Randy Arozarena is on the move,

The Seattle Mariners are reportedly acquiring Arozarena in a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.

As part of the trade, which was reported late Thursday by multiple sources, the Mariners are sending the Rays outfielder Aidan Smith, right-hander Brody Hopkins and a player to be named later.

Arozarena was named to his first All-Star team last year, but is struggling a bit this season.

He is batting a career-low .213, but does have 15 home runs, 19 doubles and 16 stolen bases in 99 games.

His .717 OPS, however, is higher than any of Seattle's everyday players.

The Mariners are in need of a jolt with their offence suddenly struggling.

After leading the AL West by 10 games on June 18, Seattle has lost 20 of 29 and now trails the Houston Astros by one game for the division lead.

The offence has been the biggest culprit for the recent slide, as the Mariners have plated exactly one run in each of their last three games and have scored two or fewer in seven of their last eight.

Seattle is also in need of another outfielder with star centre fielder Julio Rodríguez sidelined until August with a high-ankle sprain sustained Sunday.

Two years ago, Dylan Cease came within one out of throwing a no-hitter.

Against the Washington Nationals on Thursday, he finished the job, recording all 27 outs without allowing a hit.

Cease threw the second no-hitter in San Diego Padres franchise history, baffling the Nationals during a 3-0 win.

Cease improved to 10-8 and struck out nine in his nine sterling innings of work to win his third straight start.

Despite walking three batters, Cease faced only one over the minimum, with the Nationals caught stealing in the first inning and grounding into a double play in the fourth.

He threw 71 of his 114 pitches for strikes en route to joining Joe Musgrove as the only San Diego pitchers to throw a no-hitter. Musgrove's came against the Texas Rangers on April 9, 2021.

Baseball's latest no-no is the second of the season after the Houston Astros' Ronel Blanco threw one against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 1.

Cease's achievement also helps take away some of the sting from his near no-hitter from two years ago. 

While pitching for the Chicago White Sox on September 3, 2022, he was one out away from no-hitting the Minnesota Twins, when current teammate Luis Arraez broke it up with a single to right-centre.

In this one, he got CJ Abrams to hit a flyout to right field for the final out.

Cease is in his first year with the Padres after beginning his career with the White Sox, and after a rocky June, has been pitching brilliantly lately.

In his last three outings, he has not allowed a run, while surrendering just two hits and seven walks over 22 innings while piling up 30 strikeouts.

His latest gem helped San Diego to its fifth consecutive win.

The Padres (55-50) didn’t need much offence against the Nationals (47-56) to back Cease, with Ha-Seong Kim plating all three runs on a first-inning single off Patrick Corbin.

Kershaw makes season debut in Dodgers' win over Giants

Clayton Kershaw permitted two runs over four innings in his first start of the season and the Los Angeles Dodgers went on to beat the San Francisco Giants 6-4.

The game was tied 4-4 until Nick Ahmed and Shohei Ohtani homered on consecutive pitches in the eighth inning to lead the NL West-leading Dodgers (62-42) to their sixth win in seven games since the All-Star break.

Ohtani's homer was his 31st of the season and his second in the last five games. He also doubled to give him four doubles since the All-Star break.

Kershaw allowed six hits and two walks with six strikeouts, while throwing 47 of his 72 pitches for strikes in his first start since Game 1 of last October's NL Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner had shoulder surgery four weeks later.

Ohtani signed with the Dodgers a month later and this was the first game the Japanese superstar and Kershaw played together.

Heliot Ramos led the Giants (49-55) with three hits and drove in a run while Jorge Soler singled twice.

Logan Webb yielded four runs and nine hits, and now has surrendered 15 runs and 25 hits with eight walks over 16 innings in his last three starts.

Mets beat Braves in 10 innings to stay hot

Jeff McNeil drove in the winning run with a 10th-inning hit on a ball Ramón Laureano misplayed in the New York Mets' 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves.

McNeil's hit was just the third of the game for the Mets, and possibly could've been caught had Laureano not overrun it. The ball was hit hard down into the right-field corner and Laureano raced to track it down but ran too far and couldn't catch it as he reached his glove back across his body.

Jose Iglesias scored from second base, giving New York (54-48) its fourth straight win, and 10th victory in 13 games.

The Braves (54-47), meanwhile, lost their fifth straight game, as the Mets moved within one-half game of them for the NL's top wild-card spot.

McNeil and Francisco Lindor have been leading the charge for New York.

McNeil has driven in six runs in the last four games, and is hitting .417 with four home runs and nine RBIs in seven games since the All-Star break.

Lindor homered for the fifth time in four games, and is batting .359 with 14 RBIs during a 10-game hitting streak.

Atlanta squandered another stellar outing from Chris Sale.

The eight-time All-Star yielded two runs, two hits and a walk while striking out nine over 7 1/3 innings. It marked the eighth straight start in which he allowed two runs or fewer.

San Diego Padres starter Dylan Cease threw MLB’s second complete-game no-hitter of the season, baffling the Washington Nationals during a 3-0 win on Thursday.

Cease improved to 10-8 and struck out nine in his nine sterling innings of work as the Padres won their fifth consecutive game.

The Houston Astros’ Ronel Blanco had the season’s first no-hitter on April 1 against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Despite walking three batters, Cease faced only one over the minimum, with the Nationals caught stealing in the first inning and grounding into a double play in the fourth.

