The Houston Astros started their second half of the MLB season in positive fashion, claiming a double-header sweep over the New York Yankees on Thursday.

The two best records in the American League (AL) faced off and the Astros bested the Yankees once again, moving to a 5-2 head-to-head record for the season with respective 3-2 and 7-5 wins at Minute Maid Park.

After splitting a four-game series in the Bronx in June, Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman both homered and combined for five RBIs to hand the Astros the third win at home this season over the AL leaders.

In the earlier game, Bregman, Korey Lee and rookie JJ Matijevic combined for RBIs while Cristian Javier struck out three but only gave up two hits over 99 pitches in five innings.

With the sweep coming out of the All-Star Game, the Astros suddenly moved to within three games of the AL-leading Yankees, who have now lost seven of their past 10 games.

Gray gets Rangers rolling

Jon Gray led the way for the Texas Rangers as they commenced an 11-game road trip, shutting the Miami Marlins out for an 8-0 win.

Gray struck out five and conceded only four hits over 94 pitches in six innings, while Adolis Garcia homered and drove in three runs.

The Marlins slipped further away from the National League's wild card race with the defeat, now six games back with a fourth consecutive defeat and extending their scoreless streak to 34 innings.

Betts denies Giants comeback

Mookie Betts saved the day for the Los Angeles Dodgers after they almost squandered a big lead, eventually claiming a 9-6 win over their rivals in the San Francisco Giants.

Things were looking good early for the Dodgers, taking a 5-0 lead after the opening three innings off star Giants pitcher Carlos Rodon, with Freddie Freeman scoring a solo home run in the first inning with two out.

The Giants fought back in the seventh through Evan Longoria and Darin Ruf, though, with the two scoring home runs to set up a five-run inning.

A Trayce Thompson triple drove Gavin Lux home to tie after Thair Estrada was walked in the eighth, before a three-run shot from Betts off Jarlin Garcia gave the Dodgers the eventual win.

Betts confirmed the win with a great defensive play in the following inning, making a spectacular sliding catch deep in right-field to retire Joc Pederson.

The San Francisco Giants made MLB history with a remarkable ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers that concluded with Mike Yastrzemski's walk-off grand slam.

A regular season home game for a team hovering just above .500 in mid-July was perhaps not a likely setting for one of the most remarkable ever finishes to a major league game.

But it was exactly what the Giants required after the Brewers' five-run fifth inning had turned the contest on its head.

San Francisco were 5-2 down heading into the bottom of the ninth facing All-Star Brewers closer Josh Hader.

What followed was scarcely believable, even for those involved.

Solo home runs from Joey Bart and Darin Ruf were followed by Yastrzemski's big moment, making the Giants the first MLB team to hit three homers in an inning including a walk-off grand slam.

"Three bombs off Hader in the ninth? I still don't believe it," starter Alex Wood said after the dramatic 8-5 win. "It is just crazy. But we needed it and the boys pulled it off."

The Giants could have been forgiven for deeming this a lost cause; their previous walk-off grand slam had come courtesy of Bobby Bonds in September 1973.

But Yastrzemski revealed this stunning late show was inspired by Bart's conversation with injured catcher Curt Casali, which carried through the Giants dugout.

"We felt like the energy was sucked out of the dugout, and I think Joey was just a little fired up that there wasn't any really positive energy at the time," Yastrzemski said. "He was just kind of fed up.

"Obviously, we weren't out of the game, but it kind of felt like it for a little bit. I think we fell into the: 'Here we go again', and I'm glad we were able to flip the script and get out of that."

Bart explained: "I said something to Curt, just between me and him, like: 'Hey, we’ve got to get going'.

"As a young player, I don't feel like it's really my role to try to go and speak out.

"But that's just kind of how I was feeling at the time, like: 'Hey, it's not over yet, let's find a way to win'. And magic happened, for sure."

Alex Verdugo led the way for the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, as they dramatically came from behind to defeat the New York Yankees in extra innings.

Verdugo claimed three hits from five at-bats and sparked his side's fightback, scoring the game-tying single in the eighth inning.

Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo gave the Yankees a 5-3 lead with RBI doubles in the 10th inning, both scoring off Jake Diekman.

However, the Red Sox left-fielder responded, scoring a two-run single in the bottom of the extra inning to cap off a three-run frame and hand his side the win over their old rival.

Boston moved to second in the American League East at 46-39, but the Yankees still hold a 15-game lead with the MLB's best record at 61-24.

Rodon rolls for Giants

Carlos Rodon was in spectacular form to inspire the San Francisco Giants to a 3-1 win over the San Diego Padres in divisional ball.

The Giants had lost eight of their past 10 games and Rodon's last start capped off a five-game losing streak. The 29-year-old pitched a complete game, allowing his only run in the second inning.

The left-hander retired 22 of the Padres' final 23 batters while allowing only three hits for only the third complete game of his career.

Mets make it count in extra innings

The New York Mets overcame injuries to Starling Marte and James McCann to maintain their lead in the National League, defeating the Miami Marlins 5-4 in extra innings.

Tomas Nido hit the game-tying double with two outs in the 10th inning, before scoring the winning run on a throwing error by Marlins reliever Tanner Scott.

After retiring the number 17 to honour Keith Hernandez, the Mets secured their fourth walk-off win of the season and improved to 7-0 in extra innings, while moving their record to 53-32.

Aaron Judge hit a game-winning single to cap a four-run ninth inning for the New York Yankees in their 7-6 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday.

Aaron Hicks started the late rally for the Pinstripes, tying the game with a three-run home run off Astros closer Ryan Pressly.

Alex Bregman and Giancarlo Stanton traded three-run homers in the first inning, while Yordan Alvarez also added a three-run shot in the third off Jameson Taillon to put the Astros ahead.

The Yankees took the opener of a highly anticipated four-game series between the American League's two best records with the win, as the Astros kick off a six-game stand in New York, taking both games from the Mets earlier this week in Houston.

The American League leaders moved to 52-18 for the season and claimed their 19th win in the past 22 games, heading into Judge's in-season salary arbitration on Friday.

Swanson seals win for Braves

Dansby Swanson hit two home runs for the Atlanta Braves, who were able to hold out against the San Francisco Giants in a 7-6 victory.

Swanson had three hits and three RBIs as the Braves built a 7-1 lead coming into the fifth inning. Six Giants players scored multiple hits, with Austin Slater's home run starting the rally in the fifth.

They were not able to capitalise on the higher hit count however, as the Braves moved 11 games over .500 with their 18th win in the past month.

Freeman fires Dodgers to victory

Freddie Freeman's form continued in the absence of Mookie Betts, leading the way for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their 10-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

Freeman claimed a home run and three RBIs, moving his OBP for the season to a team-leading .386, while Max Muncy and Trea Turner each tallied three hits.

Clayton Kershaw allowed just one run and seven hits in six innings for the National League West leaders, striking out seven in 80 pitches and lowering his ERA for the season to 2.00.

Yordan Alvarez hit a two-run home run and Kyle Tucker had three RBIs to give the Houston Astros an 8-2 win over the New York Mets in Tuesday's high-profile interleague matchup.

Jose Altuve and Jose Siri contributed solo home runs for Houston, who have only gone 6-4 over their past 10 games.

Altuve and Alvarez, who missed Sunday's win over the Chicago White Sox with injury, set up a 3-0 lead in the third inning, connecting off Trevor Williams. Tucker's three-run double extended the lead to 7-0, effectively securing the victory.

With the win, the Astros moved to 42-25 and only trail the New York Yankees in the American League, while the Mets lead the National League with a record of 45-25.

It was the first of nine straight games against the Mets and Yankees, with a trip to New York following this two-game stand at home.

Yaz stands up in Giants win

Mike Yastrzemski returned to form with an important two-run double, propelling the San Francisco Giants to an 8-7 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

Claiming only one hit from his previous 16 at-bats, the 31-year-old drove Collin McHugh deep into right-field, putting the Giants up 8-7.

The Giants moved ahead of the reigning World Series champions in the Nationa League standings with the win, claiming their eighth win in the past 11 games.

