MLB
The Houston Astros' lead in the AL West continues to shrink as the defending World Series champs endure their longest losing skid of the season.
James Paxton pitched three-hit ball over seven innings and Nelson Cruz delivered a two-run double as the Mariners handed the Astros their fifth consecutive loss, 2-0. Paxton struck out eight and threw 82 pitches in his first game off the disabled list.
Astros starter Gerrit Cole had a no-hitter in the sixth until Jean Segura singled and scored on Cruz's double two batters later.
Edwin Diaz picked up his major league-leading 40th save as the Mariners improved to 63-42, leaving them three games behind Houston.
Checking out Monday's major league schedule:
Boston is six games ahead of the Yankees in the AL East after Blake Swihart lined an RBI double in the bottom of the 13th to complete the Red Sox's 2-1 victory against the Phillies. Eduardo Nunez sparked the winning rally with a leadoff single and scored the winning run after tying the game with an RBI triple in the fifth. The Bosox's bullpen pitched shutout ball after David Price was reached for eight hits over eight innings. The series continues Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
The Braves won their second in a row as Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna Jr. hit solo homers in a 5-3 win over the Marlins. Freeman put Atlanta ahead 3-2 in the third inning and helped Julio Teheran improve to 8-7. The Braves' bullpen blanked the Marlins over four innings and helped Atlanta get within a half-game of first-place Philadelphia in the NL East.
Milwaukee is within one game of the NL Central-leading Cubs after Eric Thames slammed a three-run homer in the Brewers' 5-2 win over the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Travis Shaw was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored to help the Brewers win for the fourth time in five games. Manny Machado homered for the Dodgers.
Shin-Soo Choo crushed a three-run homer and a solo shot in the Rangers' 9-5 verdict over the Diamondbacks. Rougned Odor also went deep as Texas turned on the power before a bank of lights were knocked out by thunderstorms. Steven Souza Jr. hit a three-run shot for the Diamondbacks, who ended a three-game winning streak and stayed a half-game behind the NL West-leading Dodgers.
The Twins beat the Indians' 5-4 on Mitch Garver's RBI double in the bottom of the ninth. Cleveland slugger Jose Ramirez slammed his 31st and 32nd home runs to tie Boston's J.D. Martinez for the major league lead. Yan Gomes also homered for the Indians, who lead the AL Central by eight games over Minnesota.
Edwin Jackson earned his 100th career victory by pitching scoreless ball into the sixth inning of the Athletics' 10-1 thumping of the Blue Jays. Jackson struck out five, gave up three hits and walked three in 5 2/3 innings. Jonathan Lucroy drove in three runs and Mark Canha slammed a solo homer to help Oakland stay two games behind Seattle for the second AL wild-card berth.
Marcell Ozuna belted a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th to complete the Cardinals' comeback in a 5-4 win over the Rockies. Nolan Arenado hit a grand slam in the fifth to open the scoring, but Jedd Gyorko countered with a solo shot in the bottom half to start the Redbirds' comeback. Matt Carpenter's two-run single tied it in the seventh.
Gorkys Hernandez launched a tiebreaking solo homer in the 12th inning before the Giants completed a 5-3 victory at San Diego. Chase d'Arnaud belted a three-run shot to put the Giants ahead 3-0 before the Padres rallied. Hunter Renfroe hit a solo shot and Christian Villanueva supplied the game-tying double.
Both New York teams had the night off. The Yankees host the Orioles Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. and the Mets go against the Nationals at 7:05 p.m.
Latest in MLB Trades:
The Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners reshaped their bullpens Monday as they battle for first place in the American League West.
The Astros have acquired veteran closer Roberto Osuna from the Blue Jays for reliever Ken Giles and two pitching prospects. The 23-year-old Osuna is eligible to pitch in the major leagues starting Sunday after a 75-game suspension under Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy. He was an All-Star last year, when he went 3-4 with 39 saves and a 3.38 ERA.
Houston sent right-handers David Paulino and Hector Perez to Toronto as part of the deal, a day before the non-waiver trade deadline.
The Mariners acquired lefty Zach Duke from Minnesota for minor league hurler Chase De Jong and infield prospect Ryan Costello. Seattle also picked up Adam Warren from the New York Yankees for $1.25 million in international signing bonus pool allotment. The acquisitions come days after Seattle picked up Sam Tuivailala from St. Louis.
Duke is 3-4 with a 3.62 ERA in 45 appearances this season, while Warren has compiled a 2.70 earned run average in 24 games.
In other MLB news:
The Red Sox have acquired Ian Kinsler from the Angels to fill in for injured second baseman Dustin Pedroia. Boston is sending Triple-A pitchers Ty Buttrey and Williams Jerez to Los Angeles, while the Angels are parting with cash in the deal. The 36-year-old Kinsler is batting .239 with 13 homers and 32 RBIs for the Angels this season.
