Lee Dae-ho hit his 10th homer of the season Monday to lead the Japanese Pacific league in home runs. The Orix Buffaloes’ “Big Boy” hit a solo home run during the fourth inning of a game against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, surpassing the Softbank Hawks’ Wily Pena. This is the first time a Korean slugger has topped the rankings in his first season across the East Sea. Despite Lee’s efforts, the ...

CHICAGO (AP) ― Paul Konerko just wants to trust his instincts every time he steps to the plate. The way he’s stinging the ball, why wouldn’t he? “It doesn’t come easy,” Konerko said. He sure is making it look that way, and so are his teammates, for that matter. Dayan Viciedo homered in his third straight game, Konerko had four hits, and the Chicago White Sox pounded Derek Lowe and the short-ha...

CLEVELAND (AP) ― After the final out, closer Chris Perez let out a primal scream and punched the air in celebration. The Cleveland Indians, overlooked and underappreciated ― even by many of their own skeptical fans ― had swept three straight from the Detroit Tigers and their high-priced lineup. Maybe the AL Central will be a race after all. Unless the Indians run away with it. Justin Masterso...

Slugger Lee Dae-ho is playing in Japan like he wants to be a home run king his first season into the league. The Orix Buffaloes “Big Boy” Lee looks like he is settling in Japan’s Pacific League, after a string of two-run home runs. Lee enjoyed a three-game homer streak before tiring out and finishing the game week with no hits in Wednesday’s contest. Still, Lee clings to second in his league wit...

Korean right fielder goes 2 for 4 with 2 runs, walk and stolen base CLEVELAND (AP) ― When the bullpen door swung open, Chris Perez braced himself. After criticizing Cleveland’s fans for failing to support the first-place Indians, Perez wasn’t sure what to expect when he came in for the ninth inning with another game on the line. As he entered the field, there was only one sound. The roar carr...

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ― Gio Gonzalez continued to dominate hitters and the Washington Nationals continued to frustrate the Philadelphia Phillies. Gonzalez allowed three hits over six innings and Ian Desmond homered and drove in both runs to lead the Nationals to a 2-1 victory Monday night. Gonzalez (6-1), a former Phillies farmhand, struck out seven of the first nine batters and finished with nine ...

CLEVELAND (AP) ― All Ubaldo Jimenez could do to try and shake off his slow start to the season was keep throwing strikes. It paid off against the Seattle Mariners. The right-hander pitched six innings, and the Cleveland Indians pounded out a season-best five doubles to beat the Mariners and ace Felix Hernandez 9-3 on Wednesday night. “This is the best Ubaldo has thrown the ball this year,” mana...

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ― Derek Lowe pitched his first shutout in nearly seven years, throwing a six-hitter Tuesday and leading the Cleveland Indians over the Minnesota Twins 5-0. Choo Shin-soo, the Indians’ new leadoff man, scored after a leadoff double in the third inning and then hit the first of three Cleveland home runs in the fifth against Jason Marquis (2-3). Asdrubal Cabrera and Carlos Santana ...