Jose Ramirez broke a tie with a solo home run in the sixth inning to help the Cleveland Guardians record a sixth consecutive win with Monday's 3-2 victory over the suddenly slumping Baltimore Orioles.
Ramirez had a run-scoring single earlier in the game in support of Tanner Bibee, who tossed six solid innings before three Cleveland relievers protected the one-run lead and send the Orioles to a season-high fourth straight loss.
Bibee (6-2) struck out seven while allowing two runs - one earned - on five hits to win his second straight start.
After Ramirez's 431-foot blast off Cade Povich gave the Guardians a 3-2 edge, Tim Herrin and Hunter Gaddis threw a scoreless inning each before Scott Barlow struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth for his second save of the season.
The Guardians grabbed an early 1-0 edge as their first three hitters reached base off Povich. Steven Kwan led off the game with a single and Andres Gimenez drew a walk before Ramirez brought in the first run with a base hit.
Baltimore countered in its half of the first when Gunnar Henderson stroked a lead-off double and crossed the plate on Ryan O'Hearn's one-out single.
Back-to-back doubles by Gabriel Arias and Bo Naylor in the top of the second put Cleveland back ahead, but the Orioles tied it in the third with an unearned run.
After Adley Rutschman reached base with a double, the standout catcher advanced to third on a fielding error by Guardians' first baseman Josh Naylor before scoring on Anthony Santander's sacrifice fly.
Povich (0-2) took the loss after surrendering three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Lynn, Donovan help Cardinals stay hot
Lance Lynn yielded one run over 6 2/3 strong innings and Brendan Donovan collected three hits as the surging St. Louis Cardinals ran their winning streak to four games with a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
The Cardinals have now won nine of 12 after taking the opener of this three-game series, though they had to hang on after Atlanta scored twice off star closer Ryan Helsley in the ninth inning.
St. Louis had built a seemingly comfortable lead by scoring four runs off Atlanta starter Spencer Schwellenbach in the third inning, all coming with two out.
Alec Burleson began the rally with a double that brought in Michael Siani with the game's first run. Willson Contreras, activated from the injured list prior to the game, then plated Burleson with a single in front of another base hit by Nolan Gorman. Donovan then singled to right to score Contreras for a 3-0 advantage.
Donovan was later thrown out trying to steal second, though Gorman would cross the plate before the tag was made for the Cardinals' fourth run.
That was enough for Lynn (3-3), who gave up a solo homer to Austin Riley in the fifth inning but just three other hits over his outing. The veteran right-hander struck out five without a walk.
Helsley converted his 27th straight save opportunity to begin the season, though it didn't come easy as he walked Marcell Ozuna to begin the ninth before allowing a single to Matt Olson. Another walk would load the bases with one out to set up Ramon Laureano's run-scoring single that cut the lead to 4-2.
Olson scored on a sacrifice fly from pinch-hitter Travis d'Arnaud to get the Braves within a run, though Hesley would strike out Zack Short to end the game.
Schwellenbach (1-3) struck out six over five innings but permitted all four St. Louis runs on eight hits.
Phillies turn rare triple play in rout of Tigers
Bryce Harper went 3 for 5 with a homer and five RBIs and was part of a rare triple play turned by the Philadelphia Phillies in an 8-1 rout of the Detroit Tigers.
The Phillies also got a very good start from Aaron Nola (9-3) en route to their third straight win. The right-hander held the Tigers to one run and six hits while striking out six without a walk over seven innings.
Nola also snared a line drive off the bat of Matt Vierling with the Tigers threatening in the third inning, then threw the ball to Harper at first base to double off a runner for another out. Detroit's Zach McKinstry was also running from third on the play and was thrown out as well when Harper relayed the ball to third baseman Alec Bohm to complete the triple play.
According to Major League Baseball, it was the first 1-3-5 triple-play (pitcher-to-first base-to-third base) in an MLB game since 1929.
The Phillies had a 4-0 lead at that point thanks to a big first inning that began when Kyle Schwarber reached on a fielding error by shortstop McKinstry. Trea Turner then doubled before Harper sent both runners home with a double of his own to open the scoring.
Bohm then drilled a pitch from Casey Mize over the left field wall for his first of four hits on the night, with the two-run homer giving Philadelphia a 4-0 advantage.
Detroit got on the board in the fifth when McKinstry doubled and scored on Carson Kelly's single, but Harper's three-run homer off Tyler Holton in the sixth increased the Phillies' lead to 7-1.
Harper also scored Philadelphia's final run in the eighth by coming home on a double from Bohm, who finished 4 for 5 with three runs batted in.
Mize (1-6) registered a career-high 10 strikeouts in just 4 1/3 innings, but was tagged for nine hits while surrendering four runs - three earned.
MLB: Tigers clinch wild card with sixth straight victory
The red-hot Detroit Tigers earned an AL wild card berth on Friday night, ending a decade-long postseason drought with a 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
The Tigers have been on a tear, winning six straight and 10 of 11 to surge into the playoffs and eliminate the defending AL Central champion Minnesota Twins from the race.
Since Aug. 11, when Detroit was eight games under .500 and counted out of contention, it has been the hottest team in the majors with 31 wins in 42 games with the lowest ERA in baseball and the largest run differential.
The Tigers will play AL Central champion Houston or Baltimore next week in a best-of-three Wild Card Series, most likely on the road.
The White Sox, meanwhile, set a modern major league record with their 121st loss. They broke the post-1900 record of 120 losses set by the New York Mets in 1962 during their first season. The overall record was set in 1899 by the Cleveland Spiders with a 20-134 record.
Taking advantage of playing a historically bad team, Detroit broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning. Jake Rogers scored when Jared Shuster was charged with a wild pitch even though the ball didn’t hit the dirt just below catcher Korey Lee’s glove.
Riley Greene put Detroit ahead 3-1 with a double in the seventh, and Chicago helped the home team’s cause again later in the inning when Fraser Ellard threw the team’s third wild pitch of the night.
Royals clinch playoff berth despite loss
Max Fried pitched three-hit ball over 8 2/3 innings to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 3-0 victory over Kansas City, but the Royals still got a chance to celebrate their first postseason berth since 2015.
Sean Murphy hit a two-run homer and Marcell Ozuna trotted home on a throwing error after his first stolen base since 2022 for the Braves, who won their fourth straight and sixth in seven games.
Atlanta moved into a tie with the Mets in the NL wild-card race when New York lost 8-4 at Milwaukee.
Despite the loss, the Royals, who matched a franchise record with 106 losses last season, clinched a wild card when Baltimore beat Minnesota 7-2. This is their first playoff appearance since winning the 2015 World Series.
Fried came within one out of a shutout, giving way to Raisel Iglesias when the Royals put runners at second and third. Iglesias retired Salvador Perez on a flyout for his 33rd save.
Fried threw 98 pitches, 63 for strikes. He walked two and struck out nine.
Padres beat Diamondbacks to secure top wild card
Luis Arraez hit two doubles and a triple, Yu Darvish pitched 5 1/3 gritty innings and the San Diego Padres used a four-run first inning to beat the sliding Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3.
The Padres secured the No. 4 spot in the National League bracket, meaning they'll host a best-of-three Wild Card Series next week in San Diego.
As for the Diamondbacks (88-72), they sit just behind the Mets (87-71) and Braves (87-71) in a tight race for the final two NL wild cards. The D-backs - who have lost four of five - have a slightly lower winning percentage.
Atlanta and New York have played two fewer games because Hurricane Helene washed out two games of their crucial series earlier this week. The teams would play a doubleheader Monday in Atlanta if playoff positioning is still undecided.
The Mets and Braves hold tiebreakers over the Diamondbacks should they finish with the same record. Arizona lost the season series to both teams.
