AL Playoff Watch: Orioles lose to Astros, Blue Jays' magic number now at 4

Christian Vazquez hit a bases-loaded single to cap a four-run 11th inning to help lead the Houston Astros to victory over the Baltimore Orioles 6-3.

BALTIMORE (AP) — Christian Vazquez hit a bases-loaded single to cap a four-run 11th inning for Houston, and the Astros went on to a 6-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.

The Orioles' postseason hopes took another blow, missing a chance to move up in the AL wild-card standings. They remained four games behind Seattle for the third and final spot.

Houston ended the regular season 51-30 on the road. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers (52-26) will finish with a better mark. The Astros salvaged the last two games of this series after Baltimore shut them down in the first two.

Keegan Akin (3-3) retired only one hitter in the 11th for Baltimore, and that was Yordan Alvarez on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly that put the Astros ahead 3-2. Akin then hit a batter to re-load the bases and walked Kyle Tucker to make it 4-2. Vazquez's two-out, two-run single off Joey Krehbiel put Houston up by four.

Cedric Mullins singled home a run in the bottom half, but that was all the Orioles could manage.

Hector Neris (6-4) allowed the Orioles to tie the game at 2 in the 10th, but he pitched out of that jam and got the win.

ROYALS 13, MARINERS 12

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Luis Castillo, fresh off signing a rich contract with Seattle, got chased as Kansas City erupted for 11 runs in the sixth inning and a wild win that cost the Mariners a chance to move up in the AL wild-card standings.

Mitch Haniger singled twice during an eight-run fifth for the Mariners, and they led 11-2 going into the bottom of the sixth. But Castillo struggled, and Michael Massey homered and drove in four runs during the Royals' biggest inning since 2004.

The Mariners stayed in the third wild-card spot, a half-game behind Tampa Bay. Seattle remained four games ahead of Baltimore for that last AL playoff slot.

Holding a nine-run lead, Castillo struck out the first batter in the Royals sixth. After a walk and Massey's homer, Castillo was pulled after another walk. The Royals wound up combining seven hits, including a two-run single by Massey, and five walks off four pitchers to take the lead. Matt Brash (3-5) faced four batters and failed to record an out.

Hunter Dozier finished with three hits and two RBIs for the Royals.

Jose Cuas (4-2) recorded four outs for the win. Scott Barlow earned his 24th save.

BLUE JAYS 7, RAYS 1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — George Springer homered twice, Alejandro Kirk and Teoscar Hernandez also went deep and Toronto earned a split of the four-game series.

Toronto (86-67) opened a two-game lead over Tampa Bay (84-69) for the top wild card with nine games left. Seattle (83-68) is a half-game behind the Rays.

Toronto allowed 20 runs in losing the first two games, but limited Tampa Bay to a total of two runs in winning the final two.

Ross Stripling (9-4) allowed one run and six hits in five innings. Zach Pop, Adam Cimber, Trevor Richards and Yusei Kikuchi combimed to give up one hit over four innings.

Rays All-Star Shane McClanahan (12-7), who was pulled in the fifth inning of his previous start ue to neck tightness, gave up four runs and six hits, including a career-high three homers, over five innings.

YANKEES 2, RED SOX 0

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge remained at 60 home runs, one short of Roger Maris' American League record, when the New York's win over Boston was called after six innings because of rain.

Judge went 1 for 2 with a double and was due up next for the Yankees when play was stopped. The game was called after a 98-minute delay, sending Judge on the road to chase Maris in Toronto this week. Since connecting for No. 60 on Tuesday night against Pittsburgh, the four-time All-Star was 4 for 15 with three doubles, six walks and six strikeouts.

Judge led off the bottom of the first by grounding a double inside third base against Red Sox rookie Brayan Bello (2-7). The slugger fought back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk in the third and was visibly disappointed when he flied out to center field on a hanging slider in the fifth.

Nestor Cortes (11-4) allowed one hit and struck out five in a rain-shortened complete game.

GUARDIANS 10, RANGERS 4

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cleveland has another new name this year: AL Central champions.

Four of rookie Steven Kwan's career-high five RBIs came on his first career grand slam in the eighth inning and Aaron Civale allowed two runs on three hits in five innings.

They clinched the division title about 15 minutes before their game ended, when the second-place Chicago White Sox lost to Detroit. This is Cleveland's 11th Central title since the division's inception in 1994 and its fourth in 10 years under manager Terry Francona, who battled health problems the past two seasons.

Cleveland has won 18 of its last 21 games, including seven straight.

Civale (3-6) is 21-0 when provided at least three runs' support. He struck out seven and walked none throwing 75 pitches in his second start since returning from the injured list following forearm inflammation.

BRAVES 8, PHILLIES 7, 11 INNINGS

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ronald Acuna singled home the go-ahead run in the 11th inning and the Atlanta Braves stayed close in the NL East race.

The Braves split the four-game series and remained 1 1/2 games behind the division-leading New York Mets. They'll play three games next weekend in Atlanta, with the Mets needing one win to secure the tiebreaker advantage of head-to-head wins.

Kyle Schwarber extended his National League-leading home run total to 42 with a pair of solo drives while scoring three times for the Phillies. Philadelphia holds a 1 1/2-game lead over the Brewers for the third NL wild card spot and a head-to-head tiebreaker over Milwaukee based on a 4-3 season series advantage.

In the 11th, Acuna hit an RBI single off Andrew Bellatti (4-4) for a 7-6 lead, and later scored on a two-out single by Michael Harris II.

Jackson Stephens (3-2) pitched the last two innings, giving up an RBI single to J.T. Realmuto in the 11th.

GIANTS 3, DIAMONDBACKS 2

PHOENIX (AP) — Pinch-hitter Evan Longoria had a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning to lead San Francisco.

Brandon Crawford led off the Giants eighth with a single against Luis Frias (1-1) and advanced to second on Cooper Hummel's passed ball. One out later, Jason Vosler walked, and another passed ball moved the runners to second and third.

Pinch-hitter Wilmer Flores walked to load the bases and Reyes Moronta relieved Frias. Longoria's line single to left scored the Giants' first two runs after they had left 10 runners on base without scoring in the first seven innings. Camilo Doval pitched the ninth for his 26th save, giving up a run, a walk and a hit.

Jakob Junis (5-6), who entered the game with two outs in the third, gave up four hits and one run in 5 1/3 innings.

J.D. Davis had four hits for the Giants, including a solo homer off Mark Melancon in the ninth.

REDS 2, BREWERS 1

CINCINNATI (AP) — Spencer Steer hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth, and Nick Lodolo pitched six strong innings to lead Cincinnati.

Hunter Renfroe homered for the Brewers, who were unable to complete their first four-game sweep of the Reds since 2003. Freddy Peralta, who hadn't pitched since Sept. 8 due to right shoulder inflammation, pitched two innings before giving way to Aaron Ashby.

Cincinnati tied the score 1-1 in the fourth when Ashby hit Austin Romine with the bases loaded. Steer's solo home run leading off the eighth was his second homer of the season, first since his major-league debut on Sept. 2.

Milwaukee's lone run and all of their hits against Reds starter Nick Lodolo came in the second inning.

Matt Bush (2-3) took the loss. Buck Farmer (2-1) got the win and Alexis Diaz earned his ninth save.

DODGERS 4, CARDINALS 1

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Will Smith had two hits and Michael Grove pitched five solid innings to pick up his first career victory as Los Angeles clinched the No. 1 overall seed in the National League.

Two days after reaching 700 home runs, Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols received a standing ovation when he was announced as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning and struck out.

Grove (1-0), making his sixth appearance and fifth start, gave up one run and three hits to help the Dodgers tie a club record with their 106th win _ previously accomplished in 2019 and 2021. Andre Jackson pitched the final three innings for his first save.

The Dodgers' Freddie Freeman doubled in the first inning, giving him 191 hits and tying his career-high set in 2018 with Atlanta.

Adam Wainwright (11-11) allowed four runs and six hits with three walks in three innings.

TIGERS 4, WHITE SOX 1

CHICAGO (AP) — Dylan Cease pitched six scoreless innings, but the White Sox bullpen got tagged and Chicago was eliminated in the AL Central.

Jonathan Schoop hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth and Chicago's sixth straight loss clinched the division for Cleveland. The Guardians held a big lead in the ninth inning of their game at Texas when the clinching became official.

The White Sox, who won the AL Central last season in their first year under manager Tony La Russa, slipped to 76-77. La Russa hasn't run the team since last August because of a medical issue, and Miguel Cairo has been the acting manager.

