His Cardinals hadn’t won a World Series since he was in preschool. And there was Jim Mielke, wedged into the front row of the Busch Stadium bleachers, his right leg dangling over the right-field wall. He watched Bruce Sutter fire the final strike from upon the glorious green stage. And right then, Mielke broke the fourth wall by jumping over ...Read more

BOSTON — The Red Sox have finally done it.

After an entire season spent chasing their counterparts in the American League East without winning a multi-game series, the Sox put it all together for their best weekend of the year.

Michael Wacha returned from the injured list and held the league’s best offense scoreless through seven innings ...Read more

NEW YORK — If Bryce Harper’s work goes well on Sunday, he will take batting practice on the field at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, according to interim manager Rob Thomson. Harper hasn’t taken batting practice on the field since he was hit by a Blake Snell pitch on June 25, fracturing his left thumb. He will take some flips and overhand ...Read more

DENVER — The Rockies were late to the party Sunday afternoon and it cost them.

By the time they put on their hitting shoes in the sixth inning, they trailed Arizona 7-0. The Rockies rallied, but came up short, falling 7-4 at Coors Field.

Arizona took two of three games in the series and the Rockies finished their six-game homestand 3-3.

It...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Los Angeles Dodgers were a runaway freight train on a streak not seen in 100 years, with an outstanding lineup laden with All-Stars and multiple former MVPs. But Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Brady Singer was unmoved by his opponents’ accolades, streaks and resumes on Sunday afternoon.

Singer took the mound ...Read more

NEW YORK — This time last week, the Mets had just wrapped up four wins in a five-game series with the Braves.

After this weekend in the sun, facing a different playoff hopeful in the National League East, the Mets won another series while holding the Phillies to two total runs.

The Mets’ 6-0 win in Sunday’s rubber match was their second ...Read more

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The anticipation of the moment grew around Tropicana Field. As Drew Rasmussen trotted to the mound for the ninth inning, Tampa Bay Rays fans rose to their feet, cell phones in hand, waiting to document history.

But Orioles shortstop Jorge Mateo had other ideas. On the first pitch he saw from Rasmussen — a cutter left ...Read more

WASHINGTON — It is August, so Blake Snell is the pitcher the Padres intended him to be and need him to be.

The left-hander has in his two seasons with the Padres been inexplicably inconsistent — until summer gets going and he heats up.

In the Padres' 6-0 victory Sunday against the young and scuffling Nationals, Snell was almost unfair.

...Read more

There was the Dutch cyclist who blamed a failed a drug test on his father-in-law, who fed him pigeon pie purportedly made from doped-up racing pigeons.

Or the German runner who claimed his nandrolone positives came from someone surreptitiously injecting it into his toothpaste.

Or Fidel Castro, who insisted world-record high jumper Javier ...Read more

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — DeSoto Central High School’s past and present poetically intersected May 15, 2019.

As the Jaguars prepared for Game 1 of their state championship series at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss., coach Mark Monaghan awaited the major league debut of a DeSoto Central product. He remembers hearing from Austin Riley that day.

“...Read more

ANAHEIM, CALIF. – One strike from victory, the Minnesota Twins let another critical game get away from them in the late innings Saturday night.

No. 9 hitter Magneuris Sierra hit a tying two-run triple past diving left fielder Nick Gordon with two out in the ninth inning, and Taylor Ward hit a walkoff homer off Emilio Pagan two innings later ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A day brimming with an appreciation for the past eventually had the Dodgers cherishing the present and peering excitedly into a future that gets more promising with every game. Call it a win, win, win.

History lessons abounded, but not the dry, academic kind. These, by all accounts, were gripping and profoundly meaningful ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — On a night the San Francisco Giants hosted dozens of players sporting World Series rings in a celebration of their 2012 title, it was their pitcher on the mound Saturday who provided the star power.

In one of the best starts of his young career, Logan Webb dazzled for eight shutout innings to beat the Pirates 2-0.

The win was...Read more