Hicks latest injured Yankee
OF harms hamstring in 4-1 win over Rays
Aaron Hicks injured his left hamstring running up the first-base line in the Yankees’ 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays last night in St. Petersburg, Fla., another concern for New York heading into next week’s AL wild card game.
Hicks’ 11th-inning double on Saturday drove in Didi Gregorius with the run that clinched a postseason berth, and on Sunday the Yankees learned that Gregorius had torn cartilage in his right wrist during his headfirst slide across the plate. Gregorius hopes to be ready for the wild card game.
Hicks, who had fouled a pitch off his left ankle just before the double, left last night’s game with left hamstring tightness. He appeared to get hurt in the third inning while running to first base on a grounder to shortstop, successfully beating a relay throw and avoiding a double play. He was replaced by Brett Gardner in the middle of the fourth.
New York’s win eliminated the Rays and ensured a postseason berth for Oakland, which is likely to be the wild card opponent but also is still alive in the AL West race. The Yankees began the night 11⁄2 games ahead of the Athletics for home-field advantage. 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 (156) in a two-run fifth inning, and the 35-year-old made a running, leaping catch at the center-field wall in the sixth on Brandon Lowe’s two-out drive with runners on first and third. Pitcher David Robertson threw both his arms skyward after seeing the grab.
Catcher Gary Sanchez also is of concern to the Yankees. He had two more passed balls to raise his major league-leading total to 17 in just 72 games behind the plate. He had 16 last year, tied for most in the majors.
Astros 5, Blue Jays 3 — Brian McCann and Josh Reddick hit back-to-back home runs, and visiting Houston topped 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 postseason matchup against AL Central champion Cleveland.
Dallas Keuchel (12-11) allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings for his first win since Sept. 3 against Minnesota.
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 has 19 saves in 20 opportunities, was traded to the Astros on July 30. Many in the crowd of 23,463 jeered each of Osuna’s pitches.
National League
Nationals 7, Marlins 3 — Anthony Rendon homered and drove four runs, Bryce Harper reached 100 RBI in a season for the first time and host Washington dropped Miami.
Juan Soto and Matt Wieters also homered for the Nats, who broke it open with four runs on three pitches in the fourth inning.
Harper started the big inning, driving in his 100th run with a sacrifice fly that scored Adam Eaton and put Washington ahead 3-1. Harper, a pending free agent who may be playing his final home series at Nationals Park, got a standing ovation from the sparse, rain-soaked crowd. His previous high was 99 RBI in 2015, when he won the NL MVP Award.
Pirates 5, Cubs 1 — Jameson Taillon outpitched Cole Hamels, Francisco Cervelli hit a two-run homer and visiting Pittsburgh made Chicago wait at least another day to clinch a postseason spot.
The Cubs needed a win plus a loss by Colorado to Philadelphia to assure a franchise-record fourth straight trip to the playoffs.
Elsewhere in baseball — Bobby Evans has been fired as the San Francisco Giants’ general manager.
San Francisco said that Evans will be reassigned, with responsibilities to be determined.
The Giants began the final week of the season 72-84, their second straight losing record.
The team will start a search for a new head of baseball operations.