The Padres never trailed, jumping to a 4-0 lead in the first inning after Merrill Kelly gave up four hits, one walk and a hit by pitch.
MLB: Dodgers, Yankees clinch division titles
The New York Yankees won the AL East title for a first-round bye in the playoffs, rolling to a 10-1 rout of the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night behind Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gerrit Cole.
Judge hit his major league-leading 58th homer, going deep for the fifth straight game and increasing his RBIs total to 144, the most in the big leagues since Ryan Howard's 146 in 2008. Stanton hit his 27th homer and had four RBIs, and Cole pitched 6 2/3 innings of two-hit ball.
Judge and Stanton homered in the same game for the 14th time this year, tying Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris in 1961 for the most in Yankees history.
When Cedric Mullins hit a game-ending groundout to shortstop Anthony Volpe, the Yankees came out of the dugout and formed a brief jumping huddle between the mound and second base.
New York improved to 93-66 and will open its 59th postseason at home Oct. 5 in a best-of-five Division Series against a winner of next week's wild-card round. The Yankees will have five days off following Sunday's regular-season finale.
Orioles ace Corbin Burnes allowed two hits in five innings with one walk and nine strikeouts. He came out after 69 pitches and is likely to start Baltimore’s postseason opener on Tuesday. Burnes had a 1.20 ERA in five September starts.
The Orioles, who failed to sweep the three-game series, hold a three-game lead in the race for the top wild card.
Trying to hold off AL Central champion Cleveland for home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs, the Yankees have a one-game lead and hold the tiebreaker over the Guardians.
Dodgers rally past Padres to secure NL West
Will Smith hit a tying, two-run homer and the Los Angeles Dodgers scored three more runs in the seventh to beat the San Diego Padres 7-2 and clinch the NL West title.
The rally was dampened by an apparent injury to All-Star slugger Freddie Freeman, who left the game after awkwardly colliding with Luis Arráez and the first base bag trying to avoid being tagged for the second out of the inning. Freeman grabbed at his lower right leg before hobbling off the field.
The Dodgers (95-64) had not clinched at home since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when cardboard cutouts replaced fans. The last time fans were on hand for a clincher at home was 2018.
A sellout crowd of 52,433 packed Dodger Stadium for the finale of the crucial series between the top two teams in the NL West. Both teams had already clinched postseason berths.
The Padres led 2-0 as Joe Musgrove pitched six shutout innings.
But the Dodgers got to him in the seventh. Musgrove gave up a leadoff walk to Max Muncy. Smith followed with a 426-foot blast to center, tying the game at 2-2. It was the Dodgers’ first home run of the three-game series.
Pinch-hitter Kiké Hernández singled and took second when Andy Pages reached on catcher’s interference by Kyle Higashioka. Shohei Ohtani singled and Hernández scored on an error, while Ohtani was safe at second on Fernando Tatis Jr.'s throwing error.
Pages and Ohtani scored on Mookie Betts’ single, making it 5-2, and Pages added a two-run, two-strike, two-out homer in the eighth.
Athletics win final game in Oakland
JJ Bleday hit an RBI single and made a highlight-reel catch in center field, Shea Langeliers had a sacrifice fly, and the Oakland Athletics went out winning in their final scheduled game at the Coliseum by beating the Texas Rangers 3-2 on Thursday.
¶Bleday and Zack Gelof delivered defensive gems to delight a sellout crowd of 46,889 under a cloudless blue September sky. Fans alternated chants of “Sell the team!” and “Let's go Oakland!” amid the mixed emotions and nostalgia at the Coliseum, where the A's have played since 1968 and enjoyed so many memorable moments.
The ninth inning featured two fans jumping the fences to run onto the grass, bottles being thrown into center field and smoke bombs set off and tossed into right. Toilet paper and other debris also came down before manager Mark Kotsay took the microphone after the game with a heartfelt thank you to the fans and one last round of “Let's go Oakland!"
