MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota. ASTROS 4, RANGERS... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota. ASTROS 4, RANGERS... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ STAR STARTERS The White Sox and Brewers close a weekend full of impressive pitching matchups in Milwaukee with arguably the best of the bunch Sunday night. Lance Lynn (9-3, 1.94 ERA) starts for the White Sox against Brandon Woodruff (7-4, 2.04) in a duel of All-Star right-handers. The NL Central-leading Brewers started Freddy Peralta and Corbin Burnes earlier in this series, while the AL Central-leading White Sox turned to Lucas Giolito and Carlos Rodón. Of those six starting pitchers, Giolito is the only one who didn’t make the All-Star Game this season. According to STATS LLC, this is the first three-game series in major league history to feature five All-Star starting pitchers from the current season. “It’s exciting,” said injured Chicago catcher Yasmani Grandal, who worked with these Brewers pitchers while playing for Milwaukee in 2019. “That’s what you want to see — having two young teams having high-caliber guys coming in and... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota. ASTROS 4, RANGERS... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota. ASTROS 4, RANGERS... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota. ASTROS 4, RANGERS... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota YANKEES 4, RED SOX... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Patrick Sandoval had his no-hit bid broken up with one out in the ninth inning on a soft double by rookie Brent Rooker and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Saturday night. Sandoval, a 24-year-old lefty who began the game with a 3-13 career record, struck out a career-high 13. There have already been seven no-hitters in the majors this season. The big league record of eight was set in 1884, the first year overhand pitching was permitted. The Twins hadn’t come close to a hit until Rooker, who fanned his first three times up, flared an opposite-field fly that fell just inside the line in right. Sandoval (3-4) smiled after the ball fell, retired the next batter and then was pulled after 108 pitches. He walked one and hit two. Closer Raisel Iglesias allowed an RBI double to Josh Donaldson before getting his 21st save in 25 chances. José Berríos (7-5) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings in perhaps his final start for Minnesota YANKEES 4, RED SOX... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Rougned Odor’s two-run double highlighted a four-run rally in the eighth inning after his two errors helped Boston build an early lead, and the New York Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-3 on Saturday. Gleyber Torres added a go-ahead, bloop single for the Yankees. They are 3-9 this season against their longtime rivals. The Red Sox, who had won four in a row, put runners on second and third with two outs in the ninth before Aroldis Chapman struck out Kiké Hernández for his 18th save. Boston starter Nathan Eovaldi was breezing along, throwing a shutout with two outs in the eighth before he was lifted after Brett Gardner’s RBI single. Adam Ottavino (2-3) relieved and allowed Giancarlo Stanton’s bloop, ground-rule double. Odor drove his tying hit off the Green Monster and Torres followed a single that dropped in down the right-field line. New York starter Jameson Taillon (6-4) gave up three runs — one earned — in seven innings, striking out four and walking three. DIAMONDBACKS 7, CUBS... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Sunday: ___ STAR STARTERS The White Sox and Brewers close a weekend full of impressive pitching matchups in Milwaukee with arguably the best of the bunch Sunday night. Lance Lynn (9-3, 1.94 ERA) starts for the White Sox against Brandon Woodruff (7-4, 2.04) in a duel of All-Star right-handers. The NL Central-leading Brewers started Freddy Peralta and Corbin Burnes earlier in this series, while the AL Central-leading White Sox turned to Lucas Giolito and Carlos Rodón. Of those six starting pitchers, Giolito is the only one who didn’t make the All-Star Game this season. According to STATS LLC, this is the first three-game series in major league history to feature five All-Star starting pitchers from the current season. “It’s exciting,” said injured Chicago catcher Yasmani Grandal, who worked with these Brewers pitchers while playing for Milwaukee in 2019. “That’s what you want to see — having two young teams having high-caliber guys coming in... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer was scratched from his start at Baltimore on Saturday night with what the team described as mild right triceps discomfort. Manager Dave Martinez said before the game that Scherzer had an MRI and it was “extremely clean” — he's expected to make his next start. Jon Lester is starting Saturday in his place. Scherzer is 7-4 with a 2.83 ERA in 18 starts this season. The three-time Cy Young Award winner, who turns 37 on Tuesday, has been the subject of trade speculation as the Nationals continue to struggle. His absence now is another issue for the Washington rotation, which has been without Stephen Strasburg since early June because of lingering neck problems. On Friday, Martinez said Strasburg was still having neck discomfort, and the team was trying to figure out what the best course of action was for him going forward. The Nationals also put infielder Jordy Mercer on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Wednesday, with a left calf strain. Washington recalled infielder Carter Kieboom from Triple-A Rochester. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alcides Escobar homered in the eighth inning and hit a winning single in the ninth Sunday as the Washington Nationals wrapped up a disturbing weekend with an 8-7 win over the San Diego Padres. A day after the game was suspended in the sixth inning because of a shooting outside Nationals Park, the Padres completed a 10-4 victory. Washington then came back to end a six-game losing streak. Tres Barrera singled off Mark Melancon (2-2) with one out in the ninth and, after failing on a bunt attempt, Victor Robles was hit by pitch. Escobar hit a flyball that center fielder Trent Grisham couldn’t corral and Barrera scored. Brad Hand (5-2) earned the victory. Juan Soto joined Josh Harrison with three hits and added a two-run homer. Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer and Jackson Profar homered for the Padres. Nationals ace Max Scherzer allowed four runs on four hits in seven innings. He struck out eight. In the completion of Saturday's suspended game, Fernando Tatis Jr. had his third four-hit... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alcides Escobar homered in the eighth inning and hit a winning single in the ninth Sunday as the Washington Nationals wrapped up a disturbing weekend with an 8-7 win over the San Diego Padres. A day after the game was suspended in the sixth inning because of a shooting outside Nationals Park, the Padres completed a 10-4 victory. Washington then came back to end a six-game losing streak. Tres Barrera singled off Mark Melancon (2-2) with one out in the ninth and, after failing on a bunt attempt, Victor Robles was hit by pitch. Escobar hit a flyball that center fielder Trent Grisham couldn’t corral and Barrera scored. Brad Hand (5-2) earned the victory. Juan Soto joined Josh Harrison with three hits and added a two-run homer. Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer and Jackson Profar homered for the Padres. Nationals ace Max Scherzer allowed four runs on four hits in seven innings. He struck out eight. In the completion of Saturday's suspended game, Fernando Tatis Jr. had his third four-hit... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Sunday: ANOTHER CHANCE Washington ace Max Scherzer gets another look at Fernando Tatis Jr. and the Padres when the Nationals close out a weekend series against San Diego. Scherzer was hit hard by the Padres on July 8, giving up a grand slam to reliever Daniel Camarena during Washington's 9-8 loss. Scherzer (7-4, 2.66 ERA) had been pitching well before that no-decision, going 6-2 with a 1.68 ERA in his previous 11 outings. He started the All-Star Game for the National League on Tuesday and tossed a perfect inning. Joe Musgrove (5-7, 2.93) takes the ball for San Diego. A-OK Athletics All-Star Chris Bassitt (10-2, 3.28 ERA) takes a 10-game winning streak into a matchup with Cleveland at the Coliseum. The 32-year-old righty dropped his first two starts of the year and hasn’t lost in 17 outings since. Bassitt’s streak is the longest by an Oakland pitcher since Mike Fiers won 12 straight in 2019. Indians right-hander Zach Plesac (4-3, 4.11) has won... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Shohei Ohtani shined as he turned the All-Star Game into his Sho-case. Featuring a 100 mph fastball, the first two-way All-Star pitched a perfect first inning for the American League on Tuesday night. He went 0 for 2 with a pair of groundouts at the plate, denied a hit by a nice defensive play leading off the game. “More people are watching baseball,” he said through a translator. “It makes me happy and it’s good for the sport.” It seemed as if the entire focus was on the Los Angeles Angels sensation as the All-Star Game returned from a one-year absence caused by a pandemic. He is the major league home run leader and one of the American League’s better pitchers. He was both the starting pitcher for the AL and its designated hitter at Coors Field. He was replaced by Lance Lynn on the mound in the second inning but under a tweak of the rules made just for him was allowed to remain as DH. He left for a pinch hitter in the fifth inning. Players in both dugouts were hanging on... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Shohei Ohtani became the first two-way All-Star in style, featuring a 100 mph fastball to pitch a perfect first inning against the National League after being denied a hit by a nice defensive play in his first at-bat. Ohtani, the major league home run leader and one of the American League’s better pitchers for the Los Angeles Angels, was the center of attention Tuesday night as the All-Star Game returned after a one-year absence caused by the coronavirus pandemic. He was both the starting pitcher for the AL and its designated hitter at Coors Field. He was replaced by Lance Lynn on the mound in the second inning but under a tweak of the rules made just for him was allowed to remain as DH. Players in both dugouts were hanging on the rails to watch Ohtani, who grounded out in both of his early at-bats. Washington’s Max Scherzer, just the sixth pitcher to start four All-Star Games, began Ohtani with a 95.5 mph fastball to begin the game. The left-handed batter grounded his second... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ THE SHO GOES ON Shohei Ohtani will be the American League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game and will lead off, too, as the designated hitter in another landmark for the two-way Japanese sensation. A 27-year-old in his fourth major league season with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani is the first two-way starter in the history of the All-Star Game, which began in 1933. Ohtani has generated huge buzz across baseball for his exploits at the plate and on the mound. He leads the majors with 33 home runs and is 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 starts. “This is what the fans want to see. It’s personally what I wanted to see,” said AL manager Kevin Cash of Tampa Bay. Ohtani struggled early in Monday's Home Run Derby but rallied to force two extra rounds against Washington's Juan Soto. Soto beat him in the second overtime, then lost himself to eventual champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets. Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals will be the... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday: ___ THE SHO GOES ON Shohei Ohtani will be the American League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game and will bat leadoff, too, as the designated hitter in another landmark for the two-way Japanese sensation. A 27-year-old in his fourth major league season with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani is the first two-way starter in the history of the All-Star Game, which began in 1933. Ohtani has generated huge buzz across baseball for his exploits at the plate and on the mound. He leads the majors with 33 home runs and is 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 starts. “This is what the fans want to see. It’s personally what I wanted to see,” said AL manager Kevin Cash of Tampa Bay. Ohtani struggled early in Monday's Home Run Derby but rallied to force two extra rounds against Washington's Juan Soto. Soto beat him in the second overtime, then lost himself to eventual champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets. Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals will... [More]

DENVER (AP) — As five dozen All-Stars sat outside Coors Field ahead of the All-Star Game, they looked forward to the Greatest Sho on Earth. Shohei Ohtani is the starriest of them all, the center of attention for players and fans like no one before at baseball's midsummer classic. Fans cheered when he was introduced Monday at a news conference located outdoors, across the street from Coors Field due to the pandemic. He competed in Monday night's Home Derby and will start on the mound for the American League in Tuesday night's All-Star Game and hit leadoff as the designated hitter. Ohtani is doing just about everything other than mow the grass and solve the ballpark's mile-high hitter-friendly air currents. “People always say, ‘Oh no, he can’t do that,’ until the guy goes out and does it,” said Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who won his second straight derby. “And then, when he does do it, it’s like, ‘Oh, we knew it the whole time.’” A 27-year-old in his fourth major league season with the... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors Tuesday: ___ THE SHO GOES ON Shohei Ohtani will be the American League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game and will bat leadoff, too, as the designated hitter in another landmark for the two-way Japanese sensation. A 27-year-old in his fourth major league season with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani is the first two-way starter in the history of the All-Star Game, which began in 1933. Ohtani has generated huge buzz across baseball for his exploits at the plate and on the mound. He leads the majors with 33 home runs and is 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 starts. “This is what the fans want to see. It’s personally what I wanted to see,” said AL manager Kevin Cash of Tampa Bay. Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals will be the starting pitcher for the National League in the game at Coors Field. LINED UP NL manager Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers has San Diego shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. leading off, followed by the Dodgers’ Max Muncy at... [More]