Phillies reliever José Alvarado thumped his glove and gestured at Dominic Smith after a strikeout ended a rally. Smith pulled off his helmet and the Mets left fielder seemed ready to fight back against the jabbering pitcher until both teams spilled out of the dugout and broke up the dust up before punches were thrown. Miguel Castro responded with a pair of inside heaters that had Phillies slugger Rhys Hoskins momentarily steamed. The Mets and Phillies turned the eighth inning into a bench-emptying, trash-talking, finger-pointing commotion that spiced up a routine game -- and could ignite more sparks this weekend -- in the Phillies’ 2-1 win on Friday night. “He made a big pitch, he got me out and he wanted to express his emotions,” Smith said. Mets manager Luis Rojas said Alvarado — who hit Michael Conforto and riled up Smith and the Mets with gestures earlier this month — was to blame. “You could tell that it was instigating. he was trying to get his attention, trying to start things,"... [More]

The Mets and Phillies turned the eighth inning into a bench-emptying, trash-talking, finger-pointing commotion that spiced up a routine game -- and could ignite more sparks this weekend -- in the Phillies’ 2-1 win on Friday night. The benches cleared in the eighth inning when Phillies reliever José Alvarado jawed at Dominic Smith after he struck him out to end a rally. Alvarado -- who riled up the Mets with gestures earlier this month -- mixed it up with New York but nothing came of the heated words. Mets reliever Miguel Castro then chased Rhys Hoskins down the line in the bottom of the inning and the benches again emptied. The fireworks fizzled faster than a Mets’ rally: New York has scored an MLB-low 58 runs, including two or fewer in nine of 20 games this season. Sam Coonrod worked a scoreless ninth for his first save. Chase Anderson swung and missed at a passed ball on a third strike that let two runs score, and he tossed five solid innings to lead the Phillies. Odúbel Herrera received... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Saturday: ___ AILING PHILLIES Slugger Bryce Harper and shortstop Didi Gregorius are out of Philadelphia’s lineup for now. Harper has a sore wrist, the result of that 97 mph fastball that also hit his face Wednesday night in St. Louis. The pitch from Cardinals reliever Genesis Cabrera left Harper bloodied, but the star outfielder considered him fortunate he wasn’t hurt worse. “I definitely had an angel on my side out there that night,” Harper said in a Zoom call. “I was in a lot of pain,” he said. “I didn’t sleep well that night at all. And just the replaying in my mind the whole situation, thinking, you’re talking about a couple inches up or a couple inches over, we might be having a different situation.” Gregorius was put on the COVID-19 injured list. DETROIT DOWNER Miguel Cabrera and the Tigers are hitting just .199 as a team, the worst batting average in the majors, and have the poorest record at 8-19. Detroit struck out 18 times Friday... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies placed shortstop Didi Gregorius on the COVID-related injured list on Friday. Bench coach Rob Thomson said the move was taken as a precaution and did not indicate what caused the decision. Manager Joe Girardi missed the game to attend his daughter’s college graduation. Gregorius is hitting .250 with two home runs and 14 RBIs this season. The Phillies recalled catcher Rafael Marchan from the alternate site in Allentown, Pennsylvania before Friday's game against the Mets. ___ More AP MLB coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw yielded four hits over seven innings, Justin Turner homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended their three-game losing streak with an 8-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Kershaw (4-2) struck out eight and walked one never allowing Cincinnati to get a runner to third base. Matt Beaty drove in two runs with a pinch single on his 28th birthday during a six-run eighth. Nick Senzel matched his career high with four hits as the Reds were shut out for the fourth time. Sonny Gray (0-2) pitched four-hit ball into the sixth while striking out 11 and allowing four hits and three walks. CARDINALS 5, PHILLIES 3 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrew McCutchen returned to the lineup and drove in the go-ahead run, helping Philadelphia beat St. Louis after Bryce Harper was hit in the face by a pitch. Harper left the game in the sixth inning after getting hit in his left cheek on a 96.9 mph fastball from left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera (0-1). Cabrera hit the next batter,... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw yielded four hits over seven innings, Justin Turner homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended their three-game losing streak with an 8-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Kershaw (4-2) struck out eight and walked one never allowing Cincinnati to get a runner to third base. Matt Beaty drove in two runs with a pinch single on his 28th birthday during a six-run eighth. Nick Senzel matched his career high with four hits as the Reds were shut out for the fourth time. Sonny Gray (0-2) pitched four-hit ball into the sixth while striking out 11 and allowing four hits and three walks. CARDINALS 5, PHILLIES 3 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrew McCutchen returned to the lineup and drove in the go-ahead run, helping Philadelphia beat St. Louis after Bryce Harper was hit in the face by a pitch. Harper left the game in the sixth inning after getting hit in his left cheek on a 96.9 mph fastball from left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera (0-1). Cabrera hit the next batter,... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Phillies star Bryce Harper said he feels fine after being hit in the face by a 96.9 mph fastball Wednesday night, forcing him from Philadelphia's game against St. Louis. “Everything feels good,” Harper said in a video he posted to Instagram. He said he got a CT scan and other testing and “Everything came back good.” Harper was drilled in the left cheek by left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera's first pitch in the sixth inning. The All-Star slugger picked himself up and walked off the field, blood dripping from a cut on the side of his nose. He appeared to have only minor swelling and bruising in the video he sent to social media. “Face is still there, so we're all good,” he said. Cabrera drilled Didi Gregorius with another fastball on his next pitch. Phillies manager Joe Girardi came out of the dugout to argue with plate umpire Chris Segal and was ejected. Matt Joyce ran for Harper, and Gregorius remained in the game. Cabrera allowed an RBI single to Andrew McCutchen the... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Phillies star Bryce Harper said he feels fine after being hit in the face by a 96.9 mph fastball Wednesday night, forcing him from Philadelphia's game against St. Louis. “Everything feels good,” Harper said in a video he posted to Instagram. He said he got a CT scan and other testing and “Everything came back good.” Harper was drilled in the left cheek by left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera's first pitch in the sixth inning. The All-Star slugger picked himself up and walked off the field, blood dripping from a cut on the side of his nose. He appeared to have only minor swelling and bruising in the video he sent to social media. “Face is still there, so we're all good,” he said. Cabrera drilled Didi Gregorius with another fastball on his next pitch. Phillies manager Joe Girardi came out of the dugout to argue with plate umpire Chris Segal and was ejected. Matt Joyce ran for Harper, and Gregorius remained in the game. Cabrera allowed an RBI single to Andrew McCutchen the next at-bat before being pulled. Harper grounded out and struck out in his first two at-bats. Gregorius doubled and struck out in his two at-bats. Harper, in the third year of a $330 million, 13-year deal, entered the game hitting .329, including .432 over his last 10 games. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw yielded four hits over seven innings, Justin Turner homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended their three-game losing streak with an 8-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Kershaw (4-2) struck out eight and walked one never allowing Cincinnati to get a runner to third base. Matt Beaty drove in two runs with a pinch single on his 28th birthday during a six-run eighth. Nick Senzel matched his career high with four hits as the Reds were shut out for the fourth time. Sonny Gray (0-2) pitched four-hit ball into the sixth while striking out 11 and allowing four hits and three walks. CARDINALS 5, PHILLIES 3 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrew McCutchen returned to the lineup and drove in the go-ahead run, helping Philadelphia beat St. Louis after Bryce Harper was hit in the face by a pitch. Harper left the game in the sixth inning after getting hit in his left cheek on a 96.9 mph fastball from left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera (0-1). Cabrera hit the next batter,... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Phillies star Bryce Harper was hit in the face by a 96.9 mph fastball Wednesday night and left Philadelphia's game against St. Louis. Harper was drilled in the left cheek by left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera's first pitch in the sixth inning. The All-Star slugger picked himself up and walked off the field, blood dripping from a cut on the side of his nose. Cabrera drilled Didi Gregorius with another fastball on his next pitch. Phillies manager Joe Girardi came out of the dugout to argue with plate umpire Chris Segal and was ejected. Matt Joyce ran for Harper, and Gregorius remained in the game. Cabrera allowed an RBI single to Andrew McCutchen the next at-bat before being pulled. Harper grounded out and struck out in his first two at-bats. Gregorius doubled and struck out in his two at-bats. Harper, in the third year of a $330 million, 13-year deal, entered the game hitting .329, including .432 over his last 10 games. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Phillies star Bryce Harper was hit in the face by a 96.9 mph fastball Wednesday night and left Philadelphia's game against St. Louis. Harper was drilled in the left cheek by left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera's first pitch in the sixth inning. The All-Star slugger picked himself up and walked off the field, blood dripping from a cut on the side of his nose. Cabrera drilled Didi Gregorius with another fastball on his next pitch. Phillies manager Joe Girardi came out of the dugout to argue with plate umpire Chris Segal and was ejected. Matt Joyce ran for Harper, and Gregorius remained in the game. Cabrera allowed an RBI single to Andrew McCutchen the next at-bat before being pulled. Harper grounded out and struck out in his first two at-bats. Gregorius doubled and struck out in his two at-bats. Harper, in the third year of a $330 million, 13-year deal, entered the game hitting .329, including .432 over his last 10 games. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BALTIMORE (AP) — J.D. Martinez came off the COVID-19 list and hit three home runs, powering the Boston Red Sox past the Baltimore Orioles 14-9 Sunday for their sixth straight win. Martinez got a chance at a record-tying fourth homer in the ninth inning and struck out swinging. He is the last of 18 major leaguers to homer four times in a game, doing it in September 2017 for Arizona. The 33-year-old Martinez went 4 for 6 with four RBIs and four runs, one day after being placed on the COVID-19 injured list because of cold symptoms. Rafael Devers homered twice and Alex Verdugo added a three-run shot to finish the three-game sweep. Nick Pivetta (2-0) allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings. Jorge López (0-2) allowed eight runs and seven hits over four innings. DODGERS 3, NATIONALS 0 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw pitched six innings of five-hit ball to win an outstanding duel with Max Scherzer as the Dodgers finished a three-game sweep over Washington. Rookie Zach McKinstry homered... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Juan Soto drove in the winning run with a single on a 3-0 pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday, lifting the coronavirus-depleted Washington Nationals to a 6-5 comeback victory over the Atlanta Braves after waiting five days to start their season. Lefty reliever Will Smith (0-1) entered for the ninth and promptly gave up a single to new leadoff hitter Victor Robles, and then hit Trea Turner with a pitch. That brought up Soto, the 2020 NL batting champion, and he delivered a line drive to center field. Ronald Acuña Jr., Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson homered against Washington ace Max Scherzer. Acuña drove Scherzer's first pitch of the game deep to left-center, and led off the third with his second homer. Turner hit a two-run shot for the Nationals. Daniel Hudson (1-0) got the win. Because of a COVID-19 outbreak — four players tested positive; seven were forced into quarantine after potentially being exposed — Washington’s first four scheduled games were scrapped.... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Juan Soto drove in the winning run with a single on a 3-0 pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday, lifting the coronavirus-depleted Washington Nationals to a 6-5 comeback victory over the Atlanta Braves after waiting five days to start their season. Lefty reliever Will Smith (0-1) entered for the ninth and promptly gave up a single to new leadoff hitter Victor Robles, and then hit Trea Turner with a pitch. That brought up Soto, the 2020 NL batting champion, and he delivered a line drive to center field. Ronald Acuña Jr., Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson homered against Washington ace Max Scherzer. Acuña drove Scherzer's first pitch of the game deep to left-center, and led off the third with his second homer. Turner hit a two-run shot for the Nationals. Daniel Hudson (1-0) got the win. Because of a COVID-19 outbreak — four players tested positive; seven were forced into quarantine after potentially being exposed — Washington’s first four scheduled games were scrapped.... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Juan Soto drove in the winning run with a single on a 3-0 pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday, lifting the coronavirus-depleted Washington Nationals to a 6-5 comeback victory over the Atlanta Braves after waiting five days to start their season. Lefty reliever Will Smith (0-1) entered for the ninth and promptly gave up a single to new leadoff hitter Victor Robles, and then hit Trea Turner with a pitch. That brought up Soto, the 2020 NL batting champion, and he delivered a line drive to center field. Ronald Acuña Jr., Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson homered against Washington ace Max Scherzer. Acuña drove Scherzer's first pitch of the game deep to left-center, and led off the third with his second homer. Turner hit a two-run shot for the Nationals. Daniel Hudson (1-0) got the win. Because of a COVID-19 outbreak — four players tested positive; seven were forced into quarantine after potentially being exposed — Washington’s first four scheduled games were scrapped.... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Juan Soto drove in the winning run with a single on a 3-0 pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday, lifting the coronavirus-depleted Washington Nationals to a 6-5 comeback victory over the Atlanta Braves after waiting five days to start their season. Lefty reliever Will Smith (0-1) entered for the ninth and promptly gave up a single to new leadoff hitter Victor Robles, and then hit Trea Turner with a pitch. That brought up Soto, the 2020 NL batting champion, and he delivered a line drive to center field. Ronald Acuña Jr., Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson homered against Washington ace Max Scherzer. Acuña drove Scherzer's first pitch of the game deep to left-center, and led off the third with his second homer. Turner hit a two-run shot for the Nationals. Daniel Hudson (1-0) got the win. Because of a COVID-19 outbreak — four players tested positive; seven were forced into quarantine after potentially being exposed — Washington’s first four scheduled games were scrapped.... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Juan Soto drove in the winning run with a single on a 3-0 pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday, lifting the coronavirus-depleted Washington Nationals to a 6-5 comeback victory over the Atlanta Braves after waiting five days to start their season. Lefty reliever Will Smith (0-1) entered for the ninth and promptly gave up a single to new leadoff hitter Victor Robles, and then hit Trea Turner with a pitch. That brought up Soto, the 2020 NL batting champion, and he delivered a line drive to center field. Ronald Acuña Jr., Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson homered against Washington ace Max Scherzer. Acuña drove Scherzer's first pitch of the game deep to left-center, and led off the third with his second homer. Turner hit a two-run shot for the Nationals. Daniel Hudson (1-0) got the win. Because of a COVID-19 outbreak — four players tested positive; seven were forced into quarantine after potentially being exposed — Washington’s first four scheduled games were scrapped.... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Juan Soto drove in the winning run with a single on a 3-0 pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday, lifting the coronavirus-depleted Washington Nationals to a 6-5 comeback victory over the Atlanta Braves after waiting five days to start their season. Lefty reliever Will Smith (0-1) entered for the ninth and promptly gave up a single to new leadoff hitter Victor Robles, and then hit Trea Turner with a pitch. That brought up Soto, the 2020 NL batting champion, and he delivered a line drive to center field. Ronald Acuña Jr., Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson homered against Washington ace Max Scherzer. Acuña drove Scherzer's first pitch of the game deep to left-center, and led off the third with his second homer. Turner hit a two-run shot for the Nationals. Daniel Hudson (1-0) got the win. Because of a COVID-19 outbreak — four players tested positive; seven were forced into quarantine after potentially being exposed — Washington’s first four scheduled games were scrapped.... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees left-hander Justin Wilson won't throw for several days and will receive oral anti-inflammatory medication in an effort to alleviate tightness in his pitching shoulder. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said it was too soon to determine whether Wilson will be ready for the team's opener on April 1. “I feel like overall we got pretty good news on the MRI front but he is dealing with some soreness,” Boone said Wednesday. “We'll see where we are as the next couple of days unfold and see where that leaves us three days from now, five days from now, seven days from now.” Wilson left Monday night's exhibition against Philadelphia while facing his fourth batter, Odubel Herrera. He allowed a single to Rhys Hoskins, a home run to former Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius and a walk to Alec Bohm. New York said Wilson had an MRI Tuesday that was compared to an MRI from a physical as part of the pitcher's signing last month. “There was nothing actionable from those images,” the Yankees said. The 33-year-old signed a $5.15 million, two-year contract this offseason to start his second stint with the Yankees. He spent the past two seasons with the New York Mets. New York lefty Zack Britton had surgery March 15 to remove a bone chip from his pitching elbow and is likely out until at least May and perhaps the summer. ___ More AP MLB coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees left-hander Justin Wilson won't throw for several days and will receive oral anti-inflammatory medication in an effort to alleviate tightness in his pitching shoulder. Wilson left Monday night's exhibition against Philadelphia while facing his fourth batter, Odubel Herrera. He allowed a single to Rhys Hoskins, a home run to former Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius and a walk to Alec Bohm. New York said Wilson had an MRI Tuesday that was compared to an MRI from a physical as part of the pitcher's signing last month. “There was nothing actionable from those images,” the Yankees said Wednesday. The 33-year-old signed a $5.15 million, two-year contract this offseason to start his second stint with the Yankees. He spent the past two seasons with the New York Mets. New York lefty Zack Britton had surgery March 15 to remove a bone chip from his pitching elbow and is likely out until at least May and perhaps the summer. ___ More AP MLB coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports