Red Sox top Nationals, remain in playoff hunt
WASHINGTON — Staggered down the stretch in their playoff push, the Boston Red Sox used two mighty punches to gain ground in the American League wild-card chase.
Hunter Renfroe and Bobby Dalbec hit back-to-back home runs during a four-run sixth inning and the Red Sox beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 Friday night to remain in postseason position.
Boston won for the second time in seven games and will maintain at least a tie for the second AL wildcard.
The Red Sox pulled within a game of the Yankees for the top wild card after New York lost to Tampa Bay. Toronto remained a game back of Boston by beating Baltimore with two days left in the regular season.
“You really want it in a different way, right? That you can breathe and get ready for next week like some of the teams that have clinched already,” Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said. “But this is where we’re at and we’ve got to take advantage of every day. Not too many teams can say they’re still in the hunt.”
Eduardo Rodriguez (12-8) pitched scoreless ball into the sixth inning, allowing five fits. Hansel Robles walked Juan Soto and Josh Bell with two outs in the ninth before retiring Keibert Ruiz for his 13th save.
Struggling to score runs and playing without the designated hit- ter, Cora loaded his lineup, starting former Nat Kyle Schwarber, Renfroe and J.D. Martinez together in the outfield for the first time, with Dalbec at first base against Nationals lefty Josh Rogers.
The move paid off in the sixth. Martinez singled with one out, putting runners on first and second. Renfroe homered to left-center on a 2-2 fastball.
“Just try to deliver for the team,” Renfroe said. “Not necessarily hit a homer but try to hit a line drive to the opposite field or right center, and he left a fastball over the middle of the plate and I was able to get a good barrel on it.”
Dalbec followed with a home run into the Red Sox bullpen to make it 4-0.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
RAYS 4, YANKEES 3 Gary Sanchez and Rougned Odor both struck out with two runners on to blunt a ninth-inning rally and New York’s lead atop the AL wild-card lead got even tighter with a loss to Tampa Bay. New York needed a win plus a loss by either Boston or Seattle to clinch its fifth consecutive playoff appearance.
BLUE JAYS 6, ORIOLES 4 Steven Matz pitched seven solid innings to win his fifth consecutive decision, Danny Jansen homered and drove in three runs, and Toronto kept its playoff hopes alive by beating Baltimore.
WHITE SOX 8, TIGERS 1 Lance Lynn pitched one-run ball over five innings, Jose Abreu homered and drove in four runs, and Chicago beat Detroit. ROYALS 11, TWINS 6 Salvador Perez went hitless on a night when every other Royals starter had at least one hit, and Kansas City beat Minnesota.
INDIANS 9, RANGERS 6 Austin Hedges and Bobby Bradley homered, Jose Ramirez drove in three runs, and rookie Eli Morgan won his third consecutive start as Cleveland drubbed Texas.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CARDINALS 4, CUBS 3 Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give St. Louis a victory over Chicago.
METS 4, BRAVES 3 Brandon Nimmo hit two home runs, Tylor Megill allowed one hit in five scoreless innings and New York beat Atlanta. PIRATES 9, REDS 2 Pittsburgh second baseman Cole Tucker made a spectacular diving catch, then hit his first career grand slam to send the Pirates over Cincinnati.
PHILLIES 5, MARLINS 0 Bryce Harper had three hits including his 35th home run, Ranger Suarez pitched seven scoreless innings, and Philadelphia beat Miami.