DIEGO CASTILLO

The Astros and Mariners played two games for the price of one in their 18-inning affair, and it was Jeremy Pena's homer that send the Astros to another ALCS.

Astros reliever Phil Maton says he broke his right pinkie when he punched a locker in frustration after Houston’s regular-season finale and will miss the postseason.

Atlanta finally passed the New York Mets this past week.

Carlos Santana snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a go-ahead two-run homer during Seattle’s three-run seventh inning, and the Mariners rallied to beat the slumping New York Yankees 4-3.

Pinch-hitter Luis Torrens singled with one out in the 13th inning to score Eugenio Suárez, and the Seattle Mariners beat the New York Yankees 1-0 in a game dominated by the starting pitching of Gerrit Cole and Luis Castillo.

Jesse Winker hit a grand slam, Marco Gonzales struck out seven and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-3 as Shohei Ohtani received a visit from trainers and continued to struggle.

Justin Verlander pitched one-run ball into the eighth inning and won his MLB-leading 14th game, Aledmys Díaz hit two homers and Yordan Alvarez slugged his 30th home run of the season as the Houston Astros beat the Seattle Mariners 11-1.

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Mariners Rangers Baseball Seattle Mariners' Ty France follows through on a two-run single next to Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim during the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 14, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. The Mariners trailed 5-1 going to the seventh inning before tagging Texas’ bullpen for two runs in the seventh and three in the eighth. Matt Festa (2-0) pitched a perfect seventh inning and earned the win. Haggarty and Julio Rodriguez scored on Eugenio Suarez’s single in the seventh inning, pulling Seattle within 5-3. UP NEXTFriday night’s game will match Mariners LHP Robbie Ray (7-6, 3.51 ERA) against Rangers RHP Taylor Hearn (4-5, 5.86).

Ty France hit a two-run single in the eighth inning as the Seattle Mariners rallied from four runs down to beat the Texas Rangers 6-5 and extended their winning streak to 11 games.

Pirates Marlins Baseball Teammates mob Miami Marlins' Brian Anderson, center, after Anderson tripled scoring Jesus Aguilar and Avisail Garcia during the 11th inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Thursday, July 14, 2022, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) (Wilfredo Lee)MIAMI — (AP) — Brian Anderson atoned for a costly error with a two-run triple in the 11th inning and the Miami Marlins beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 Thursday afternoon. Anderson originally was hit by a pitch from reliever Wil Crowe (3-6) but the Pirates successfully challenged, saying it hit hit his bat first. Marlins: RHP Cole Sulser (right lat strain) is continuing with his throwing program. Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara (9-3, 1.73) starts the opener of a home series against Philadelphia Friday.

Brian Anderson atoned for a costly error with a two-run triple in the 11th inning and the Miami Marlins beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 Thursday afternoon.

Pirates Reds Baseball Pittsburgh Pirates' Ben Gamel (18) rounds third base on his way to scoring on a double by Jason Delay during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, July 7, 2022, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) (Jeff Dean)CINCINNATI — (AP) — Michael Chavis hit a tie-breaking two-run double, Diego Castillo homered and rookie Roansy Contreras allowed one run in six innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday. The Pirates had gone 14 innings without scoring a run, including Wednesday’s 16-0 loss to the Yankees. TRAINER’S ROOMReds: RHP Luis Cessa left the game with an apparent injury while pitching to Reynolds in the seventh inning. Reds: RHP Luis Castillo (3-4, 3.09) takes the mound in the opener of a three-game series against Tampa Bay.

Michael Chavis hit a tiebreaking two-run double, Diego Castillo homered and rookie Roansy Contreras allowed one run in six innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 in the first game of a doubleheader.

Mariners manager Scott Servais was ejected for his role in a benches-clearing scuffle in the ninth inning of Seattle’s 7-4 win over the Houston Astros, a game in which Cal Raleigh had a career-high four RBIs and Julio Rodriguez hit a late two-run shot.

Alfonso Rivas had three hits and five RBIs, and the Chicago Cubs stopped a four-game slide by pounding the Pittsburgh Pirates 21-0.

