RAFAEL DEVERS

Boston's bats went quiet for the third straight game and the Red Sox bowed out of the AL Championship Series with a punchless 5-0 loss to the Houston Astros in Game 6.

Rookie Luis García showed the poise of an October ace, MVP Yordan Alvarez stayed hot at the plate and the Houston Astros earned yet another trip to the World Series, beating the Boston Red Sox 5-0 in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series.

Framber Valdez gave the Houston Astros the start they were looking for.

Kyle Schwarber's grand slam helped the Red Sox rout the Houston Astros 12-3 take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven AL Championship Series.

Kyle Schwarber hit Boston’s third grand slam in two games, a drive off José Urquidy in a six-run second, and the Red Sox took a 9-0 lead after three innings against the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the AL Championship Series.

The Dodgers are ready to start ace Max Scherzer in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series against Atlanta, a day after manager Dave Roberts scratched the veteran right-hander to get him an extra day of rest.

ALCS Red Sox Astros Baseball Boston Red Sox's J.D. Martinez celebrates his grand slam against the Houston Astros during the first inning in Game 2 of baseball's American League Championship Series Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Houston. Martinez and Rafael Devers helped the Red Sox have a grand old time in Houston. Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi permitted five hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings. The Red Sox have yet to name their starter.

The Boston Red Sox became the first team to slug two grand slams in a postseason game, with J.

ALCS Red Sox Astros Baseball Boston Red Sox's Rafael Devers celebrates after a grand slam home run with J.D. Martinez against the Houston Astros during the second inning in Game 2 of baseball's American League Championship Series Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Houston. The Boston Red Sox became the first team with two grand slams in a postseason game Saturday in Game 2 of the AL Championship Series against the Houston Astros. It's the fourth time in major league history, including the regular season, that a team hit a grand slam in both the first and second innings. The Red Sox have done it twice, also on Aug. 7, 1984.

The Boston Red Sox became the first team with two grand slams in a postseason game in Game 2 of the AL Championship Series against the Houston Astros.

Carlos Correa hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning that helped the Houston Astros beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series.

The AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays saw their record-setting season come to a sudden end when they lost to the Boston Red Sox 6-5 in Game 4 of their Division Series and were eliminated in the best-of-five playoff.

Kiké Hernandez delivered Boston’s second straight walk-off win, scoring pinch-runner Danny Santana with a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to send the Red Sox to the AL Championship Series with a 6-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

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Red Sox Nationals Baseball Boston Red Sox' Rafael Devers, left, celebrates his home run with J.D. Martinez, right, during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, in Washington. Martinez is on the Red Sox roster but not in the lineup for Game 1 of their AL Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Red Sox right-hander Matt Barnes, who lost his closer role in August, is not on the roster after being active for the wild-card game. With Boston having several left-handed starting pitchers on its roster, Tampa Bay added right-handed hitting outfielder Jordan Luplow.

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Red Sox Nationals Baseball Boston Red Sox' Rafael Devers, left, celebrates his home run with J.D. Martinez, right, during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) (Nick Wass)BOSTON — (AP) — Designated hitter J.D. Martinez was left off the Red Sox roster for their one-game wild-card playoff against the New York Yankees on Tuesday, two days after he twisted his ankle running out to the field in a rare defensive appearance. Manager Alex Cora said Monday that Martinez was getting treatment and the Red Sox would see how his ankle responds.

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(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (Frank Franklin II)Rafael Devers delivered big time for the Boston Red Sox. And Buster Posey boosted the San Francisco Giants to the NL West crown, dropping the 106-win Dodgers into a dangerous wild-card game. The Dodgers dropped into the NL wild-card game Wednesday night, when they’ll host the hard-charging St. Louis Cardinals. Also, 20-year-old rookie sensation Wander Franco and the Tampa Bay Rays will welcome the AL wild-card winner. Down 5-1 going into the sixth inning at Washington, the Red Sox rallied.

The pairings for the baseball playoffs are all set.

