Topic: Daisuke Matsuzaka

LOS ANGELES -- Adam Jones' bobbled ground ball drove in Brandon Crawford with the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning, and the United States advanced to its first World Baseball Classic title game with a 2-1 victory over Japan at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday.

Josh Hamilton returns to Arlington on Thursday when the Texas Rangers welcome the Boston Red Sox for the start of a four-game series.

Alex Rodriguez's return took center stage leading up to the New York Yankees' season opener, but Drew Hutchison and the Toronto Blue Jays ended up stealing the show.

The Mets beat the Yankees for a sixth straight time, jumping on Vidal Nuno early and cruising to a 12-7 win on Tuesday night.

Andrew Brown singled home Anthony Seratelli with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the New York Mets over the Detroit Tigers, 5-4, in Grapefruit League action at Tradition Field.

There is a sign inside the main offices of the Sports Network that reads, "We didn't expect to be this good this fast".

Daisuke Matsuzaka allowed four hits over 7 2/3 innings in the New York Mets' 1-0 win over Cincinnati, whose division title chances came to an end Wednesday.

David Wright's two-run homer helped New York build an early five-run lead Friday and the Mets held on to defeat Philadelphia 6-4.

Daisuke Matsuzaka held Miami to two hits over seven innings Saturday and the New York Mets earned a doubleheader split with a 3-1 win over Miami.

Freddie Freeman drove in five runs and Jordan Schafer went 4-for-5 with an RBI Monday, sparking Atlanta's 13-5 rout of the New York Mets.