Cease threw 71 of his 114 pitches for strikes as he won his third straight start.

Cease has not allowed a run in his last three outings, surrendering just two hits and seven walks over 22 innings while piling up 30 strikeouts.  

Cease is in his first year with San Diego after beginning his career with the Chicago White Sox. After a rough June, Cease’s ERA sat at 4.24 on July 2, but his recent hot streak – punctuated by Thursday’s no-hitter – brought that number down to 3.50.

In 2022, while with the White Sox, Cease had a no-hitter broken up with two outs in the ninth by current teammate Luis Arraez, who was then with the Minnesota Twins.

The Padres didn’t need much offence Thursday to back Cease, with Ha-Seong Kim plating all three runs on a first-inning single off Patrick Corbin.

San Diego (55-50) are seven games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West but are in the thick of a crowded NL wild-card race.

Francisco Lindor homered twice and drove in five runs and the New York Mets went deep a season high-tying five times to complete a season sweep of the New York Yankees with a 12-3 rout on Wednesday night.

Tyrone Taylor, Pete Alonso and Lindor all homered off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and Mark Vientos added a solo shot in the eighth before Lindor’s three-run shot off Caleb Ferguson later in the inning extended the lead to 11-2.

The Mets (53-48), who moved a season-high five games over .500, have won three straight, 11 of 15 and are 29-13 after a 24-35 start.

The Mets won all four meetings this season against their crosstown rivals by a combined score of 36-14. They swept the Subway Series for the first time since 2013.

Gleyber Torres and Juan Soto homered for the Yankees, who have lost 20 of their last 29 games.

Cole tied a season high with six runs allowed on eight hits in six innings as his ERA ballooned to 5.40.

Rockies match franchise runs record

Brenton Doyle had a grand slam and five RBIs and Jacob Stallings added two doubles, a homer and four RBIs as the Colorado Rockies matched a franchise record for runs in a 20-7 drubbing of the Boston Red Sox.

Ezequiel Tovar and Ryan McMahon also went deep and Brendan Rodgers had four hits for the Rockies, who pounded out 21 hits and scored 20 runs for the fourth time in franchise history and first time since 2006.

Cal Quantrill pitched six solid innings to help Colorado take two of three from Boston.

Both benches and bullpens cleared in the fourth when Reese McGuire and Quantrill exchanged words. McGuire took exception when Quantrill pumped his fist after getting him to fly out to end the top of the fourth and the players had to be separated.

Jarren Duran fell a double shy of the cycle and drove in three runs for Boston, which completed a 1-5 road trip after winning 10 of 13.

The Red Sox committed a season-high four errors that led to six unearned runs. Three of the errors came with Nick Pivetta on the mound. Pivetta, who entered with a 13.85 ERA in four career starts against the Rockies, was lit up for eight runs and 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Astros’ Brown stays hot, beats A’s

Hunter Brown pitched six innings to win for the eighth time in nine starts as the Houston Astros avoided a series sweep to the Oakland Athletics with an 8-1 win.

Brown worked around traffic in every inning but limited the Athletics to one run and eight hits with eight strikeouts and one walk.

The right-hander is 8-1 with a 1.80 ERA in his last nine starts with 58 strikeouts in 55 innings.

Bryan Abreu, Tayler Scott and Bryan King retired three batters each to finish the game.

Chas McCormick homered for the first time in over a month and Jose Altuve had three hits and two RBIs as Houston bounced back after losing the first two games of the series.

Seth Brown had three hits for Oakland, which had won five of six.

Alex Cora will be staying with the Boston Red Sox for next season and beyond, as MLB Network reported Wednesday that the veteran manager has agreed to a three-year contract extension that will make him among the highest-paid skippers in baseball.

Cora's new deal will run through the 2027 season and will be worth more than $7 million annually, according to MLB Network. ESPN reported earlier Wednesday that the 48-year-old was nearing an agreement on a three-year, $21.75 million extension.

The agreement also ends speculation on Cora's future in Boston with his current contract due to expire at the end of this season. The 2018 World Series champion will become the second-highest paid manager in the majors behind Craig Counsell, who left the Milwaukee Brewers for the Chicago Cubs in the offseason on a deal that pays him $8 million annually.

Cora is in his fourth consecutive season as the Red Sox's manager and sixth overall with the club. He was dismissed following the 2019 season as he served a one-year suspension in 2020 as part of the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal of 2017, then rehired by Boston after being reinstated by Major League Baseball.

The Red Sox won a franchise-record 108 regular-season games and captured their most recent World Series title in Cora's first season in 2018. Boston also reached the post-season during Cora's return to the team in 2021, though the Red Sox have missed the playoffs in each of the past two years.

Cora has the Red Sox back in the mix for a playoff spot this season, however. Boston enters Wednesday's play one game behind the Kansas City Royals for the American League's final wild card berth with a 54-46 record. 

The Puerto Rico native has compiled a 494-416 regular-season record during his time in Boston.

Prior to his initial stint with the Red Sox, Cora spent the 2017 season as the Astros' bench coach and was part of Houston's controversial run to that year's World Series title. Major League Baseball later conducted a thorough investigation of an alleged sign-stealing scheme the Astros had put in place that season, which led to Commissioner Rob Manfred suspending Cora for the entire 2020 campaign for his role.