Red Sox Nationals Baseball Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale, left, is pulled from the game by manager Alex Cora, right, during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, in Washington. The Red Sox and Yankees entered the day tied at 91-70, one game ahead of both the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. Boston won the series series from the Yankees 10-9. ET, but the simplest was this: If the Red Sox beat the Nationals, who entered the game last in the NL East, Fenway Park would be the site of the AL wild-card game, no matter what else happened Sunday. TRAINER’S ROOMRed Sox: Martinez is usually a designated hitter but was playing right field in an NL park.

The Boston Red Sox have clinched a playoff berth on the regular season’s final day and will host the New York Yankees in the AL wild-card game after coming back to beat the Washington Nationals 7-5 on a tiebreaking two-run homer by Rafael Devers in the ninth inning.

Red Sox Nationals Baseball Boston Red Sox' Rafael Devers, left, celebrates his home run with J.D. Martinez, right, during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) (Nick Wass)WASHINGTON — (AP) — Boston Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez left Sunday's regular-season finale against the Washington Nationals in the sixth inning with a sprained left ankle. The Red Sox went into the day tied for the top AL wild-card spot with the New York Yankees.

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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.

Giancarlo Stanton hit a go-ahead grand slam over the Green Monster in the eighth inning and the New York Yankees beat Boston 5-3 to tie the Red Sox for the top spot in the AL wild-card race.

Gerrit Cole took a two-hit shutout into the sixth inning to lead the New York Yankees to an 8-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Austin Meadows hit a tying, inside-the-park homer in the ninth inning, Nelson Cruz had a go-ahead single in the 10th and the Tampa Bay Rays rallied from a six-run deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 11-10.

Franmil Reyes homered over the Green Monster to spark a three-run third inning _ Cleveland’s franchise-record tying 19th straight game with a home run _ and the Indians salvaged the finale of the series with an 11-5 victory over the COVID-impacted Boston Red Sox.

Bogaerts hit an RBI single in the first inning, but the star was replaced defensively in the second. It was announced before the game that Boston reliever Hirokazu Sawamura tested positive as a virus surge that started last week continues having a daily impact on the playoff-contending Red Sox. Devers picked up his 97th RBI with an eighth-inning single as Boston outhit the Rays 10-5. Red Sox left-hander Martín Pérez and right-hander Matt Barnes were added to the COVID-19 IL on Monday. ANOTHER CHANCEThe Rays are expected to recall veteran reliever David Robertson from Triple-A Durham on Wednesday.

Randy Arozarena, rookie Wander Franco and the Tampa Bay Rays won their ninth straight game, breaking away from Boston soon after Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts was pulled because of a positive COVID-19 test.

Wander Franco extended his on-base streak 30 games with a two-run single, fellow rookie Luis Patiño pitched neatly into the sixth inning and the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays won their eighth in a row, beating the Boston Red Sox 6-1.

Twins Red Sox Baseball Boston Red Sox's Chris Sale pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021, in Boston. Dalbec’s three-run homer in the second off of John Grant (4-8) gave Sale some early cushion and started an offensive outburst for the struggling Red Sox. The Red Sox hit multiple homers for the fourth straight game, but the highlight of the night was Sale’s nine-pitch third inning. Red Sox: Placed OF Hunter Renfroe on the bereavement/family medical emergency list Thursday, causing a shuffle in the lineup. Kyle Schwarber, who was supposed to make his first start playing first base since joining the Red Sox last month in a trade with Washington, stayed at DH and J.D.

Red Sox ace Chris Sale joined Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers on record with three immaculate innings, Bobby Dalbec homered twice and Boston beat the Minnesota Twins 12-2.

Bolstered by Chris Sale’s first major league appearance in just over two years, the Boston Red Sox hit five homers while pounding Baltimore 16-2, handing the Orioles their 10th straight loss.

Rays Red Sox Baseball Tampa Bay Rays' Francisco Mejia watches the flight of his single during the ninth inning of the team's baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, in Boston. The ball skipped past Renfroe for an error and that allowed all three runners to score, giving Tampa Bay a 7-4 lead. Louis Head shut down Boston in order in the ninth to finish off the Red Sox, who lost for the 10th time in 12 games. The Red Sox blew a game they desperately needed, coming off a 2-8 road trip that started with a three-game sweep by the Rays at Tampa Bay. Schwarber was acquired from the Washington Nationals before the trade deadline and has yet to play for the Red Sox.

Tampa Bay’s Francisco Mejía singled with the bases loaded in the ninth, Boston’s Hunter Renfroe made a costly error on the play, and it helped the Rays rally past the Red Sox 8-4 on Tuesday night.

Kiké Hernández hit a two-run double that tied the game with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Boston Red Sox took advantage of a record four wild pitches by Brooks Kriske in the 10th to rally past the rival New York Yankees 5-4 on a rainy night at Fenway Park.

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The second half of the major league baseball season begins with one game Thursday night when Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and the AL East-leading Red Sox visit Yankee Stadium.

Shohei Ohtani will be the American League’s starting pitcher in Tuesday’s night’s All-Star Game and will bat leadoff, too, as the designated hitter.

Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is out for the season, headed for surgery after suffering a complete tear of the ACL in his right knee during a game in Miami.

Shohei Ohtani achieved a first in the near century history of baseball’s All-Star Game: selection as both a hitter and a pitcher.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. joined his father as an All-Star and Fernando Tatis Jr. accomplished a feat his dad never achieved.

Major League Baseball will deal with Mariners pitcher Hector Santiago, the first player ejected under the new crackdown against grip-enhancing sticky stuff.

Yankees Red Sox Baseball Boston Red Sox's Rafael Devers, center, celebrates his three-run home with Christian Vazquez (7) in the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Sunday, June 27, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) (Steven Senne)BOSTON — (AP) — Kiké Hernández and Rafael Devers homered in the first inning as the Boston Red Sox hammered Gerrit Cole, routing the New York Yankees 9-2 Sunday to complete a second straight sweep of their longtime rivals. Martinez and Christian Vázquez also homered for the Red Sox. Red Sox: LHP Chris Sale is set to throw two more innings of live batting practice on Wednesday. Red Sox: RHP Garrett Richerds (4-5, 4.74 ERA) looks to turn the page on his shortest outing of the season when he takes the hill for Boston’s series opener against Kansas City Monday.

Kiké Hernández and Rafael Devers homered in the first inning as the Boston Red Sox hammered Gerrit Cole, routing the New York Yankees 9-2 to complete a second straight sweep of their longtime rivals.

Nathan Eovaldi pitched neatly into the eighth inning, Adam Ottavino escaped a pair of late jams and the Boston Red Sox held off the New York Yankees 4-2.

Rafael Devers hit a hard grounder that went between first baseman Yandy Díaz’s legs for a two-run double during Boston’s four-run 11th off Pete Fairbanks (1-3). Hunter Renfroe homered for the AL East-leading Red Sox. Batting second and debuting at third base, Franco alertly began a double play in the eighth. Franco fielded Renfroe's grounder and ran toward Devers, who was called for running out the base line trying to advance. Francisco Mejía drove in a run with an infield single in the first, with Franco scoring the second run on shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ errant throw to second trying to get a forceout.

Wander Franco hit a three-run homer and doubled in his big league debut for the Tampa Bay Rays, who lost their seventh straight in falling to the Boston Red Sox 9-5 in 11 innings.

Rafael Devers and the Red Sox go for a three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium in this week’s Sunday night matchup.

After going their first 57 games without facing the Red Sox, the Yankees started a stretch of 14 games against Boston in their next 43. New York and Boston had not met for the first time this late in a full season since 1996, when their first game was July 1. Yankees hitters struck out 15 times, their sixth time over eight games in double digits and 29th time this season. Xander Bogaerts scored twice for second-place Boston and had four hits in five at-bats after an 0-for-24 slide. Peoria, 37, won three World Series titles for the Red Sox from 2007-19 and retired Feb. 1, never completely recovering from knee damage sustained during a Manny Machado slide in 2017.

