Manuel Margot’s homer, catch highlight Rays’ win over Astros
SAN DIEGO — Manuel Margot hit a three-run homer one batter after a crucial Houston error and made a spectacular catch in right field in his former home ballpark, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Astros, 4-2, on Monday to take a 2-0 lead in the AL Championship Series....
Joe Morgan, driving force of Big Red Machine, dies at 77Video
CINCINNATI — At 5-foot-7, he was the smallest cog in the Big Red Machine. And to his star-powered teammates, Joe Morgan was a driving force, too. Morgan, the Hall of Fame second baseman who became the sparkplug of dominant Cincinnati teams in the mid-1970s and the prototype for baseball’s artificial...
Arozarena homers again, Rays beat Astros 2-1 in ALCS openerVideo
SAN DIEGO — Randy Arozarena homered again at Petco Park and Mike Zunino drove in the go-ahead run for the Tampa Bay Rays, who beat the Houston Astros 2-1 on Sunday night in the opener of the AL Championship Series. Blake Snell allowed José Altuve’s homer as he labored through...
Braves all grown up for this NLCS matchup against DodgersVideo
ARLINGTON, Texas — Those Baby Braves that faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs two years ago have grown up a little bit and have even won a couple of postseason series. The Dodgers have been here before, in the NL Championship Series for the fourth time in five...
Mike Brosseau homer off Chapman lifts Rays over Yankees, into ALCS
SAN DIEGO — Mike Brosseau homered off Aroldis Chapman with one out in the eighth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees, 2-1, on Friday night to reach the AL Championship Series for the first time in 12 seasons. The first career postseason homer for the...
Respected Dusty Baker leads reviled Houston Astros into ALCSVideo
LOS ANGELES — If there’s a universally recognized good guy among the generally reviled Houston Astros, it’s Dusty Baker. At 71, he’s the first manager to lead five franchises to the postseason, but still is chasing his first World Series title at the helm. The Astros have advanced to their...
Whitey Ford, 91, pitcher who epitomized mighty Yankees, dies
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. — Whitey Ford, the street-smart New Yorker who had the best winning percentage of any pitcher in the 20th century and helped the Yankees become baseball’s perennial champions in the 1950s and ’60s, has died. He was 91. A family member told The Associated Press on Friday...
MLB-best Dodgers to 14th NLCS after 12-3 win to sweep Padres
ARLINGTON, Texas — Justin Turner and the Los Angeles Dodgers have completed the first step of what they hope is a long stay in the Lone Star State. Turner put the Dodgers ahead with a record-breaking hit in a big inning fueled by a nice stop-gone-bad by Fernando Tatis Jr.,...
First Call: Tight ends will be big in Steelers vs. Eagles. Cole vs. Glasnow in Game 5.
Friday’s “First Call” looks at a key matchup in Sunday’s Steelers-Eagles game. The Steelers defensive front gets some high first-quarter grades. Robert Morris hockey has found a special story and a special skater. And the Duquesne Dukes may be part of an Atlantic 10 renaissance. Tale of the tight ends...
Yankees beat Rays, force Game 5 in ALDSVideo
SAN DIEGO — Luke Voit and Gleyber Torres hit impressive home runs, Jordan Montgomery and three relievers combined on a three-hitter and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-1, Thursday night to force a deciding fifth game in their AL Division Series. The Yankees bounced back from...
Carlos Correa powers Astros past A’s to clinch spot in ALCSVideo
LOS ANGELES — Carlos Correa hit a go-ahead, three-run homer after Michael Brantley’s two-run shot in the fourth inning, helping the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics, 11-6, on Thursday to clinch their home-run heavy AL Division Series in four games. Correa drove in five as the Astros — October...
Kyle Wright leads Braves to sweep of Marlins, trip to NLCSVideo
HOUSTON — Rookie Kyle Wright dazzled for six innings in his postseason debut, and the Atlanta Braves rode their superb pitching to beat the Miami Marlins, 7-0, on Thursday for a three-game sweep and their first trip to the NL Championship Series since 2001. Atlanta had lost eight straight Division...