Pirates All-Star rookie Paul Skenes lost for the first time in 12 career major league starts as Alec Burleson stroked a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 2-1 win on Tuesday night.

Skenes threw 91 pitches through eight innings and was allowed to start the ninth for the first time.

Michael Siani opened the inning with a double down the left-field line and took third on Masyn Winn’s groundout. He scored when Burleson lined an 0-2 fastball into right on Skenes’ 104th and final pitch.

He gave up two runs and four hits in 8 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts and no walks as his ERA rose from 1.90 to 1.93. Skenes had at least seven strikeouts for his ninth consecutive start, extending a team record.

Ryan Fernandez earned the win, getting an inning-ending double play in the eighth from Ke’Bryan Hayes, his only batter.

Ryan Helsley struck out three straight batters on 13 pitches for his major league-leading 33rd save in 35 chances.

Jack Suwinski had two hits for the Pirates, who had won seven of their previous eight games.

Dodgers beat Giants for 5th straight win

Shohei Ohtani drove in three runs and the Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to five games with a 5-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

Shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald became the first Giants rookie to homer in five consecutive games with a solo shot off Landon Knack in the second inning. He is the first Giants player to go deep in at least five straight since Barry Bonds had a seven-game streak in 2004.

That was the only run and one of two hits Knack allowed over five innings in his first win since April 24.

Brent Honeywell Jr. worked two scoreless innings, Blake Treinen pitched the eighth and Alex Vesia gave up a run in the 9th before Evan Phillips retired LaMonte Wade Jr. with the bases loaded for his 15th save.

After Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez drew two-out walks in the first against Jordan Hicks, Gavin Lux’s double staked the Dodgers to a 2-0 lead.

Ohtani followed Jason Heyward’s hit by pitch and Cavan Biggio’s single in the fourth with a double off the right-field fence to make it 4-1.

The Japanese sensation added an RBI single in the eighth.

McNeil, Diekman help Mets edge Yankees

Jeff McNeil hit a two-run homer and Jake Diekman struck out Aaron Judge in a key spot as the New York Mets held on for a 3-2 win to remain perfect this season against the New York Yankees.

Jose Quintana and five relievers combined on a five-hitter as the Mets (52-48) matched their season high of four games over .500. They improved to 3-0 against their crosstown rivals.

With closer Edwin Diaz unavailable, Diekman pitched a hitless ninth for his fourth save. After walking Juan Soto with one out, the veteran lefty froze Judge for a called third strike, then retired rookie Ben Rice on a game-ending grounder.

The Mets walked Judge his first four times, once intentionally, but the Yankees were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

McNeil’s homer in the sixth off Michael Tonkin snapped a 1-1 tie and was his fourth in five games since the All-Star break.

Gleyber Torres homered and Alex Verdugo doubled home a run for the Yankees, who dropped to 9-19 in their last 28 games.

Nick Gonzales' single in the eighth inning drove in the go-ahead run as the Pittsburgh Pirates continued their mid-season surge with Monday's 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Gonzales hit that scored All-Star Bryan Reynolds snapped a 1-1 tie and helped give Pittsburgh its seventh win in eight games as it pushes for a play-off spot in the National League. The Pirates, who last reached the post-season in 2015, sit a half-game behind the New York Mets for the NL's final wild card spot.

Pittsburgh also moved within a game of St. Louis for the second wild card. 

Reynolds led off the bottom of the eighth with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch by St. Louis reliever John King. Two batters later, Gonzales hit a slow grounder that got through the infield to score Reynolds for a 2-1 Pittsburgh lead.

David Bednar then held the Cardinals scoreless in the ninth to earn his 18th save of the season. Aroldis Chapman received the win with one scoreless inning in relief of Mitch Keller, who allowed just one run on six hits in a seven-inning no-decision.

The Cardinals also got a solid outing from their starter, as Andre Pallante yielded just one run and three hits through six innings.

Nolan Gorman accounted for St. Louis' lone run by hitting a solo homer off Keller in the fifth inning that tied the score at 1-1. The Pirates had gone ahead in the third when Andrew McCutchen doubled and later scored on Oneil Cruz's single. 

Witt just misses cycle in Royals' rout of Diamondbacks

Bobby Witt Jr. finished a single short of hitting for the cycle and had one of three Kansas City home runs as the Royals rolled to a 10-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks to extend their winning streak to four games.

Witt tripled in the first inning, doubled in the third and delivered a three-run homer in the fourth that gave the Royals an 8-3 lead. The All-Star shortstop was hit by a pitch and flied out in his final two at-bats, though, to narrowly miss becoming the first Kansas City player to record a cycle since Hall of Famer George Brett in 1990.

Salvador Perez had a go-ahead two-run homer in the third inning and Hunter Renfroe later added a solo shot as part of the Royals' 15-hit attack. Vinnie Pasquantino and Kyle Isbel each collected three hits, with Isbel driving in two runs and Perez three.

Arizona had taken a 3-1 lead when Ketel Marte followed Alek Thomas' RBI double in the top of the third with a two-run homer off Cole Ragans. The Royals countered with three runs in their half of the inning, however, to quickly move back ahead.

Witt started the rally with a lead-off double and scored on Pasquantino's single before Perez launched Arizona starter Yilber Diaz's pitch over the center field wall for a 4-3 Kansas City edge.

