MLB News Blog

Home runs by Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel in the third inning lifted Nick Blackburn and the Minnesota Twins to yet another Metrodome victory over the collapsing Chicago White Sox, 4-1 on Monday night. The Twins crept within 3 1/2 games of first-place Detroit in the AL Central, leaving the White Sox six games back.

Carlos Lee hit a two-run home run and drove in four runs, leading the Houston Astros to a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday night. Lee has hit 20 of his 31 homers against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. He also had a two-run single to give him 85 RBIs against the NL [...]

Brandon Phillips hit one homer and had another overturned after a review Monday night, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 to complete a doubleheader sweep that drew the two smallest crowds in Great American Ball Park's history. Phillips had three hits off left-hander Paul Maholm (7-8), including a solo homer.

Brad Penny and the Giants agreed to a minor league contract Monday night, adding another proven arm to San Francisco's strong rotation for the stretch run. Penny cleared waivers after he was released by Boston last week. Because he reached a deal with San Francisco by Aug. 31, he is eligible for postseason play with [...]

Andy Pettitte retired his first 20 batters before a lamentable seventh-inning sequence spoiled both his perfect game and no-hit bid, and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 Monday night. Pettitte (12-6) was poised to finish the seventh without allowing a baserunner, but former Oriole Jerry Hairston Jr.

Omar Infante hit a two-run triple in the seventh and Kenshin Kawakami pitched six effective innings to carry the Atlanta Braves past the Florida Marlins on Monday night, 5-2 in a matchup between NL wild-card contenders. Marlins ace Josh Johnson did not allow a hit until the sixth inning when Matt Diaz lined a 2-2 [...]

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal and his wife have been forced to evacuate their home in an area of La Canada Flintridge threatened by the massive Station Fire. Furcal was not in the lineup for Monday's night game against Arizona, having been given the day off. "That's a lot of baggage that doesn't include [...]

The Mariners are without All-Star Ichiro Suzuki, active home run leader Ken Griffey Jr. and Gold Glove third baseman Adrian Beltre for their series opener against the first-place Los Angeles Angels. Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu said before Monday night's game that he expects Suzuki and Beltre back in the lineup Tuesday.

Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips lost a solo homer after an umpire's review. Phillips hit what was initially ruled his second home run of the game off Pittsburgh's Paul Maholm during the fifth inning on Monday night. The drive down the left-field line flirted with the foul pole, and third base umpire Dan Iassogna signaled [...]

Rangers catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia has been shut down again after experiencing more numbness in his right arm. He might need season-ending surgery. "If rest made it better, then I wasn't going to have to have it," Saltalamacchia said Monday. "But if the rest isn't doing it, it's progressing more toward surgery than anything else." Saltalamacchia, [...]