steals in a season.END GAMEAs they pursue a third consecutive NL Central crown, the ninth inning is getting more and more complicated for the Chicago Cubs. The team announced Tuesday that closer Brandon Morrow will be shut down for the rest of the year because of an injured right elbow that's been slow to heal. Morrow, who leads the Cubs... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees for the first time since his right wrist was broken seven weeks ago, taking over in right field for the final two innings of New York's 11-0 romp over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Judge had not played since July 26, when he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Jakob Junis. The Yankees say for now Judge will be limited to defense and pinch running, but they hope he will become a regular at some point in the regular season's final two weeks.Masahiro Tanaka (12-5), bidding to start a likely wild-card game against Oakland on Oct. 3, extended his scoreless streak to 20 innings and won his third straight start. Dominating with a sharp splitter, Tanaka struck out eight in six innings and allowed four hits. Luis Cessa got his second save in New York's largest shutout win margin since a 15-0 victory over the Mets on June 14, 2009.New York improved to 13-4 against Toronto this season. Starting their final homestand, the Yankees remained... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kansas City rookie Jorge Lopez came within three outs of a perfect game before Max Kepler walked leading off the ninth inning and Robbie Grossman followed with a single in the Royals' 4-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night.The 25-year-old right-hander made just his seventh big league start, his fifth for Kansas City since he was acquired from Milwaukee in the late-July trade that sent Mike Moustakas to the Brewers.Lopez (2-4) retired his first 24 batters before walking Kepler on a 3-1 fastball. Grossman followed with a clean single to center field on a changeup with a 1-2 count.Lopez was removed from the game after 110 pitches, 11 more than his previous high.Ehire Adrianza hit a sacrifice fly off Wily Peralta, who retired Joe Mauer and Jorge Polanco on flyouts for his ninth save, completing the one-hitter.Jose Berrios (11-11) gave up one run and three hits in six innings.ASTROS 5, RED SOX 3BOSTON (AP) — Alex Bregman hit his 30th home run, Charlie Morton returned... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kansas City rookie Jorge Lopez came within three outs of a perfect game before Max Kepler walked leading off the ninth inning and Robbie Grossman followed with a single in the Royals' 4-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night.The 25-year-old right-hander made just his seventh big league start, his fifth for Kansas City since he was acquired from Milwaukee in the late-July trade that sent Mike Moustakas to the Brewers.Lopez (2-4) retired his first 24 batters before walking Kepler on a 3-1 fastball. Grossman followed with a clean single to center field on a changeup with a 1-2 count.Lopez was removed from the game after 110 pitches, 11 more than his previous high.Ehire Adrianza hit a sacrifice fly off Wily Peralta, who retired Joe Mauer and Jorge Polanco on flyouts for his ninth save, completing the one-hitter.Jose Berrios (11-11) gave up one run and three hits in six innings.ASTROS 5, RED SOX 3BOSTON (AP) — Alex Bregman hit his 30th home run, Charlie Morton returned... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul DeJong hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Kenley Jansen in the ninth inning, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals to a 3-1 victory and a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night.The Cardinals' eighth straight road win helped them improve to 17-4 this month, the most wins in the majors. They've homered in 15 straight games, one off the current season mark of 16 in a row by Philadelphia.St. Louis remained 2½ games behind the NL Central-leading Cubs.For Jansen, it was a familiar ending.The All-Star closer, who became a father for the third time earlier in the day, gave up consecutive homers to Jedd Gyorko and Matt Carpenter in the series opener Monday. That was Jansen's first game back after missing time because of an irregular heartbeat.This time, Gyorko singled off Jansen (0-5) and DeJong followed with a drive to left-center to give the Cardinals their first lead.Jordan Hicks struck out Cody Bellinger, Brian Dozier and Chris Taylor to earn his fifth... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicago Cubs tied a major league record by turning seven double plays Friday night, including a game-ending effort by rookie third baseman David Bote on a grounder by David Freese to finish off a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.The Cubs got six double plays on grounders — five with Cole Hamels pitching — and one on a line drive. The Elias Sports Bureau said the Cubs became the third team in big league history to turn seven DPs in a nine-inning game.Pittsburgh put runners on first and second in the ninth before Jesse Chavez got Freese to ground to Bote. Having hit a game-ending grand slam last Sunday night to beat Washington 4-3, Bote again was in the right place to cap off a win. Bote stepped on third and threw to first base to end it.Hamels (8-9) pitched seven solid innings. Kyle Schwarber hit a home run in the second off Trevor Williams (10-9). Chavez got his second save as the Pirates lost their fifth in a row.The Cubs beat the Pirates by a 1-0 score for the second... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicago Cubs tied a major league record by turning seven double plays Friday night, including a game-ending effort by rookie third baseman David Bote on a grounder by David Freese to finish off a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.The Cubs got six double plays on grounders — five with Cole Hamels pitching — and one on a line drive. The Elias Sports Bureau said the Cubs became the third team in big league history to turn seven DPs in a nine-inning game.Pittsburgh put runners on first and second in the ninth before Jesse Chavez got Freese to ground to Bote. Having hit a game-ending grand slam last Sunday night to beat Washington 4-3, Bote again was in the right place to cap off a win. Bote stepped on third and threw to first base to end it.Hamels (8-9) pitched seven solid innings. Kyle Schwarber hit a home run in the second off Trevor Williams (10-9). Chavez got his second save as the Pirates lost their fifth in a row.The Cubs beat the Pirates by a 1-0 score for the second... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Andrew Benintendi's RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning capped Boston's rally from three runs down in the ninth against New York closer Aroldis Chapman, and the Red Sox completed a four-game sweep over the rival Yankees with a 5-4 victory on Sunday night.Boston opened a 9 1/2-game lead atop the AL East over the Yankees, who lost their season-high fifth straight.Boston (79-34) has won eight of nine games and owns the majors' best record.The Yankees hadn't been swept in a four-game series by the Red Sox when they entered a series 30 or more games over .500 since 1939, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Sandy Leon looped a two-out single off Jonathan Holder (1-3) in the 10th and advanced on a wild pitch. Tony Renda pinch-ran before Benintendi's single bounced up the middle to the right of second-base.Matt Barnes (4-3) worked a perfect inning in the top of the 10th.DODGERS 3, ASTROS 2LOS ANGELES (AP) — Brian Dozier delivered a two-run double in the first... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Brian Dozier delivered a two-run double in the first inning and Manny Machado had three hits with two runs scored as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Houston Astros 3-2 on Sunday.Cody Bellinger had an RBI double for the Dodgers, who prevented a three-game sweep by the team that beat them in last year's World Series.George Springer and Tony Kemp homered for the Astros, but Springer exited in the third with left thumb discomfort after he was thrown out trying to steal second base.New reliever Roberto Osuna did not pitch in his first game on the active roster for Houston. Osuna was reinstated from the restricted list after serving a 75-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy. The All-Star closer was acquired Monday in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays while he was still serving his suspension.Dodgers starter Walker Buehler (5-4) gave up two runs over 5 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts. Kenley Jansen closed for his 31st save.Gerrit... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the highest-scoring game in franchise history, Daniel Murphy hit two early home runs and the Washington Nationals kept pouring it on against emergency reliever Jose Reyes and the New York Mets in a 25-4 rout Tuesday night.Trea Turner, who apologized before the game to his teammates for homophobic and racially insensitive tweets he sent several years ago, had four of Washington's 26 hits. Pitcher Tanner Roark (5-12) hit a three-run double during a seven-run first inning.The Nationals set the team scoring mark dating to their days as the Montreal Expos in 1969. It was the Mets' most-lopsided loss in their 57-season history, worse than a 26-7 pounding by Philadelphia in 1985.Reyes made the first pitching appearance of his career, and the 35-year-old infielder got tagged for home runs by Matt Adams and Mark Reynolds in a six-run eighth. Throwing a fastball in the mid-80s mph and a curve in the upper 40s, Reyes gave up five hits and walked two.Reyes also plunked Ryan Zimmerman... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Sergio Romo relieved in the eighth inning, shifted to third base when Jonny Venters replaced him in the ninth, then struck out Brett Gardner to end the game with two on and give the Tampa Bay Rays a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday.Scheduled Rays starter Nathan Eovaldi was traded to AL East-leading Boston about two hours before game time, and six pitchers combined on a seven-hitter.New York has lost just two series since May, and both are against the Rays. Tampa Bay swept three games in late June, took two of three this week and has won six of its past seven against the Yankees. New York, 14-14 over its past 28 games, acquired reliever Zach Britton from Baltimore late Tuesday but said he will not report until Thursday's homestand opener against Kansas City.Neil Walker hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning, but the Rays took a 3-1 lead in the sixth when Kevin Kiermaier hit a two-run homer off Luis Cessa (1-2) and C.J. Cron added a solo drive against... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Sergio Romo relieved in the eighth inning, shifted to third base when Jonny Venters replaced him in the ninth, then struck out Brett Gardner to end the game with two on and give the Tampa Bay Rays a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday.Scheduled Rays starter Nathan Eovaldi was traded to AL East-leading Boston about two hours before game time, and six pitchers combined on a seven-hitter.New York has lost just two series since May, and both are against the Rays. Tampa Bay swept three games in late June, took two of three this week and has won six of its past seven against the Yankees. New York, 14-14 over its past 28 games, acquired reliever Zach Britton from Baltimore late Tuesday but said he will not report until Thursday's homestand opener against Kansas City.Neil Walker hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning, but the Rays took a 3-1 lead in the sixth when Kevin Kiermaier hit a two-run homer off Luis Cessa (1-2) and C.J. Cron added a solo drive against... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Sergio Romo relieved in the eighth inning, shifted to third base when Jonny Venters replaced him in the ninth, then struck out Brett Gardner to end the game with two on and give the Tampa Bay Rays a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday.Scheduled Rays starter Nathan Eovaldi was traded to AL East-leading Boston about two hours before game time, and six pitchers combined on a seven-hitter.New York has lost just two series since May, and both are against the Rays. Tampa Bay swept three games in late June, took two of three this week and has won six of its past seven against the Yankees. New York, 14-14 over its past 28 games, acquired reliever Zach Britton from Baltimore late Tuesday but said he will not report until Thursday's homestand opener against Kansas City.Neil Walker hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning, but the Rays took a 3-1 lead in the sixth when Kevin Kiermaier hit a two-run homer off Luis Cessa (1-2) and C.J. Cron added a solo drive against... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dodgers have sent prized pitching prospect Walker Buehler back to the minors.The 23-year-old right-hander was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday, hours after allowing two runs on a pair of solo homers and six hits in a no-decision against the Angels. He struck out five and walked one in five innings of his 10th start.Manager Dave Roberts said Buehler would likely throw a simulated game next week in Oklahoma City.Buehler is 4-2 with a 3.45 ERA with the Dodgers this season. He's limited the opposition to a .228 average while striking out 59 and walking 13 in 11 games.The Dodgers are closely monitoring Buehler's workload, although they have not announced a limit for him.He tossed just five innings in 2016 after Tommy John surgery. Last year, he pitched 98 innings. He's worked 73 1-3 innings so far this season.Buehler has racked up travel miles this season, having been optioned to Oklahoma City twice previously and to Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. He's also been on the disabled list with a microfracture to his rib.The Dodgers activated left-hander Zac Rosscup, who was claimed off waivers from the Colorado Rockies earlier in the week.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

A look at what's happening around the majors today:HEAVEN 11Mookie Betts and the rolling Boston Red Sox try to win their 11th consecutive game when they host Toronto again at Fenway Park. Betts, who leads the majors with a .352 batting average, had a grand slam and five RBIs in Thursday night's 6-4 victory. Boston owns the longest current winning streak in the big leagues and hasn't lost since getting routed July 1 at Yankee Stadium. At 66-29, the major league-leading Red Sox are 37 games over .500 for the first time since 1949. Rick Porcello (11-3, 3.58 ERA) starts for Boston against rookie left-hander Ryan Borucki (0-1, 2.25).BACK IN BUSINESSMets right-hander Noah Syndergaard (4-1, 3.06 ERA) comes off the disabled list to make his first big league start since May 25. The 2016 All-Star has been sidelined by a strained ligament in his right index finger. On the mound for the Nationals is Tanner Roark (3-11, 4.76), who is tied for the major league lead in losses. He got no-decisions in two... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Friday:HEAVEN 11Mookie Betts and the rolling Boston Red Sox try to win their 11th consecutive game when they host Toronto again at Fenway Park. Betts, who leads the majors with a .352 batting average, had a grand slam and five RBIs in Thursday night's 6-4 victory. Boston owns the longest current winning streak in the big leagues and hasn't lost since getting routed July 1 at Yankee Stadium. At 66-29, the major league-leading Red Sox are 37 games over .500 for the first time since 1949. Rick Porcello (11-3, 3.58 ERA) starts for Boston against rookie left-hander Ryan Borucki (0-1, 2.25).BACK IN BUSINESSMets right-hander Noah Syndergaard (4-1, 3.06 ERA) comes off the disabled list to make his first big league start since May 25. The 2016 All-Star has been sidelined by a strained ligament in his right index finger. On the mound for the Nationals is Tanner Roark (3-11, 4.76), who is tied for the major league lead in losses. He got no-decisions... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rookie Walker Buehler, the Dodgers' top prospect, has been optioned to the minor leagues after struggling in a relief appearance.The team says Buehler was sent to Class-A Rancho Cucamonga before Friday night's game against Colorado.The Dodgers had no choice in making the move since he had been activated on Thursday, when Buehler gave up five runs in one-plus inning of relief in an 11-5 loss to the Cubs. There was no indication when Buehler will next pitch or when he would be recalled to the big-league team.Buehler originally was set to make a rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday after missing 19 days with a rib microfracture.He flew to Oklahoma, but the plan was changed and he was immediately called back to Los Angeles. He landed Thursday morning, was activated off the DL and came on in relief of Clayton Kershaw.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball