BOSTON — It took nearly 21 hours, but the Red Sox eventually got it done.

The Red Sox won Wednesday afternoon’s rain-suspended contest, 5-3, rallying for two runs in the bottom of the eighth to clinch the midweek series against the Cincinnati Reds.

Wilyer Abreu delivered the go-ahead RBI single, and Brayan Bello allowed two runs over five ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Nick Pivetta had to wait a day longer than expected to start against his first major league team.

Then he went about winning his National League-leading ninth game as the Padres held off the Phillies in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon.

The Padres scored half their runs in the 6-4 victory on bases-loaded...Read more

WASHINGTON — If Riley Greene is not named to the American League All-Star team, there needs to be a full-scale investigation.

Greene, after enjoying the most productive month of his career in June, christened July with a pair of three-run home runs to propel the Tigers to a 11-2 romp over the Washington Nationals in the first of two Wednesday...Read more

NEW YORK — Between the dismal performance of the Mets over the weekend in Pittsburgh and two days off that followed, Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers took on more significance than it otherwise might have. The Mets badly needed to recover from an embarrassing weekend of being on the wrong end of blowouts against one of ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — The central Florida sun disappeared behind the clouds early Wednesday afternoon, and for at least a couple of innings, seemed to take any remaining slivers of Rays mojo with it.

The hottest team in baseball once upon a June, the Rays entered Wednesday’s overcast matinee against the A’s trying to snap out of a mini-funk in ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — The Cardinals came to Pittsburgh, stayed for three games, then left. During their stay, their gracious hosts didn’t allow them to score a run.

The Pirates beat the Cardinals, 5-0, on Wednesday afternoon at PNC Park, completing a three-game sweep. They outscored the Cardinals 13-0 in the series and haven’t allowed a run in 31 ...Read more

ATLANTA — The Braves placed right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a fractured right elbow, the team announced. The move is backdated to June 29.

In a season when seemingly everything has gone wrong for the team, this is the latest blow. Schwellenbach has been outstanding in his first full campaign, ...Read more

The Kansas City Royals entered July with a clean slate.

After a disappointing June, during which KC lost 18 of 26 games, the Royals began the pivotal summer month looking to stack winning days.

And they leaned on their maligned offense to lead the way.

On Tuesday, the Royals earned a 6-3 victory against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — For the Chicago White Sox, it was not a question of if Shane Smith was the best pitcher they had to offer against the Dodgers— he was very likely their best.

Among White Sox pitchers with 10 or more starts, the rookie right-hander had the best strikeout-per-nine inning rate (8.2), as well as the lowest earned-run average (3.38...Read more

PHOENIX — Hours after exercising manager Bob Melvin’s contract option for 2026, the Giants were outslugged by the Arizona Diamondbacks, 8-2, to drop their fourth consecutive game and their seventh of their last eight contests.

Hayden Birdsong’s recent rough patch continued as he allowed four runs (three earned) over four innings, walking ...Read more

ARLINGTON, Texas — Adolis García needed vengeance. The Rangers outfielder’s three-run home run in the 10th inning Monday night was an electric display of baseball showmanship. It just wasn’t enough to get past Baltimore in the series opener.

So, he returned to Globe Life Field on Tuesday night wanting more.

His three-hit, four-RBI night...Read more

DENVER — Chase Dollander got slammed, and the Rockies never quite recovered, despite a two-homer game from catcher Hunter Goodman.

And so the season-long Rox slide continued Tuesday night at Coors Field in front of an announced crowd of 30,303. The Astros won, 6-5, leaving Colorado with a 19-66 record.

Dollander, who had been pitching well ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The transformation happened quickly in May 2009.

Early into his second year in the majors, a young Clayton Kershaw was enduring a sophomore slump with the Dodgers. Looking for a way to complement his predominantly fastball/curveball mix, he began toying around with a slider in his between-starts bullpen sessions.

When Brad ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — The late-inning magic that helped carry the Rays near the top of the American League East has been missing at Steinbrenner Field this week.

For the second night in a row, the Rays came up short in the final inning against the last-place Athletics.

The Rays blew an early lead, came back late to tie it and then lost, 4-3 in 10 ...Read more

ATLANTA — It took the Angels eight innings to come up with a clutch hit, and then they got four of them.

Mike Trout, Jo Adell and Jorge Soler each had doubles, and then Luis Rengifo followed with an RBI single, leading to a four-run eighth inning in the Angels’ 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.

The rally came an inning ...Read more

MIAMI — When Kyle Stowers appeared to be hit by a Joe Ryan fastball in the second inning Tuesday night, the Twins challenged the call. Video showed they were right, and the pitch was ruled a foul ball instead.

Much to the Twins’ regret.

Stowers trudged back to the plate and resumed his at-bat, and two pitches later, he blasted a middle-of-...Read more

PITTSBURGH — After winning in four straight blowouts, the Pirates continued their victorious ways Tuesday evening, besting the Cardinals in a 1-0 pitchers' duel at PNC Park. Right-handed reliever Isaac Mattson earned the win, improving to 2-0 on the year. Phil Maton suffered the loss, falling to 1-3. David Bednar earned the save, his 12th of ...Read more

BOSTON — Tuesday night’s game between the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds was suspended after heavy storms blanketed Fenway Park in rain and lightning for an hour and 20 minutes before fourth inning could begin.

The game will resume at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the point of suspension. Tickets for Tuesday’s game will be good for admission...Read more

NEW YORK — Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.

Crash Davis infamously got the Durham Bulls a rainout in the movie “Bull Durham.” The Mets got one courtesy of the ever-changing weather system around Flushing Bay.

Tuesday night’s series-opening matchup between the Mets and the Milwaukee Brewers was postponed due to...Read more

Fresh off a sloppy loss and a sub-.500 month, the Yankees continued to play below their standards on Tuesday, falling, 12-5, as the Blue Jays celebrated Canada Day at Rogers Centre.

With the defeat, the Yankees are 10-14 against American League East rivals this season. Both the Blue Jays and Rays are now one game back in the division.

George ...Read more