Neil Walker hit a three-run homer, Zach Britton started a game-ending double play on New York's third try in the ninth inning and the Yankees kept the Boston Red Sox from a bubbly celebration in the Bronx for at least another night with a 3-2 victory Tuesday.
Batting from the left side, Walker golfed a no-doubter in the seventh inning off Ryan Brasier for the Yankees' third hit of the game and a 3-1 lead. Walker dropped his bat, admired the shot for a moment and then pointed into the Yankees dugout as he jogged to first base.
Aaron Judge returned to New York's lineup for the first time since breaking his right wrist July 26, while AL MVP candidate Mookie Betts got a day off for Boston after injuring his left side Sunday. Judge hit a pop fly to the warning track but finished 0 for 4.
New York Yankees' Neil Walker, center, is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run off Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Ryan Brasier during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, in New York. (AP PhotoJulio Cortez)
New York entered the night with a 1 1/2-game lead over Oakland for the top AL wild card. The A's hosted the Angels later.
Boston is trying to clinch the AL East at Yankee Stadium for the second time in three years. The Red Sox lead the Yankees by 10 1/2 games and entered the night with a magic number of four over the Astros to lock up baseball's best record.
The game started about six hours after it was supposed to begin. Originally scheduled for 1:05 p.m., it was pushed back earlier in the morning because heavy rain was in the forecast.
Boston Red Sox's Andrew Benintendi slides into third with a triple during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, in New York. (AP PhotoFrank Franklin II)
Chad Green (8-2) and David Robertson relieved J.A. Happ and got the ball to Britton, who capped a five-hitter for his sixth save.
Boston reliever Brandon Workman (6-1) walked two in the seventh before Walker took Brasier deep. The Red Sox bullpen wasted six scoreless innings of two-hit ball from hard-throwing starter Nathan Eovaldi.
CARDINALS 8, BRAVES 1
Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer, Yadier Molina added a two-run single in a four-run eighth inning and St. Louis won ITS third straight game.
Austin Gomber pitched five effective innings for St. Louis, which holds a slim lead for the second NL wild card. The Cardinals top the National League with 36 victories since All-Star break, and their 43 road wins this season rank second.
Atlanta's division lead dropped to 5½ games over Philadelphia as the Braves lost their fourth in a row after a season-best six-game winning streak. They are 38-38 at SunTrust Park and have dropped 14 of 18 at home.
The Braves' magic number remained at seven as they try to clinch a division title for the first time in five years. Philadelphia beat the New York Mets 5-2.
Anibal Sanchez (6-6) allowed four hits and two runs and struck out six in five innings.
Gomber (6-1) gave up six hits, one run and three walks while striking out five for his fifth victory in his last six decisions.
BLUE JAYS 6, ORIOLES 4
The Orioles fell to Toronto, dropping their 108th game, a team record for losses in a season since they arrived in Baltimore in 1954.
The 1988 Orioles, who opened the season 0-21, held the previous team record for losses with a 54-107 finish. The overall franchise record for defeats is 111, set by the 1939 St. Louis Browns — a mark this year's team could still eclipse.
The Orioles led 4-2 in the seventh before a throwing error by third baseman Steve Wilkerson on a grounder by Teoscar Hernández allowed two runs to score. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. followed with a two-RBI single off reliever Paul Fry that that gave Toronto a 6-4 lead.
Reliever Jake Petricka (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings. Tyler Clippard held the Orioles in the eighth, and Ken Giles earned his 23rd save.
PIRATES 2, ROYALS 1, 11 innings
Pinch-hitter Ryan Lavarnway drove in the winning run with a single in the 11th inning and Jameson Taillon struck out a career-high 11 for Pittsburgh.
It was just the second at-bat of the season for the 30-year-old Lavarnway, the Pirates' fourth-string catcher. He hit .288 in 77 games in with Triple-A Indianapolis. Lavarnway has played 142 career games with five teams.
Starling Marte led off the 11th with an infield single off Burch Smith (1-6). Josh Bell walked and Burch struck out Francisco Cervelli before Adam Frazier was intentionally walked to load the bases, setting up Lavarnway's walk-off hit to shallow center.
Pinch-hitter Hunter Dozier tied the game in the ninth with a double off Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez that scored Jorge Bonifacio. Left fielder Corey Dickerson threw to shortstop Jordy Mercer, who relayed home to throw out Salvador Perez and preserve the tie.
Kyle Crick (3-2) retired the side on 10 pitches in the 11th to earn the win.
REDS 3, BREWERS 1
Jose Peraza capitalized on Chase Anderson's home run troubles with a drive in the first inning and Cincinnati dealt Milwaukee its third loss in four games.
The Brewers' edge for the top NL wild-card spot was cut to two games by St. Louis, with Colorado also in close contention.
