ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 32nd homer, a season high by a Japanese player in the major leagues, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday. Fellow All-Star Jared Walsh homered twice for the Angels, who won for the sixth time in seven games and took two of three from the AL-leading Red Sox. Ohtani topped Hideki Matsui’s total with the 2004 Yankees by hitting a 433-foot shot to right off Eduardo Rodríguez (6-5), putting the Angels ahead to stay in the fifth inning. The two-way star has 15 homers in his past 20 games. Andrew Heaney (5-6) pitched six-hit ball into the sixth, and Raisel Iglesias struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save. RAYS 4, INDIANS 0 RAYS 8, INDIANS 1 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings to finish a doubleheader sweep. Collin McHugh (two perfect innings), Josh Fleming (7-4 after allowing one walk in 2 2/3 innings), Diego Castillo (one out), Matt... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 31st homer in the third, and Juan Lagares ended it with a two-run double in the ninth inning of the Los Angeles Angels’ 6-5 comeback victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. Cedric Mullins hit a tiebreaking homer for Baltimore in the ninth in his first game after making his first All-Star team, but the Angels jumped all over Cole Sulser (2-1) without making an out in the bottom half. After Los Angeles loaded the bases on a walk and two short singles, Lagares doubled to the gap in right-center, extending the Angels’ winning streak to five games. Raisel Iglesias (6-3) got the win. Ohtani tied the MLB record for the most homers in a season by a Japanese-born player when he blasted a 459-foot solo shot off Thomas Eshelman to straightaway center. It was his 14th homer in 17 games overall. Less than an hour later, Ohtani became the first player in major league history to be picked for an All-Star Game as both a hitter and... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 31st homer in the third, and Juan Lagares ended it with a two-run double in the ninth inning of the Los Angeles Angels’ 6-5 comeback victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. Cedric Mullins hit a tiebreaking homer for Baltimore in the ninth in his first game after making his first All-Star team, but the Angels jumped all over Cole Sulser (2-1) without making an out in the bottom half. After Los Angeles loaded the bases on a walk and two short singles, Lagares doubled to the gap in right-center, extending the Angels’ winning streak to five games. Raisel Iglesias (6-3) got the win. Ohtani tied the MLB record for the most homers in a season by a Japanese-born player when he blasted a 459-foot solo shot off Thomas Eshelman to straightaway center. It was his 14th homer in 17 games overall. Less than an hour later, Ohtani became the first player in major league history to be picked for an All-Star Game as both a hitter and... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Tyler Anderson pitched seven sparkling innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates snapped Milwaukee’s 11-game winning streak Sunday with a 2-0 victory over the Brewers. Kevin Newman homered and Wilmer Difo had an RBI double as the Pirates stopped a six-game slide. Milwaukee managed just three hits off Anderson (4-8), who broke a personal five-game skid. The left-hander struck out six and walked two while throwing 93 pitches. Milwaukee’s win streak was the second-longest in franchise history. The Brewers won their first 13 games in 1987. David Bednar and Richard Rodriguez finished the four-hitter with one inning apiece. Rodriguez earned his 11th save in 13 opportunities by completing the Pirates’ third shutout of the season. Milwaukee's Freddy Peralta (7-3) had control issues with five walks in six innings. But he allowed just two runs and three hits. METS 10, YANKEES 5, GAME 1 NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso hit a tying homer off Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman, and José Peraza lined... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Seattle reliever Hector Santiago became the first player to be ejected as part of Major League Baseball’s new foreign substance protocols when he was thrown out of Sunday’s 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Santiago was checked by the umpires as he exited in the fifth inning. His glove was confiscated, and it was later announced that Santiago had been ejected. Crew chief Tom Hallion told a pool reporter that Santiago was ejected for “having a foreign substance that was sticky on the inside palm of his glove.” The 33-year-old left-hander said what the umpires found was a combination of rosin and sweat. Taylor Trammell homered twice for Seattle in the resumption of Saturday’s suspended game. Paul Sewald (5-2) got one out for the win, and Kendall Graveman worked the ninth for his seventh save. The White Sox rebounded in the scheduled series finale, winning 7-5 behind Zack Collins’ four RBIs. Aaron Bummer (1-4) pitched an inning for the win, and Liam Hendriks got two outs... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Seattle reliever Hector Santiago became the first player to be ejected as part of Major League Baseball’s new foreign substance protocols when he was thrown out of Sunday’s 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Santiago was checked by the umpires as he exited in the fifth inning. His glove was confiscated, and it was later announced that Santiago had been ejected. Crew chief Tom Hallion told a pool reporter that Santiago was ejected for “having a foreign substance that was sticky on the inside palm of his glove.” The 33-year-old left-hander said what the umpires found was a combination of rosin and sweat. Taylor Trammell homered twice for Seattle in the resumption of Saturday’s suspended game. Paul Sewald (5-2) got one out for the win, and Kendall Graveman worked the ninth for his seventh save. The White Sox rebounded in the scheduled series finale, winning 7-5 behind Zack Collins’ four RBIs. Aaron Bummer (1-4) pitched an inning for the win, and Liam Hendriks got two outs... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Seattle reliever Hector Santiago became the first player to be ejected as part of Major League Baseball’s new foreign substance protocols when he was thrown out of Sunday’s 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Santiago was checked by the umpires as he exited in the fifth inning. His glove was confiscated, and it was later announced that Santiago had been ejected. Crew chief Tom Hallion told a pool reporter that Santiago was ejected for “having a foreign substance that was sticky on the inside palm of his glove.” The 33-year-old left-hander said what the umpires found was a combination of rosin and sweat. Taylor Trammell homered twice for Seattle, which improved to 10-2 in its last 12 games. Paul Sewald (5-2) got one out for the win, and Kendall Graveman worked the ninth for his seventh save. The White Sox lost AL MVP José Abreu when he was hit on his left knee by a pitch in the sixth. The team announced the first baseman had a bruised left knee and X-rays were negative.... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mookie Betts hit his 25th leadoff home run and added a spectacular catch and throw for a double play to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 on Thursday. Betts took the third pitch he saw from Mitch Keller (3-7) and sent it into the bullpen beyond the centerfield fence for his sixth homer this season. He saved a run in the the second by making a running grab on a sinking line drive by Ka’ai Tom then doing a 360-degree turn before firing a one-hop strike to home plate to throw out Erik Gonzalez. Julio Urías (9-2) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings to become the major leagues' first nine-game winner. Phil Bickford got his first save when the game was called with one out in the the eighth after a rain delay of 1 hour, 15 minutes. Los Angeles completed its sixth series sweep. RED SOX 12, ASTROS 8 BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit his 13th homer, Christian Arroyo had a three-run drive and Boston capitalized on a pair of dropped balls in a five-run... [More]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mookie Betts hit his 25th leadoff home run and added a spectacular catch and throw for a double play to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 on Thursday. Betts took the third pitch he saw from Mitch Keller (3-7) and sent it into the bullpen beyond the centerfield fence for his sixth homer this season. He saved a run in the the second by making a running grab on a sinking line drive by Ka’ai Tom then doing a 360-degree turn before firing a one-hop strike to home plate to throw out Erik Gonzalez. Julio Urías (9-2) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings to become the major leagues' first nine-game winner. Phil Bickford got his first save when the game was called with one out in the the eighth after a rain delay of 1 hour, 15 minutes. Los Angeles completed its sixth series sweep. RED SOX 12, ASTROS 8 BOSTON (AP) — J.D. Martinez hit his 13th homer, Christian Arroyo had a three-run drive and Boston capitalized on a pair of dropped balls in a five-run... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove pitched the first no-hitter in the history of his hometown team, allowing only one baserunner in a 3-0 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night. The Padres were the only active MLB franchise without a no-hitter, and it came in their 8,206th regular-season game — from a 28-year-old who grew up just down the road in El Cajon, California. In only his second start for San Diego, Musgrove (2-0) struck out 10 and faced 28 batters, one over the minimum. He threw 77 of his 112 pitches for strikes. The only Rangers baserunner was Joey Gallo, who was hit by a pitch with two outs in the fourth inning. It was the first no-hitter in the majors this season and only the second complete game. Kohei Arihara (0-1) made his first start for the Rangers after pitching the last six seasons in Japan. He allowed five hits and three runs over four innings. DODGERS 1, NATIONALS 0 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Justin Turner homered in the sixth inning,... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — San Diego Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove pitched the first no-hitter in the history of his hometown team, allowing only one baserunner in a 3-0 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night. The Padres were the only active MLB franchise without a no-hitter, and it came in their 8,206th regular-season game — from a 28-year-old who grew up just down the road in El Cajon, California. In only his second start for San Diego, Musgrove (2-0) struck out 10 and faced 28 batters, one over the minimum. He threw 77 of his 112 pitches for strikes. The only Rangers baserunner was Joey Gallo, who was hit by a pitch with two outs in the fourth inning. It was the first no-hitter in the majors this season and only the second complete game. Kohei Arihara (0-1) made his first start for the Rangers after pitching the last six seasons in Japan. He allowed five hits and three runs over four innings. DODGERS 1, NATIONALS 0 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Justin Turner homered in the sixth inning,... [More]

A capsule look at the best-of-seven playoff series between the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays in San Diego beginning Sunday: ___ Season Series: Did not meet. ___ HOUSTON ASTROS Record: 29-31. Playoff Entry: second place, AL West. Playoff Seed: No. 6. Manager: Dusty Baker (first season). Projected Rotation: LHP Framber Valdez (5-3, 3.57 ERA, 76 Ks), RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (3-3, 3.93, 56 Ks), RHP Jose Urquidy (1-1, 2.73, 17 Ks), RHP Zack Greinke (3-3, 4.03, 67 Ks), RHP Cristian Javier (5-2, 3.48, 54 Ks). Top Hitters: DH Michael Brantley (.300, 5 HRs, 22 RBIs, 15 doubles), CF George Springer (.265, 14, 32), LF Kyle Tucker (.268, 9, 42). Top Relievers: RHP Ryan Pressly (1-3, 3.43 ERA, 12 saves), RHP Enoli Paredes (3-3, 3.05), LHP Blake Taylor (2-1, 2.18, 1 save), LHP Brooks Raley (0-1, 3.94, 1 save). Series Summary: Last year’s American League champions limped into the playoffs as the only AL team to make it with a losing record after dropping three straight and four of their final five... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton hit a grand slam in the ninth inning for New York’s fourth home run of the game, and the Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 9-3 Monday night in the opener of their AL Division Series at Petco Park. Stanton homered to straightaway center field on a 2-2 pitch from John Curtiss with one out. The slugger took several steps with his bat still in his hands as he watched the ball sail through the warm San Diego night before beginning his trot. Kyle Higashioka and Aaron Judge hit the tying and go-ahead home runs off Blake Snell in the fifth inning. Clint Frazier hit an impressive shot into the second deck in left in the third. The Bronx Bombers became the first team in American League history to hit a grand slam in back-to-back playoff games. Gio Urshela did it in Game 2 of the first-round sweep of Cleveland. Two NL teams have done it, the 1977 Dodgers and 2011 Diamondbacks. The Yankees set a franchise record by hitting at least three home runs in three straight... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Without the likes of Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, the Houston Astros need someone on staff to step up this October. Despite its youth and inexperience, the bullpen is doing plenty to fill the void. Astros relievers were shaky throughout the regular season but have been suddenly stellar during the playoffs. Four of them combined for five scoreless innings in a 10-5 victory over Oakland in Game 1 of their AL Division Series on Monday at Dodgers Stadium. “They’ve been forced to grow up and learn some valuable lessons the hard way sometimes. That’s on the job training. They did great job against an offense that was rolling,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. Houston was a game away from winning the World Series last year behind Verlander and Cole. Now, Verlander is on the shelf following Tommy John surgery, and Cole is pitching for the New York Yankees after leaving Houston as a free agent. The entire staff has transformed quickly — and at times, painfully. The Astros... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman threw a 101 mph fastball near the head of pinch-hitter Michael Brosseau while closing out his first save of the season, prompting the benches to empty after New York ended a six-game losing streak against the Tampa Bay Rays with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night.Chapman’s first pitch to Brosseau with two outs in the ninth inning whizzed past Brosseau’s head, and umpires met before issuing warnings to both benches amid a budding rivalry that’s been dominated this season by Tampa Bay. Chapman struck out Brosseau to end it, and Brosseau began walking toward the visiting dugout before turning back to exchange words with someone on the Yankees. The dugouts and benches emptied and players gathered near home plate, but they mostly kept their distance before dispersing to their respective clubhouses.DJ LeMahieu homered twice, and Gio Urshela hit a tiebreaking, three-run Little League homer in the sixth inning as New York beat the Rays at Yankee Stadium for... [More]

Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman threw a 101 mph fastball near the head of pinch-hitter Michael Brosseau while closing out his first save of the season, prompting the benches to empty after New York ended a six-game losing streak against the Tampa Bay Rays with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night.Chapman’s first pitch to Brosseau with two outs in the ninth inning whizzed past Brosseau’s head, and umpires met before issuing warnings to both benches amid a budding rivalry that’s been dominated this season by Tampa Bay. Chapman struck out Brosseau to end it, and Brosseau began walking toward the visiting dugout before turning back to exchange words with someone on the Yankees. The dugouts and benches emptied and players gathered near home plate, but they mostly kept their distance before dispersing to their respective clubhouses.DJ LeMahieu homered twice, and Gio Urshela hit a tiebreaking, three-run Little League homer in the sixth inning as New York beat the Rays at Yankee Stadium for the first time... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Dansby Swanson hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a four-run rally that gave the Atlanta Braves a stunning 7-6 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.With the Braves trailing 6-3 against Washington closer Daniel Hudson (1-2), Adam Duvall made it close by hitting a two-run shot that just cleared the wall in left field. Johan Camargo followed with a single, but Hudson retired the next two hitters to put the Braves down to their final out.It never came.Swanson drove one over the wall in right-center for the game winner. The rally ruined a memorable night for Washington rookie Luis Garcia, who became the first player born in the 2000s to hit a big league homer. The youngest player in the majors at age 20, Garcia hit a two-run shot off Touki Toussaint in the second inning. Asdrubal Cabrera, Juan Soto and Eric Thames also homered for the defending World Series champs, but it wasn’t enough.DODGERS 11, MARINERS 9LOS ANGELES (AP) —... [More]