The Royals then extended the margin with four runs in the fourth.

Isbel doubled in Maikel Garcia and Adam Frazier followed with an infield single to chase Diaz. Witt then greeted Miguel Castro with a home run on the reliever's first pitch to put Arizona at a five-run deficit.

Renfroe's solo homer in the fifth increased the lead to 9-3.  Perez drove in Witt with the Royals' final run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Ragans (7-6) shook off his early troubles to work six innings while allowing three runs on five hits and striking out six.

Diaz (1-1), making his third MLB start, was tagged for seven runs in three-plus innings.

Isbel previously knocked in Kansas City's first run with a second-inning single. The Diamondbacks managed a late run in the eighth when Christian Walker doubled and later scored on Eugenio Suarez's sac fly.

Ober pitches Twins past struggling Phillies

Bailey Ober bounced back strongly after allowing an early home run to Bryce Harper to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 7-2 win over the struggling Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a three-game series.

After giving up hits to three of the game's first four batters, including Harper's two-run homer, Ober (9-5) yielded just one more hit over the remainder of his seven-inning stint to improve to 4-1 over his last six starts. The right-hander retired 17 of the final 18 batters he faced.

Manuel Margot led Minnesota offensively with two hits, including a two-run single that gave the Twins a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning. Willi Castro also knocked in two runs to help Minnesota snap a three-game losing streak, while Carlos Santana and Max Kepler each had two hits and an RBI.

The Phillies still own the majors' best record at 63-37 but have now lost four of their last five games.

After Castro's third-inning single plated Diego Castillo to trim Philadelphia's lead to 2-1, the Twins struck twice more in the fifth to forge ahead.

Kepler led off the bottom of the fifth with a single and Castillo followed with a ground-rule double to put two on for Margot, who sent both runners home with a go-ahead single to right off Philadelphia All-Star Ranger Suarez.

Suarez (10-5) lost his third straight start after surrendering three runs and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings.

The Twins extended their lead in the seventh when Ryan Jeffers doubled and later crossed the plate on a Santana double, then put the game out of reach with three runs in the eighth.

Kepler followed a Trevor Larnach double with a run-scoring single to put Minnesota up 5-2, and the Twins later loaded the bases before scoring twice more on a walk to Castro and a wild pitch from reliever Yunior Marte.

Cole Sands worked the final two innings for Minnesota to notch his third save of the season.

The Seattle Mariners overcame an injury to Julio Rodriguez and a cycle by Houston's Yordan Alvarez to earn a 6-4 win over the Astros in Sunday's finale of an important three-game series.

Luke Raley had a three-run homer and Jorge Polanco added a solo shot while going 2 for 4 as the Mariners avoided a series sweep and moved back into a virtual tie with Houston for first place in the American League West.

Seattle also halted a season-high five-game losing streak despite Rodriguez exiting the contest in the sixth inning. The star center fielder sustained an ankle injury when he crashed into the outfield wall while attempting a play on a ball hit by Alvarez that resulted in a triple.

Alvarez went 4 for 4 and knocked in two runs to record the 10th cycle in Astros history. The All-Star slugger singled in the first inning and homered in the top of the fourth, with the 429-foot blast off Seattle starter Bryan Woo cutting Houston's deficit to 2-1. 

The Mariners had gone ahead on Dylan Moore's two-out triple in the second inning that brought in Josh Rojas and Raley. Rojas had reached on a ground-rule double before Houston starter Ronel Blanco walked Mitch Haniger, who was thrown out at second on Raley's fielder's choice grounder. 

Polanco's homer off Blanco in the bottom of the fourth increased Seattle's lead, though the Astros moved within 3-2 when Mauricio Dubon doubled in the top of the sixth and scored on Alvarez's triple that injured Rodriguez.

The Mariners answered in their half of the sixth, however. Polanco and Haniger reached on singles before Raley launched the first pitch he saw from Seth Martinez into the right field seats for a 6-2 Seattle advantage.

After Houston got closer on Jeremy Pena's solo homer in the seventh, Alvarez completed his cycle with a double in the eighth and later crossed the plate on Chas McCormick's single that cut the lead to 6-4.

The Astros would get no closer, however, as Mariners' closer Andres Munoz struck out the side in the ninth to record his 16th save.

Woo improved to 4-1 on the season after allowing two runs on four hits while striking out five in 5 2/3 innings.

Ohtani's mammoth homer helps Dodgers sweep Red Sox

The Los Angeles Dodgers belted a season-high six home runs, including a titanic blast from Shohei Ohtani that cleared the Dodger Stadium bleachers, in a 9-6 victory over the Boston Red Sox that finished a three-game series sweep.

Ohtani's 30th homer of the season, a massive drive off Kutter Crawford in the fifth inning that travelled an estimated 473 feet, highlighted a power barrage that carried the National League West leaders to their first three-game sweep since June 24-26 against the Chicago White Sox. The Dodgers entered the series having lost six of their final seven games before the All-Star break.

Fellow All-Stars Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez also went deep for Los Angeles, as did Gavin Lux, Austin Barnes and Jason Heyward. Lux added a run-scoring double while finishing 3 for 4.

All-Star Game MVP Jarren Duran knocked in four runs for the slumping Red Sox, two of which came on a first-inning home run off James Paxton that staked Boston to a brief 2-0 lead.