Milwaukee managed only three hits against five Cincinnati pitchers. It was the third low-scoring loss for the Brewers in four games — they fell to Pittsburgh 3-1 on Saturday and 3-2 on Sunday.
Michael Lorenzen, making his first start since 2015 after 151 relief appearances, allowed one unearned run on one hit in four innings. Sal Romano (8-11) followed with 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the victory.
Raisel Iglesias struck out three in the ninth after a leadoff walk for his 28th save.
Anderson (9-8) gave up three runs on six hits with two walks in 3 2/3 innings, matching his shortest start of the season. Six relievers blanked the Reds the rest of the way.
PHILLIES 5, METS 2
Jorge Alfaro hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the sixth inning and Philadelphia boosted its faint playoff hopes.
Philadelphia overcame an uneven outing from ace Aaron Nola and a home run by starter Steven Matz that made him the third Mets pitcher to homer in consecutive appearances.
The Phillies won for the third time in 10 games and moved within 5 ½ games of Atlanta in the NL East. The Braves lost 8-1 to St. Louis.
Wilson Ramos and Justin Bour delivered pinch-hit RBI hits in a five-run sixth before Alfaro drilled a curveball from Drew Smith (1-1) to left-center for his 10th homer.
And with that, Matz's eventful performance was wasted by the Mets.
The other Mets pitchers to homer in back-to-back outings were Hall of Famer Tom Seaver (1972) and Ron Darling (1989).
Pat Neshek (3-1) relieved Nola and got the final out of the sixth. Seranthony Dominguez, Tommy Hunter and Hector Neris each pitched a scoreless inning as the Phillies improved to 7-11 against the Mets this season.
NATIONALS 4, MARLINS 2
Stephen Strasburg matched his season-high with 11 strikeouts and Bryce Harper tied a season high with five walks to lead Washington.
Anthony Rendon drove in two runs for the Nationals (77-75), who moved to within 6 ½ games of the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves, who lost 8-1 to St. Louis.
Strasburg (9-7) pitched six innings and allowed two runs and five hits with two walks. At one point, he struck out six consecutive batters.
Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect ninth for his 25th save in 26 opportunities.
Sandy Alcantara (2-1) pitched four innings for the Marlins and allowed six hits, six walks, and three runs.
TWINS 5, TIGERS 3
Chris Gimenez homered and Tyler Austin drove in three runs to lead the Twins.
The Twins have won three straight, while the Tigers have lost seven of nine.
Mikie Mahtook drove in all of Detroit's runs.
Jake Odorizzi (7-10) allowed two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out six in his first start since losing a no-hitter in the eighth inning against the New York Yankees.
Trevor Hildenberg pitched the ninth for his seventh save, allowing Mahtook's two-out RBI single.
Daniel Norris (0-5) pitched a season-high 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks.
INDIANS 5, WHITE SOX 3
Corey Kluber struck out 11 in eight innings to record his career-high 19th win for Cleveland.
Kluber (19-7), who allowed three runs, topped 200 strikeouts for the fifth straight season. Kluber won 18 games in three of the previous four seasons, including his two AL Cy Young Award-winning years, 2014 and 2017.
Omar Narvaez walked and Matt Davidson singled with two outs in the eighth, but Kluber retired Ryan LaMarre on a groundout.
Indians All-Star second baseman Jose Ramirez was hit on the left arm by Carlos Rodon's pitch in the fifth inning and walked from the plate in obvious pain. Ramirez spoke with manager Terry Francona and a team trainer, but stayed in the game.
Carlos Rodon (6-6) allowed five runs in seven innings. Palka and Narvaez hit solo homers in the sixth for the White Sox.
RAYS 4, RANGERS 0
Blake Snell became the major leagues' first 20-game winner in two years, pitching Tampa Bay past Texas.
Snell (20-5) threw one-hit ball for five innings and tied the Tampa Bay record for victories in a season. David Price also won 20 in his Cy Young Award season of 2012.
Snell won his eighth straight start. The 25-year-old lefty struck out five, walked two and threw 92 pitches, exiting with a 1.97 ERA.
Tampa Bay has won four straight and 13 of 16 this month in a last-ditch attempt to wrest the AL second wild-card playoff berth from Oakland. The Rays began the day trailing the A's by 6 ½ games.
The Rays scored three times in the fourth against Yovani Gallardo (8-6). Willie Adames hit a two-run homer and Joey Wendle had an RBI double.
ASTROS 7, MARINERS 0
Marwin Gonzalez hit a two-run homer in a four-run third inning that helped Houston eliminate Seattle from contention for the AL West title.
Houston entered the day four games ahead of Oakland atop the division standings. The Athletics played later against the Angels.
Rookie starter Josh James (1-0) struck out seven and scattered four hits over 5 1/3 innings for his first major league win. Four relievers completed the shutout.
Seattle starter Mike Leake (10-10) yielded six hits and five runs in 6 1/3 innings to snap a two-game winning streak.