BALTIMORE (AP) — Houston Astros starter Jake Odorizzi and reliever Cristian Javier held Baltimore without a hit through seven innings Monday night, and play has resumed after a 41-minute rain delay in the top of the eighth. Houston was looking to throw the seventh no-hitter in the majors this season. That would match 1990, 1991, 2012 and 2015 for the most since 1900, one shy of the record eight in 1884 — the first season overhand pitching was allowed. Odorizzi pitched the first five innings before being replaced by Javier. Odorizzi retired his first 13 batters, then walked DJ Stewart on a full count in the fifth. That was the only baserunner for the Orioles. Houston leads 9-0. The teams played for a while in a driving rain at Camden Yards in the top of the eighth, with puddles forming in the infield. Play was finally halted with one out and José Altuve batting. The start of the game was also delayed an hour because of rain. Javier retired Baltimore in order in the sixth and seventh. Pedro... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — Houston Astros starter Jake Odorizzi and reliever Cristian Javier held Baltimore without a hit through seven innings Monday night, and the game was in a rain delay in the eighth. Houston was looking to throw the seventh no-hitter in the majors this season. That would match 1990, 1991, 2012 and 2015 for the most since 1900, one shy of the record eight in 1884 — the first season overhand pitching was allowed. Odorizzi pitched the first five innings before being replaced by Javier. Odorizzi retired his first 13 batters, then walked DJ Stewart on a full count. That was the only baserunner for the Orioles. Houston leads 7-0. The teams played for a while in a driving rain at Camden Yards in the top of the eighth, with puddles forming in the infield. Play was finally halted with one out and José Altuve batting. The start of the game was also delayed an hour because of rain. Javier retired Baltimore in order in the sixth and seventh. Pedro Severino hit a sharp line drive to left... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Houston Astros have held Baltimore without a hit through seven innings Monday night, with Jake Odorizzi pitching the first five and the bullpen trying to complete a combined no-hitter. Odorizzi retired his first 13 batters before walking DJ Stewart on a full count. That was the only baserunner for the Orioles. Houston leads 7-0, with the teams playing in a driving rain at Camden Yards and puddles forming in the infield. Cristian Javier retired Baltimore in order in the sixth and seventh. Pedro Severino hit a sharp line drive to left field in the sixth, but it was right at Houston's Yordan Alvarez. Ryan Mountcastle's seventh-inning liner was hit right at Astros center fielder Myles Straw. The start of the game was delayed an hour by rain, and it was raining hard between the bottom of the seventh and top of the eighth. But the rain became a bit lighter for a while, and the teams played on after the grounds crew poured sand on the mound and area around home plate. In a... [More]

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Houston Astros have held Baltimore without a hit through six innings Monday night, with Jake Odorizzi pitching the first five and the bullpen trying to complete a combined no-hitter. Odorizzi retired his first 13 batters before walking DJ Stewart on a full count. That was the only baserunner for the Orioles. Houston leads 7-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh. Cristian Javier retired Baltimore in order in the sixth. Pedro Severino hit a sharp line drive to left field, but it was right at Houston's Yordan Alvarez. In a season when pitchers have dominated — and on the day umpires began checking them for illegal foreign substances — Odorizzi didn't seem the least bit bothered. He struck out nine and threw 86 pitches, three shy of his season high. The 31-year-old Odorizzi missed more than a month with a strained muscle in his right arm. This was his fifth appearance and fourth start since returning. Houston was looking to pitch the seventh no-hitter in the majors this... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty became the major leagues’ first seven-game winner this year with a 2-0 victory over Milwaukee on Thursday as the Brewers’ Corbin Burnes extended his streak to 58 consecutive strikeouts before his first walk. Flaherty (7-0) allowed four hits in six innings, struck out six and walked two to help the Cardinals win a three-game series that featured dominant starting pitching. Burnes (2-3) returned from the injured list after a positive test for coronavirus, which he said left him asymptomatic. He opted against getting vaccinated for what he said were personal reasons. In his first appearance since April 26, Burnes struck out nine among his first 14 outs, giving him 58 strikeouts and no walks this year before he walked Tommy Edman with two outs in the fifth. Alex Reyes remained perfect in 11 save chances by striking out Tyrone Taylor to strand two runners. Nolan Arenado’s two-out single in the first scored Edman. That marked the only... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres’ tying single in the ninth inning and winning infield single in the 11th helped the New York Yankees overcame Max Scherzer’s commanding 14-strikeout performance to beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 Saturday. Scherzer allowed two hits in 7 1/3 innings, but the Yankees rallied three times. Kyle Higashioka’s home run tied the score at 1 in the third, Torres made it 2-all against Brad Hand in the ninth and Mike Ford’s single evened it 3-3 against Hand in the 10th. With automatic runner DJ LeMahieu on second in the 11th, Tanner Rainey (0-2) walked Giancarlo Stanton on a full count and Aaron Judge on four pitches, loading the bases. Washington went to a five-man infield, replacing left fielder Kyle Schwarber with Jordy Mercer. Torres hit a dribbler to the third-base side that bounced off Rainey’s bare hand as New York got its first walk-off win this season. Justin Wilson (1-0) struck out two in a perfect 11th, and New York moved back over .500 at 17-16. Washington... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres’ tying single in the ninth inning and a winning infield single in the 11th helped the New York Yankees overcame Max Scherzer’s commanding 14-strikeout performance to beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 Saturday. Scherzer allowed two hits in 7 1/3 innings, but the Yankees rallied three times. Kyle Higashioka’s home run tied the score at 1 in the third, Torres made it 2-all against Brad Hand in the ninth and Mike Ford’s single evened it 3-3 against Hand in the 10th. With automatic runner DJ LeMahieu on second in the 11th, Tanner Rainey (0-2) walked Giancarlo Stanton on a full count and Aaron Judge on four pitches, loading the bases. Washington went to a five-man infield, replacing left fielder Kyle Schwarber with Jordy Mercer. Torres hit a dribbler to the third-base side that bounced off Rainey’s bare hand as New York got its first walk-off win this season. Justin Wilson (1-0) struck out two in a perfect 11th, and New York moved back over .500 at 17-16. Washington... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres’ tying single in the ninth inning and a winning infield single in the 11th helped the New York Yankees overcame Max Scherzer’s commanding 14-strikeout performance to beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 Saturday. Scherzer allowed two hits in 7 1/3 innings, but the Yankees rallied three times. Kyle Higashioka’s home run tied the score at 1 in the third, Torres made it 2-all against Brad Hand in the ninth and Mike Ford’s single evened it 3-3 against Hand in the 10th. With automatic runner DJ LeMahieu on second in the 11th, Tanner Rainey (0-2) walked Giancarlo Stanton on a full count and Aaron Judge on four pitches, loading the bases. Washington went to a five-man infield, replacing left fielder Kyle Schwarber with Jordy Mercer. Torres hit a dribbler to the third-base side that bounced off Rainey’s bare hand as New York got its first walk-off win this season. Justin Wilson (1-0) struck out two in a perfect 11th, and New York moved back over .500 at 17-16. Washington... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit three home runs, including a grand slam and solo shot off Washington ace Max Scherzer, and had seven RBIs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Nationals 9-5 on Tuesday night. Guerrero’s slam in the third put the Blue Jays ahead 4-3 and ended Scherzer’s scoreless streak at 19 innings. Guerrero made it 7-3 with his drive in the fifth and added a two-run, seventh-inning shot off Kyle Finnegan to complete his first three-homer game. Scherzer (1-2) joined Ivan Nova as the only pitchers to have allowed a homer to both Guerrero Jr. and his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. Scherzer allowed seven runs — five earned — and eight hits over five innings. Tommy Milone (1-0) was the winner. RAYS 4, ATHLETICS 3 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brett Phillips hit a two-run homer in the sixth, helping send Oakland to its second loss in 16 games. Joey Wendle’s two-out single in the seventh tacked on another run for the Rays and ended Tampa Bay’s 0-for-26 stretch... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit three home runs, including a grand slam and solo shot off Washington ace Max Scherzer, and had seven RBIs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Nationals 9-5 on Tuesday night. Guerrero’s slam in the third put the Blue Jays ahead 4-3 and ended Scherzer’s scoreless streak at 19 innings. Guerrero made it 7-3 with his drive in the fifth and added a two-run, seventh-inning shot off Kyle Finnegan to complete his first three-homer game. Scherzer (1-2) joined Ivan Nova as the only pitchers to have allowed a homer to both Guerrero Jr. and his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. Scherzer allowed seven runs — five earned — and eight hits over five innings. Tommy Milone (1-0) was the winner. RAYS 4, ATHLETICS 3 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brett Phillips hit a two-run homer in the sixth, helping send Oakland to its second loss in 16 games. Joey Wendle’s two-out single in the seventh tacked on another run for the Rays and ended Tampa Bay’s 0-for-26 stretch... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit three home runs, including a grand slam and solo shot off Washington ace Max Scherzer, and had seven RBIs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Nationals 9-5 on Tuesday night. Guerrero’s slam in the third put the Blue Jays ahead 4-3 and ended Scherzer’s scoreless streak at 19 innings. Guerrero made it 7-3 with his drive in the fifth and added a two-run, seventh-inning shot off Kyle Finnegan to complete his first three-homer game. Scherzer (1-2) joined Ivan Nova as the only pitchers to have allowed a homer to both Guerrero Jr. and his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. Scherzer allowed seven runs — five earned — and eight hits over five innings. Tommy Milone (1-0) was the winner. RAYS 4, ATHLETICS 3 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brett Phillips hit a two-run homer in the sixth, helping send Oakland to its second loss in 16 games. Joey Wendle’s two-out single in the seventh tacked on another run for the Rays and ended Tampa Bay’s 0-for-26 stretch... [More]

