KEIBERT RUIZ

Luis Garcia hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning and the last-place Washington Nationals rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-3 for their second straight win against the NL West leaders.

Juan Soto’s RBI triple capped a four-run fifth inning and the lowly Washington Nationals defeated the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1.

Catcher Keibert Ruiz looks like a keeper, but Bell, Gray and Garcia are tougher calls. And can the team afford Soto?

Mariners Nationals Baseball Seattle Mariners' Eugenio Suarez reacts after hitting a three-run home run in the first inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON — (AP) — Eugenio Suárez smacked a three-run homer, Chris Flexen pitched six solid innings to win his fourth straight start and the Seattle Mariners got their ninth straight win by beating the Washington Nationals 6-4 on Wednesday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader. The surging Mariners have won 17 of 20 for the first time since April 2-23, 2002. The Nationals, who have lost five straight and 11 of 12, also saw production from Keibert Ruiz, who had a double and a single. UP NEXTMariners: LHP Tommy Milone (0-1, 3.60 ERA) makes his first start of the season in Game 2 of the twinbill.

Jesse Winker hit his second solo homer of the day and the Seattle Mariners won their 10th straight game, edging the Washington Nationals 2-1 to sweep a doubleheader.

Will Strasburg bounce back from surgery? Will Corbin and Robles hit their strides? Unknowns make interesting baseball.

The Red Sox won 5-3. Aaron Judge and the Yankees are tied with Boston for the top AL wild card and can also clinch a spot by beating 100-win Tampa Bay. If the Yankees win and the Red Sox lose, the wild-card game would come to the Bronx on Tuesday. Any two-way tie for the second wild card would be settled by a one-game tiebreaker Monday. -A four-way tie would result in a pair of Game 163s on Monday, with two teams advancing to Tuesday’s wild-card game.

Red Sox ace Chris Sale takes the mound in Washington with a chance to pitch Boston into the postseason.

The Red Sox won 5-3. The Red Sox will send ace Chris Sale to the mound Sunday needing a victory to punch a playoff ticket. If the Red Sox lose Sunday, they will still be assured entry into a tiebreaker game Monday. The Red Sox are a game ahead of Toronto and 1 1/2 clear of Seattle, with the Mariners set to play the Angels on Saturday night. Red Sox: RHP Garrett Whitlock (right pectoral strain) was not activated Saturday after throwing a bullpen session Friday.

Christian Vázquez tripled home the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning and the Boston Red Sox moved to the brink of a postseason berth with a 5-3 win over the Washington Nationals.

Nationals Mets Baseball New York Mets' Javier Baez watches his two-run home run, also scoring Michael Conforto, during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin) (Corey Sipkin)NEW YORK — (AP) — Javier Báez and his New York Mets teammates turned the boos at Citi Field to cheers this weekend — and then turned their thumbs upside down at fans. Later, he said Mets players have been flashing the thumbs-down gesture after hits as a response to fans who have jeered the club during a rough August. Báez, his good friend Francisco Lindor and Kevin Pillar all were seen flashing the thumbs-down sign after hits Sunday. “I love the fans and I like playing for the fans,” Báez said.

Javier Báez and his New York Mets teammates turned the boos at Citi Field to cheers this weekend — and turned their thumbs upside down at frustrated fans.

Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw were part of the same draft class.

The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers have pulled off a monster deal for ace Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner, getting the dynamic duo from the Washington Nationals shortly before Friday’s trade deadline.

World Series MVP Corey Seager will miss at least a few weeks for the Los Angeles Dodgers after breaking a bone in his right hand.

Clayton Kershaw lasted one inning in the shortest start of his stellar career in the opener, Trevor Bauer didn’t get through the fifth in the nightcap, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 to sweep a split doubleheader.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Dylan Floro works against the Colorado Rockies during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Denver. While Clevinger was among the 15 pitchers on the Padres roster released Tuesday, fellow starter Dinelson Lamet was again left off because of injury. The Dodgers added a pitcher to their roster for the NLDS, where they will have 14 pitchers and 14 position players after carrying only 13 pitchers for the first round series against Milwaukee. Right-handed reliever Dylan Floro (3-0, 2.59 ERA) was the pitcher added for the longer NLDS. The Padres last week became the first team to use eight or more pitchers in three consecutive playoff games.

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LOS ANGELES Kik Hernndez homered and drove in five runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the rival San Francisco Giants 8-1 in a fan-less ballpark as baseballs shortened season opened on Thursday night. Betts struck out swinging in his first at-bat a day after signing a $365 million deal over 12 years. Justin Turner grounded into a fielder's choice and Betts beat a throw to the plate to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead in the seventh. Betts struck out with the bases loaded to end a five-run inning that made it 6-1. PREGAME CEREMONYThe Giants and Dodgers held a black ribbon that wound along the baselines in a show of unity after pregame introductions.