DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies remained one game ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown. The Dodgers won 3-1 in San Francisco.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies entered the night with a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night to finish the... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The NL West-leading Colorado Rockies locked up a playoff berth for the second straight season, beating the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday night for their eighth win in a row behind a resilient start from Kyle Freeland.David Dahl homered for the fifth consecutive game and Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer against his former team to help Colorado clinch at least a wild card with two games remaining. The Rockies entered the night with a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers as they try to wrap up the franchise's first division crown.Wade Davis struck out Bryce Harper looking to end the game and earn his 43rd save. The sellout crowd at Coors Field roared and fireworks went off.The Rockies are headed to the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time in team history. This is their fifth playoff trip since the franchise began in 1993 — last year, they lost to Arizona in the NL wild-card game.Freeland (17-7) wiggled out of jam after jam on a cool night to finish the... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The New York Yankees clinched home-field advantage for the AL wild-card game, hitting four homers to tie the major league single-season record and beat the Boston Red Sox 11-6 on Friday night.Aaron Judge hit his first homer since coming off the disabled list Sept. 14, and Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks and Luke Voit also homered to match the mark of 264 set by the 1997 Seattle Mariners.The win in the opener of the three-game series settled the AL's last remaining postseason question with two games to go. The Yankees will host Oakland on Wednesday, with the winner playing Boston.The Red Sox, who clinched the best record in baseball with a franchise-record 107 wins, were hoping to make things difficult for their archrivals — and the Athletics, too — by forcing the winner of the wild-card game have to fly cross-country next week. The ALDS begins in Boston on Friday.J.A. Happ (17-6) pitched three perfect innings and allowed just one hit through five. Staked to an 8-0 lead, he loaded... [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]

TORONTO (AP) — Kendrys Morales became the seventh player in major league history to homer in at least seven consecutive games, going deep in the third inning of the Toronto Blue Jays' 8-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.Morales hit a two-run shot off Vince Velasquez, his 21st homer of the season. He has a chance to equal the major league record of homers in eight consecutive games, shared by Ken Griffey Jr., Dale Long and Don Mattingly.Rhys Hoskins and Carlos Santana hit back-to-back home runs for Philadelphia. Maikel Franco and Wilson Ramos each had two-run shots as the Phillies avoided a three-game sweep.Ramos had four hits. He singled in the first, doubled home a run in the second, singled in the sixth and homered off Tyler Clippard in the eighth, his 15th.Velasquez (9-9) allowed two runs and three hits in five innings for the victory as Philadelphia won for the second time in eight games.Marco Estrada (7-10) allowed five runs and seven hits in two-plus innings as Toronto's... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Kendrys Morales became the seventh player in major league history to homer in at least seven consecutive games, going deep in the third inning of the Toronto Blue Jays' 8-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.Morales hit a two-run shot off Vince Velasquez, his 21st homer of the season. He has a chance to equal the major league record of homers in eight consecutive games, shared by Ken Griffey Jr., Dale Long and Don Mattingly.Rhys Hoskins and Carlos Santana hit back-to-back home runs for Philadelphia. Maikel Franco and Wilson Ramos each had two-run shots as the Phillies avoided a three-game sweep.Ramos had four hits. He singled in the first, doubled home a run in the second, singled in the sixth and homered off Tyler Clippard in the eighth, his 15th.Velasquez (9-9) allowed two runs and three hits in five innings for the victory as Philadelphia won for the second time in eight games.Marco Estrada (7-10) allowed five runs and seven hits in two-plus innings as Toronto's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Sonny Gray was chased in the third inning by the team with worst record in the majors, big league-loss leader Alex Cobb ended a nine-start winless streak and the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 7-5 on Wednesday.Despite what appeared to be a midgame lecture in the dugout by third base coach Phil Nevin during a rain delay, New York (68-38) dropped 5 1/2 games behind Boston (75-34) heading into a four-game series at Fenway Park starting Thursday.Gray (8-8) allowed seven runs, eight hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to 5.56. He was booed as he walked off the mound and was replaced by Lance Lynn.Cobb (3-14) had been 0-7 since winning at the New York Mets on June 5, losing his last five outings. He breezed against the Yankees with an early 7-1 lead, allowing one run and seven hits in six innings and stopping Baltimore's streak of 11 consecutive road losses.Gleyber Torres homered twice for New York, a solo drive in the second and a three-run shot... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Sonny Gray was chased in the third inning by the team with worst record in the majors, big league-loss leader Alex Cobb ended a nine-start winless streak and the Baltimore Orioles beat the New York Yankees 7-5 on Wednesday.Despite what appeared to be a midgame lecture in the dugout by third base coach Phil Nevin during a rain delay, New York (68-38) dropped 5 1/2 games behind Boston (75-34) heading into a four-game series at Fenway Park starting Thursday.Gray (8-8) allowed seven runs, eight hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to 5.56. He was booed as he walked off the mound and was replaced by Lance Lynn.Cobb (3-14) had been 0-7 since winning at the New York Mets on June 5, losing his last five outings. He breezed against the Yankees with an early 7-1 lead, allowing one run and seven hits in six innings and stopping Baltimore's streak of 11 consecutive road losses.Gleyber Torres homered twice for New York, a solo drive in the second and a three-run shot... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — David Bote hit a tying, two-run homer off Brad Boxberger with one out in the ninth inning, Anthony Rizzo followed two pitches later with a winning home run and the Chicago Cubs overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6 on Thursday.Bote was called up when Kris Bryant was put on the disabled list because of inflammation in his left shoulder.Eddie Butler (1-1) retired Jon Jay on a flyout that stranded two runners in the ninth. Boxberger (1-4) was the loser.Nick Ahmed hit his first career grand slam in the fifth as Arizona built a 6-1 lead.YANKEES 7, ROYALS 2NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was hit on his right wrist by a pitch and forced to leave early, overshadowing New York's romp past Kansas City.The All-Star slugger sustained a fractured right wrist when he was hit by a fastball and is expected to miss three weeks.Normally an All-Star outfielder, Judge was the designated hitter. He winced when he was stung by a fastball from Jakob Junis... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — David Bote hit a tying, two-run homer off Brad Boxberger with one out in the ninth inning, Anthony Rizzo followed two pitches later with a winning home run and the Chicago Cubs overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6 on Thursday.Bote was called up when Kris Bryant was put on the disabled list because of inflammation in his left shoulder.Eddie Butler (1-1) retired Jon Jay on a flyout that stranded two runners in the ninth. Boxberger (1-4) was the loser.Nick Ahmed hit his first career grand slam in the fifth as Arizona built a 6-1 lead.YANKEES 7, ROYALS 2NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was hit on his right wrist by a pitch and forced to leave early, overshadowing New York's romp past Kansas City.The All-Star slugger sustained a fractured right wrist when he was hit by a fastball and is expected to miss three weeks.Normally an All-Star outfielder, Judge was the designated hitter. He winced when he was stung by a fastball from Jakob Junis... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aroldis Chapman had flamed out, throwing three of 19 pitches for strikes and enabling the Mets to cut a four-run, ninth-inning deficit in half.Chasen Shreve to the rescue. Yes, Chasen Shreve.Maligned last month, Shreve entered with the bases loaded, got Devin Mesoraco to hit into a run-scoring, double-play grounder and retired Wilmer Flores on a slow roller in front of the mound.With his second big league save and first since August 2016, Shreve preserved a 7-6 Subway Series victory Saturday that enabled Sonny Gray (7-7) to win consecutive starts for the first time since the Yankees acquired him last summer.On another tumult-filled day for the last-place Mets, closer Jeurys Familia was traded to Oakland for a pair of minor leaguers and slugging outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was out of the lineup because of body soreness, one game after returning from a two-month absence. Cespedes said Friday night he may need surgery on both heels that would require an eight-to-10-month recovery.Aaron... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Aroldis Chapman had flamed out, throwing three of 19 pitches for strikes and enabling the Mets to cut a four-run, ninth-inning deficit in half.Chasen Shreve to the rescue. Yes, Chasen Shreve.Maligned last month, Shreve entered with the bases loaded, got Devin Mesoraco to hit into a run-scoring, double-play grounder and retired Wilmer Flores on a slow roller in front of the mound.With his second big league save and first since August 2016, Shreve preserved a 7-6 Subway Series victory Saturday that enabled Sonny Gray (7-7) to win consecutive starts for the first time since the Yankees acquired him last summer.On another tumult-filled day for the last-place Mets, closer Jeurys Familia was traded to Oakland for a pair of minor leaguers and slugging outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was out of the lineup because of body soreness, one game after returning from a two-month absence. Cespedes said Friday night he may need surgery on both heels that would require an eight-to-10-month recovery.Aaron... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Noah Syndergaard pitched out of trouble in a rusty return from the disabled list and helped himself with an RBI single as the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Friday night.Amed Rosario tripled and doubled, both times over Bryce Harper's head in center field, and the Mets won for only the sixth time in their last 26 home games. Brandon Nimmo had three hits for New York, which built a three-run cushion in the first inning against struggling starter Tanner Roark.Roark (3-12) became the first 12-game loser in the majors this season. He allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings.Matt Adams homered for the inconsistent Nationals, who fell back to .500 at 47-47. They have lost just three of 13 games at Citi Field since the start of last season.After missing seven weeks with a strained ligament in his right index finger, Syndergaard (5-1) came out firing 99 mph fastballs.Robert Gsellman gave up Adams' upper-deck shot in the eighth but got six outs for his... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Noah Syndergaard pitched out of trouble in a rusty return from the disabled list and helped himself with an RBI single as the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Friday night.Amed Rosario tripled and doubled, both times over Bryce Harper's head in center field, and the Mets won for only the sixth time in their last 26 home games. Brandon Nimmo had three hits for New York, which built a three-run cushion in the first inning against struggling starter Tanner Roark.Roark (3-12) became the first 12-game loser in the majors this season. He allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings.Matt Adams homered for the inconsistent Nationals, who fell back to .500 at 47-47. They have lost just three of 13 games at Citi Field since the start of last season.After missing seven weeks with a strained ligament in his right index finger, Syndergaard (5-1) came out firing 99 mph fastballs.Robert Gsellman gave up Adams' upper-deck shot in the eighth but got six outs for his... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Noah Syndergaard pitched out of trouble in a rusty return from the disabled list and helped himself with an RBI single as the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Friday night.Amed Rosario tripled and doubled, both times over Bryce Harper's head in center field, and the Mets won for only the sixth time in their last 26 home games. Brandon Nimmo had three hits for New York, which built a three-run cushion in the first inning against struggling starter Tanner Roark.Roark (3-12) became the first 12-game loser in the majors this season. He allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings.Matt Adams homered for the inconsistent Nationals, who fell back to .500 at 47-47. They have lost just three of 13 games at Citi Field since the start of last season.After missing seven weeks with a strained ligament in his right index finger, Syndergaard (5-1) came out firing 99 mph fastballs.Gsellman gave up Adams' upper-deck shot in the eighth but got six outs for his fourth... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani's pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning sent Andrew Heaney and the Los Angeles Angels to a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.Albert Pujols also went deep for the Angels, tying the score at 3 in the sixth. Justin Upton had a two-run single.Heaney (5-6) allowed only three hits and equaled a career high with 10 strikeouts in seven innings to help the Angels take two of three at home in the Freeway Series. He gave up an early three-run homer to Yasiel Puig, who later left with an oblique injury.Ohtani drove his first career pinch-hit homer a projected 443 feet to center field off reliever JT Chargois (2-2). It also was the Angels' first pinch-hit home run of the season and Ohtani's seventh in the majors.The two-way rookie star from Japan, unavailable to pitch lately because of an elbow injury, fouled a ball off his knee one day earlier and experienced soreness. Before the game, it was unclear if he would be able to come off the bench.Justin... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Brett Anderson came off the disabled list and pitched effectively into the sixth inning before turning things over to Oakland's outstanding bullpen as the Athletics downed the Cleveland Indians 6-0 on Sunday.Anderson (1-2) had been sidelined with a shoulder strain, one of several injuries to the A's starting staff. But the left-hander looked sharp in his first start since May 18, limiting the Indians to three hits and leaving with a 4-0 lead.Stephen Piscotty hit a two-run homer off rookie Shane Bieber (4-1), and Jed Lowrie had a solo shot as Oakland won for the 10th time in 12 games to take two of three from the Indians.The A's are 18-6 against AL Central teams.Yusmeiro Petit, Ryan Buchter and Emilio Pagan finished the combined five-hitter as the A's moved 10 games over .500.ASTROS 2, WHITE SOX 1HOUSTON (AP) — Dallas Keuchel pitched seven strong innings, Jose Altuve homered and Houston manufactured the go-ahead run in the seventh to complete a four-game sweep of Chicago.Altuve's... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Brett Anderson came off the disabled list and pitched effectively into the sixth inning before turning things over to Oakland's outstanding bullpen as the Athletics downed the Cleveland Indians 6-0 on Sunday.Anderson (1-2) had been sidelined with a shoulder strain, one of several injuries to the A's starting staff. But the left-hander looked sharp in his first start since May 18, limiting the Indians to three hits and leaving with a 4-0 lead.Stephen Piscotty hit a two-run homer off rookie Shane Bieber (4-1), and Jed Lowrie had a solo shot as Oakland won for the 10th time in 12 games to take two of three from the Indians.The A's are 18-6 against AL Central teams.Yusmeiro Petit, Ryan Buchter and Emilio Pagan finished the combined five-hitter as the A's moved 10 games over .500.ASTROS 2, WHITE SOX 1HOUSTON (AP) — Dallas Keuchel pitched seven strong innings, Jose Altuve homered and Houston manufactured the go-ahead run in the seventh to complete a four-game sweep of Chicago.Altuve's... [More]