WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 7 1/3 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and the Washington Nationals continued their midseason surge with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.Washington has won seven of its last eight and is 25-10 since May 24. The Nationals improved to 44-41, the first time they've been three games over .500 this season.Strasburg (10-4) was, as usual, brilliant against the Marlins. He allowed two hits and two walks while extending his personal winning streak against Miami to 11. The right-hander is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins, who didn't get a man past first until the eighth.Strasburg's gem included the first immaculate inning of his career. Strasburg needed just nine pitches to strike out Garrett Cooper, Neil Walker and Starlin Castro in the fourth.Miami's Sandy Alcantara (4-8), making his first start since earning an All-Star nod Sunday, allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.ANGELS 6,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 7 1/3 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and the Washington Nationals continued their midseason surge with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.Washington has won seven of its last eight and is 25-10 since May 24. The Nationals improved to 44-41, the first time they've been three games over .500 this season.Strasburg (10-4) was, as usual, brilliant against the Marlins. He allowed two hits and two walks while extending his personal winning streak against Miami to 11. The right-hander is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins, who didn't get a man past first until the eighth.Strasburg's gem included the first immaculate inning of his career. Strasburg needed just nine pitches to strike out Garrett Cooper, Neil Walker and Starlin Castro in the fourth.Miami's Sandy Alcantara (4-8), making his first start since earning an All-Star nod Sunday, allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.ANGELS 6,... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in 7 1/3 shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams homered, and the Washington Nationals continued their midseason surge with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.Washington has won seven of its last eight and is 25-10 since May 24. The Nationals improved to 44-41, the first time they've been three games over .500 this season.Strasburg (10-4) was, as usual, brilliant against the Marlins. He allowed two hits and two walks while extending his personal winning streak against Miami to 11. The right-hander is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 career starts against the Marlins, who didn't get a man past first until the eighth.Strasburg's gem included the first immaculate inning of his career. Strasburg needed just nine pitches to strike out Garrett Cooper, Neil Walker and Starlin Castro in the fourth.Miami's Sandy Alcantara (4-8), making his first start since earning an All-Star nod Sunday, allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.ANGELS 6,... [More]

Jean Segura hit a three-run, walk-off homer against Edwin Díaz moments after Maikel Franco hit a tying, two-run shot against the closer in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 6-3 Thursday to complete a four-game sweep.New York's Todd Frazier hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Hector Neris with one out in the ninth, but the Phillies rallied in the bottom of the inning — their fourth straight win since utility man Brad Miller brought a bamboo plant into the clubhouse as a good-luck charm.Díaz (1-5) walked Cesar Hernandez to start, and Franco followed with his third homer of the series. He hit go-ahead, two-run homers in each of the first two games. Pinch-hitter Sean Rodriguez walked with one out and advanced to second on Scott Kingery's hard-hit, bad-hop single off Frazier's glove at third.Segura then slammed his 10th homer into the seats in left. He leaped on his way down the first base line and got mobbed by teammates after circling the bases.It... [More]

Jean Segura hit a three-run, walk-off homer against Edwin Díaz moments after Maikel Franco hit a tying, two run shot against the closer in the bottom of the ninth inning, and Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Mets 6-3 Thursday to complete a four-game sweep.New York's Todd Frazier hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Hector Neris with one out in the ninth, but the Phillies rallied in the bottom of the inning — their fourth straight win since utility man Brad Miller brought a bamboo plant into the clubhouse as a good-luck charm.Díaz (1-5) walked Cesar Hernandez to start, and Franco followed with his third homer of the series. He hit go-ahead, two-run homers in each of the first two games. Pinch-hitter Sean Rodriguez walked with one out and advanced to second on Scott Kingery's hard-hit, bad-hop single off Frazier's glove at third.Segura then slammed his 10th homer into the seats in left. He leaped on his way down the first base line and got mobbed by teammates after circling the bases.It... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Padres and Rockies set a modern-era record by combining for 92 runs in a four-game series, with San Diego pitcher Matt Strahm drawing a pinch-hit, bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning to rally past Colorado 14-13 Sunday.It was just another wacky day at Coors Field, especially in this split series where the Rockies outscored the Padres 48-44 while the teams combined for 131 hits. Colorado's Charlie Blackmon became the first player since at least 1900 with 15 hits in a four-game series, according to STATS. Adding to the zaniness: the finale was delayed once to clean up a big puddle in foul territory despite sunny skies, and again later because of weather.Trailing 13-10 in the ninth, Wil Myers had an RBI single and Greg Garcia promptly tied it with a two-out, two-run triple off closer Wade Davis (1-2). The Rockies brought in starter Jon Gray, who intentionally walked two batters to face Strahm. Gray fell behind 3-1 before throwing a strike. Taking all the way, Strahm watched... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Padres and Rockies set a modern-era record by combining for 92 runs in a four-game series, with San Diego pitcher Matt Strahm drawing a pinch-hit, bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning to rally past Colorado 14-13 Sunday.It was just another wacky day at Coors Field, especially in this split series where the Rockies outscored the Padres 48-44 while the teams combined for 131 hits. Colorado's Charlie Blackmon became the first player since at least 1900 with 15 hits in a four-game series, according to STATS. Adding to the zaniness: the finale was delayed once to clean up a big puddle in foul territory despite sunny skies, and again later because of weather.Trailing 13-10 in the ninth, Wil Myers had an RBI single and Greg Garcia promptly tied it with a two-out, two-run triple off closer Wade Davis (1-2). The Rockies brought in starter Jon Gray, who intentionally walked two batters to face Strahm. Gray fell behind 3-1 before throwing a strike. Taking all the way, Strahm watched... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Max Kepler homered three times and José Berríos (8-2) locked up Cleveland's lineup into the seventh inning as the Minnesota Twins avoided a sweep — and their first three-game losing streak — by beating the Indians 5-4 on Thursday night.Kepler, who entered hitless in his previous 21 at-bats, connected in the first, third and seventh innings off Indians starter Trevor Bauer (4-6). Kepler also walked in the fifth.The 26-year-old outfielder came up in the ninth with a chance to become the 19th player in history to hit four homers in one game — a feat rarer than a perfect game. But left-hander Josh Smith kept the left-handed swinging Kepler in the park, getting him to hit a hard grounder to the right side that he beat out for a single.It was Kepler's second career three-homer game. The other one also came against the Indians on Aug. 1, 2016.The AL-Central leading Twins took the series finale and again moved 10½ games ahead of Cleveland, whose run of three straight division titles... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Max Kepler homered three times and José Berríos (8-2) locked up Cleveland's lineup into the seventh inning as the Minnesota Twins avoided a sweep — and their first three-game losing streak — by beating the Indians 5-4 on Thursday night.Kepler, who entered hitless in his previous 21 at-bats, connected in the first, third and seventh innings off Indians starter Trevor Bauer (4-6). Kepler also walked in the fifth.The 26-year-old outfielder came up in the ninth with a chance to become the 19th player in history to hit four homers in one game — a feat rarer than a perfect game. But left-hander Josh Smith kept the left-handed swinging Kepler in the park, getting him to hit a hard grounder to the right side that he beat out for a single.It was Kepler's second career three-homer game. The other one also came against the Indians on Aug. 1, 2016.The AL-Central leading Twins took the series finale and again moved 10½ games ahead of Cleveland, whose run of three straight division titles... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Wilmer Flores snapped a 13th-inning tie with an RBI single, helping the Arizona Diamondbacks end a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.Eduardo Escobar made up for a crucial throwing error, leading off the 13th with a single off Adam Kolarek (2-1) — Arizona's first hit since the fifth inning. He moved to second on a double-play grounder before scoring on Flores' two-out broken-bat hit to right field off Chaz Roe.Archie Bradley (2-3) pitched three scoreless innings to get the win. Zack Godley, the eighth Diamondbacks pitcher, worked a perfect 13th for his first career save.Arizona pitchers combined to set a franchise record with 23 strikeouts.The Rays rallied from a 2-0 deficit to force extra innings, scoring on Escobar's eighth-inning error and Kevin Kiermaier's two-out, pinch-hit single in the ninth.CUBS 3, MARLINS 2, 11 INNINGSCHICAGO (AP) — Jason Heyward homered leading off the 11th inning to lift surging Chicago... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Wilmer Flores snapped a 13th-inning tie with an RBI single, helping the Arizona Diamondbacks end a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.Eduardo Escobar made up for a crucial throwing error, leading off the 13th with a single off Adam Kolarek (2-1) — Arizona's first hit since the fifth inning. He moved to second on a double-play grounder before scoring on Flores' two-out broken-bat hit to right field off Chaz Roe.Archie Bradley (2-3) pitched three scoreless innings to get the win. Zack Godley, the eighth Diamondbacks pitcher, worked a perfect 13th for his first career save.Arizona pitchers combined to set a franchise record with 23 strikeouts.The Rays rallied from a 2-0 deficit to force extra innings, scoring on Escobar's eighth-inning error and Kevin Kiermaier's two-out, pinch-hit single in the ninth.CUBS 3, MARLINS 2, 11 INNINGSCHICAGO (AP) — Jason Heyward homered leading off the 11th inning to lift surging Chicago... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Wilmer Flores snapped a 13th-inning tie with an RBI single, helping the Arizona Diamondbacks end a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.Eduardo Escobar made up for a crucial throwing error, leading off the 13th with a single off Adam Kolarek (2-1) — Arizona's first hit since the fifth inning. He moved to second on a double-play grounder before scoring on Flores' two-out broken-bat hit to right field off Chaz Roe.Archie Bradley (2-3) pitched three scoreless innings to get the win. Zack Godley, the eighth Diamondbacks pitcher, worked a perfect 13th for his first career save.Arizona pitchers combined to set a franchise record with 23 strikeouts.The Rays rallied from a 2-0 deficit to force extra innings, scoring on Escobar's eighth-inning error and Kevin Kiermaier's two-out, pinch-hit single in the ninth.CUBS 3, MARLINS 2, 11 INNINGSCHICAGO (AP) — Jason Heyward homered leading off the 11th inning to lift surging Chicago... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Wilmer Flores snapped a 13th-inning tie with an RBI single, helping the Arizona Diamondbacks end a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.Eduardo Escobar made up for a crucial throwing error, leading off the 13th with a single off Adam Kolarek (2-1) — Arizona's first hit since the fifth inning. He moved to second on a double-play grounder before scoring on Flores' two-out broken-bat hit to right field off Chaz Roe.Archie Bradley (2-3) pitched three scoreless innings to get the win. Zack Godley, the eighth Diamondbacks pitcher, worked a perfect 13th for his first career save.Arizona pitchers combined to set a franchise record with 23 strikeouts.The Rays rallied from a 2-0 deficit to force extra innings, scoring on Escobar's eighth-inning error and Kevin Kiermaier's two-out, pinch-hit single in the ninth.BREWERS 7, NATIONALS 3MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich hit his major leading-leading 16th home run and Milwaukee won... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Hendricks needed just 81 pitches for a four-hitter, Anthony Rizzo homered for his third straight game and the Chicago Cubs beat the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 on Friday.The second-place Cubs won their season-high fifth in a row while cutting St. Louis' lead to 1½ games. The Cardinals have back-to-back losses after five consecutive victories.Hendricks (2-4) pitched his third career shutout and fourth complete game, his first since he shut out Miami on Aug. 1, 2016. The right-hander struck out three and did not walk a batter, after getting pounded in a loss at Arizona last week. Hendricks improved to 6-2 in 15 starts against St. Louis.Rizzo made it 3-0 with a three-run drive against Jack Flaherty (3-2) in the third and finished with three hits. Javier Baez added an RBI single in the seventh, and the Cubs opened a 10-game homestand with a win.Flaherty allowed three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.BRAVES 7, MARLINS 2MIAMI (AP) — Freddie Freeman and Brian... [More]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Texas Rangers pitcher Ariel Jurado did not have many Panamanian ballplayers to watch when he was growing up.So he became a fan of Cliff Lee."He's a lefty but I liked him," Jurado said Tuesday through an interpreter. "His pitches were incredible, the way he dominated on the mound."The 23-year-old Jurado studied Lee's games on television. But he has a long way to go to approach the accomplished career of Lee, who pitched 13 seasons with the Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies.Right now, Jurado is fighting for a spot in Texas' rotation. He made his major league debut with the Rangers last year, going 5-5 with a 5.93 ERA in 12 games, eight starts.Jurado is hoping to build on his final outing last season, when he tossed six innings of two-hit ball in a 2-0 victory at Seattle on Sept. 27."That outing, I was throwing a good slider and it helped me get through the last few innings," Jurado said. "It was a good sign for me. If something... [More]