The Braves have acquired outfielder Adam Duvall from the Reds for right-handers Lucas Sims and Matt Wisler, along with outfielder Preston Tucker. All three spent time in Atlanta this season but were with Triple-A Gwinnett at the time of the trade. The 29-year-old Duvall has hit 15 home runs with 61 RBIs but is hitting only .205 this season.
The Yankees have acquired right-hander Lance Lynn from the Twins for first baseman/outfielder Tyler Austin and right-handed pitching prospect Luis Rijo. The 31-year-old Lynn was 7-8 with a 5.10 ERA in 20 starts for the Twins. He is likely to become a long reliever with the Yankees to replace Adam Warren.
The Dodgers have placed All-Star right-hander Ross Stripling on the 10-day disabled list with right first toe inflammation. Stripling is 8-3 with a 2.68 ERA and earned his All-Star spot after moving to the rotation in early May. However, he has a 4.73 ERA over five July starts, giving up six of his 15 home runs this season in that span.
Giants’ pitcher Johnny Cueto is on the disabled list with a sprained elbow. Manager Bruce Bochy said there is a strong possibility Cueto will need Tommy John surgery. San Francisco also placed infielder Pablo Sandoval on the DL with a strained right hamstring.
Braves pitcher Sean Newcomb and Nationals shortstop Trea Turner are facing the fallout from their tweets, a day after they apologized for offensive posts from 2011 and 2012. Major League Baseball recently dealt with a similar situation involving Milwaukee reliever Josh Hader on the night he pitched in the All-Star Game. MLB has said it will determine a course of diversity training for Newcomb.
NFL
The New York Jets finally have Sam Darnold under contract.
The third overall pick in this year's NFL draft has ended his three-day holdout and signed a four-year, $30.25 million package. Just after signing, Darnold made his way out to the practice field with his teammates greeting him with a "Rudy"-like slow-clap.
Darnold was the second quarterback taken in the draft after playing two seasons at Southern Cal. He completed 65 percent of his 846 passes for 7,279 yards, 57 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.
The 21-year-old is expected to compete with McCown and Teddy Bridgewater for the Jets' starting job.
The contract makes Chicago linebacker Roquan Smith the only unsigned player from the April draft.
Also in the NFL:
The Panthers suffered their second significant training camp injury in three days when cornerback Ross Cockrell was carted off the field Monday with a broken left tibia and fibula while breaking up a pass in the end zone. The team said Cockrell will need surgery, but has not said if he is expected to miss the remainder of the season. Carolina lost starting right tackle Daryl Williams on Saturday to a dislocated patella and torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee on Friday.
Packers inside linebacker Jake Ryan was carted off the field late in practice with an apparent right leg injury. Green Bay also finished practice without Kentrell Brice, who was carted off the field during a special teams drill because of an undetermined injury.
More than $500 million in claims have been approved under the NFL's concussion settlement in less than two years, nearly a decade earlier than league officials estimated they would reach that amount. The original actuarial estimates from the NFL estimated a little more than $400 million would be paid out in the first decade. Attorneys for the retired players adjusted their estimates on the total payout of expected claims earlier this month, saying the settlement would likely reach $1.4 billion— almost a half billion more than the NFL originally estimated.
NBA
Carmelo Anthony is a free agent after being waived by the Atlanta Hawks, a move that was expected when the 10-time All-Star was traded from Oklahoma City on July 19.
The 34-year-old Anthony averaged a career-low 16.2 points with the Thunder last season before being acquired by the Hawks for a protected 2022 first-round draft pick from Oklahoma City and Justin Anderson from Philadelphia.
The 10-time All-Star is 22nd on the NBA's all-time list with 25,417 points.
Checking out other NBA news:
Heat guard Dwyane Wade wouldn't say Monday if he has decided whether to play this season, which would be his 16th in the NBA. His future has been the source of much speculation for several weeks, with retirement a possibility. Heat President Pat Riley said last week the team will be patient while awaiting Wade's decision, with the hope of an answer by mid-August.
NHL
The Minnesota Wild have signed right wing Matt Read to a one-year, two-way contract.
Read has played his first seven NHL seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, totaling 87 goals, 100 assists and 508 hits in 437 career games.
SPORTS BETTING
A third Atlantic City casino is taking sports bets.
Bally's Casino started taking sports bets at 11 a.m. Monday.
Starlette Hedgepeth of Halifax, North Carolina, placed the first bet, picking the Dallas Cowboys to win the NFC championship.
On Wednesday, Harrah's Casino in Atlantic City also will begin taking sports bets. Both casinos are owned by Caesars Entertainment.
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