Freeman answered with a solo shot in the bottom of the inning before the Dodgers quickly tied the game on consecutive doubles from Andy Pages and Lux.

Hernandez, the 2024 Home Run Derby champion, put Los Angeles ahead in the third with his 20th homer of the season, and Lux reached the seats in the fourth to extend the Dodgers' advantage to 4-2.

Barnes continued the power surge with a lead-off homer in the fifth that preceded Ohtani's monstrous shot, the fifth home run surrendered by Crawford (6-8) on the night.

Crawford allowed six runs in all over five innings, while the ex-Red Sox hurler Paxton overcame a shaky beginning to limit his former team to three runs across five-plus innings to improve to 8-2 on the season.

Paxton was removed after permitting a walk to Connor Wong and a Masataka Yoshida single to open the sixth, with Wong later scoring on Ceddanne's Rafaela's single off reliever Joe Kelly that brought Boston within 6-3.

The Dodgers' offence came back to life in the eighth, however. Lux singled, stole second and came home on Cavan Biggio's single before Heyward followed with a two-run homer off former Los Angeles closer Kenley Jansen for a 9-3 lead.

Boston then threatened in the ninth, with Duran's two-run double off Evan Phillips cutting into the margin. Phillips later issued a pair of walks to load the bases before giving way to Daniel Hudson, who got Yoshida to hit into a fielder's choice that scored Duran and closed the gap to 9-6.

Hudson then retired Wilyer Abreu on a fly ball with the tying run at the plate to end the game and pick up his sixth save of the season.

Rookie Phillips stars as Phillies end Pirates' win streak

Tyler Phillips cooled off the Pittsburgh Pirates' hot bats with six outstanding innings as the Philadelphia Phillies prevented a three-game series sweep by their Pennsylvania rivals with Sunday's 6-0 victory.

Phillips (2-0), a rookie making his second career MLB start, yielded just four hits and a walk to help the NL leaders end a three-game skid and halt the surging Pirates' season-high six-game winning streak.

Pittsburgh had totalled 23 hits in the series' first two meetings and scored 27 runs over its previous four games. 

The Phillies gave Phillips all the support he needed by reaching Pittsburgh starter Marco Gonzales for a pair of runs on three hits in the second inning.

Alec Bohm led off the second with a single and took third on Edmundo Sosa's one-out double before scoring the first run on Weston Wilson's sacrifice fly. Garrett Stubbs followed with a single that plated Sosa for a 2-0 lead.

Gonzalez (2-2) held the Phillies scoreless over the remainder of his 4 2/3-inning stint, but a costly error by Pittsburgh shortstop Oneil Cruz allowed Philadelphia to break the game open in the seventh.

With one on and one out, Cruz dropped a relay throw on a potential double-play grounder off the bat of Kyle Schwarber. Trea Turner then drove in a run with a single before Schwarber scored on Bryce Harper's groundout for a 4-0 advantage, and Turner came home on a Bohm single to further increase the margin.

Nick Castellanos accounted for the Phillies' final run with a solo homer in the ninth. Castellanos, Bohm and Stubbs each recorded two hits in the win.

Luis Ortiz pitched seven scoreless innings and Oneil Cruz homered and drove in three runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates won their season-high sixth straight game, 4-1 over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night.

Ortiz allowed three hits in a season-high seven innings with two walks and two strikeouts.

Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the eighth and David Bednar gave up Bryce Harper’s home run in the ninth.

The Pirates scored the game’s first runs with a pair in the sixth off All-Star Cristopher Sanchez.

Andrew McCutchen led off with a 431-foot home run and Bryan Reynolds singled before Connor Joe hit into a double play. Nick Gonzales then singled and came home on Cruz’s double off the wall in right.

Cruz extended the lead with a two-run blast – his 15th homer - in the eighth off Matt Strahm.

Pittsburgh (50-48) moved two games over .500 for the first time since late April and sent the major league-best Phillies to a season high-tying third straight loss.

Orioles back Rodriguez with three homers

Grayson Rodriguez struck out eight over six innings to become the first 12-game winner in the American League and was backed by three home runs in the Baltimore Orioles’ 8-4 win over the Texas Rangers.

Rodriguez (12-3) struck out the side in the sixth to end his night after 103 pitches. He allowed his only three hits and two runs in a four-batter span in the second before retiring 13 of the last 14 he faced.

Only Atlanta’s Chris Sale (13) has more wins in the majors than the second-year right-hander.

Jordan Westburg had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Ramon Urias added three hits and a pair of RBIs. Cedric Mullins and Ryan O’Hearn had solo shots for the Orioles, who won their third straight following five consecutive losses.

Mullins became the eighth Baltimore batter with 10 home runs.

The Orioles lead the majors with 156 home runs, 16 more than the second-place Yankees.

Max Scherzer lasted just two innings, giving up four runs and five hits with two walks.

Meyers, Diaz homer in Astros’ win

Jake Meyers hit a go-ahead two-run homer and Yainer Diaz also went deep to lead the Houston Astros to a 4-2 victory over the reeling Seattle Mariners.

Houston has won six of eight to take over sole possession of the AL West lead for the first time this season, while Seattle dropped its fifth straight and fell out of first for the first time since May 11.

Julio Rodriguez provided all the offence for the Mariners with a two-run homer in the sixth inning, but Seattle fell to 8-17 in its last 25 games.

After Framber Valdez gave up two runs on three hits in 5 2/3 innings, Houston’s bullpen held the Mariners hitless the rest of the way.

Bryan Abreu, Ryan Pressly and Josh Hader struck out five over the final three innings.

George Kirby limited the Astros to one run and four hits in six innings with six strikeouts and left with a 2-1 lead.

Ryne Stanek walked Jeremy Pena to open the seventh and Meyers drove a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right-center field for his 11th homer to give Houston a 3-2 lead. 

Diaz’s homer in the eighth off Trent Thompson bounced off the top of the wall.

Hunter Brown and three relievers combined on a four-hitter and the Houston Astros moved into a tie for the AL West lead with a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

Yainer Diaz delivered the big blow with a two-run single and the Astros (51-46) won for the 18th time in 24 games. They trailed the Mariners by 10 games and were seven games under .500 on June 18.

Seattle, meanwhile, has stumbled to an 8-16 mark during that span and turned in a listless effort against a division rival coming out of the All-Star break that led to boos from the home fans after the final out.

Brown allowed four hits with three walks and five strikeouts to win for the sixth time in seven starts.

Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly each worked a perfect inning and Josh Hader pitched the ninth for his 19th save.

Houston did all its scoring in the third against Luis Castillo.

Trey Cabbage doubled, then scored as Jose Altuve reached on a bunt single and a bad throw by Josh Rojas got away from first baseman Ty France. Alex Bregman was hit by a pitch and Yordan Alvarez walked to load the bases.

Diaz then jumped on Castillo’s first pitch for a two-run single and a 3-0 lead.

Pirates rally, walk-off Phillies

Nick Gonzales delivered a walk-off single and the surging Pittsburgh Pirates completed a rally from a three-run deficit for an 8-7 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Pittsburgh trailed 7-4 but pulled to within one in the seventh on an RBI infield single by Oneil Cruz and Rowdy Tellez’s sacrifice fly.

Jose Alvardo was called on to protect the slim lead in the ninth, but Connor Joe led off with a single and Andew McCutchen walked. After a double steal, Bryan Reynolds struck out and Cruz brought home the tying run on a fielder’s choice.

Gonzales then sent a first-pitch cutter through the left side of the infield to give the Pirates their fifth straight win and seventh in eight games.

Pittsburgh (49-48) moved over .500 for the first time since April 24.

Trea Turner homered and Weston Wilson had a career-high three hits, including his first home run of the season, for the major league-best Phillies, who lost their third in four games.  

Freeman’s slam lifts Dodgers

Freddie Freeman drilled a grand slam in the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bullpen worked four scoreless innings in a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox.

Nick Pivetta limited the Dodgers to two hits over six scoreless innings, but the Dodgers got to Boston’s bullpen in the eighth.

Miguel Vargas drew a leadoff walk against Zach Kelly and Chris Taylor struck out before Brennan Bernadino entered. He gave up a ground-rule double down the left-field line to Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith was intentionally walked to load the bases.

Freeman followed by sending an 0-1 slider over the wall in right field for his 15th home run and seventh career grand slam.

Gavin Stone allowed one run and six hits over five innings before Anthony Banda, Alex Vesia and Ryan Yarbrough each pitched a scoreless frame. Daniel Hudson pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

All-Star MVP Jarren Duran homered for the Red Sox, who entered the break with 10 wins in 14 games.  

Jarren Duran hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth inning and the American League scored five unanswered runs to defeat the National League 5-3 in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Arlington, Texas.

Shohei Ohtani staked the National League to a 3-0 lead with a three-run homer in the third inning off Tanner Houck, but the American League answered in the bottom half with three runs of its own.

Juan Soto doubled home a pair of runs and scored on pinch-hitter David Fry’s hit one out later.

Hunter Greene opened the bottom of the fifth by getting the first two outs, but Anthony Santander singled and Duran sent an 0-1 pitch 413 feet into the right-center field seats to give the AL a 5-3 lead.

Duran was named All-Star Game MVP.

Mason Miller struck out two in a perfect inning to earn the win and Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo and Kirby Yates each worked one scoreless inning before Emmanuel Clase fanned two in the ninth for the save.

Paul Skenes, 22, became the fifth rookie to start an All-Star Game and pitched a hitless first inning. His 11 big league games are the fewest for an All-Star.

The AL has won 10 of the last 11 All-Star Games and improved to 48-44-2 all-time in the Midsummer Classic.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez edged local product Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals in the final round to win MLB's 2024 Home Run Derby on Monday night. 

Hernandez had 14 homers in the final to hold off Witt, who grew up just minutes from the Texas Rangers' home stadium of Globe Life Field, the site of Monday's event as well as Tuesday's All-Star Game.

Witt just missed tying Hernandez on his final swing, but his last attempt hit the base of the wall in center field to give Hernandez the title.

Hernandez also narrowly advanced in the semifinals by winning a swing-off with Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm after both players finished their rounds with 14 homers. Each then received three additional swings, with Hernandez hitting two more homers to Bohm's one.

The 31-year-old Hernandez became the first Dodgers player to win the Home Run Derby. Joc Pederson reached the finals at Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park in 2015 but was defeated by the Reds' Todd Frazier. 