DENVER (AP) — David Dahl homered for the fourth straight game, and the Colorado Rockies opened a one-game NL West lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday that extended their winning streak to seven.Trevor Story and Gerardo Parra also went deep. Trying for the first division title in team history, Colorado (89-70) closes at home with three games against Washington while the Dodgers finish at San Francisco. The Dodgers are one game ahead of St. Louis for the second NL wild-card berth.Scott Oberg (8-1) pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings, and Wade Davis got his NL-leading 42nd save.Philadelphia (78-81) has lost a season-high eight straight and has gone 15-33 since moving a season-high 15 games over .500 on Aug. 5.Jake Arrieta (10-11) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. He had a 3.96 ERA, his highest since 2013, in his first season after agreeing to a $75 million, three-year contract with the Phillies.YANKEES 12, RAYS 1ST. PETERSBURG,... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich drove in the winning run with the bases loaded in the ninth after beating a throw from third to avoid a double play, and the Milwaukee Brewers opened an important three-game series with the Chicago Cubs with a 4-3 win Monday.The .316 hitter hit a 1-2 fastball from Jesse Chavez right at third baseman Kris Bryant, who touched third for the second out of the ninth before firing to first. The speedy Yelich reached safely just before the throw landed in the glove of the outstretched Anthony Rizzo, allowing Keon Broxton to score the game-winner from third.Cubs reliever Steve Cishek (4-3) loaded the bases in the ninth with a walk, passed ball and two hit batters.The second-place Brewers pulled within four games of the NL Central-leading Cubs.Milwaukee tied the score 3-3 after pinch-hitter Mike Moustakas drew a four-pitch walk with two outs in the eighth from Carl Edwards Jr.Anthony Rizzo hit a two-out, two-run homer off tough left-hander Josh Hader in the eighth.Jeremy... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Pinch-running pitcher Vince Velasquez was called out for leaving second base early while tagging up, resulting in a game-ending double play that gave the Washington Nationals a 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.After Aaron Nola outpitched Max Scherzer for the second time in six days in a matchup of NL Cy Young Award contenders, the Phillies watched Washington rally for three runs in the ninth to take a 5-3 lead.Ramos got Philadelphia within a run with a pinch-hit double in the ninth, and Velasquez pinch-ran for the catcher. Greg Holland relieved and retired Jorge Alfaro on a flyball to center, with Velasquez moving to third as the potential tying run.But the Nationals appealed that Velasquez left too soon, and he was called out. A replay upheld the ruling.Anthony Rendon hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Pat Neshek (1-1) in the Nationals ninth. The Nationals trailed 3-2 when Bryce Harper drew a leadoff walk from Tommy Hunter. Neshek surrendered Rendon's... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Pinch-running pitcher Vince Velasquez was called out for leaving second base early while tagging up, resulting in a game-ending double play that gave the Washington Nationals a 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.After Aaron Nola outpitched Max Scherzer for the second time in six days in a matchup of NL Cy Young Award contenders, the Phillies watched Washington rally for three runs in the ninth to take a 5-3 lead.Ramos got Philadelphia within a run with a pinch-hit double in the ninth, and Velasquez pinch-ran for the catcher. Greg Holland relieved and retired Jorge Alfaro on a flyball to center, with Velasquez moving to third as the potential tying run.But the Nationals appealed that Velasquez left too soon, and he was called out. A replay upheld the ruling.Anthony Rendon hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Pat Neshek (1-1) in the Nationals ninth. The Nationals trailed 3-2 when Bryce Harper drew a leadoff walk from Tommy Hunter. Neshek surrendered Rendon's... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Center fielder Greg Allen made two superb catches to help fellow rookie Shane Bieber hold down Boston, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Red Sox 6-3 Tuesday night in a matchup of AL division leaders.Melky Cabrera homered for the second straight game and Yan Gomes also connected for Cleveland. The Indians have won nine of 10, including the first two of the four-game series at Fenway Park.Boston, with the best record in the majors, has lost three in a row for just the second time this season.Allen doubled, singled and drove in a run. But he made the biggest impact with his glove.First, Allen raced back and slammed into the padded wall to take away an extra-base hit from Xander Bogaerts leading off the fifth inning. Then, with the Red Sox trying to rally in the seventh, Mitch Moreland hit a long drive toward the dirt triangle in deep center. Allen slid to a stop as he caught the ball over his shoulder — it was a sacrifice fly and finished Bieber, but thwarted Boston's momentum.Bieber... [More]