Wild-card Nationals head to World Series with sweep of CardinalsVideo
WASHINGTON — Mike Shildt took the ball from Dakota Hudson and patted him on the back of the neck. Hudson was out of the game after recording one out on 15 pitches against eight Washington Nationals batters, and the St. Louis Cardinals were on the receiving end of what they...
Gerrit Cole pitches Astros past Yankees for 2-1 lead in ALCSVideo
NEW YORK — Far from his best, Gerrit Cole was still unbeatable. Heck, he didn’t even give up a run. A gritty Cole held the New York Yankees scoreless without his sharpest stuff, Jose Altuve sparked Houston at the plate and the Astros locked down a 4-1 victory Tuesday to...
Gerrit Cole, unbeaten since May, transformed by Astros analytics
NEW YORK — Gerrit Cole walked into a conference room after one of his first spring training workouts with the Houston Astros in February 2018 and was met by about 10 people. “There was charts, video, matching charts,” Cole recalled. “It was all new then, but it’s pretty straightforward to...
First Call: James Neal has his own goal song; Gerrit Cole faces Yankees
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” James Neal is making beautiful music. Gerrit Cole looks to dust the New York Yankees. And the Penguins get ready for the red-hot Colorado Avalanche. Real Deal Neal James Neal had a 40-goal season in Pittsburgh back in 2012. He’s on pace for more than that...
Stephen Strasburg strikes out 12; Nationals top Cardinals in Game 3Video
WASHINGTON — More than 100 pitches in, Stephen Strasburg was adamant he wasn’t quite ready to leave the latest superb start by a Nationals pitcher against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Championship Series — a win that put Washington on the verge of the city’s first World Series...
Yankees plan to go all relievers in ALCS Game 4 vs. AstrosVideo
NEW YORK — The Yankees and Astros plan all-bullpen games from the start in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series in a sign of the times. With the best-of-seven series tied 1-1, New York’s Luis Severino starts Game 3 on Tuesday against Gerrit Cole. Masahiro Tanaka began the opener...
Carlos Correa lifts Astros past Yankees with HR in 11thVideo
HOUSTON — Carlos Correa hit a leadoff home run in the 11th inning, and the Houston Astros won a battle of the bullpens, beating the New York Yankees, 3-2, on Sunday night to tie the AL Championship Series at one game apiece. The slumping Correa, who earlier hit an RBI...
Nationals send Strasburg to mound to try to take stranglehold on NLCS vs. Cardinals
WASHINGTON — Thanks to superb pitching, the countdown is on to the Washington Nationals’ first World Series appearance in franchise history. Up 2-0 on the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Championship Series after near no-hitters from Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer, the Nationals turn to historically strong playoff pitcher...
Yankees win Game 1 of ALCS behind Tanaka’s masterful outing, Torres’ bat
HOUSTON — Gleyber Torres kept up his October surge with a homer and five RBIs, Masahiro Tanaka polished his playoff resume and the New York Yankees blanked the Houston Astros, 7-0, on Saturday night in the AL Championship Series opener. With so much attention focused on the Astros aces, Tanaka...
Scherzer flirts with no-hitter as Nationals take 2-0 NLCS lead on Cardinals
ST. LOUIS — Max Scherzer was strength and fire. Anibal Sanchez was artistry and deception. Two different styles, two absolute gems for the Washington Nationals. Scherzer followed Sanchez’s near no-hitter with a try of his own, and the stingy Nationals beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 3-1, on Saturday for a...
Report: Angels PR employee supplied Tyler Skaggs with opioidsVideo
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels said they don’t know whether a longtime public relations official had been providing drugs to late pitcher Tyler Skaggs, as detailed in a report Saturday on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines.” Eric Kay, a 24-year employee of the Angels’ PR department, told the Drug...
Anibal Sanchez shines as Nationals beat Cardinals in NLCS openerVideo
ST. LOUIS — It turns out Washington’s Big Three is a Big Four. Don’t forget about Anibal Sanchez. The right-hander carried a no-hit bid into the eighth inning, Howie Kendrick had two more big swings and the Nationals beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-0, on Friday night in the NL...
Tyler Glasnow says tipped pitches help undo Rays in ALDS vs. AstrosVideo
HOUSTON — Unable to beat three aces in a row, the Tampa Bay Rays finally folded against Houston. It didn’t help starter Tyler Glasnow was sure he tipped pitches in the first inning, when the Astros scored four fast runs. With baseball’s most inexpensive roster, the young Rays tried all...
David Ortiz pulls vodka prank on Frank Thomas during Fox MLB pregame showVideo
Big Papi was big pouring Thursday. The three-time World Series champion David Ortiz pranked fellow MLB all-star Frank Thomas during the ALDS pregame show on FS1. Before the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays game, Ortiz pulled out a handle of vodka and poured it into Thomas’ water bottle. "Get...
Gerrit Cole dominates as Astros eliminate Rays, advance to ALCS vs. YankeesVideo
HOUSTON — All season long, it seemed inevitable. Yankees-Astros for the American League pennant. “It’s the matchup that we wanted,” Houston shortstop Carlos Correa said. “It’s the matchup that everybody wants to watch. It’s must-see TV right there. So everybody is going to be tuning in. It’s going to be...
Howie Kendrick grand slam in 10th lifts Nationals over Dodgers, into NLCSVideo
LOS ANGELES — Howie Kendrick hit a tiebreaking grand slam off in the 10th inning and the Washington Nationals, boosted by a stunning rally against Clayton Kershaw, beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-3 Wednesday night and advanced to the NL Championship Series against St. Louis. Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto...
10-spot: Cardinals oust Braves from NLDS with record 1st inningVideo
ATLANTA — The St. Louis Cardinals turned the diamond into a giant pinball machine, dinging hits all over SunTrust Park. By the time the Atlanta Braves finally got the third out, it was the most productive first inning in postseason history. The Cardinals scored 10 runs their first time up...
Security guard dances during Rays-Astros ALDS gameVideo
A secruity guard got more than 15 seconds of fame Tuesday night. During Game 4 of the ALDS between the Tampa Bay Rays and Houston Astros, a security guard busted a move, or two, or three while FS1 was on a commercial break. This security guard absolutely crushed it DO...
First Call: NFL villains abound; Ex-Pittsburgh players star in MLB, NHL, NBA
Wednesday’s “First Call” has two themes. The first is NFL villains getting what they deserve. The second is former Pittsburgh athletes thriving in new places. Everywhere. Shake-gate On Monday night, Richard Sherman made the claim that Baker Mayfield snubbed him in the handshake line before the coin toss. Based on...
Michael Cunningham: These Braves don’t carry burden of postseasons past
These Braves shouldn’t have to carry the weight of their predecessors who faded in October. It’s easy to forget they weren’t even supposed to be here this soon. The Braves came out of nowhere to win the National League East title last year. They weren’t favored to win the division...
Rays chase Justin Verlander early, beat Astros to even ALDSVideo
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Willy Adames homered and made a sensational relay throw from shortstop, Tommy Pham also went deep and the Tampa Bay Rays chased Justin Verlander early in beating the Houston Astros 4-1 Tuesday night to even their AL Division Series at two games apiece. Ryan Yarbrough and...
Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg, Dodgers’ Walker Buehler meet in Game 5Video
WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg’s 2012 shutdown is a distant memory. This sort of setting and stakes — Game 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the outcome of the NL Division Series on the line — is exactly why the Washington Nationals protected the pitcher they drafted No. 1 overall...
Giants minor leaguer Tyler Cyr tweets meager paycheck
Tyler Cyr is making a name for himself. The San Francisco Giants minor league relief pitcher has climbed the organizational ladder, from rookie ball in 2015 to Triple-A Sacramento — one rung below the major leagues — this past season. What he is not making: money. In an attempt to...
Braves hope Cardinals won’t become latest team to celebrate in AtlantaVideo
ATLANTA — The Braves are back in the A-T-L for a decisive postseason game. That’s not necessarily a good omen for the home team. Over the years, Atlanta has been the place where other teams come to celebrate in October. The St. Louis Cardinals hope to continue that trend when...
First Call: 49ers’ Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman mock Browns’ Baker Mayfield after ‘MNF’ rompVideo
In Tuesday’s “First Call,” San Francisco is really enjoying beating up Baker Mayfield. Charlie Morton continues to shine in the MLB playoffs. And we see — um — a unique football formation. Sweet, sweet revenge Back when Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was at Oklahoma, he made waves by planting...