Gimenez gets Guardians up over Twins

The Cleveland Guardians moved to the top of the AL Central standings, beating the Minnesota Twins 6-5 in 11 innings.

Leading the major leagues with a .362 batting average, Guardians' lead-off hitter Luis Arraez hit a three-run home run in the seventh, sending Eli Morgan over right-center field.

Andres Gimenez hit the important RBI single in the 11th, as Emmanuel Clase earned his 16th save in 18 attempts. The Guardians' 35-28 record (.556) now inches them ahead of the Twins on 38-31 (.551).

Clayton Kershaw gave up a go-ahead home run to Thairo Estrada upon his return from injury, as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 on Saturday.

Kershaw has been sidelined since May due to an inflamed joint in his back, but his return has also coincided with Walker Buehler being placed on the Dodgers' injured list.

The three-time National League Cy Young Award winner pitched four innings, giving up three hits over 71 pitches, including the two runs that set up the Giants' win in the second inning.

The Dodgers claimed 13 hits in comparison to the five from their NL West rivals, but simply were not able to capitalise at the plate with runners in scoring position.

The Dodgers have now lost eight of their past 12 games, with the San Diego Padres now drawing level atop the NL West.

Judge rules for Yankees

Aaron Judge led the way for the New York Yankees, scoring two home runs in their 8-0 win over the Chicago Cubs.

It was a day to forget for rookie Cubs pitcher Matt Swarmer, who gave up six solo home runs out of a total seven hits over 90 pitches in five innings.

Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, Jose Trevino and former Cub Anthony Rizzo went deep along with Judge as the Pinstripes claimed their 10th win in 11 games, moving to 43-16 for the year.

Trout leads Angels upon return from injury

Mike Trout returned for the Los Angeles Angels as they claimed a morale-boosting 11-6 win over the NL East-leading New York Mets.

The three-time American League MVP returned from a minor groin injury and led the way for the Halos in the win, scoring two home runs and claiming three hits from four at-bats.

Shohei Ohtani also went deep while going three-of-four, claiming their second win in three after snapping a 14-game losing streak on Thursday.

Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to come off the injured list on Sunday to start the Los Angeles Dodgers’ series finale against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced the news on Wednesday before their game against the Chicago White Sox.

This will be Kershaw’s first start for Los Angeles since May 7, after he landed on the IL due to right SI joint inflammation.

The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner was off to a sensational start to the season before getting hurt, going 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA over his first five outings. The 34-year-old veteran left-hander had 32 strikeouts to just three walks over 30 innings of work.

He was just as impressive in his lone minor league rehab start this past Sunday, yielding one run while striking out seven and walking one in four innings for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. He threw 44 of 59 pitches for strikes.

The Dodgers enter play Wednesday atop the NL West with a 35-20 record, one-and-a-half games ahead of the San Diego Padres and five-and-a-half games in front of the third-place Giants.

Shohei Ohtani had a bad time in the Bronx on Thursday, as the New York Yankees took the first of two games in a double-header against the Los Angeles Angels.

Matt Carpenter continued his solid form since signing as a free agent, seeing his way through an 11-pitch at-bat to score a lead-off home run off Ohtani in the 6-1 win.

Carpenter now has three home runs from 16 at-bats for the Yankees, while the reigning American League MVP gave up eight hits and four runs on the way to being pulled after three innings.

Jameson Taillon took a perfect game into the eighth inning as the Pinstripes won Thursday's second game 2-1, moving their record for the season to 36-15.

Further misfortune was dealt to Ohtani in the second game, with Wandy Peralta striking him out to confirm the save.

Rookie Ashcraft leads Reds in Nationals win

Rookie starting pitcher Graham Ashcraft continued his impressive start in the major leagues, as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Washington Nationals 8-1.

The 24-year-old secured his first win last Friday, throwing six scoreless innings against the San Francisco Giants, and did not have to wait long for his second in another dominant performance.

The right-hander struck out five and gave up four hits over 92 pitches in seven innings, setting up what was only the Reds' 18th win of the season.

Alcantara assumes control against Giants

Sandy Alcantara allowed only three hits in an assured display, leading the Miami Marlins to a 3-0 win over the San Francisco Giants.

The 26-year-old walked two and struck out eight, while extending his run of at least seven innings pitched to five starts, and lowering his ERA to 1.81.

The Marlins scored early via a Jacob Stallings single, and that was all the run-support Alcantara needed, moving them to 21-28 for the season.

An offensive explosion in the sixth inning saw a combined nine runs as the Philadelphia Phillies held on for a hard-fought 6-5 home win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.

Both teams had their ace pitchers on the mound, and they were both excellent through the first five innings as Philadelphia's Aaron Nola and San Francisco's Carlos Rodon combined for one earned run.

The Phillies led 2-0 heading into the sixth frame – with one of the runs going down as unearned for the pitcher due to a fielding error – before the Giants finally found their groove.

The Giants' first five batters in the sixth inning went: double, RBI rouble, single, hit-by-pitch, before being capped off with a big three-run home run to Wilmer Flores.

With their big inning, the Giants jumped ahead 5-2, and after seeing Nola fall apart, the visitors opted to pull Rodon from the game. It was a decision that will be questioned after the Phillies rallied back with four runs of their own in the same frame.

They came with a pair of two-run homers – the first a 348-foot shot from Nick Maton, before Kyle Schwarber sent his 392 feet over the wall to put his side back in front 6-5.

From that point on the bullpens took over, with no hits and no walks allowed by either team in the final three frames, allowing Corey Knebel to come in and collect the save for the Phillies.

Verlander teases a no-hitter

Houston Astros star pitcher Justin Verlander took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before his side then had to fight from behind to beat the Oakland Athletics 5-4.

Verlander was spectacular, allowing just one walk through the first six innings, but only led 1-0 as Cole Irvin was also at the top of his game on the mound for the Athletics.

In the seventh inning, an Elvis Andrus RBI double and a two-run Christian Bethancourt home run turned the game on its head, grabbing a 3-1 lead for the Athletics in the process, holding it until the ninth inning.

It was a poor showing from Oakland reliever Dany Jimenez, allowing the bases to load before walking in a run to make it 3-2, setting the plate for Yordan Alvarez to be the hero with a three-run, bases clearing, game-winning double.

Rockies win a shoot-out

The Colorado Rockies beat the Miami Marlins 13-12 in an extra-innings crowd-pleaser, ending in a walk-off home run.

Six Rockies finished with at least two hits, but Brendan Rodgers was the undisputed star of the show, hitting solo home runs in the second and fifth innings, before crushing his third long-ball of the day for the walk-off winner in the 10th frame.

Ryan McMahon was also terrific with the bat for the home side, with a three-run triple in the third inning and an RBI double in the fifth, as he and Rodgers combined to drive in eight of Colorado's 13 runs.

San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler has explained that he will not stand for the United States national anthem due to concerns over the "direction of our country".

On Tuesday, 19 children and two teachers were killed in a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

The MLB paid tribute by holding a moment of silence before games, prior to playing the national anthem.

Kapler on Friday published an essay on his website detailing how on "the day 19 children and two teachers were murdered, we held a moment of silence at sporting events around the country, then we played the national anthem, and we went on with our lives."

He then explained that he will not be coming out to stand for the anthem, and that he wanted to take a knee during the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner on Wednesday.

"Every time I place my hand over my heart and remove my hat, I'm participating in a self-congratulatory glorification of the ONLY country where these mass shootings take place," he wrote.

"On Wednesday, I walked out onto the field, I listened to the announcement as we honoured the victims in Uvalde. I bowed my head. I stood for the national anthem. Metallica riffed on guitars.

"My brain said drop to a knee; my body didn't listen. I wanted to walk back inside; instead I froze. I felt like a coward. I didn't want to call attention to myself. I didn't want to take away from the victims or their families.

"There was a baseball game, a rock band, the lights, the pageantry. I knew that thousands of people were using this game to escape the horrors of the world for just a little bit. I knew that thousands more wouldn't understand the gesture and would take it as an offense to the military, to veterans, to themselves.