Witt advanced to the finals by outperforming Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez 17-12 in the second round and finished the event with 50 homers, one more than Hernandez's three-round total of 49.

The young shortstop was bidding to win the title at a venue located less than 20 miles from his hometown of Colleyville, Texas. Witt's father, Bobby Sr., pitched 11 seasons for the Rangers over two separate stints in the 1980s and '90s.

Pete Alonso's attempt to match Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. as the only three-time Home Run Derby champion came to an early end, as the New York Mets slugger recorded just 12 homers in the first round and failed to advance. Alonso won the event in 2019 and defended his crown in 2021 after the 2020 edition was not held due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Adolis Garcia of the host Rangers also had an early exit after hitting 18 homers in the opening round, one fewer than Hernandez for the fourth and final spot in the semifinals. Bohm and Ramirez had the most homers in the first round with 21 each, while Witt advanced by hitting 20.

Also eliminated in the first round were Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson and Atlanta Braves slugger Marcell Ozuna.

Henderson's 28 home runs this season were the most of this year's participants, but the 2023 American League Rookie of the Year had the lowest total (11) in the first round. Ozuna managed 16 homers after entering the Derby with 26 for the season, the second-highest total behind Henderson.

The Baltimore Orioles' Corbin Burnes will take the ball first for the American League in Tuesday's All-Star Game in Texas.

AL manager Bruce Bochy revealed Burnes will get the start when he announced the lineup Monday for the Mid-Summer Classic.

Burnes is 9-4 with a 2.43 ERA and 110 strikeouts over 118 2/3 innings in 19 starts in his first season with the Orioles. His ERA is the third lowest in baseball.

Acquired by Baltimore from the Milwaukee Brewers just before spring training, the 29-year-old right-hander is an All-Star for a fourth straight season.

Burnes, who won the 2021 NL Cy Young Award, becomes the fifth Orioles pitcher to start an All-Star Game, and first since Steve Stone in 1980.

Burnes will be opposed by Pittsburgh Pirates rookie star Paul Skenes, who was named the starter for the National League team last week by manager Torey Lovullo.

Skenes, who is 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA in 11 starts, made his major league debut on May 11, and becomes the fifth rookie to start the All-Star Game, and first since Hideo Nomo in 1995.

Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte will leadoff for the NL team, followed by Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, Phillies shortstop Trea Turner and first baseman Bryce Harper, Brewers catcher William Contreras and right fielder Christian Yelich, Philadelphia third baseman Alex Bohm, Dodgers center fielder Teoscar Hernández and Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar.

Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan, who leads all of baseball with .352 batting average, will bat first for the AL, followed by Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, Yankees right fielder Juan Soto and center fielder Aaron Judge, Astros designed hitter Yordan Alvarez, Guardians shortstop José Ramírez, Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Baltimore catcher Adley Rutschman and Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien.

Cedric Mullins' two-run double capped a big ninth-inning rally for the Baltimore Orioles, who remained atop the American League East standings with Sunday's 6-5 comeback win over the rival New York Yankees.

After rookie Ben Rice's three-run homer in the top of the ninth gave the Yankees a 5-3 lead, the Orioles capitalised on two New York miscues in their half of the final inning to score three times and avoid being swept in the key three-game series.

Mullins' game-winning hit, a line drive that sailed over the head of New York's Alex Verdugo after the left fielder initially ran in on the ball, also snapped the Orioles' five-game losing streak and put Baltimore a game ahead of the second-place Yankees in the division race.

All three Baltimore runs in the ninth came with two outs, with Adley Rutschman extending the game by drawing a walk against New York closer Clay Holmes that loaded the bases. Ryan Mountcastle followed with an infield grounder that Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe bobbled for an error that let in a run and cut the lead to 5-4.

Mullins then drove a pitch over Verdugo's head to bring home Ryan O'Hearn and Rutschman with the tying and winning runs.

The Orioles had a chance to wrap up the game beforehand, but closer Craig Kimbrel walked the first two batters he faced after entering with his team up 3-2 to begin the top of the ninth. Rice then drilled a fastball over the wall in right center field to suddenly put the Yankees in front.

All-Star Anthony Santander went 2 for 4 and gave Baltimore a 3-2 edge with a solo homer off Tommy Kahnle in the bottom of the fifth. The Yankees had tied the game in the top of the inning on Trent Grisham's solo homer off Orioles' starter Dean Kremer.

Grisham finished 3 for 3 and also drove in the Yankees' first run with a second-inning single that plated Volpe, who had reached on a two-out double.

The Orioles went ahead in the third when James McCann drew a walk against New York starter Carlos Rodon and Gunnar Henderson followed with a two-run homer, the All-Star shortstop's 28th long ball of the season.

D'Arnaud's two homers help Braves' Sale earn 13th win

Travis d'Arnaud drove in four runs on a pair of homers to help Chris Sale to his MLB-leading 13th win in the Atlanta Braves' 6-3 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Sale yielded just one run and four hits over five innings to improve to 13-3 and send Atlanta into the All-Star break by taking two of three meetings from San Diego in the weekend series.

The All-Star hurler overcame some early trouble, as the Padres pushed home a run in the first inning on consecutive singles by Donovan Solano, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts. Sale then proceeded to retire 13 of the final 16 batters he faced as the Braves eventually forged ahead.

