The San Diego Padres are returning to the playoffs for the first time in 14 years after beating the Seattle Mariners 7-4 Sunday with a three-run rally in the 11th inning that included a go-ahead double by newcomer Mitch Moreland.
The clincher came in the finale of a series that was moved from Seattle because of poor air quality due to wildfires, so the Mariners were considered the home team and batted last. After closer Trevor Rosenthal (1-0), another newcomer, struck out Phillip Ervin for the final out, the Padres had a brief but joyous celebration in the infield. Then they gathered near the dugouts to get playoff caps and T-shirts.
Although Petco Park was devoid of spectators, a handful of fans watched from a rooftop bar just beyond left-center field and several others watched from balconies on an office building high above right field.
San Diego Padres' Manny Machado slides as he scores during the eleventh inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, in San Diego. (AP PhotoDenis Poroy)
Casey Sadler (1-1) took the loss.
RED SOX 10, YANKEES 2
Tanner Houck took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of his second major league start and Michael Chavis had a huge day at the plate as Boston halted two long streaks with a victory over New York.
San Diego Padres' Manny Machado, left, and Eric Hosmer, right, celebrate after the Padres beat the Seattle Mariners in a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, in San Diego. The Padres clinched a spot in the playoffs. (AP PhotoDenis Poroy)
Boston ended the Yankees' 10-game winning streak and snapped a 12-game skid against its longtime rival. New York remained 3½ games behind AL East-leading Tampa Bay.
Hours later, however, the Yankees punched their ticket to the postseason for a fourth straight year when Seattle lost to San Diego.
Chavis hit two homers over the Green Monster and drove in five runs. Jackie Bradley Jr. went 4 for 5, and J.D. Martinez and Bobby Dalbec each had a solo homer.
It was Boston’s first win over the Yankees this season in their last of 10 meetings. New York had matched its longest winning streak against the Red Sox, also winning 12 in a row in 1936 and from 1952-53.
Luke Voit hit his major league-leading 21st homer for the Yankees.
ORIOLES 2, RAYS 1
John Means struck out a career-high 12 in a pitching duel with Ryan Yarbrough, and Baltimore stalled Tampa Bay's push toward the AL East title.
Means (2-3) allowed three hits and a run in 5 2/3 innings. The left-hander tied a team record with seven consecutive strikeouts, matching the mark set by Sammy Stewart in 1978.
Renato Núñez hit a two-run single in the first for the Orioles, who made the best of five hits in averting a five-game sweep by the soaring Rays.
Yarbrough (1-4) gave up two runs and five hits with eight strikeouts over seven-plus innings.
Tampa Bay had won seven of nine.
BRAVES 7, METS 0
Kyle Wright allowed one hit in the best start of his big league career, pitching into the seventh inning to lead Atlanta past New York.
Ronald Acuña Jr. homered off Rick Porcello (1-6) to break a scoreless tie in the sixth and finished with four RBIs. Travis d’Arnaud added a two-run double for his latest clutch hit against his former team.
Looking for its third straight NL East title, Atlanta moved three games ahead of second-place Miami with seven to play.
Wright (2-4) went 6 1/3 innings and combined with three relievers on a three-hitter.
The Mets dropped 2 1/2 games out of the final NL playoff spot with three teams to catch and only seven games remaining.
GIANTS 14, ATHLETICS 2
Brandon Crawford hit a grand slam, Chadwick Tromp and Darin Ruf added two-run homers, and San Francisco prevented Oakland from clinching the AL West title at home.
The Giants earned their first win in six tries during this year’s Bay Bridge Series.
Oakland, already into the playoffs for a third straight season, needed a win or a loss by the rival Astros to secure their first division crown since 2013. Houston won at home against the Diamondbacks.
Tyler Anderson (3-3) — ejected in the third inning Thursday against the Mariners — struck out four over 5 2/3 innings.
Tromp connected in the third for the Giants’ first runs of the series, then Ruf the next inning against Mike Minor (1-6), who was coming off a victory in his first start with Oakland. Tromp also had an RBI single during his three-hit day.
MARLINS 2, NATIONALS 1, 1ST GAME
NATIONALS 15, MARLINS 0, 2ND GAME
Kurt Suzuki homered and doubled to bounce back from a game-ending strikeout in the opener, and Washington routed playoff-contending Miami to split a doubleheader.
In the opener, Marlins reliever Brandon Kintzler fanned Suzuki with the bases loaded to preserve the win.
The split kept Miami a game ahead of Philadelphia for second place in the NL East. The top two teams in each division make the playoffs, along with two wild-card clubs in each league.
Ben Braymer (1-0) pitched one-hit ball for five innings. Braxton Garrett (1-1) took the loss.
In the first game, The Marlins scored an unearned run off Max Scherzer (4-4) in the sixth on a two-out error by first baseman Eric Thames.
Sandy Alcantara (3-2) got the win and Kintzler earned his 10th save.
REDS 7, WHITE SOX 3
Mike Moustakas hit a two-run single as Cincinnati scored five times in the fourth inning on just one hit.
Aristides Aquino hit a two-run homer as the surging Reds stayed in contention for a playoff spot, taking two out of three from the the AL Central leaders for their seventh win in eight games.
Cincinnati broke away by turning six walks, a hit batter and Moustakas’ single into a big inning. Playoff-bound Chicago issued a season-high 11 walks and hit three batters overall.
Lucas Sims (3-0) pitched 2 1-3 innings for the win. Dylan Cease (5-3) walked a career-worst seven in three-plus innings.
ORIOLES 2, RAYS 1
John Means struck out a career-high 12 and Baltimore stalled Tampa Bay’s push toward the AL East title.
Means (2-3) allowed three hits and a run in 5 2/3 innings. The left-hander tied a team record with seven consecutive strikeouts, matching the mark set by Sammy Stewart in 1978.
César Valdez worked a perfect ninth for his second save.
Ryan Yarbrough (1-4) gave up two runs and five hits with eight strikeouts over seven-plus innings.
CARDINALS 2, PIRATES 1
Yadier Molina hit a two-run homer and Jack Flaherty struck out 11 as St. Louis kept its hold on a postseason spot.
Molina’s home run to the bleachers in left field came in the seventh inning off Pittsburgh reliever Derek Holland (1-3) and extended the Cardinals’ winning streak to a season-high four games.
Flaherty (4-2) allowed only one run and two hits in six innings while walking two. Andrew Miller closed for his third save.
ROCKIES 6, DODGERS 3
Antonio Senzatela pitched efficiently into the seventh inning as Colorado avoided a sweep and delayed the Dodgers from clinching their eighth straight NL West title.
Senzatela (5-2) carried over his command from his last start when he turned in his first career complete game. He allowed one run over 6 1/3 innings.
Mychal Givens got one out for his first save.
Tony Gonsolin (1-2) struck out a career-best 10, including the first six he faced, over five innings.
INDIANS 7, TIGERS 4
Carlos Carrasco allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings, and Jose Ramirez homered twice to lift Cleveland.
Carrasco (3-4) struck out 11. The Indians took three of four in this series after entering on an eight-game losing streak and are closing in on a postseason berth.
Matthew Boyd (2-7) was perfect through four innings for Detroit, but the Indians scored three runs in the fifth. Then Ramirez added two-run homers in the sixth and seventh to make it 7-0.
Miguel Cabrera hit his 484th career home run for Detroit in the eighth.
BREWERS 5, ROYALS 3
Daniel Vogelbach hit two homers and drove in all five runs as Milwaukee swept the three-game series.
Vogelbach, claimed by the Brewers off waivers earlier this month, hit a two-run drive in the first inning off Brad Keller (4-3). He hit a three-run drive in the sixth.
Josh Lindblom (2-3), who was reinstated from the bereavement list prior to the start of the game, held Kansas City to one run and three hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Josh Hader retired the lone batter he faced to notch his 10th save in 12 tries as Milwaukee won its fourth in a row.
RANGERS 7, ANGELS 2
Kyle Cody earned his first major league win as Texas hit a season-high five home runs.
Joey Gallo, Anderson Tejada, Sam Huff, Rougned Odor and Derek Dietrich homered for the Rangers.
Cody (1-1) allowed just three hits and one run in a career-high five innings, striking out five without a walk.
Los Angeles starter Julio Teheran (0-4) was chased in the second inning for the second straight game.
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