Pirates Cardinals Baseball St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado celebrates after hitting an RBI double during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday, April 9, 2022, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) (Jeff Roberson)ST. LOUIS — (AP) — Nolan Arenado hit three doubles and a single, Paul DeJong homered and the St. Louis Cardinals, minus their rookie manager, beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-2 Saturday. Arenado drove in three runs in his second four-hit game since being traded to St. Louis prior to the 2021 season. St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas threw a career-high 41 pitches in the first inning, but gave up just run in that span. UPON FURTHER REVIEWSchumaker, formerly a popular player with the Cardinals, is in his first season on the St. Louis staff after four years with San Diego.

Nolan Arenado hit three doubles and a single, Paul DeJong homered and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-2.

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole felt his first spring training start was better than his pitching line.

The Seattle Mariners won for the 10th time in 11 games and stayed in the thick of the AL wild-card race with a 4-2 win over the Oakland Athletics.

Mariners Astros Baseball Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Yohan Ramirez, right, celebrates with catcher Cal Raleigh after a baseball game against the Houston Astros Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021, in Houston. Ty France tied the game with a solo home run in the ninth inning and put the Mariners on top with an RBI single in the 11th before Kyle Seager belted a three-run homer in a 6-3 win. Jake Meyers hit an RBI single with one out, Taylor Jones followed with another single and Jacob Wilson walked to load the bases. “I had to pitch like every pitch was the last pitch of the game because it really was," Sewald said. But the Astros didn't score again until the RBI single by Meyers in the 11th.

Ty France tied the game with a solo home run in the ninth inning and put the Seattle Mariners on top with an RBI single in the 11th before Kyle Seager belted a three-run homer in a 6-3 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Time is running out for playoff contenders to bolster their rosters through a trade.

APTOPIX Red Sox Rays Baseball Boston Red Sox right fielder Hunter Renfroe makes a leaping catch on a fly ball by Tampa Bay Rays' Ji-Man Choi during the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 24, 2021, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara)ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — (AP) — Kevin Kiermaier broke up a combined no-hit bid by the Boston Red Sox with a one-out double in the eighth inning and Manuel Margot scored on a wild pitch in the ninth to give the Tampa Bay Rays a 1-0 victory Thursday night. J.P. Feyereisen (4-1), the fifth Tampa Bay pitcher, worked the ninth inning of a four-hitter. Kiermaier lined his opposite-field double to left off Darwinzon Hernández, the third Red Sox pitcher. Tampa Bay starter Michael Wacha, who took a no-hitter into the fifth, allowed one hit and two walks in five innings. SPECIAL NIGHTThe Red Sox will honor Dustin Pedroia during pregame ceremonies before Friday night’s game against the New York Yankees.

Kevin Kiermaier broke up a combined no-hit bid by the Boston Red Sox with a one-out double in the eighth inning and Manuel Margot scored on a wild pitch in the ninth to give the Tampa Bay Rays a 1-0 victory.

The last-place New York Yankees lost their fifth straight game as Yoshi Tsutsugo hit a tiebreaking double off Gerrit Cole in the seventh inning that lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-2 win and a three-game sweep.

After Lowe finally busted out in Game 2 of the World Series, the Rays and Dodgers are tied deep in the heart of Texas. Snell attacked with breaking pitches in the strike zone, not his usual pattern, against a Dodgers team that doesn't often chase. SHORT HOPSSnell’s nine strikeouts were the most in a World Series game by a pitcher who didn't last five innings. Dodgers: Buehler threw six shutout innings to win Game 6 of the NL Championship Series against Atlanta and force Game 7. His only previous World Series start was Game 3 against Boston in 2018, when he fired seven scoreless innings in the only game the Dodgers won.

George Springer and José Altuve delivered big hits, Framber Valdéz pitched six brilliant innings and the Astros beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the third straight time, 7-4 Friday to force a deciding Game 7 of the AL Championship Series. Despite blowing a 3-0 series lead, they remain one win from the second World Series in franchise history — and one loss from joining the 2004 Yankees in ignominy. Game 7 on Saturday night will feature the pitchers who started and finished Houston’s Game 7 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2017 World Series. He has yet to win a World Series as a manager. As a player, he helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win four straight World Series games in 1981 after falling behind the New York Yankees 0-2.

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)SAN DIEGO – Kevin Kiermaier and the Tampa Bay Rays — with big assists from two former Padres who know Petco Park's outfield well — are one win from the second World Series berth in franchise history. “We’ve played just tremendous defense all season long,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. Kiermaier, the longest-tenured Tampa Bay player, said it was “an amazing feeling” to be so close to going to the Fall Classic. Wendle lined a single off third baseman Alex Bregman's glove to give Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead. Paredes hit Kiermaier on the hand to load the bases and then grazed Willy Adames on the pinkie with a pitch to bring in another run.

Houston Astros watch the seventh inning in Game 1 of a baseball American League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in San Diego. Tampa Bay limited the Astros' star-studded lineup to nine hits — but just one for extra bases — in the Rays' 2-1 victory to open the ALCS at Petco Park on Sunday night. The Astros got no more big hits against Blake Snell and the Rays' justifiably vaunted bullpen. But with big scoring opportunities in the final two innings of the ALCS opener, the Astros couldn't capitalize — and the last two hurt the most. The Astros scored first in all four games against Oakland in the ALDS, and they did it again in Game 1 of the ALCS.

Castillo had thrown 29 pitches Friday night in the 2-1 win against the New York Yankees that clinched the AL Division Series. Houston, which got into the playoffs with a 29-31 record, is in the ALCS for the fourth straight season and is trying to advance to the World Series for the third time in that span. The Astros are villains in many people’s eyes for their sign-stealing scandal three years ago, when they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. Tampa Bay is trying to reach its second World Series after losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008. Rays: Morton got the decision in the Rays’ 8-4 win against the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALDS.

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)SAN DIEGO – Manager Kevin Cash and the Tampa Bay Rays introduced the concept of an opener to modern baseball two years ago. But just as New York almost certainly regretted using an opener in Game 2 when Deivi García and J.A. Glasnow threw 93 pitches in Game 2, getting the victory after tossing four-run ball over five innings. The Rays used an opener seven times in this year's 60-game regular season, going 6-1 when employing the scheme. “(Glasnow) has obviously got his heater, but he’s got one of the best curveballs in the game, too.

For the first time in his three seasons with New York, the Yankees' big-money slugger is putting on a fantastic power display in the postseason. Stanton has homered in every one of New York’s four postseason games to tie a franchise feat previously accomplished by only Lou Gehrig and Reggie Jackson. New York's powerhouse lineup struck out a team-record 18 times, also setting a major league mark for strikeouts in a nine-inning postseason game. That's why Stanton likely won't find many positives in his first career multi-homer postseason game, the 33rd of his career overall. Stanton entered this neutral-site series with eight homers and 15 RBIs in just 19 career games at San Diego's beautiful downtown park.

Stanton has three homers this series and five in four postseason games. His grand slam in the ninth inning Monday night was the Bronx Bombers’ fourth homer in the 9-3 Game 1 win. We needed every bit of them.”Four Rays pitchers struck out 18, an MLB postseason record for a nine-inning game and a postseason record for Yankees batters. Stanton, who’s from Los Angeles, joined Reggie Jackson and Lou Gehrig as the only Yankees to homer in four straight postseason games overall. His 10 strikeouts surpass the previous Rays postseason record of nine, done three times.

That’s probably the worst thing we can do as a team,” Blue Jays third baseman Cavan Biggio said. Diego Castillo, Nick Anderson and Pete Fairbanks followed the starter, limiting the Blue Jays to two singles, two doubles and Bo Bichette's eighth-inning sacrifice fly the rest of the way. The wild-card Blue Jays broke through in the eighth against Anderson, didn't allow a run in 18 of 19 regular season appearances. He’s pretty good,” said Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo, who served on Cash's staff with the Rays from 2015-18. UP NEXTLefty Hyun Jin Ryu starts for the Blue Jays against right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who’s been Tampa Bay’s best pitcher.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow winds up during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)NEW YORK After a decade spent chasing their big-budget AL East rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays are pummeling the New York Yankees. The AL East leaders improved to 7-1 against the Yankees this season and stretched their division cushion to 4 1/2 games. TRAINER'S ROOMRays: 3B Yandy Daz was pulled with left hamstring tightness in the fifth and is day to day. UP NEXTYankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka (0-1, 3.48 ERA) will start on extended five days' rest against Rays RHP Trevor Richards (0-0, 4.71).

The Blue Jays were blocked by the Canadian government from hosting this season because of coronavirus concerns, and hopes of shifting home games to other big league cities didn't work out. First of all, this whole year has been crazy, but its been especially crazy for our team, Biggio said. You get an opening day start usually because of what you did the year before," Morton said. Blue Jays starter Hyun-Jin Ryu, second in NL Cy Young voting when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, allowed three runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings. Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said it felt awesome after all the uncertainty the Blue Jays have endured recently.