MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Carlos Santana hit a grand slam in the 10th inning, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 7-3 on Sunday to win the four-game series and forge another tie for the AL Central lead.The Twins tied the game with four hits in a two-run ninth against Brad Hand (5-3), using a single by Luis Arraez and a double by Marwin Gonzalez to extend the game.As pinch-runner Ehire Adrianza tried to score the winning run from first base, left fielder Tyler Naquin grabbed the ball off the bounce from the wall and zipped a throw to shortstop Francisco Lindor, whose relay home was in perfect position for catcher Kevin Plawecki to tag Adrianza with ease.Twins closer Taylor Rogers (2-3) allowed a single, a walk and another single on a bunt by Greg Allen to load the bases with none out for Santana, who quickly erased the late-inning drama with one big swing.The Twins and Indians play six more times, all in September.ORIOLES 8, ASTROS 7BALTIMORE (AP) — Rio Ruiz hit a two-run homer with... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Asdrubal Cabrera hit a tiebreaking two-run double against his former team, helping the Washington Nationals beat the streaking New York Mets 7-4 Sunday.Nationals star Juan Soto was injured on Cabrera's bases-loaded hit in the seventh inning. Soto went from first to third but turned his right ankle after getting a late stop sign from third base coach Bob Henley. He was worked on by trainers in the outfield grass before coming out of the game.Victor Robles replaced Soto and homered off Edwin Díaz in the ninth.Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect ninth for his 26th save two nights after blowing a three-run lead in the final inning. The Nats bullpen had blown five consecutive save chances at Citi Field prior to Sunday.The Mets had won eight in a row. They dropped 1 1/2 games behind Washington for the top NL wild card.Jeff McNeil had two hits and two RBIs, and Robert Gsellman (2-3) got the loss.YANKEES 1, BLUE JAYS 0TORONTO (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka and Aroldis Chapman combined on a... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today:ZEROED INZack Greinke makes his Houston debut, joining an Astros rotation that is on quite a roll. Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, newcomer Aaron Sanchez and the starters for the AL West leaders are 14-1 in their last 17 games — the Astros held Seattle to a total of seven hits in a three-game sweep over the weekend, including a combined no-hitter.Greinke (10-4, 2.90 ERA) was acquired from Arizona on Wednesday. He'll see a lot of familiar faces when he starts against Colorado at Minute Maid Park.Trevor Story has hit five home runs off Greinke, tied with Carlos Gonzalez and Jason Giambi for the most against the right-hander. Rockies star Nolan Arenado, however, hasn't homered in 75 at-bats vs. Greinke.CAMDEN CRUSHThe Yankees have hit 32 home runs at Camden Yards this year, the most by a visiting team at any stadium in a single season. New York hit five, including two by Mike Tauchman, in a 9-6 win Monday night.That broke the mark of 29 set... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs placed closer Craig Kimbrel on the 10-day injured list Monday and announced All-Star catcher Willson Contreras will be sidelined for four weeks with a right hamstring strain.The pair of injuries will test Chicago's depth and the ingenuity of its front office as it tries to win the roller-coaster NL Central for the third time in four years. While manager Joe Maddon has some veteran bullpen options, the catching situation is more perilous and the team can't trade for help under a new set of rules that began this year.Kimbrel, who got a late start this year after he finalized a $43 million, three-year deal with the Cubs in June, is dealing with inflammation in his right knee. He said it started bothering him while he was closing out Saturday's 4-1 victory over the Brewers."We assessed it yesterday morning and it looked like there was a strain and some swelling in there and we're just going to let it calm down," Kimbrel said before Chicago's 6-5 victory over... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday:ZEROED INZack Greinke makes his Houston debut, joining an Astros rotation that is on quite a roll. Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, newcomer Aaron Sanchez and the starters for the AL West leaders are 14-1 in their last 17 games — the Astros held Seattle to a total of seven hits in a three-game sweep over the weekend, including a combined no-hitter.Greinke (10-4, 2.90 ERA) was acquired from Arizona on Wednesday. He'll see a lot of familiar faces when he starts against Colorado at Minute Maid Park.Trevor Story has hit five home runs off Greinke, tied with Carlos Gonzalez and Jason Giambi for the most against the right-hander. Rockies star Nolan Arenado, however, hasn't homered in 75 at-bats vs. Greinke.HE'S BACKMike Foltynewicz returns to the Atlanta rotation after getting demoted to the minors. He'll start against the AL Central-leading Twins at Target Field.A 13-game winner and an All-Star for the Braves in 2018, he struggled to regain... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Mike Leake of the Seattle Mariners lost his bid to pitch a perfect game on a leadoff single in the ninth inning by rookie Luis Rengifo, then finished off the Los Angeles Angels for a 10-0 win Friday night.A week after the worst start of his career, Leake almost achieved baseball immortality.The Angels hadn't come close to a hit and Leake hadn't gone to a three-ball count before Rengifo grounded a clean hit to right field on Leake's 79th pitch.The fans gave Leake a standing ovation and he quickly waved to acknowledge their cheers.After a walk, Leake (8-8) retired the next three batters for a one-hitter, striking out Mike Trout on a full-count pitch to end it. Leake fanned six overall and walked one.Leake's second career shutout came exactly a week after he was tagged by the Angels in his previous start, giving up seven runs on eight hits and a walk while getting just two outs. The Angels pitched a combined no-hitter that night in Anaheim while the entire club wore jerseys... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Josh Donaldson's bases-loaded single off Fernando Rodney in the ninth inning lifted the Atlanta Braves over the Washington Nationals 4-3 on Friday night after Luke Jackson allowed a tying, two-run homer to Victor Robles in the top half.Ronald Acuña Jr., who had three hits, led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk off Rodney (0-3) and took second on Dansby Swanson's single. Freddie Freeman walked on four pitches, loading the bases.Nationals manager Dave Martinez brought in left fielder Juan Soto as a fifth infielder, including three on the left side against the right-handed hitting Donaldson.Donaldson hit a 2-0 pitch over Robles to center-field warning track, and the Braves boosted their NL East lead to 6½ games over the second-place Nationals. Atlanta had lost its previous five home games against Washington.YANKEES 8, ROCKIES 2NEW YORK (AP) — Edwin Encarnación hit a go-ahead grand slam, a trio of ex-Rockies beat up on their former team and New York defeated Colorado.Encarnación... [More]

LONDON (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a go-ahead, two-run single during a nine-run seventh inning, and the New York Yankees overcame a four-run deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 12-8 Sunday for a two-game sweep of the groundbreaking, high-scoring trip across the pond.DJ LeMahieu doubled off Marcus Walden (6-1) leading off the seventh and hit a two-run double against Josh Taylor later in the inning as the Yankees opened an 11-4 lead, sending 14 batters to the plate in their highest-scoring inning in four years.Didi Gregorius went deep against Ryan Brasier in the eighth, extending New York's record streak of games with home runs to 31. Combined with the Yankees' 17-13 win Saturday, the teams scored 50 runs on the weekend, four more than their previous scoring mark in consecutive games against each other.Adam Ottavino (3-2), the second of six New York relievers, got the win.Before a sellout crowd of 59,059 at Olympic Stadium, Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez and Christian Vázquez became the first... [More]

LONDON (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a go-ahead, two-run single during a nine-run seventh inning, and the New York Yankees overcame a four-run deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 12-8 Sunday for a two-game sweep of the groundbreaking, high-scoring trip across the pond.DJ LeMahieu doubled off Marcus Walden (6-1) leading off the seventh and hit a two-run double against Josh Taylor later in the inning as the Yankees opened an 11-4 lead, sending 14 batters to the plate in their highest-scoring inning in four years.Didi Gregorius went deep against Ryan Brasier in the eighth, extending New York's record streak of games with home runs to 31. Combined with the Yankees' 17-13 win Saturday, the teams scored 50 runs on the weekend, four more than their previous scoring mark in consecutive games against each other.Adam Ottavino (3-2), the second of six New York relievers, got the win.Before a sellout crowd of 59,059 at Olympic Stadium, Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez and Christian Vázquez became the first... [More]

LONDON (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a go-ahead, two-run single during a nine-run seventh inning, and the New York Yankees overcame a four-run deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 12-8 Sunday for a two-game sweep of the groundbreaking, high-scoring trip across the pond.DJ LeMahieu doubled off Marcus Walden (6-1) leading off the seventh and hit a two-run double against Josh Taylor later in the inning as the Yankees opened an 11-4 lead, sending 14 batters to the plate in their highest-scoring inning in four years.Didi Gregorius went deep against Ryan Brasier in the eighth, extending New York's record streak of games with home runs to 31. Combined with the Yankees' 17-13 win Saturday, the teams scored 50 runs on the weekend, four more than their previous scoring mark in consecutive games against each other.Adam Ottavino (3-2), the second of six New York relievers, got the win.Before a sellout crowd of 59,059 at Olympic Stadium, Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez and Christian Vázquez became the first... [More]

LONDON (AP) — Gary Sánchez hit a go-ahead, two-run single during a nine-run seventh inning, and the New York Yankees overcame a four-run deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 12-8 Sunday for a two-game sweep of the groundbreaking, high-scoring trip across the pond.DJ LeMahieu doubled off Marcus Walden (6-1) leading off the seventh and hit a two-run double against Josh Taylor later in the inning as the Yankees opened an 11-4 lead, sending 14 batters to the plate in their highest-scoring inning in four years.Didi Gregorius went deep against Ryan Brasier in the eighth, extending New York's record streak of games with home runs to 31. Combined with the Yankees' 17-13 win Saturday, the teams scored 50 runs on the weekend, four more than their previous scoring mark in consecutive games against each other.Adam Ottavino (3-2), the second of six New York relievers, got the win.Before a sellout crowd of 59,059 at Olympic Stadium, Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez and Christian Vázquez became the first... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Johan Camargo had a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the 10th inning, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 Sunday to win their fifth straight series.Overcoming an injury to standout rookie starting pitcher Mike Soroka, the Braves used the long ball and their bullpen to win the deciding matchup of a three-game set between NL East rivals.Camargo connected off Tanner Rainey (1-2) after Ozzie Albies drew a one-out walk, and Atlanta held on for its seventh victory in 10 extra-inning games this season.Josh Donaldson and Ronald Acuña Jr. also went deep for the first-place Braves.Juan Soto homered for the Nationals, who have lost two in a row following a five-game win streak.A.J. Minter (2-4) worked the ninth and Luke Jackson earned his 11th save despite giving up a run, two hits and a walk.ASTROS 9, YANKEES 4NEW YORK (AP) — Jose Altuve hit a leadoff homer, rookie Yordan Alvarez connected again and Houston ended its first seven-game skid in four years.New York had... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Johan Camargo had a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the 10th inning, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 Sunday to win their fifth straight series.Overcoming an injury to standout rookie starting pitcher Mike Soroka, the Braves used the long ball and their bullpen to win the deciding matchup of a three-game set between NL East rivals.Camargo connected off Tanner Rainey (1-2) after Ozzie Albies drew a one-out walk, and Atlanta held on for its seventh victory in 10 extra-inning games this season.Josh Donaldson and Ronald Acuña Jr. also went deep for the first-place Braves.Juan Soto homered for the Nationals, who have lost two in a row following a five-game win streak.A.J. Minter (2-4) worked the ninth and Luke Jackson earned his 11th save despite giving up a run, two hits and a walk.ASTROS 9, YANKEES 4NEW YORK (AP) — Jose Altuve hit a leadoff homer, rookie Yordan Alvarez connected again and Houston ended its first seven-game skid in four years.New York had... [More]

Craig Kimbrel and Dallas Keuchel finally have jobs, and each also has a chance to affect the playoff race in the National League.It was no surprise they both ended up with contenders. Kimbrel signed with the Chicago Cubs, Keuchel with the Atlanta Braves. If the season ended now, those teams would be in the postseason, and adding these pitchers could be the equivalent of making a major pickup at the trade deadline — only the Cubs and Braves did it sooner.Kimbrel's role with Chicago isn't hard to predict. The 31-year-old closer has 333 saves in his career, including 42 last year with the champion Red Sox. The Cubs have been without closer Brandon Morrow, who is coming off elbow surgery. They have some other relievers with closing experience in Steve Cishek, Brandon Kintzler and Pedro Strop, and even without Kimbrel, they're atop the NL Central at the moment. But slotting Kimbrel in as the closer could create a domino effect that makes the whole bullpen more imposing.Keuchel joins an Atlanta... [More]

June 91901 — The New York Giants set a major league record with 31 hits in beating Cincinnati 25-13. Al Selbach of the Giants went 6-for-7 with two doubles and four singles and scored four runs.1906 — Boston snapped a 19-game losing streak by beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3.1914 — Honus Wagner of the Pittsburgh Pirates got the 3,000th hit of his career off Philadelphia's Erskine Mayer in a 3-1 loss to the Phillies at the Baker Bowl. Wagner's hit, a double, came in the ninth. Wagner joined Cap Anson as the only members of the 3000-hit club.1935 — The St. Louis Cardinals became the 10th team in major league history to score a run in every inning in a 13-2 win over the Chicago Cubs.1946 — Commissioner Happy Chandler imposed five-year suspensions on players who jumped to the Mexican League and three-year suspensions for those who broke the reserve clause.1946 — The New York Giants' Mel Ott became the first manager to be ejected in both ends of a doubleheader. The Pittsburgh Pirates won... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — After missing more than one-third of a season while waiting for the right offer, Craig Kimbrel found a home with the Chicago Cubs."Am I disappointed at where I am? No. not all at all. I'm very happy where I am," Kimbrel said Friday after the Cubs finalized a three-year contract that guarantees the closer $43 million.Kimbrel helped Boston win the World Series, then turned down a $17.9 million qualifying offer from the Red Sox in November and waited.And waited."I don't think waiting around trying to find out who I'm going work for the next year has really been the hardest thing I've been through," he said. "If anything, there's blessings as well. Good to be home, spend time with family."Spring training came and went. And still the 31-year-old right-hander did not get an offer he liked."We kind of understood kind of how the lay of the land was going throughout the offseason, the offers we were getting, the offers we were not getting," Kimbrel said. "I obviously had a lot of... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — After missing more than one-third of a season while waiting for the right offer, Craig Kimbrel found a home with the Chicago Cubs."Am I disappointed at where I am? No. not all at all. I'm very happy where I am," Kimbrel said Friday after the Cubs finalized a three-year contract that guarantees the closer $43 million.Kimbrel helped Boston win the World Series, then turned down a $17.9 million qualifying offer from the Red Sox in November and waited.And waited."I don't think waiting around trying to find out who I'm going work for the next year has really been the hardest thing I've been through," he said. "If anything, there's blessings as well. Good to be home, spend time with family."Spring training came and went. And still the 31-year-old right-hander did not get an offer he liked."We kind of understood kind of how the lay of the land was going throughout the offseason, the offers we were getting, the offers we were not getting," Kimbrel said. "I obviously had a lot of... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — After missing more than one-third of a season while waiting for the right offer, Craig Kimbrel found a home with the Chicago Cubs."Am I disappointed at where I am? No. not all at all. I'm very happy where I am," Kimbrel said Friday after the Cubs finalized a three-year contract that guarantees the closer $43 million.Kimbrel helped Boston win the World Series, then turned down a $17.9 million qualifying offer from the Red Sox in November and waited.And waited."I don't think waiting around trying to find out who I'm going work for the next year has really been the hardest thing I've been through," he said. "If anything, there's blessings as well. Good to be home, spend time with family."Spring training came and went. And still the 31-year-old right-hander did not get an offer he liked."We kind of understood kind of how the lay of the land was going throughout the offseason, the offers we were getting, the offers we were not getting," Kimbrel said. "I obviously had a lot of... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel has agreed to a three-year contract with the Cubs that guarantees $43 million in a big move to strengthen Chicago's bullpen.The team said Friday he passed his physical and will be optioned to Triple-A Iowa.Kimbrel gets $10 million this year — a prorated share of his $16,173,913 listed salary — and $16 million in each of the following two seasons.Chicago has a $16 million option for 2022 with a $1 million buyout. The option would become guaranteed if he has at least 110 games finished in 2021-22 combined, including a minimum 55 in 2021, and he does not have a non-temporary injury.He has a full no-trade provision this year, and a limited no-trade provision for 2020 in which he must by this Oct. 31 designate eight teams he can't be deal to without his consent.The addition plugs a major hole for Chicago, which has been beset by blown saves but is still tied for the NL Central lead. Brandon Morrow is going slowly after a setback in his recovery... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel has agreed to a three-year contract with the Cubs in a big move to strengthen Chicago's bullpen.The team said Friday he passed his physical and will be optioned to Triple-A Iowa.The addition plugs a major hole for Chicago, which has been beset by blown saves but is still tied for the NL Central lead. Brandon Morrow is going slowly after a setback in his recovery from offseason elbow surgery, and Pedro Strop just returned after another hamstring injury.Even before the deal was announced Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he thought Kimbrel would be ready to pitch in about three weeks."I would imagine in the position that's he's been in, he had some kind of a strategy of program mapped out," Maddon said Thursday. "The first thing you do is find out and then set up program. You think about a three-week window, normally it sounds right."Once Kimbrel is ready to go, Strop will likely move back to his usual setup role and Steve Cishek will be freed up... [More]