AL playoff watch: Orioles fall further behind Blue Jays, Mariners win

BALTIMORE — Rafael Devers hit a grand slam in the first inning, Kiké Hernández had four and Boston worked their way to a big win over Baltimore.

Jordan Lyles (10-10) failed to make it past fourth place in his first start this month, and the Orioles lost for the fifth time in seven games. Lyles allowed eight carries and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Christian Arroyo hit a two-run homer in the fifth for the Red Sox, who had already broken up the game by then. Boston snapped a four-game losing streak, and Michael Wacha (11-1) extended his unbeaten run to 11 starts, giving up three carries and six hits in six innings.

Boston ended with 21 hits.

BLUE JAYS 11, RANGERS 7

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Danny Jansen hit a homer and hit a career-high with four, Santiago Espinal tied his career-highs with three hits and three RBIs, and Raimel Tapia hit a three-run homer as Toronto’s bottom team led an early attack in one Victory over Texas.

All 11 Blue Jays runs came in the first four innings, helping Kevin Gausman to his fourth straight win. The Blue Jays are the best 18 games of the season over .500, drawing within a half game against AL wildcard leaders Tampa Bay.

Gausman (12-9) allowed five runs on two home runs. He went 5 1/3 innings and hit out nine, which is one short of his season high.

The Jays hit twice in the first three innings at Kohei Arihara (1-3), who also gave up a two-run homer on Jansen in the fourth. Tim Mayza made his first save of the season.

YANKEE 10, RAYS 3

NEW YORK — Leadoff man Aaron Judge singled twice during a six-run first inning in front of Corey Kluber as the New York Yankees started with seven straight hits for the first time since 1990 and the Tampa Bay Rays 10-3 on Saturday defeated.

Josh Donaldson hit an early homer and Giancarlo Stanton connected late from a lob pitch as both players returned to the lineup and helped the AL East-leading Yankees move 4 1/2 games ahead of Tampa Bay. New York also clinched the season’s head-to-head tiebreak against the Rays should the teams even finish at the top of the division.

Judge, who led the majors with 55 home runs, hit three singles and increased his average to a .307. He is the first Yankees player to reach base at least three times in seven straight games since Mickey Mantle in June 1957.

New York hit six singles on Kluber’s first 21 pitches (10–8). Judge’s RBI single with two outs in the first game chased the two-time Cy Young Award winner after 32 pitches.

New York starter Jameson Taillon (13-4) gave up three runs and six hits in 7 1/3 innings for his 50th career win.

Wander Franco hit an RBI single and Harold Ramírez added a two-run single as Tampa Bay lost for the second time in 11 games.

MARINERS 3, BRAVES 1

SEATTLE — Sam Haggerty and Eugenio Suárez each hit a solo homer, George Kirby pitched in the seventh inning and Seattle defeated Atlanta to end the Braves’ eight-game winning streak.

Atlanta starter Max Fried (13-6) was starting in interleague games for the first time this season and had won his previous nine starts against AL teams.

Haggerty hit Fried’s first pitch of the fifth inning to left field for his fifth home run. Suárez followed an inning later, hitting a two-out shot at center for his 28th of the season. It was the first time Fried had allowed multiple homers in one start this year.

In his 21st start of his rookie season, Kirby (7-3) has batted six, never batted and has a 1.99 ERA in his last 11 starts.

Fried’s last line was almost a mirror image of Kirby’s, throwing six innings and knocking out six.

WHITE SOX 10, ATHLETICS 2

OAKLAND, Calif. — Elvis Andrus hit a triple homer against Oakland that cut him last month, and Chicago had 20 hits in their fourth straight win.

AJ Pollack and Andrew Vaughn had four hits each to help Lance Lynn (6-5) and the rising White Sox win for the ninth time in 11 games. Lynn allowed two unearned runs and three hits in six innings.

Andrus is 22 for 60 with five homers in his last 14 games.

A’s starter Adrián Martínez (4-4) was tagged for 14 hits in just 3 2/3 innings and gave up seven runs. He fell to the ground after being hit in the second by a line drive in his left, non-pitching shoulder, made the out to end the inning and stayed in the game.

ANGEL 6, ASTROS 1

HOUSTON (AP) — Mike Trout hit a home goal in his sixth straight game to set an Angels franchise record, Shohei Ohtani threw five solid innings before being eliminated with a blister, and Los Angeles beat the Houston Astros with Saturday night 6:1

Trout hit his 34th homer, a three-run drive to left field in the second inning. The three-time AL MVP broke the club’s five-game mark in 1977 with a homer set by Bobby Bonds.

Ken Griffey Jr., Don Mattingly and Dale Long share the major league record of eight straight games with a home run.

Ohtani (12-8) was running for six hits with seven strikeouts until he left with a blister on his right index finger just before the sixth inning.

The Angels jumped Houston starter Jose Urquidy (13-6) for five runs in the first two innings. He allowed a career six runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts in five innings.

PHILLIES 8, NATIONALS 5

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper ended the longest home run drought of his career and Kyle Schwarber hit his 37th home run of the year to help Philadelphia over Washington.

Harper hit a homer for the first time since June 5, a streak of 102 plate appearances that included a two-month stint with the IL with a broken thumb. Schwarber has homed for the first time since Aug. 29 to retain his National League lead.

Brandon Marsh and Nick Maton also scored for Philadelphia. Ranger Suarez (9-5) earned the win for the Phillies by pitching 6 2/3 innings and allowing four runs with seven hits.

Erick Fedde (6-10) took the loss for the Washington. He allowed four runs on five hits and four walks in just 3 2/3 innings.

METS 11, MARLINS 3

MIAMI (AP) — Francisco Lindor had three hits including his 22nd home run, Mark Canha started a grand slam to cap an eight-run fourth inning and New York beat Miami.

Eduardo Escobar also went deep into his three hits for the Mets, who recorded for the first time since September 11.

Canha opened the fourth with a walk against Miami starter Pablo López and ended the breakout by knocking out reliever Andrew Nardi for his first career slam to give the Mets a 9-1 lead.

Carlos Carrasco (14-6) overcame an early Marlins advantage and threw six innings with one-run ball. The right-hander was eliminated 11 straight ahead of Jon Berti’s one-out double in the sixth.

López (8-10) gave up eight carries and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. He has allowed 14 carries and 22 hits in his last two starts against New York.

GIANT 5, BOYS 2

CHICAGO (AP) — Joey Bart and David Villar each hit a homer, doubled and drove in two runs, helping San Francisco move Chicago ahead and end a five-game losing streak.

Logan Webb (13-8) allowed two runs for six hits over seven innings while striking out six and walking none. The 25-year-old right-hander eliminated 17 of his last 19 hitters and extended his career highlights for wins and innings.

John Brebbia threw a scoreless eighth. Camilo Doval was working on a leadoff single for his 21st parade in the ninth.

Ian Happ doubled twice and drove in one run for the Cubs, who lost for the 10th time in 13 games. Chicago starter Marcus Stroman (3-7) delivered four runs and seven hits over four innings.

BREWER 5, RED 1

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Willy Adames and Andrew McCutchen each hit a two-run homer, Adrian Houser allowed a hit in six innings and Milwaukee beat Cincinnati.

Houser (6-9) allowed a leadoff double from José Barrero in the third and a victim fly from TJ Friedl — but no more. The right-hander turned a 2-1 lead to the bullpen, and the Brewers easily held. Taylor Rogers scored a 1-2-3 seventh, Matt Bush beat the team in the eighth and Brad Boxberger handled the ninth for Milwaukee chasing an NL wildcard.

Adames shut out Chase Anderson (0-3) in the first inning for his 27th home run and tied the Texas Rangers’ Corey Seager by a shortstop for most of the majors.

TIGERS 8, ROYALS 4, 8 INNINGS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Victor Reyes drove in three runs and Detroit defeated Kansas City in a rain-shortened game.

Javier Báez and Harold Castro each had two hits and two RBIs as Detroit picked up its third straight win. Matt Manning (2-2) threw 6 1/3 innings with three shots.

The Tigers took the lead to stay with three runs in the third against Jonathan Heasley (3-8). Reyes tied for a 1-1 with an RBI triple. Báez doubled in Reyes and then hit Castro’s single.

Heasley was charged with seven runs and seven hits in more than four innings.

Salvador Perez had two hits for Kansas City and drove in one run.

CARDINALS 7, PIRATES 5

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Albert Pujols hit his 696th home run, tying fourth-place Alex Rodriguez on the career list, and the St. Louis Cardinals rebounded 7-5 at the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday night.

Pujols is behind only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714) on the all-time homer list. The 42-year-old Pujols has 22 games left in his 22nd and final season in the premier league.

With St. Louis sixth down 3-1, Pujols connected with a first pitch slider from JT Brubaker. He sent a two-barreled shot 418 feet into the left stand at PNC Park, launched at an exit speed of 111.2 mph.

Pujols also doubled and singled for the NL Central leaders. His RBI single in the eighth made it 4-all.

Nolan Arenado broke the tie with a three-run double with two outs in ninth place ahead of Wil Crowe (5-9).

Giovanny Gallegos (3-5) threw a perfect eighth inning for the Cardinals. Ryan Helsley allowed a two-off single from Bryan Reynolds in the ninth RBI before taking Rodolfo Castro to his 15th save.