Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia and Luis Arraez hit run-scoring, two-out singles in a seventh-inning rally that led Venezuela over Italy 4-2 and into its first World Baseball Classic championship game.

Kyle Teel, Sam Antonacci and Jac Caglianone homered as Italy built a big lead and held on to stun the United States 8-6 in the World Baseball Classic.

Jesús Luzardo retired 22 straight batters after giving up four runs in the first inning, and the Philadelphia Phillies stormed back to beat the reeling New York Mets 6-4 to complete a four-game sweep.

The Kansas City Royals have made history by using nine relievers to achieve a 1-0 shutout against the Atlanta Braves.

The Royals and reliever Carlos Estévez have agreed to a two-year, $22 million contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday night.

Even with up to 24 video cameras, Major League Baseball didn’t have a precise picture showing whether Michael Massey’s glove slapped Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s left foot before it touched the corner of second base.

Alex Verdugo hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning and saved at least one run with a sliding catch along the left-field line, boosting the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 6-5 in their AL Division Series opener.

Three-time Cy Young Award winner and baseball’s career active strikeout leader Max Scherzer has been placed on the 15-day injured list because of right shoulder fatigue.

The St. Louis Cardinals added starting pitcher Erick Fedde and Milwaukee, the team they are chasing in the NL Central, acquired starter Frankie Montas.

Michael Lorenzen pitched seven strong innings, rookie Wyatt Langford had two RBI singles and the Texas Rangers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 to win a series at Dodger Stadium for the first time since 1999.

Marcus Semien had four hits and five RBIs, and the Texas Rangers scored 10 times in the second inning of a 15-8 victory over the Oakland Athletics.

Spencer Turnbull has not allowed a hit through six innings for the Philadelphia Phillies against the Chicago White Sox.

Ronel Blanco of the Houston Astros threw the first no-hitter in the major leagues this season, blanking the Toronto Blue Jays 10-0.

Free agent right-hander Michael Lorenzen gives the Texas Rangers another starting pitcher less than a week before the season opener.

The Atlanta Braves made several surprising roster moves for the NL Division Series, adding hard-throwing reliever Daysbel Hernández and top prospect AJ Smith- Shawver ahead of Game 1 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Michael Lorenzen, Byron Buxton, Johnny Cueto and Jonathan Hernández were among the players left off rosters for Wild Card Series, while the Texas Rangers made the surprise inclusion of former top draft pick Matt Bush.

Michael Lorenzen will get some extra rest after pushing himself beyond his usual limits while throwing a no-hitter.

Michael Lorenzen threw the 14th no-hitter in Philadelphia Phillies history, a dazzling performance in only his second start with his new team, which beat the Washington Nationals 7-0.

Michael Lorenzen has not allowed a hit through eight innings Wednesday for the Philadelphia Phillies against the Washington Nationals.

Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Weston Wilson homered in his first major league plate appearance, a long-awaited milestone for the 28-year-old rookie who was drafted in 2016.

The defending NL champion Philadelphia Phillies acquired right-hander Michael Lorenzen from the Detroit Tigers for minor league infielder Hao-Yu Lee.

Shohei Ohtani threw his first shutout in Major League Baseball in one game and hit two homers in the next, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Detroit Tigers twice on Thursday to sweep a three-game series.

Yoán Moncada scampered home on a 10th-inning wild pitch that knocked down umpire Cory Blaser, sending the Chicago White Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout homered in the same game for the eighth time this season during the Los Angeles Angels' 5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

Shohei Ohtani became the first player in major league history to hit 30 home runs and record 10 pitching wins in the same season as the Los Angeles Angels rallied for a 3-2 victory over the New York Yankees.

Aaron Judge hit a three-run shot for his 51st homer of the season, and the New York Yankees snapped their three-game losing streak with a 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Cristian Javier pitched another gem, striking out a career-high 14 while allowing just one hit in seven innings to lead the Houston Astros to an 8-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Shohei Ohtani extended his scoreless streak to 21 2/3 innings while pitching five-hit ball into the sixth with 11 strikeouts in the Los Angeles Angels’ 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Major League Baseball is standardizing procedures for rubbing baseballs and their removal from humidors in an effort to establish more consistency amid complaints about slickness that followed the crackdown on sticky substances.

Cardinals star Paul Goldschmidt could set the longest hitting streak of his career if he’s successful in both games of a day-night doubleheader at Wrigley Field on Saturday.

Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber each homered twice and the Philadelphia Phillies won in interim manager Rob Thomson’s debut, 10-0 over the Los Angeles Angels.

Mike Trout homered, doubled and scored three runs, Michael Lorenzen pitched into the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Angels held off the Chicago White Sox 6-5 for their seventh win in eight games.

Mets ace Max Scherzer is pitching back in his hometown, starting a three-game series at St. Louis.

Gerrit Cole bounced back from the shortest start of his career, Anthony Rizzo powered an early offensive barrage and the New York Yankees pounded the Cleveland Guardians 10-2 to complete a three-game sweep in a series marred by fan misbehavior.

Baseball had seen nothing like Shohei Ohtani’s unanimous AL MVP season in over a century.

Javier Báez agreed to bring his high motor to the Motor City, while other teams around the majors raced to finish up business before Tuesday’s deadline to tender contracts and a likely roster freeze coming when baseball's collective bargaining agreement expires Wednesday.

Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game, one shy of a major league record, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York Mets 6-2.

Cincinnati Reds players climb over the dugout fence and head to celebrate with pitcher Wade Miley after the Reds earned a playoff berth with a 7-2 over the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)MINNEAPOLIS – Mike Moustakas homered twice, Freddy Galvis hit a solo shot and the Cincinnati Reds clinched their first playoff spot since 2013, beating the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins 7-2 Friday night. Joey Votto and the Reds had endured six straight losing seasons before advancing this year under manager David Bell. Twins: RHP Homer Bailey, who spent 12 of his 14 major league seasons with the Reds, was designated for assignment prior to the game. Twins: RHP Michael Pineda (2-0, 3.18 ERA) pitches the middle game of the series.

San Diego Padres' Jurickson Profar, right, reacts after scoring on a fielder's choice in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, in San Diego. Prized rookie Deivi García (1-1, 3.06 ERA) pitches for the Yankees, who have won five straight following a 5-16 slide. New York expects to get third baseman Gio Urshela and right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga back from the injured list. WILD WESTThe surging San Diego Padres go for their ninth straight victory and try to close within a half-game of the West-leading Dodgers when the NL's top two teams square off again at Petco Park. Lamb homered and doubled in his Athletics debut Monday, a 9-0 victory at Seattle that gave his new team a doubleheader split.

Prized rookie Deivi García (1-1, 3.06 ERA) pitches for the Yankees, who have won five straight following a 5-16 slide. New York expects to get third baseman Gio Urshela and right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga back from the injured list. Sportico reported Cohen will own 95% of the team, with the rest staying with the Wilpon and Katz families. Former major league star Alex Rodriguez and fiancee Jennifer Lopez also tried to buy the team but dropped out of the bidding last month. Cohen also entered negotiations to buy the Mets last year, but the deal fell apart in February.