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit three home runs, including a grand slam and solo shot off Washington ace Max Scherzer, and had seven RBIs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Nationals 9-5 on Tuesday night. Guerrero’s slam in the third put the Blue Jays ahead 4-3 and ended Scherzer’s scoreless streak at 19 innings. Guerrero made it 7-3 with his drive in the fifth and added a two-run, seventh-inning shot off Kyle Finnegan to complete his first three-homer game. Scherzer (1-2) joined Ivan Nova as the only pitchers to have allowed a homer to both Guerrero Jr. and his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. Scherzer allowed seven runs — five earned — and eight hits over five innings. Tommy Milone (1-0) was the winner. RAYS 4, ATHLETICS 3 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brett Phillips hit a two-run homer in the sixth, helping send Oakland to its second loss in 16 games. Joey Wendle’s two-out single in the seventh tacked on another run for the Rays and ended Tampa Bay’s 0-for-26 stretch... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: ___ MARQUEE MATCHUP As pitching matchups go, this one is aces. Two of baseball’s best arms square off in Cleveland, with New York’s Gerrit Cole starting against Shane Bieber. The All-Star right-handers met last October in the wild-card round and the Yankees teed off on Bieber, tagging the 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner for seven runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. Cole struck out 13 in New York’s 12-3 win. “I wouldn’t mind it unfolding like that again,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said with a smile. Bieber has 48 strikeouts and is the first pitcher to fan 10 or more in his first four starts of a season. He’s aiming to match Hall of Famer Randy Johnson’s record of 17 straight starts with at least eight Ks. ROLLING A'S The Athletics try for their 13th straight victory when they face Baltimore at Camden Yards. Oakland’s string is its best since it won a franchise-record 20 in a row in 2002. This is the longest winning streak in the majors... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Saturday: ___ MARQUEE MATCHUP As pitching matchups go, this one is aces. Two of baseball’s best pitchers will square off in Cleveland with New York’s Gerrit Cole starting against Shane Bieber. The All-Star right-handers met last October in the wild-card round and the Yankees teed off on Bieber, tagging the 2020 Cy Young winner for seven runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. Cole struck out 13 in New York’s 12-3 win. “I wouldn’t mind it unfolding like that again,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said with a smile. Bieber has 48 strikeouts and is the first pitcher to fan 10 or more in his first four starts. He’s aiming to match Hall of Famer Randy Johnson’s record of 17 straight starts with at least eight Ks. ROLLING A'S The Athletics try for their 13th straight victory when they face Baltimore at Camden Yards. Oakland’s string is its best since it won a franchise-record 20 in a row in 2002. This is the longest winning streak in the majors since... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Saturday: ___ MARQUEE MATCHUP As pitching matchups go, this one is aces. Two of baseball’s best pitchers will square off in Cleveland with New York’s Gerrit Cole starting against Shane Bieber. The All-Star right-handers met last October in the wild-card round and the Yankees teed off on Bieber, tagging the 2020 Cy Young winner for seven runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. Cole struck out 13 in New York’s 12-3 win. “I wouldn’t mind it unfolding like that again,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said with a smile. Bieber has 48 strikeouts and is the first pitcher to fan 10 or more in his first four starts. He’s aiming to match Hall of Famer Randy Johnson’s record of 17 straight starts with at least eight Ks. TROUT OUT The Angels hope star outfielder Mike Trout is ready to return from a bruised left elbow Trout was hit by a fastball from Houston’s Cristian Javier on Thursday night and exited an inning later. The three-time AL MVP was scratched from... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout was scratched from the lineup on Friday night after being hit by a pitch on the left elbow a night before. Manager Joe Maddon said he expects Trout to return for Saturday’s game at Houston. The team said the three-time AL MVP had a bruised left elbow after being plunked in the fourth inning on Thursday night by Cristian Javier of the Astros. Trout exited in the bottom of the fifth. Scott Schebler started in center field in place of Trout in the updated lineup. “Just some soreness," Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. “It's so early in the season and there's such a long way to go. One thing about Mike is he loves to play. It takes a lot to get him out of the lineup." “But just with where we're at today and the amount of soreness he had, we thought it was best for him to take the day," Minasian said. Trout is off to a great start this season, leading the American League with a .393 average and six home runs. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports