NEW YORK (AP) — In a season of haves and have nots, Christian Yelich's quest to become the National League's first Triple Crown winner since 1937 will extend to a 163rd game Monday.Yelich is assured the Brewers' first batting title with a .323 average. He has 36 homers going into Monday's NL Central tiebreaker game at the Chicago Cubs, one behind Nolan Arenado's league-leading total for Colorado, and Yelich's 109 RBIs are second to the Cubs' Javier Baez, who leads with 111.Arenado and the Rockies also have one more game, a Monday NL West tiebreaker at the Los Angeles Dodgers.Yelich was acquired from payroll-slashing Miami in January. Yelich was 0 for 2 with a pair of walks when he was removed by manager Craig Counsell with two outs in the top of the eighth, even though he was due to lead off the bottom half. Yelich jogged from center field to the dugout to a standing ovation from Brewers fans, tipping his cap."I don't know what I was supposed to do there, so I hope that was good enough,"... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — In a season of haves and have nots, Christian Yelich's quest to become the National League's first Triple Crown winner since 1937 will extend to a 163rd game Monday.Yelich is assured the Brewers' first batting title with a .323 average. He has 36 homers going into Monday's NL Central tiebreaker game at the Chicago Cubs, one behind Nolan Arenado's league-leading total for Colorado, and Yelich's 109 RBIs are second to the Cubs' Javier Baez, who leads with 111.Arenado and the Rockies also have one more game, a Monday NL West tiebreaker at the Los Angeles Dodgers.There has not been a Triple Crown winner in the NL since Joe Medwick for the St. Louis Cardinals. Detroit's Miguel Cabrera in 2012 won the AL's first Triple Crown since Boston's Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.Boston's Mookie Betts won this year's AL batting title at .346, and with 32 homers and 30 stolen bases became the first player to lead either league in batting as part of a 30-30 season.Highlighting how teams decided... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies' Charlie Blackmon completed a cycle by hitting an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning Sunday.Blackmon doubled down the first-base line off Washington Nationals reliever Kyle McGowin. It was the ninth cycle in the Rockies' 26-year history and the first of Blackmon's career.Blackmon tripled in his first at-bat and homered into the right-field seats in the third inning. He beat out an infield single in the fourth while going 4 of 5 on the day.Blackmon's cycle was the first by a Colorado player since Nolan Arenado completed one by hitting a game-ending home run against the San Francisco Giants June 18, 2017.

The NL West and NL Central were on track for tiebreaker games when the Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers all took leads in Game 162.Any tiebreakers would be one-game matchups Monday and would be played at Wrigley Field and Dodger Stadium. If there are two games, the winners would get the division title and the losers would meet in the NL wild-card game Tuesday.The Dodgers and Rockies were both at 90-71 entering Sunday, while the Cubs and Brewers were deadlocked at 94-67.Los Angeles led 14-0 at San Francisco in the eighth inning. Justin Turner, Manny Machado, Matt Kemp and Brian Dozier all had big hits.Colorado was ahead 9-0 at home against Washington in the eighth on two home runs by Nolan Arenado. The Nationals scratched ace Max Scherzer in a game with no meaning for them and started rookie Erick Fedde.Milwaukee held a 4-0 lead against visiting Detroit in the seventh on Jesus Aguilar's home run and RBI single.The Cubs were up 8-4 at home against St. Louis in the sixth. Anthony Rizzo had three hits for Chicago.The NL West winner advances to a best-of-five Division Series against Atlanta starting Thursday, and the NL Central winner moves on to a Division Series against the winner of Tuesday's wild card game.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The NL West and NL Central were on track for tiebreaker games when the Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers all took leads in Game 162.Any tiebreakers would be one-game matchups Monday. They would be played at Wrigley Field and Dodger Stadium, if necessary.The Dodgers and Rockies were both at 90-71 entering Sunday, while the Cubs and Brewers were deadlocked at 94-67.Los Angeles led 14-0 at San Francisco in the seventh inning. Justin Turner, Manny Machado, Matt Kemp and Brian Dozier all had big hits.Colorado was ahead 7-0 at home against Washington in the seventh on homers by Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and David Dahl. The Nationals scratched ace Max Scherzer in a game with no meaning for them and started rookie Erick Fedde.Milwaukee held a 3-0 lead against visiting Detroit in the sixth on Jesus Aguilar's home run and RBI single.The Cubs were up 8-2 at home against St. Louis in the fifth. Anthony Rizzo had three hits for Chicago.The NL West winner advances to a best-of-five Division Series against Atlanta starting Thursday, and the NL Central winner moves on to a Division Series against the winner of Tuesday's wild card game — between the second-place teams in the West and Central.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The NL West and NL Central were on track for tiebreaker games when the Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers all took leads in Game 162.The Dodgers and Rockies were both at 90-71 entering Sunday, while the Cubs and Brewers were deadlocked at 94-67.Any tiebreakers would be one-game matchups Monday. They would be played at Wrigley Field and Dodger Stadium, if necessary.Los Angeles led 14-0 at San Francisco in the fourth inning. Justin Turner, Manny Machado, Matt Kemp and Brian Dozier all had big hits.Colorado was ahead 7-0 at home against Washington on homers by Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and David Dahl. The Nationals scratched ace Max Scherzer in a game with no meaning for them and started rookie Erick Fedde.Milwaukee took a 3-0 lead against visiting Detroit on Jesus Aguilar's home run and RBI single.After falling behind in the first, the Cubs took a 4-2 lead in the third when Ben Zobrist tripled in a run and scored on a wild pitch, Anthony Rizzo hit an RBI double and Jason Heyward followed with a run-scoring single.The NL West winner advances to a best-of-five Division Series against Atlanta starting Thursday, and the NL Central winner moves on to a Division Series against the winner of Tuesday's wild card game — between the second-place teams in the West and Central.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SEATTLE (AP) — The Oakland Athletics clinched their first playoff berth in four years, then beat the Seattle Mariners 7-3 Monday night behind Khris Davis' major league-leading 46th home run.Jonathan Lucroy, Jed Lowrie and Matt Chapman also homered for the A's, assured no worse than an AL wild card.Oakland was one out into the game when Tampa Bay was eliminated with a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees. The A's went on to win after Chapman broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run drive in the seventh off Shawn Armstrong (0-1).Coming off three straight last-place finishes in the AL West, the A's (95-62) are 4½ games behind AL West-leading Houston. They trail the Yankees by 1½ games for home-field advantage should they meet in a wild-card matchup.Robinson Cano and Dee Gordon homered for the Mariners.The Athletics will be making their fourth playoff appearance in the last seven seasons, all under manager Bob Melvin, and their 27th overall. The A's lost at Kansas City 9-8 in 12 innings in the 2014 wild-card... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — The Oakland Athletics clinched their first playoff berth since 2014, then beat the Seattle Mariners 7-3 Monday night behind Khris Davis' major league-leading 46th home run.Jonathan Lucroy, Jed Lowrie and Matt Chapman also homered for the A's, assured no worse than a wild-card berth.Oakland was one out into the game when Tampa Bay was eliminated with a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees. The A's went on to win after Chapman broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run drive in the seventh off Shawn Armstrong (0-1).Coming off three straight last-place finishes in the AL West, the A's (95-62) are 4½ games behind AL West-leading Houston. They trail the Yankees by 1½ games for home-field advantage should they meet in a wild-card matchup.Robinson Cano and Dee Gordon homered for the Mariners.The Athletics will be making their fourth playoff appearance in the last seven seasons, all under manager Bob Melvin, and their 27th overall. The A's lost at Kansas City 9-8 in 12 innings in the 2014 wild-card... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Aaron Hicks injured his left hamstring running up the first-base line in the Yankees' 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night, another concern for New York heading into next week's AL wild-card game.Hicks' 11th-inning double on Saturday drove Didi Gregorius with the run that clinched a postseason berth, and on Sunday the Yankees learned Sunday that Gregorius had torn cartilage in his right wrist during his headfirst slide across the plate.Hicks, who had fouled a pitch off his left ankle just before the double, left Monday's game with left hamstring tightness.New York's win eliminated the Rays and ensured a postseason berth for Oakland, which is likely to be the wild-card opponent but also is still alive in the AL West race. At 96-60, New York is assured of its best record since going 97-65 in 2011.Gardner had a go-ahead single off Ryan Yarbrough (15-6) in a two-run fifth inning.New York used eight pitchers and gave its starters extra rest ahead of the... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Aaron Hicks injured his left hamstring running up the first-base line in the Yankees' 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night, another concern for New York heading into next week's AL wild-card game.Hicks' 11th-inning double on Saturday drove Didi Gregorius with the run that clinched a postseason berth, and on Sunday the Yankees learned Sunday that Gregorius had torn cartilage in his right wrist during his headfirst slide across the plate.Hicks, who had fouled a pitch off his left ankle just before the double, left Monday's game with left hamstring tightness.New York's win eliminated the Rays and ensured a postseason berth for Oakland, which is likely to be the wild-card opponent but also is still alive in the AL West race. At 96-60, New York is assured of its best record since going 97-65 in 2011.Gardner had a go-ahead single off Ryan Yarbrough (15-6) in a two-run fifth inning.New York used eight pitchers and gave its starters extra rest ahead of the... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Trevor Story is going over the top to get back on the field, altering his throwing motion to take some of the stress off his sore right elbow.The Colorado Rockies All-Star shortstop returned to the lineup Monday night after missing a week with the ailment. Story batted fifth as the playoff-chasing Rockies opened a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies."It's tough just sitting and watching," Story said. "It's not ideal. The timing of it was pretty brutal. Just really tried to keep my focus .on the treatment and getting better."Story tweaked his elbow on a throw in the first inning Sept. 17 in Los Angeles and aggravated it on a swing in the fourth."It's gotten better every single day, and I'm ready to play," Story said.Story has been practicing throwing from a more straightaway angle, which cuts down on elbow stress. He also worked on spin moves Sunday in Arizona and said "it felt good," he said. "There are little things I can do to take pressure off."At the plate,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius has torn cartilage in his right wrist and is unsure whether he will be able to play in the AL wild-card game on Oct. 3.Gregorius, who has 27 homers and 86 RBIs, got injured Saturday when he slid headfirst on Aaron Hicks' 11th-inning double to score the run that clinched a postseason berth for New York, which disclosed the injury after a 6-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.New York remained 1½ games ahead of Oakland for the top AL wild card. Baltimore (45-110) is one loss shy of matching the franchise record for defeats set by the 1939 St. Louis Browns, who went 43-111.Tim Beckham homered twice for the lowly Orioles, who trailed 3-0 early. Ryan Meisinger (2-0) pitched two perfect innings and Mychal Givens worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his ninth save. A.J. Cole (3-1) was the loser.INDIANS 4, RED SOX 3, 11 INNINGSCLEVELAND (AP) — Greg Allen singled with one out and the bases loaded in the 11th inning and Cleveland denied Boston's bid for... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius has torn cartilage in his right wrist and is unsure whether he will be able to play in the AL wild-card game on Oct. 3.Gregorius, who has 27 homers and 86 RBIs, got injured Saturday when he slid headfirst on Aaron Hicks' 11th-inning double to score the run that clinched a postseason berth for New York, which disclosed the injury after a 6-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.New York remained 1½ games ahead of Oakland for the top AL wild card. Baltimore (45-110) is one loss shy of matching the franchise record for defeats set by the 1939 St. Louis Browns, who went 43-111.Tim Beckham homered twice for the lowly Orioles, who trailed 3-0 early. Ryan Meisinger (2-0) pitched two perfect innings and Mychal Givens worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his ninth save. A.J. Cole (3-1) was the loser.TWINS 5, ATHLETICS 1OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland will have to take its bubbly on the road. Kyle Gibson (9-13) allowed one run over 7 1/3 innings and Jake Cave... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Neil Walker hit a three-run homer, Zach Britton started a game-ending double play on New York's third try in the ninth inning and the Yankees kept the Boston Red Sox from a bubbly celebration in the Bronx for at least another night with a 3-2 victory Tuesday.Batting from the left side, Walker launched a no-doubter in the seventh inning off Ryan Brasier for the Yankees' third hit of the game and a 3-1 lead.Aaron Judge returned to New York's lineup for the first time since breaking his right wrist July 26, while AL MVP candidate Mookie Betts got a day off for Boston after injuring his left side Sunday. Judge hit a pop fly to the warning track but finished 0 for 4.New York moved 2½ games ahead of Oakland for the top AL wild card. The A's lost at home to the Angels.Boston is trying to clinch the AL East at Yankee Stadium for the second time in three years. The Red Sox lead the Yankees by 10 1/2 games and entered the night with a magic number of four over the Astros to lock up... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Opposing managers Dave Roberts and Bud Black are close friends. Star infielders Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt talk all the time.Just maybe not so much right now.This NL West title chase is serious business and shaping up to go down to the wire. Colorado holds a 1 1/2-game lead over Los Angeles and stretched its margin to 4 1/2 over Arizona by taking three of four this week. The Rockies are aiming for their first division title in franchise history."I expected us to be in this position," Arenado said . "I thought we had the type of players who could do something like this."Typically, Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill doesn't start looking at the standings until mid-September. He made an exception after his win over the Rockies on Sunday, just to see where things stood.It's scoreboard-watching season."We have a beautiful scoreboard out there," Rockies manager Black cracked. "We have to have that heightened focus we've had all season long. I don't think you ratchet it up any... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit his 41st home run and the Boston Red Sox moved closer to winning the AL East title, completing a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with a 4-3 victory Thursday night.Xander Bogaerts scored the go-ahead run on an eighth-inning error after the Blue Jays rallied in the top half with two runs to tie it 3-all.Rafael Devers also homered for the major league-leading Red Sox (101-46). They pulled 10 1/2 games ahead of the idle New York Yankees and decreased their magic number to six for clinching a third straight division crown. Boston is the only team in the majors that's already locked up a playoff berth.Brandon Workman (5-0) faced one batter, ending Toronto's eighth-inning rally, and got the win. Craig Kimbrel earned his 40th save. Danny Barnes (3-3) took the loss.Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered for the Blue Jays.ROCKIES 10, DIAMONDBACKS 3DENVER (AP) — Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story homered, Kyle Freeland pitched effectively into the seventh, and Colorado beat... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit his 41st home run and the Boston Red Sox moved closer to winning the AL East title, completing a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with a 4-3 victory Thursday night.Xander Bogaerts scored the go-ahead run on an eighth-inning error after the Blue Jays rallied in the top half with two runs to tie it 3-all.Rafael Devers also homered for the major league-leading Red Sox (101-46). They pulled 10 1/2 games ahead of the idle New York Yankees and decreased their magic number to six for clinching a third straight division crown. Boston is the only team in the majors that's already locked up a playoff berth.Brandon Workman (5-0) faced one batter, ending Toronto's eighth-inning rally, and got the win. Craig Kimbrel earned his 40th save. Danny Barnes (3-3) took the loss.Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered for the Blue Jays.ROCKIES 10, DIAMONDBACKS 3DENVER (AP) — Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story homered, Kyle Freeland pitched effectively into the seventh, and Colorado beat... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit his 41st home run and the Boston Red Sox moved closer to winning the AL East title, completing a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with a 4-3 victory Thursday night.Xander Bogaerts scored the go-ahead run on an eighth-inning error after the Blue Jays rallied in the top half with two runs to tie it 3-all.Rafael Devers also homered for the major league-leading Red Sox (101-46). They pulled 10 1/2 games ahead of the idle New York Yankees and decreased their magic number to six for clinching a third straight division crown. Boston is the only team in the majors that's already locked up a playoff berth.Brandon Workman (5-0) faced one batter, ending Toronto's eighth-inning rally, and got the win. Craig Kimbrel earned his 40th save. Danny Barnes (3-3) took the loss.Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered for the Blue Jays.ROCKIES 10, DIAMONDBACKS 3DENVER (AP) — Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story homered, Kyle Freeland pitched effectively into the seventh, and Colorado beat... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit his 41st home run and the Boston Red Sox moved closer to winning the AL East title, completing a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with a 4-3 victory Thursday night.Xander Bogaerts scored the go-ahead run on an eighth-inning error after the Blue Jays rallied in the top half with two runs to tie it 3-all.Rafael Devers also homered for the major league-leading Red Sox (101-46). They pulled 10 1/2 games ahead of the idle New York Yankees and decreased their magic number to six for clinching a third straight division crown. Boston is the only team in the majors that's already locked up a playoff berth.Brandon Workman (5-0) faced one batter, ending Toronto's eighth-inning rally, and got the win. Craig Kimbrel earned his 40th save. Danny Barnes (3-3) took the loss.Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homered for the Blue Jays.ROCKIES 10, DIAMONDBACKS 3DENVER (AP) — Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story homered, Kyle Freeland pitched effectively into the seventh, and Colorado beat... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Conforto and Todd Frazier hit back-to-back homers with two outs in the ninth inning, and the New York Mets stunned the Miami Marlins 4-3 on Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader.Conforto drove in three more runs in the second game, and Jason Vargas pitched six effective innings to help the Mets win 5-2.In the opener, Kyle Barraclough entered with one out in the ninth and retired pinch-hitter Dominic Smith before Conforto lined a 1-0 changeup into the second deck in right to tie it. Frazier then hit a 1-1 pitch to left center field for his first walk-off homer since June 2015 for Cincinnati.Barraclough (0-6) blew a save for the seventh time in 17 opportunities. Jerry Blevins (3-2) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.Rookie starter Sandy Alcantara befuddled the Mets, permitting just two hits, with his only real blemish coming off the bat of the opposing pitcher. Steven Matz hit his first career homer, a two-run shot in the second inning to tie it at 2. Peter... [More]