Sale strikes out 13 to reach 300 in ’ 17
Chris Sale struck out 13 to become the first American League pitcher in 18 years to reach the 300 mark, and the visiting Red Sox moved to the brink of clinching a playoff berth by beating the Orioles 9- 0 on Wednesday night.
Sale ( 17- 7) reached the milestone on his last pitch, a called third strike against Ryan Flaherty to end the eighth inning. The last AL pitcher to fan 300 batters in a season was the Red Sox’ Pedro Martinez in 1999, when he set a club record with 313.
Mookie Betts and Deven Marrero homered for the Red Sox, who reduced their magic number for reaching the postseason to one.
Adam Frazier hit a two- run homer off Brewers closer Corey Knebel with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the host Pirates to a 6- 4 victory. The Pirates tied it in the eighth on a throwing error by Knebel, then ended a seven- game losing streak when Frazier homered into the first row in right field.
The Brewers missed a chance to pull into a tie with the Rockies for the second wild- card spot in the National League. Knebel had converted 21 straight save opportunities.
A young girl at Yankee Stadium was injured by a 105 mph foul ball off the bat of former White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier in the fifth inning of the Yankees’ 11- 3 victory over the Twins, leading some players to call for protective netting to be extended.
The Yankees said the girl was taken to a hospital for treatment, and manager Joe Girardi said he had been told by team security that she was OK.
“I thought of my kids,” said a shaken Frazier. “I have two under 3 years old. I just hope she’s all right.”