Atlanta drew even in the fourth as Ozzie Albies singled off San Diego starter Randy Vasquez, stole second and scored on Matt Olson's single. The Braves went ahead an inning later when d'Arnaud walked, stole second and crossed the plate on an Adam Duvall single.

D'Arnaud extended the margin in the sixth with his first homer of the day, which came after Austin Riley and Marcell Ozuna reached via singles, with the three-run blast off Stephen Kolek increasing the lead to 5-1.

The Padres inched closer on Luis Campusano's pinch-hit, two-run homer off A.J. Minter in the seventh inning, but d'Anaud answered with a solo homer in the eighth before Raisel Iglesias retired the side in order in the ninth for his 22nd save of the season.

Vasquez (2-5) struck out five while allowing two runs over five innings.

A's slug eight home runs in 18-3 rout of Phillies

Lawrence Butler had three of the Oakland Athletics' eight home runs as the AL West's last place team earned a surprising series win over the National League-leading Philadelphia Phillies with Sunday's 18-3 rout.

Brent Rooker and Seth Brown each went deep twice as the Athletics tied a franchise record for homers in a single game, a mark set in an 18-2 win over the then-California Angels on June 27, 1996.

Butler drove in a total of six runs for Oakland, which also got a grand slam from Zach Gelof in the ninth inning with the Phillies using catcher Garrett Stubbs as a pitcher. Rooker knocked in five runs, Brown had three hits and three RBIs and JJ Bleday went 3 for 4 with four runs scored.

Philadelphia was dealt a second loss of the three-game series despite leading 1-0 after three innings, courtesy of All-Star Trea Turner's solo home run off Joey Estes in the first.

Estes (4-4) was solid the rest of the way as he allowed three runs - two earned - over six innings while well-supported by his team's power barrage.

Rooker followed a Bleday double with a homer off Michael Mercado (1-2) in the fourth to put the A's ahead, and Butler's two-run blast in the fifth extended the margin to 4-1.

Rooker had another two-run homer in the sixth, with Brown adding a solo shot during the inning to stake Oakland to a 7-1 advantage.

The Phillies put together a mild threat in their half of the sixth when a double by All-Star Alec Bohm put runners on second and third with one out. Bryson Stott followed with a sacrifice fly in which two runs scored on the play, as Bohm came in from second on a throwing error by Oakland left fielder Miguel Andujar.

It was all A's from that point on, though. Butler's two-run homer in the seventh increased the lead to 9-3, and Bleday tripled later in the inning and scored on Rooker's sac fly.

Brown delivered his second solo homer of the day in the eighth, and Butler had another two-run shot later in the frame to put Oakland up 13-3.

The A's scored five more times off Stubbs in the ninth on Brown's run-scoring single and Gelof's slam.

Gio Urshela hit a walk-off two-run homer in the 10th inning to cap a wild comeback in the Detroit Tigers’ 11-9 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

The Tigers trailed 9-4 entering the bottom of the ninth but scored five runs to force extra innings.

Wenceel Perez and Justyn-Henry Malloy opened the inning with singles, and both scored on Matt Vierling’s double. Evan Phillips relieved and got the next two outs, but Carson Kelly hit an RBI single, and Colt Keith tied it with a two-run homer.

After Will Vest got Freddie Freeman to hit into a bases-loaded double play to end the top of the 10th, Perez bunted automatic runner Ryan Vilade to third to start the bottom half before Urshela homered off Yohan Ramirez.

Shohei Ohtani hit his 200th career homer and tripled for the Dodgers, giving him 233 total bases – the eighth-highest total before the All-Star break since the game was first played in 1933.

The Dodgers have lost five of six while the Tigers have won seven of nine.

Judge, Soto hit back-to-back homers in Yankees’ win

Juan Soto homered in the fifth inning and Aaron Judge followed with his major league-leading 34th to lead the New York Yankees to a 6-1 victory over the punchless Baltimore Orioles.

The Yankees won their second straight and became the first AL East team since April 2023 to win a series against the Orioles. Baltimore had been 16-0-6 in its last 22 series within the division.

New York had been winless in eight series, losing seven, since taking three of four at Kansas City from June 10-13.

Judge’s 34 home runs are the most by a Yankees player before the All-Star break. Rogers Maris hit 33 during his record-setting 61-homer year in 1961, which was matched by Judge when he set an AL record with 62 two years ago.

Austin Wells hit a three-run homer to cap a four-run first and Luis Gil took over from there, allowing a run and five hits in six innings.

The Orioles matched a season high with their fifth straight loss, scoring only four runs in that span.

Reds rookie Hinds hits two more homers

Rookie Rece Hinds belted two more long home runs and the Cincinnati Reds outslugged the Miami Marlins, 10-6.

Since making his major league debut on Monday, the 23-year-old Hinds is 11 for 22 with five homers and nine extra-base hits in six games.

Only one of his home runs was short of 400 feet – a 397-foot grand slam on Friday night.

He blasted a 430-foot solo shot into the upper deck in left field leading off the third inning, and then with the Reds holding a 7-6 lead in the sixth, he blasted a 454-foot shot to make it 9-6.

Elly De La Cruz and Jeimer Candelario hit back-to-back homers in the third, and Spencer Steer and Santiago Espinal also went deep for the Reds, who have won five of six against the two worst teams in the NL.

Jake Burger had four hits, including a homer, and four RBIs for Miami, which has lost five straight and 10 of 12.