DENVER — If the Colorado Rockies were a restaurant, the steaks would bounce. The fish would bite back. You’d need a chainsaw to dent the bread.

With rats roaming the hall, patrons in pain and health inspectors beating down the door, Dick Monfort would fire the maître d’ and declare victory.

The real problem on 20th and Blake wasn’t ...Read more

CLEVELAND — For three days last week in Tampa, Fla., the Phillies teed off like the pros at Philadelphia Cricket Club.

Then, they got to Cleveland.

Runs were significantly harder to come by over three games near the banks of the Cuyahoga River. But if ever a series must come down to a pitcher’s duel, it sure does help to have Zack Wheeler ...Read more

SEATTLE — We can’t quantify the pain he feels in his body. But the pain on his face was undeniable.

Perhaps the Mariners’ best pitcher last year, Bryce Miller has gone from lights out to liability.

His ERA through eight starts is 5.22, nearly double the 2.94 he posted last year. His velocity is down, his walks are up — his ability to ...Read more

Ben Rice swatted a 3-1 offering from Athletics reliever Mitch Spence deep into the right field stands to extend the New York Yankees’ lead in the 5th inning as the Bombers cruised to a 12-2 win, taking the series from the nomadic franchise to boot.

Rice was also plunked twice.

Aaron Judge clubbed four hits on the day to bring his batting ...Read more

SEATTLE — You win this round, Canada.

There may not have been quite as many Toronto fans at T-Mobile Park as there have been in years past, but in a time that features some tensions between the United States and its neighbor to the north, the Canadian faithful who did make the trip had plenty to cheer about Sunday as the Blue Jays dispatched ...Read more

Taking their biggest test of the season in this weekend’s road series with the Kansas City Royals, the Boston Red Sox passed with flying colors.

The Royals came into Saturday on a seven-game winning streak, with only two losses in their previous 18 games, and without back-to-back losses since April 19, but it was the Red Sox who took the ...Read more

PHOENIX — At the end of a grueling 10-game trek around the country, and in search of their first winning trip this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers got exactly what they needed Sunday afternoon.

A strong start from right-hander Tony Gonsolin. A huge performance from the top of their lineup. And a thorough 8-1 rout of the Arizona Diamondbacks,...Read more

CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox called up Tim Elko on Saturday for a power boost.

It didn’t take long for the designated hitter to deliver.

Elko connected for a go-ahead three-run home run in the sixth inning — the first hit of his major-league career — to lead the Sox to a 4-2 victory against the Miami Marlins on Sunday in front of 16...Read more

There will come a day when asking “What’s Roku?” sounds quaint.

Sunday was not that day for some Chicago Cubs fans.

Instead, it was a Mother’s Day morning spent frantically searching for a way to watch the early start between the Cubs and New York Mets.

It was all on the Roku app, which MLB assured fans was free and simple to use. ...Read more

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies fired manager Bud Black on Sunday amid the ballclub’s historically bad start to the season, despite a 9-3 win over the San Diego Padres that snapped an eight-game losing streak. They also fired bench coach Mike Redmond.

The Rockies are 7-33, last in the National League West and own the worst record in Major ...Read more

DENVER — German Marquez’s fist pump was barely noticeable. After all, given what he and his teammates are going through, over-the-top exuberance would have been out of place.

But, at least, there was cause for a mini-celebration at Coors Field on Sunday afternoon.

Behind a vintage performance from Marquez and a power surge by Hunter ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Drew Rasmussen was mostly sharp. Mostly efficient. Mostly impressive.

And entirely frustrated.

The Tampa Bay Rays right-hander has given up only 15 hits over his last three starts, but five of those hits have been home runs. The long ball plagued him again on Sunday in a 4-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Rasmussen retired 10 ...Read more

ANAHEIM, Calif. — It was about as disrespectful a strategic move a team could make on a baseball field.

With two outs and a runner on third base in the fifth inning Sunday and left-hander Tyler Anderson on the mound, the Los Angeles Angels intentionally walked Tyler O’Neill to face Ryan Mountcastle instead. O’Neill and Mountcastle both ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — To earn the Pirates’ first series win in two-and-a-half weeks, catcher Joey Bart played hero against his hometown team.

Bart’s bases-loaded ninth inning grounder ended up in the right spot, scoring Adam Frazier from third and giving the Pirates a 4-3 walk-off win Sunday against the Atlanta Braves. The Pirates took two of ...Read more

WASHINGTON — When, for sport, he recently listed the different ways teams can find ways to win within a ballgame, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol mentioned there are days when it’s on the starter, days when it’s a key relief performance, days when it’s all speed and small ball and days when it’s doubles and homers.

And then there are...Read more

DETROIT – Reese Olson has had and will have better days. But on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game series before a crowd of 36,138 at Comerica Park, the Texas Rangers had his number.

They scored three times and knocked him out of the game after four innings, taking the series with a 6-1 win over the Detroit Tigers. It marked the first...Read more

SEATTLE — All they can do now is salvage.

The Seattle Mariners, so stout for so long, find themselves in unfamiliar territory entering Sunday’s series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays. The only objective now is simply trying to avoid a sweep.

The Blue Jays rallied from a three-run deficit and pulled away for a 6-3 victory Saturday ...Read more

ANAHEIM, Calif. — If the Baltimore Orioles had any momentum carrying over from their uplifting win over the Angels on Friday night, it was gone by the end of the first inning.

Baltimore (14-24) fell into an early hole and never dug itself out in a 5-2 loss to the Angels on Saturday night. Kyle Gibson didn’t record an out past the fourth ...Read more

DENVER — It is something of a silly notion to assume a team will sweep a series.

This is the big leagues.

Right?

“I’m not big (on) ‘Win all three games.’ I’m more take care of business today,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “This is Major League Baseball. Coming in and winning a major league game is what we strive and ...Read more