Yanks lose Hicks to injury; BoSox clinch home field

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Aaron Hicks injured his left hamstring running up the first-base line in the Yankees’ 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night, another concern for New York heading into next week’s AL wildcard game.

Hicks’ 11th-inning double on Saturday drove Didi Gregorius with the run that clinched a post-season berth, and on Sunday the Yankees learned Sunday that Gregorius had torn cartilage in his right wrist during his headfirst slide across the plate.

Hicks, who had fouled a pitch off his left ankle just before the double, left Monday’s game with left hamstring tightness.

New York’s win eliminated the Rays and ensured a post-season berth for Oakland, which is likely to be the wild-card opponent but also is still alive in the AL West race. At 96-60, New York is assured of its best record since going 97-65 in 2011.

Gardner had a go-ahead single off Ryan Yarbrough (15-6) in a two-run fifth inning. Red Sox 6 Orioles 2

BOSTON (AP) — Boston broke a 106-year-old franchise record with its 106th victory, clinching home-field advantage through the post-season thanks to a pair of hits from major league batting leader Mookie Betts.

Nathan Eovaldi struck out 10 hapless Baltimore batters to assure the Red Sox of the best record in baseball this season and home-field advantage through the World Series, if they make it that far. For now, they know they will open the Division Series at Fenway Park on Oct. 5 against the winner of the AL wildcard game between the New York Yankees and mostly likely Oakland.

The 1912 Red Sox won 105 games in their first season at Fenway Park.

The Orioles (45-111) became the sixth AL team and the first since the 2003 Tigers to lose 111 games, falling 60 1/2 games behind Boston (106-51) in the division. It’s the first time since 1939 that teams separated by 60 wins in the standings have played each other.

Six days after throwing six scoreless innings against the Yankees, Eovaldi (6-7) allowed one run on four hits in five innings, walking none but uncorking a pair of wild pitches.

Pirates 5 Cubs 1

CHICAGO (AP) — Jameson Taillon outpitched Cole Hamels, Francisco Cervelli hit a two-run homer and Pittsburgh made Chicago wait at least another day to clinch a playoff spot.

The Cubs needed a win plus a loss by Colorado to Philadelphia to assure a franchiserecord fourth straight trip to the playoffs, a run that includes a drought-busting World Series championship in 2016.

Taillon (14-9) gave up one run and five hits in seven innings, improving to 5-0 in his past seven starts.

Hamels (4-2) hit his second career homer but he lost his second straight start after going 4-0 in his first nine following a trade from Texas.

Astros 5 Blue Jays 3

TORONTO (AP) — Brian McCann and Josh Reddick hit back-to-back home runs, and Houston beat Toronto to move one step closer to its second straight AL West title.

The defending World Series champions began the day with a magic number of three over Oakland to clinch the division – which would set up a best-of-five post-season matchup against AL Central champion Cleveland. The Athletics, who played later in Seattle, clinched at least a wildcard playoff spot when Tampa Bay lost to the New York Yankees.

Dallas Keuchel (12-11) allowed three runs in five innings for his first win since Sept. 3.

Five relievers followed before former Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna came on to a chorus of boos in the ninth, his first appearance in Toronto since being arrested for assault in May. Osuna, who earned his 19th save in 20 opportunities, was traded to the Astros on July 30. Many in the crowd of 23,463 jeered each of Osuna’s pitches.

Marco Estrada (7-14) lost his fifth straight decision.

Cleveland 4 White Sox 0

CHICAGO (AP) — Corey Kluber struck out 11 in seven scoreless innings and won his 20th game, and Brandon Guyer hit a goahead solo homer in the seventh as Cleveland beat Chicago.

Kluber (20-7) reached 20 victories for the first time after recording 19 wins last season and 18 victories the two previous seasons and in 2004. The reigning AL CY Young winner is the first 20-game winner for the Central Division champions since Cliff Lee went 22-3 in 2008.

Cleveland is also the first team to have four pitchers with 200 strikeouts in a season. Kluber ran his total to 216, while Carlos Carrasco has 217, Trevor Bauer 215 and Mike Clevinger 202.

Cleveland tied the Chicago Cubs for the major league lead with 17 shutouts.