PHILADELPHIA — This was one of the Phillies’ best offensive nights of the season, and it almost went to waste because of a bullpen implosion. They had a comfortable 7-1 lead entering the eighth inning, when Gregory Soto took the ball from Yunior Marte. Soto allowed three straight singles to load the bases, a sac fly and two walks (one of ...Read more

BOSTON — Last year Tanner Houck’s season never quite got off the ground, and he couldn’t take the next step to become the workhorse the club long hoped he could be.

Now Houck may be leveling up right before our eyes, and Wednesday he delivered one of the finest outings of his young career.

The 27-year-old was sensational in Boston’s 2-...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Dodgers right-hander Landon Knack recovered from a brutal two-run, three-hit, 28-pitch first inning in his big league debut to blank the Washington Nationals on one hit over the next four innings and keep the Dodgers within striking distance on Wednesday.

But the Dodgers never struck.

An offense that ranks second in the major ...Read more

OAKLAND, Calif. — With a chance to close out their limited history at the Oakland Coliseum with a winning record and something they’ve been chasing in the present, the Cardinals let a lead slip from them in the middle of the game.

The Athletics bullpen assured they did little about it late in the game.

In what is likely the Cardinals’ ...Read more

SEATTLE — More of the same from Bryce Miller.

Something new from Mitch Garver.

Garver, the Mariner's new designated hitter, hit his first home run of the season to break a tie in the sixth inning to support another sensational start from Miller in the Mariners' 5-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday afternoon.

Cal Raleigh hit a ...Read more

CHICAGO — Chicago lived up to its “Windy City” moniker on Wednesday.

Winds swirled around 20 mph at Guaranteed Rate Field as the Kansas City Royals faced the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of a straight doubleheader. The conditions factored into a low-scoring affair.

But they couldn’t stop Salvador Perez.

The Royals captain returned from...Read more

MIAMI — Keaton Winn was in tip-top form, the Giants provided him just enough run support, and they beat the Marlins, 3-1, to clinch their first series win of the season away from Oracle Park.

Now comes the hard part.

“Have we won two games in a row yet?” manager Bob Melvin pondered before first pitch Wednesday morning.

Yes, but just ...Read more

BALTIMORE — Seven years after throwing his last pitch in the major leagues, 34-year-old journeyman Albert Suárez took the ball as a spot starter for the Orioles on Wednesday and threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings to help Baltimore beat the Minnesota Twins, 4-2.

As it turned out, it wasn’t the most dramatic moment of the afternoon contest as ...Read more

NEW YORK — Sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, the word “SWEEP” was written in the sand on the shuffleboard table that sits just inside the entrance of the Mets clubhouse. Call it a premonition or encouragement, whatever it was, it worked.

The Mets finished off a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 9-1 win on ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — On Monday, the Dodgers celebrated the remarkable life and enduring impact of Jackie Robinson, the stories now handed down among the generations. Robinson died 52 years ago. With each passing year, we are increasingly fortunate to hear from someone who can tell firsthand stories of Robinson as a friend and mentor.

Harry Edwards ...Read more

Mookie Betts continued his opening-month rampage with a career-high-tying five hits, and a struggling bullpen closed the game with six scoreless innings to lead the Dodgers to a 6-2 victory over the Washington Nationals in front of a sellout crowd of 52,718 at Chavez Ravine on Tuesday night.

Betts doubled twice, singled three times, scored ...Read more

The offensive numbers weren’t quite as gaudy in terms of runs scored or total hits or a lopsided outcome, the process remained the same for a second straight game. In the end, the outcome of the game — the most important result — was another victory for the Mariners.

With the roof open on a clear but crisp Tuesday evening, and a frigid, ...Read more

OAKLAND, Calif. – As if tribute to the plucky way Whitey Herzog’s clubs conjured runs when they lacked the power to just simplify things, the Cardinals turned whatever they could muster Tuesday into just enough runs to matter.

It wasn’t the flash of the classic, speedy Whiteyball but it came with a dash of defense as the Cardinals ...Read more

MILWAUKEE — Comebacks are exciting. Resilience and fight and all that are nice traits for a team to possess.

Scoring early and playing ahead throughout a game is better. It is ostensibly easier, at least.

For the first time in a while, the Padres went that route Tuesday, scoring four runs before the game’s 10th pitch had been thrown and ...Read more