MADISON BUMGARNER

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — “Late Night LaMonte" finally delivered at home for San Francisco on Thursday night. LaMonte Wade Jr. singled home the winning run with one out in the ninth inning and the Giants held their two-game lead in the NL West, beating Madison Bumgarner and the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4. The Giants posted their 105th victory — one off the franchise record set in 1904 — and kept their two-game edge over the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers going into the final weekend of the season.

Atlanta can clinch its fourth consecutive NL East title Thursday night with a win at home over Philadelphia, which would complete a three-game sweep of their high-stakes series.

Ian Anderson pitched two-hit ball over six-plus innings and Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman homered as the Braves beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-2.

Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes combined with reliever Josh Hader to pitch baseball’s record ninth no-hitter this season, breaking a mark set when pitchers began throwing overhand in 1884 as the Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0.

Diamondbacks rookie Tyler Gilbert has thrown seven hitless innings in his first big league start against the San Diego Padres.

The Philadelphia Phillies are six outs from completing the eighth no-hitter in the majors this year, which would be the most in a season since 1900.

Yu Darvish left a rocky start early with lower back tightness, and the Arizona Diamondbacks took advantage to beat the San Diego Padres 12-3.

Five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for seven hitless innings, and the Rays beat the Indians 4-0 for a doubleheader sweep.

San Francisco right-hander Kevin Gausman hasn’t allowed a hit through six innings against the St. Louis Cardinals, closing in on what would be the record-tying eighth no-hitter in the majors this season.

The Arizona Diamondbacks snapped their record 24-game road losing streak by routing the San Diego Padres 10-1, getting six strong innings from Merrill Kelly and four hits and five RBIs from Eduardo Escobar.

San Diego slugger Fernando Tatis Jr. hit three homers, hours after saying he would skip the All-Star Home Run Derby because of an ailing shoulder, and the Padres sent the Arizona Diamondbacks to their record 24th straight road loss, 11-5.

Kevin Kiermaier broke up a combined no-hit bid by the Boston Red Sox with a one-out double in the eighth inning and Manuel Margot scored on a wild pitch in the ninth to give the Tampa Bay Rays a 1-0 victory.

Merrill Kelly pitched seven effective innings, Ketel Marte had two hits and the Arizona Diamondbacks finally snapped a 17-game losing streak by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 on Monday night.

Maikel Franco hit a two-run homer with one out in the eighth inning, denying the Houston Astros in their attempt to throw a combined no-hitter at Baltimore.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have dropped 23 straight away games, setting a major league record.

Walker Buehler had another masterful mound performance, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the skidding Arizona Diamondbacks 9-3.

Walker Buehler’s no-hit bid for the Los Angeles Dodgers ended in the eighth inning when Arizona’s David Peralta lined a leadoff single into center field.

Braves starter Charlie Morton has not allowed a hit through six innings against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Shohei Ohtani struck out eight, hit two doubles at the plate and pushed through an injury scare to lead the Los Angeles Angels past the slumping Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 in 10 innings.

Slumping DJ LeMahieu and the skidding Yankees hope to get back on target when they start a set at Target Field against the Twins on Tuesday night.

Nationals reliever Austin Voth was sent to a Philadelphia hospital to get his nose reset after it was broken when he was hit by a pitch while squaring around to bunt.

Padres left-hander Blake Snell has thrown six no-hit innings against the New York Mets.

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta is celebrating his 25th birthday with a no-hit bid through six innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The major league batting average rose slightly in May, though it remained at its lowest level in 53 years.

St. Louis’ Carlos Martinez has a no-hitter through six innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

MLB pitchers have thrown six no-hitters in a span of just 41 days this season.

Tossing a major league no-hitter should be a monumental achievement. But is it losing its glamour after a sixth no-hitter was thrown in 41 days?

Spencer Turnbull pitched the fifth no-hitter in the majors already this season, sending the Detroit Tigers to a 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

Albert Pujols delivered an RBI single in his Dodgers debut, and Walker Buehler pitched seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball in Los Angeles’ 3-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Jon Lester is set to start for the Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field after spending the past six seasons with the Chicago Cubs.

Gerrit Cole starts against Houston on Thursday for the first time since leaving the Astros for a $324 million, nine-year contract with the Yankees before the 2020 season.

Baseball is swinging and missing.

Arizona LHP Madison Bumgarner starts against Colorado in his first appearance since pitching a seven-inning no-hitter against Atlanta last Sunday, a game that Major League Baseball does not consider to be a no-hitter.

Merrill Kelly starts for the Arizona Diamondbacks when they host Fernando Tatis Jr. and the Padres following a dominant pitching performance in a doubleheader at Atlanta.

Limited to a total of one hit in an entire doubleheader, Freddie Freeman and the Braves try to do better with the bats when they begin a set against the Cubs.

Madison Bumgarner threw a seven-inning no-hitter, an achievement that won’t count in the Major League Baseball record book but completed a dominant day of Arizona Diamondbacks pitching for a 7-0 win over the Atlanta Braves and a doubleheader sweep.

Yan Gomes homered and added an RBI single to help the Washington Nationals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2 for their first back-to-back wins this season.

Opening day in Major League Baseball saw All-Stars on the field and fans back in the stands.

He was 2-1 with a 6.35 ERA in three spring starts, including allowing six earned runs against Cincinnati on Friday. Alec Bohm had two hits, including his fourth double. AdFreddie Freeman had two hits, including a double and his first homer — a two-run shot in the sixth. Victor Robles had three hits, including his sixth double, with an RBI, and Kyle Schwarber doubled and walked three times. Adalberto Mondesi singled and homered and Jorge Soler had two hits, including a double.

The 27-year-old says his power surge through the first two weeks of exhibition games is for real. He's had a good start with seven hits in his first 14 at-bats, including three homers and three doubles. He's shown dominant stuff at different points throughout his career and struck out a career-high 235 batters in 2019. The 24-year-old has been a top prospect for several years and hit .350 with nine homers in 2019 at Triple-A Albuquerque. The durable right-hander pitched an MLB-high 84 innings for the Rangers last season and had a 6-3 record with a 3.32 ERA.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo enters his fifth year with the Diamondbacks and the final year of his current contract under a substantial amount of scrutiny. The protocols have been tightened even further from what they experienced during the abbreviated 2020 season. Players underwent a five-day at-home quarantine before reporting, with exceptions for essential activities and approved outdoor workouts and exercise. AdThey’ll need to stay in their living quarters throughout spring training except for baseball activities, medical care, grocery shopping, takeout food pickups and outdoor physical activity. Mozeliak believes knowing which players already have at least some measure of protection from the coronavirus can help in preventing an outbreak during spring training.

FILE - Cardboard cutouts rest in seats at Oracle Park as the San Francisco Giants play the San Diego Padres during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, in this Wednesday, July 29, 2020, file photo. What wasn’t odd in 2020, when the coronavirus was the commissioner of all sports? And, before long, the odd became the new normal. Masked coaches patrolled the sidelines looking as if they had been lifted from the set of a cheesy cops-and-robbers movie. But with no fans in the park -- in Oakland and San Francisco -- and plenty of balls landing in the seats, AP Baseball Writer Janie McCauley had an idea.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Corey Seager hits a RBI-single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)ARLINGTON, Texas – Corey Seager hit a rare October double, becoming Most Valuable Player of the World Series after earning the honor for the League Championship Series. Just as Orel Hershiser did when the Los Angeles Dodgers won their previous World Series title in 1988. The previous player to be selected MVP of both a League Championship Series and the World Series in the same year was San Francisco pitcher Madison Bumgarner in 2014. Seager missed the 2017 NL Championship Series because of a back injury, then returned for the World Series against Houston and hit .222 (6 for 27) with four RBIs.

If St. Louis loses and San Francisco wins, the Cardinals would make up two games against Detroit on Monday that were postponed this season due to St. Louis' coronavirus outbreak. Brewers (29-30) — Qualify with a victory over St. Louis, or with losses by the Giants and Phillies. If the Giants and Cardinals win, San Francisco needs St. Louis to lose both games against the Tigers on Monday. A career .279 hitter, he had 244 home runs and 942 RBIs for Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Texas. “He had a tremendous career, did a ton for the community in San Francisco and obviously for the San Francisco Giants,” Kapler said.

The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner says he needs Tommy John surgery, likely putting him out of action through all of next year. “I tried as hard as I could to come back and play this season,” Verlander said. “Unfortunately, my body just didn’t cooperate.”The Astros hold the eighth and final spot in the AL playoff race. Verlander went 21-6 with a 2.58 ERA last year, striking out a career-high 300 and throwing his third no-hitter. His top competitors are likely two-time defending winner Jacob deGrom of the Mets, Atlanta’s Max Fried and Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer.

(AP Photo/Eric Risberg)SAN FRANCISCO Evan Longoria and Darin Ruf launched back-to-back home runs in the second inning and the Giants spoiled Madison Bumgarners return to San Francisco with a 4-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night. His 119 wins are third-most in San Francisco history and his 1,794 strikeouts rank second. Joey Bart and Mauricio Dubn added consecutive RBI triples in the sixth to give San Francisco a 4-1 lead. San Francisco improved to 6-2 against the Diamondbacks this season, outscoring them 39-23. He went 2-1 with a 4.11 ERA in three starts against San Francisco last season.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner throws a pitch against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)A look at what's happening around the majors on Saturday:HERE COMES MADBUMFormer Giants ace Madison Bumgarner will face his former club at last when he takes the mound for the Arizona Diamondbacks in San Francisco. I feel like Im pretty good at pushing all that stuff aside, the 2014 World Series MVP said. He had a 2.90 ERA in 411 appearances with the Cubs over seven years, mostly in a setup role. He was a key member of the 2016 team that won the franchises first World Series title since 1908.

(AP Photo/Matt York)PHOENIX David Peralta slapped a bases-loaded single through the right side of the infield with one out in the ninth inning to push the Arizona Diamondbacks past the streaking Oakland Athletics 4-3 on Monday night. The As trailed 3-1 going into the eighth but came back to tie it after loading the bases with one out. Ahmed quickly made up for his mistake, smacking a leadoff double to left field to start the decisive ninth-inning rally. UP NEXTAthletics: Oakland wraps up the quick two-game series by sending RHP Frankie Montas (2-1, 1.57 ERA) to the mound. Diamondbacks: Arizona goes with RHP Luke Weaver (0-3, 11.85), who has pitched just 13 2/3 innings this season in four starts.

San Diego Padres Dinelson Lamet took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks' during a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, in San Diego. Lamet got two more outs before manager Jayce Tingler pulled him in favor of rookie Luis Patio. The Padres remain the only major league team without a no-hitter, having played 8,154 games since 1969 without one. Machado homered with one out in the first and Myers hit a two-run shot with two outs. Padres: RHP Garrett Richards (0-1, 4.60 ERA) starts the opener of a four-game series at Dodger Stadium on Monday night.

The setting sun shines through the windows of Globe Life Field during the third inning of a baseball game between the Texas Rangers and the Colorado Rockies Wednesday, July 22, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. The first round will be a best-of-three series and the pairings will be 1 vs. 8, 2-7, 3-6 and 4-5. BRAND NEW HOMEThe Texas Rangers officially open Globe Life Field, their new $1.2 billion stadium with a retractable roof. Bumgarner signed an $85 million, five-year deal with the D-backs during the offseason after spending 11 years in San Francisco. Roberts said Kershaw might be able to return as early as the team's series against the Diamondbacks that begins July 30.

PHOENIX The Minnesota Twins have shuffled their on-field staff to protect the health of some of their older coaches. I think we all know that we're making the right decision, but that doesn't mean it feels good," Baldelli said. The defending World Series champion Nationals will begin their title defense without Zimmerman and pitcher Joe Ross, who both declined to play because of health concerns. We are one hundred percent supportive of their decision to not play this year, Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said in a statement. Cleveland's 61-year-old manager Terry Francona said he's not nervous, even though he's had previous health issues.