"But I am not okay with the state of this country. I wish I hadn't let my discomfort compromise my integrity. I wish that I could have demonstrated what I learned from my dad, that when you're dissatisfied with your country, you let it be known through protest. The home of the brave should encourage this."

Kapler told reporters on Friday: "I don't expect it to move the needle necessarily, but it's something I feel strongly enough about to take that step."

His decision follows on from an impassioned plea from Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who used a pre-game news conference earlier this week to express his dismay over another school shooting and demand changes to gun laws.

DJ LeMahieu's early grand slam propelled the New York Yankees to a 7-5 win over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday as tempers flared again.

A week after Josh Donaldson and Tim Anderson scrapped in Chicago, the two resumed hostilities in the third inning as the former American League MVP, in his first season with the Yankees, rounded second base.

The benches were then cleared in the fifth inning, when the Yankees' designated hitter faced off with White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal.

The Pinstripes started strong early and took the lead in the second with a five-run inning, on the back of LeMahieu going deep off Dallas Keuchel with two out.

Nestor Cortes struck out seven and gave up six hits over 100 pitches in five innings, as the Yankees moved to 29-10.

Musgrove muzzles Giants in Padres win

Joe Musgrove was in fine form as the San Diego Padres defeated the San Francisco Giants 2-1 in a big National League West matchup.

Musgrove pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out four and giving up only four hits over 100 pitches.

Manny Machado scored the eventual winning run for the Padres, sending Carlos Rodon's fast-ball back over his head.

Varsho drives Diamondbacks to extra-innings victory

The Arizona Diamondbacks staged a late comeback to defeat the Chicago Cubs, winning 7-6 in an extra inning on the road.

Daulton Varsho was pivotal for the D-Backs, forcing the 10th inning with a two-out, three-RBI double.

Varsho then scored the winning run on the back of a throwing error by Andrelton Simmons in the 10th inning, before Mark Melancon made his ninth save of the season.

Shohei Ohtani starred with a home run in his second consecutive game as the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Oakland Athletics 4-1 on Sunday.

After becoming the third Japanese-born player to hit 100 home runs in the major leagues, the 27-year-old went deep over right-field in the first inning off Frankie Montas. Mike Trout also scored after his single ahead of Ohtani.

It was the reigning American League MVP's eighth home run of the season, trailing Trout by one among the Halos, while the team leads baseball in that category with 49 for the season so far.

Patrick Sandoval pitched into the seventh inning for Los Angeles, striking out four and giving up four hits over 101 pitches.

The Halos moved to 24-13 for the season with the win, five games behind the AL West-leading Houston Astros, while the A's remain bottom of the division on 15-22.

Pujols pitches ninth as Cardinals run riot

Albert Pujols pitched for the first time in his major league career, with the St. Louis Cardinals routing the San Francisco Giants 15-6.

Brendan Donovan and Corey Dickerson were the only Cardinals not to claim hits in the lineup, while Yadier Molina got two hits and four RBIs from three at-bats, as their team went 15-2 up heading into the final frame.

It meant Pujols, the Cardinals' designated hitter, went to pitch for the first time in his 22-year career. The 42-year-old gave up a three-run homer to Luis Gonzalez and a solo shot to Joey Bart, but managed to get the final three outs for the win.

Lux lights up late as Dodgers defeat Phillies

Gavin Lux earned late redemption for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their come-from-behind 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies

The second baseman's fielding error allowed the Phillies to gain a 4-0 lead in the second inning, but Lux scored in the eighth inning to move the Dodgers to 4-3 after the eighth.

He then drove the winning two runs home with a walk-off shot deep into the right-field corner to deny the Phillies a four-game sweep at Dodger Stadium.

Rookie pitcher Reid Detmers pitched the second no-hitter of the MLB season on Tuesday, as the Los Angeles Angels shut the Tampa Bay Rays out 12-0.

The 22-year-old struck out two on the way to 108 pitches over the full nine innings, recording the Angels' 12th no-hitter in franchise history.

There was no let up from an offensive standpoint for the Halos, either, with Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, Jared Walsh and Brandon Marsh all claiming multiple hits at the top of the order.

Trout and Anthony Rendon scored three RBIs respectively, as the Angels moved to 21-11 for the season.

They hold a one-game lead over the Houston Astros at the top of the American League (AL) West, making up two of the three best records in the AL.

Judge rules out Blue Jays stand against Yankees

The New York Yankees maintained the best record in the AL, meanwhile, defeating the divisional-rival Toronto Blue Jays 6-5.

Aaron Judge scored the first walk-off home run of his career with a three-run home run off Jordan Romano to secure a big comeback win.

This came after Giancarlo Stanton's own three-run shot in the sixth inning, as the Yankees moved four games clear of the Rays atop the AL East with the victory.

Wood wins it for Giants

Alex Wood pitched into the sixth inning for the San Francisco Giants, who defeated the Colorado Rockies 9-2.

Wood allowed seven hits and struck out four in five-and-a-third innings for the Giants, who kept within touching distance of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.

Curt Casali contributed three hits and two RBIs, with the Giants claiming a fourth consecutive win to bounce back from a five-game losing stretch.

Clayton Kershaw and Mookie Betts starred for the Los Angeles Dodgers swept a double-header on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

Kershaw dominated the opener, giving up only five hits and striking out two over 81 pitches in seven innings, as the Dodgers won 7-0.

Betts shone in the night game, smashing a three-run double in the second inning and a two-run homer in the ninth to secure a 6-2 win.

Tyler Anderson struck out seven and gave up four hits over 80 pitches in five innings as the Dodgers claimed a fifth straight win.

They moved to 18-7 for the season and lead a strong National League West division, with every team holding a record at .500 or over.

Flores leads Giants to win over Cards

Wilmer Flores hit a grand slam in the first inning and finished with a career-high six RBIs as the San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 13-7.

Logan Webb struck out seven but gave up eight hits and four runs over 84 pitches in five innings, while Mauricio Dubon and Darin Ruf also hit home runs for the Giants.

Yadier Molina reached 1000 career RBIs and Dylan Carlson added a three-run homer, but it was not enough as the Cards had their three-game winning streak ended.

Polanco propels Twins to victory

Jorge Polanco led the Minnesota Twins as they sent the Oakland Athletics to their eighth consecutive defeat, claiming a 1-0 win.

Polanco had three of the Twins' five hits on the night from four at-bats, including a monster home run in the sixth inning, his third for the year.

Minnesota pitchers combined to strike out 15 while allowing three hits, as they maintained their lead atop the American League Central.

Madison Bumgarner was ejected in bizarre circumstances as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Miami Marlins 8-7 on Wednesday.

Giving up a lead-off home run to Jon Berti in the first inning, Bumgarner retired the next three batters before he was called for a foreign substance check by first-base umpire Dan Bellino.

The notoriously fiery Bumgarner responded angrily to a prolonged check, with Bellino staring at him, and was consequently ejected for swearing at the umpire.

Daulton Varsho homered for the D-Backs, who claimed a three-game series sweep against the Marlins with the win.

After a sluggish start to the season, Arizona have claimed seven wins in their past nine games – including victories over the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals – to get back to .500.

Dodgers dominate in NL West battle

The Dodgers claimed their second win of a two-game home series against the San Francisco Giants, earning a comfortable 9-1 victory.

Mookie Betts and Max Muncy homered and Freddie Freeman hit a two-run triple as the Dodgers broke the game open late, scoring six runs in their final two at-bats.

With the Giants dropping these two games, they now sit two and a half games behind the Dodgers, who top the NL West.

Blue Jays break Yankees streak

In another big division matchup on Wednesday, the Toronto Blue Jays ended the New York Yankees' 11-game win streak with a 2-1 victory.

Matt Chapman homered in the second inning for Toronto against their AL East rivals, before Vladimir Guerrero scored the winning RBI single in the third. 

Blue Jays starter Yusei Kikuchi pitched solidly, striking out seven and giving up only three hits over 78 pitches in a season-high six innings.