Red Sox again unable to clinch
BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox once again failed to clinch the AL East, losing 3-2 to Alex Bregman and the Houston Astros on Friday night.
The magic number for the Red Sox remained at one. Boston leads the New York Yankees by two games — both teams have two games left and they are each assured playoff spots.
If Boston and New York wind up even, they will play a one-game tiebreaker Monday at Yankee Stadium for the division crown, with the loser going to the wild-card game.
Bregman homered and drove in three runs for Houston, which reached 100 wins for the second time in team history. Charlie Morton (14-7) pitched into the sixth inning, and Ken Giles got three outs for his 34th save.
YANKEES 4, BLUE JAYS 0
NEW YORK — Masahiro Tanaka struck out 15 over seven innings, his highest total since coming to the major leagues, and the playoff-bound Yankees won for the fourth time in five games.
Tanaka (13-12) retired his first 14 batters before Ezequiel Carerra reached on an infield single up the middle.
Aroldis Chapman worked the ninth for his 21st save in 25 chances.
Greg Bird had two hits and two RBIs for New York, and Aaron Judge also drove in a run.
Toronto right-hander Joe Biagini (3-13) allowed three runs and six hits in five innings. Marcus Stroman (13-8) will be on the mound for the Blue Jays in today’s rematch.
ANGELS 6, MARINERS 5
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Luis Valbuena hit a two-run, pinch-hit double in the eighth inning to cap a four-run rally as the Los Angeles Angels overcame three home runs by Seattle in a 6-5 victory over the Mariners on Friday night.
Mike Trout hit two home runs for the Angels, in the process becoming the fifth player in major league history to collect 1,000 hits and 200 home runs by their age 25 season. He joined Alex Rodriguez, Mickey Mantle, Mel Ott and Jimmie Foxx. Trout turned 26 last month. Trout’s first-inning homer was overcome by back-to-back solo homers by Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager in the fourth off Tyler Skaggs (2-7). It was home run No. 39 for Cruz and No. 26 for Seager.