Frazier, Yanks sting Rays at Citi Field
In the start of a series moved from Florida to Citi Field because of Hurricane Irma, Todd Frazier capitalized on Trevor Plouffe’s twoout error with a three-run homer in a five-run fourth inning that led the Yankees past the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-1, last night in New York.
Jacoby Ellsbury broke Pete Rose’s major league record by reaching base on catcher’s interference for the 30th time, and David Robertson (8-2) pitched a career-high 2C innings in relief of CC Sabathia, removed with two on and one out in the fifth.
Opening a stretch that has 17 of their final 20 games in New York, the Yankees closed within three games of the Red Sox in the AL East and opened a four-game lead on Minnesota for the top AL wild card. The Rays dropped four games behind the Twins with 17 remaining and have five other teams to overcome.
Major League Baseball moved the series to Queens because of the availability of hotel rooms in New York. The Rays wore home white uniforms, hit last, used the Mets clubhouse and were introduced to their regular walkup music. They hope to return to Tropicana Field for a threegame series against the Red Sox starting Friday.
Blue Jays 4, Orioles 3 — Ryan Goins hit a solo home run, Marco Estrada (8-8) won his third straight decision and host Toronto beat slumping Baltimore.
Darwin Barney had two hits and an RBI as the Blue Jays won their third straight and handed the Orioles their fifth consecutive defeat.
Mark Trumbo hit a solo homer for Baltimore, which entered three games back in the AL wild card race. The Orioles have scored eight total runs in their past five games.
Estrada (8-8) allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. He walked none and struck out seven, giving him a career-best 166 punchouts. He struck out 165 last season.
Rangers 5, Mariners 3 — Delino DeShields homered after taking a speedier trip around the bases for an earlier run as host Texas beat Seattle in the opener of a four-game series matching teams with wild card hopes.
Cole Hamels (10-3) struck out seven in six innings. DeShields reached on a oneout bunt single in the second and raced home through a stop sign from first on ShinSoo Choo’s two-run double that made it 4-1.
White Sox 11, Royals 3 — Jose Abreu had four hits, Adam Engel hit a three-run homer and visiting Chicago pounded out a victory against Kansas City.
Pirates 7, Brewers 0 — Steven Brault and four relievers combined on a three-hitter to lift Pittsburgh past host Milwaukee.
The Brewers didn’t get a runner past first base and fell 2A games behind Chicago in the NL Central after outscoring the Cubs 20-3 in a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field during the weekend.
Rockies 5, Diamondbacks 4— In Phoenix, Nolan Arenado’s tie-breaking threerun home run in the eighth inning powered Colorado past Arizona.
Elsewhere in baseball — The Detroit Tigers say ace Michael Fulmer will undergo elbow surgery today and miss the rest of the season. The 2016 AL Rookie of the Year is having a damaged nerve fixed by Dr. James Andrews in Florida. Manager Brad Ausmus said the 24-yearold All-Star will not throw for “three or four months” but should be ready for spring training . . . .
Los Angeles Angels right-hander Alex Meyer is likely to miss the 2018 season after surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. Lefty Andrew Heaney’s MRI exam revealed nothing seriously wrong with his shoulder.