The A’s plan to play the next three years in Sacramento with hopes of opening a new ballpark in Las Vegas ahead of the 2028 season.
Green “SELL” banners hung from the outfield railings as fans were treated to a trip down memory lane. Former left-hander Barry Zito sang the national anthem to huge applause, while Rickey Henderson and Dave Stewart tossed out ceremonial first pitches.
The current A's entertained, too.
Bleday made a diving catch on his right side to rob Carson Kelly of a hit on his line drive in the seventh. And the hometown fans got one more chance to see flame-throwing closer Mason Miller on the mound.
A’s starter J.T. Ginn left to a loud standing ovation after allowing two runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings, and the pitcher then applauded right back by clapping his glove.
Oakland's bullpen followed him with 3 2/3 scoreless innings, with Miller recording the final four outs for his 28th save, which leads all major league rookies. He has converted his last 16 opportunities dating to June 18.
MLB: Ohtani's hit snaps tie as Dodgers extend NL West lead
Shohei Ohtani singled in the go-ahead run before stealing his 56th base of the season in the sixth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Wednesday night to move within a victory of clinching the NL West.
The Dodgers increased their lead over the second-place Padres to three games with four to play and reduced their magic number to two. Los Angeles needs a win in Thursday's series finale to earn its 11th division title 12 years.
The Padres' five-game winning streak ended a night after they celebrated making the postseason with a game-ending triple play on their biggest rival's field.
Ohtani's two-strike, two-out single to center off Adrián Morejón scored Will Smith, who drew a leadoff walk, and made it 4-3. Ohtani stole second, but Mookie Betts followed with a popup to end the inning.
With two outs in the ninth, Michael Kopech walked Jake Cronenworth to put the tying run aboard, but Donovan Solano struck out.
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a 448-foot homer – the longest by a Padres player this season – to tie the game at 3 in the fifth.
Tigers defeat Rays to stay red hot
Parker Meadows and Spencer Torkelson homered, and the surging Detroit Tigers strengthened their bid for an AL wild card with a 7-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Detroit moved 10 games over .500 with its fourth consecutive victory. It is tied with Kansas City (84-74) for second in the wild-card standings behind Baltimore.
The Tigers play the Rays on Thursday before finishing the season with three home games against the lowly Chicago White Sox.
Detroit is 29-11 since Aug. 10, thanks to ace Tarik Skubal, one of the favourites for the AL Cy Young Award, and a cast of young pitchers. On Wednesday, rookie Keider Montero pitched 2 2/3 innings of one-run ball before five relievers combined for 6 1/3 scoreless innings.
Jackson Jobe, Detroit's best pitching prospect, worked the ninth in his major league debut.
Orioles hold off Yankees as Judge homers again
Gunnar Henderson had three of Baltimore's 12 hits in the first four innings, and the Orioles again prevented the New York Yankees from clinching the AL East title by holding on for a 9-7 victory despite another home run from Aaron Judge.
Colton Cowser drove in three runs for the playoff-bound Orioles, who tagged substitute starter Marcus Stroman early and improved to 8-4 against New York with one matchup left in their season series.
Judge went deep for the fourth game in a row, connecting on his major league-leading 57th homer in a four-run ninth inning. The three-run shot off Matt Bowman upped Judge's total to 142 RBIs, also most in the majors, and shaved New York's deficit to 9-7.
Keegan Akin entered and retired the next two batters for his third career save and first this year.
Juan Soto also homered and knocked in three runs for New York, which could have wrapped up the AL East race with a victory over the Orioles either of the past two nights.
Baltimore moved within four games of the Yankees in the division with four remaining as it tries to lock down the top AL wild card. Cedric Mullins went 3 for 4 with a walk, three runs scored and two stolen bases.
Stroman was a late replacement for injured left-hander Nestor Cortes and gave up six straight singles to begin the game as the Orioles grabbed a 3-0 lead.
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