Rafael Devers hit a three-run homer in the first inning off Michael King, Marwin González added a two-run double and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 5-2 in the first of the rivals’ 19 meetings this season.

Shohei Ohtani hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Angels rallied past the Boston Red Sox 6-5, ending a four-game losing streak.

Diamondbacks Mets Baseball New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom tosses the ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Sunday, May 9, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (Kathy Willens)A look at what's happening around the majors today:___HOLDING THEIR BREATHThe streaking New York Mets anticipate an injury update on Jacob deGrom after the ace pitcher was scheduled for an MRI. The bullpen closed out a 4-2 victory over Arizona to give the Mets their first five-game winning streak since August 2019. RED SOX ROMPRafael Devers gets another chance to tear up Camden Yards as Boston closes its series against the Orioles. “There isn’t a quick fix other than maybe a day off and fight again on Tuesday.”After that day off Monday, the Royals start a seven-game road trip in Detroit.

The streaking New York Mets anticipate an injury update on ace pitcher Jacob deGrom after he was scheduled for an MRI.

Diamondbacks Mets Baseball New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom tosses the ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Sunday, May 9, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (Kathy Willens)A look at what's happening around the majors on Monday:___HOLDING THEIR BREATHThe streaking New York Mets anticipate an injury update on Jacob deGrom after the ace pitcher was scheduled for an MRI. The bullpen closed out a 4-2 victory over Arizona to give the Mets their first five-game winning streak since August 2019. RED SOX ROMPRafael Devers gets another chance to tear up Camden Yards as Boston closes its series against the Orioles. “There isn’t a quick fix other than maybe a day off and fight again on Tuesday.”After that day off Monday, the Royals start a seven-game road trip in Detroit.

The streaking New York Mets anticipate an injury update Monday on ace pitcher Jacob deGrom after he was scheduled for an MRI.

Red Sox Orioles Baseball Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Nick Pivetta follows through on a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Sunday, May 9, 2021, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) (Nick Wass)BALTIMORE — (AP) — Rafael Devers and Hunter Renfroe homered, Nick Pivetta won his third consecutive start and the Boston Red Sox defeated the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 Sunday. The Red Sox are within two victories of their entire total from last year’s truncated season, when they went 24-36. We knew we were a good team.”The Orioles fell to a majors-worst 4-13 at home, including 0-6 against the Red Sox. “It’s not something where we are overly concerned.” Houck was 0-2 with a 4.35 ERA in three April appearances with the Red Sox.

Rafael Devers and Hunter Renfroe homered, Nick Pivetta won his third consecutive start and the Boston Red Sox defeated the Baltimore Orioles 4-3.

Wearing their new blue-and-yellow uniforms, the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 7-4 when Marwin Gonzalez homered to key a four-run rally in the eighth inning.

Alex Verdugo had three hits, including a two-run single in a six-run fifth inning, and the Boston Red Sox extended their winning streak to nine games, beating the Minnesota Twins 7-1 to sweep a doubleheader.

The Chicago Cubs hope to stay on schedule amid a coronavirus scare that’s landed four players on the COVID-19 injured list the past two days.

Rafael Devers homered for the fourth straight game and the streaking Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on a snowy afternoon in a series opener moved back following the fatal police shooting of a Black man in the Twin Cities area.

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Trevor Williams went five innings in his fourth start, allowing a run on three hits. Austin Gomber made his fourth start for Colorado, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out four in 4 1/3 innings. Dylan Cease made his second start, allowing three hits and three walks in 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Matthew Boyd made his fourth start, allowing one run on four hits and a walk in four innings, striking out five. Tyler Anderson went five innings in his fourth start for Pittsburgh, giving up one run on two hits.