Andrew Chafin (2-3) pitched a scoreless inning for Detroit. Gregory Soto got his 28th save.

CUBS 8, PIRATES 3

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Patrick Wisdom hit a three-run homer, Adrian Sampson tossed six efficient innings and Chicago beat Pittsburgh.

Wisdom took the first pitch he saw from reliever Manny Banuelos and sent it into the Pirates bullpen well behind the center-field wall with two outs in the fifth. Wisdom became the fourth Cubs third baseman to reach the 25 home run-plateau in multiple seasons, joining Hall of Famer Ron Santo, Aramis Ramirez and Kris Bryant.

Esteban Quiroz, Ian Happ and Alfonso Rivas had two hits each for the Cubs, who took three of four from the Pirates to finish 5-2 on a seven-game trip through Miami and Pittsburgh.

Sampson (3-5) surrendered one run — a solo shot by Bryan Reynolds with two outs in the sixth — and four hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

Brandon Hughes got his seventh save when he came on with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth after the Pirates had chipped into a seven-run deficit against Erich Uelmen.

Hard-throwing rookie Luis Ortiz (0-1) allowed just four runners in 4 2/3 innings. He was removed after walking Zach McKinstry with two outs in the fifth.

ANGELS 10, TWINS 3

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Mike Trout had three hits, including his 37th homer of the season, and Los Angeles beat Minnesota.

Trout also doubled twice, walked and scored three runs. Shohei Ohtani had two hits, including an RBI single in the ninth that keyed a five-run rally that broke open the game.

Jose Suarez (7-8) earned the win, allowing two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.

Carlos Correa doubled twice while Jose Miranda went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Twins, who have lost nine of their last 11. Catcher Caleb Hamilton homered in the eighth inning for his first major league hit.

The Angels jumped on Twins starter Dylan Bundy (8-8) early.

NATIONALS 6, MARLINS 1

MIAMI (AP) — Anibal Sanchez threw five scoreless innings and Washington beat Miami hours after the Marlins announced manager Don Mattingly won't be back next season.

The 38-year-old Sanchez (3-6) gave up two hits, continuing a recent string of solid outings. He walked two and struck out four, lowering his ERA to 1.31 in his last seven starts.

Rookie Joey Meneses hit his 12th homer and C.J. Abrams had three hits for the Nationals, who avoided a three-game sweep against the Marlins and their 100th loss. Miami won the season series 15-4.

Marlins starter Edward Cabrera exited with a right ankle strain after he landed awkwardly while attempting to field Victor Robles' two-out bunt single in the fourth. Cabrera (6-4) allowed two earned runs, six hits and struck out three.

PADRES 13, ROCKIES 6

DENVER (AP) — Manny Machado and Brandon Drury hit back-to-back home runs in a five-run eighth inning, Wil Myers also went deep, and San Diego beat Colorado.

Jake Cronenworth tripled and drove in three runs and Juan Soto, Jurickson Profar and Luis Campusano had two hits each for the Padres. Robert Suarez (5-1) pitched one inning of relief for the win.

San Diego kept its hold on the second NL wild card and increased its lead on Milwaukee to three games. The Brewers lost 2-1 to Cincinnati on Sunday.

Ryan McMahon homered, Elias Diaz had three hits and Sean Bouchard had two singles and three RBIs for Colorado.

The Padres scored three runs in the first inning and four more in the third on Cronenworth's two-run triple and a 433-foot two-run homer by Myers that made it 7-1. All seven runs were charged to Kyle Freeland (9-11), who lasted just 2 2/3 innings.

METS 13, ATHLETICS 4

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Pete Alonso homered, doubled and drove in five runs, Max Scherzer pitched six sharp innings and New York held its NL East lead.

The Mets remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Atlanta. New York has won eight of 10, and plays the Braves on the road next weekend in a three-game series.

Scherzer (11-4) excelled a day after co-ace Jacob deGrom floundered. Scherzer allowed one run and four hits, striking out seven with one walk. This was Scherzer's second appearance since exiting his start on Sept. 3 with fatigue on his left side. In his last start, the three-time Cy Young Award winner was pulled after six perfect innings and 68 pitches against Milwaukee.

JP Sears (6-3) gave up six earned runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

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