Cody Bellinger robs Padres as Dodgers hold on for 2-0 NLDS lead
ARLINGTON, Texas — Cody Bellinger would take the homer-robbing catch over the home run he hit if he had to pick from the two. The Los Angeles Dodgers needed both from their MVP center fielder. Bellinger nearly went to a knee to hit his long home run, and later made...
Rays push Yankees to brink of elimination
SAN DIEGO — Randy Arozarena homered for the third straight game and Kevin Kiermaier and Michael Perez also went deep for the Tampa Bay Rays, who beat the New York Yankees 8-4 Wednesday night to move within one victory of reaching the AL Championship Series for the first time in...
Indians manager Terry Francona underwent surgeries, expects return in 2021Video
CLEVELAND — Terry Francona’s mind briefly wandered to a life without baseball while he battled through a major health scare. Retirement stared him in the face. “Some days when I was extremely frustrated, the thought crossed my mind,” the Indians manager said. “When it was hard to see the light...
Chad Pinder’s HR helps rally A’s past Astros, trail ALDS 2-1
LOS ANGELES — Chad Pinder tied the score with a three-run homer in the seventh inning, Sean Murphy hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth and the Oakland Athletics rallied past the Houston Astros, 9-7, on Wednesday to avoid elimination in their AL Division Series. Houston leads the best-of-five...
Ian Anderson sharp, Nick Markakis alert as Braves blank Miami
HOUSTON — Rookie Ian Anderson pitched like an October veteran. Old pro Nick Markakis threw the best strike of the game. And just like that, the Atlanta Braves are on the verge of something they haven’t done since the days of Chipper, the Big Three and Bobby Cox. Anderson blanked...
Tyler Glasnow fans 10 to lead Rays past Yankees
SAN DIEGO — With their pitching staff providing a record 18 strikeouts, the Tampa Bay Rays showed some pop of their own against the New York Yankees. Randy Arozarena, Mike Zunino, Manuel Margot and Austin Meadows homered, and Tyler Glasnow struck out 10 to set a postseason record for the...
George Springer hits 2 HRs, Astros beat A’s for 2-0 ALDS lead
LOS ANGELES — Back-to-back home runs off back-to-back pitches. The Houston Astros can’t miss these days. George Springer hit two homers, and Houston kept making more noise in the playoffs, beating the Oakland Athletics, 5-2, on Tuesday to take a 2-0 lead in their AL Division Series. Martin Maldonado also...
Travis D’Arnaud, Braves rally in 7th, beat Marlins to open NLDS
HOUSTON — Ronald Acuna Jr. made history with his leadoff homer, Travis d’Arnaud hit a tiebreaking shot in Atlanta’s huge seventh inning and the Braves beat the Miami Marlins, 9-5, on Tuesday in Game 1 of the NL Division Series. D’Arnaud also doubled and singled in driving in four runs,...
Indians expect manager Terry Francona back for 2021 seasonVideo
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians expect manager Terry Francona to return for the 2021 season after he missed 48 games in 2020 because of health issues. President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said Tuesday the 61-year-old Francona is back home in Arizona resting and recovering. Francona, a New Brighton native,...
Carlos Correa, George Springer rally Astros past A’s in ALDS opener
LOS ANGELES — A home run derby broke out during a hot, dry day at Dodger Stadium, and suddenly the Houston Astros have their swing and swagger back. Carlos Correa homered twice and drove in four, Jose Altuve hit a go-ahead, two-run single during Houston’s four-run sixth inning and the...
Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees power way to win against Rays in opener
SAN DIEGO — Giancarlo Stanton and the Bronx Bombers made themselves right at home in Petco Park on a warm October evening in Southern California. 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...
Astros return to Los Angeles for ALDS series against A’s, pitcher Mike FiersVideo
LOS ANGELES — The Houston Astros are returning to the scene of the crime. The Los Angeles Dodgers won’t be there, but their fans surely won’t let the visitors forget. While the Dodgers head to Texas for the NL Division Series, their ballpark is hosting the AL Division Series in...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: MLB should keep rule changes and add even more
If big-time sports aren’t careful, the pandemic may inadvertently steer them into giving the people what they want. Hockey’s expanded playoff worked. Baseball’s expanded playoff is working. Baseball is slated to use the same format in 2021. Don’t be shocked if hockey sticks with a 24-team tournament. The postseason is...
