Lowe hits 3 HRs; Rays rout Yanks
NEW YORK — Brandon Lowe hit three home runs and the Tampa Bay Rays rolled to a 12-2 blowout of the Yankees on Saturday that prevented New York from clinching a playoff spot.
With a chance to pitch his team into the postseason, Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery instead was rocked for a career-worst seven earned runs in 2 2⁄3 innings. He gave up a pair of three-run homers to Lowe, who also went deep in the seventh against Michael King.
A victory in the scheduled regular-season finale Sunday against Tampa Bay would guarantee the streaky Yankees an AL wild card.
New York is assured at least a tiebreaker game Monday that could put the team in the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
RED SOX 5, NATIONALS 3: Christian Vazquez tripled home the tie-breaking run in the ninth inning and Boston moved to the brink of a postseason berth with a win at Washington. Boston is tied with the Yankees for the top AL wild card.
BLUE JAYS 10, ORIOLES 1: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 47th home run and Toronto pushed their AL wildcard chase to the final day of the regular season by thumping Baltimore at Toronto.
WHITE SOX 5, TIGERS 4: Lucas Giolito tuned up for the playoffs with a solid start, Yoan Moncada hit a goahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning and Chicago extended its winning streak to six with a win at home.
DODGERS 8, BREWERS 3: Julio Urias became the Dodgers’ first 20-game winner since Clayton Kershaw in 2014 as Los Angeles beat Milwaukee. The Dodgers must beat the Brewers on Sunday and hope the Giants lose again to tie for the title. That would send them and Giants to a deciding Game 163 in San Francisco on Monday.
PADRES 3, GIANTS 2 (10): San Francisco missed a chance to clinch the NL West on their own field, falling to San Diego when Jake Cronenworth hit an RBI double in the 10th inning.
BRAVES 6, METS 5: Joc Pederson hit a solo homer and William Contreras added a two-run shot off Carrasco as Atlanta won at home.
RANGERS 7, INDIANS 2: Jordan Lyles gave up two hits in seven innings as host Texas topped Cleveland.
MARINERS 6, ANGELS 4: Mitch Haniger drove in five runs on four hits as Seattle won at home.
MIAMI 3, PHILADELPHIA 1: Jesus Luzardo struck out a career-high 11 and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a three-run homer in Miami’s win.
CUBS 6, CARDINALS 5: Ian Happ hit a two-out, tworun homer in the to lift Chicago to a win at St. Louis.
PIRATES 8, REDS 6: Bryan Reynolds had four hits to help host Pittsburgh rally from a five-run deficit to beat Cincinnati.
DIAMONDBACKS 11, ROCKIES 2: Zac Gallen pitched six strong innings as Arizona won at home.
TWINS 4, ROYALS 0: Griffin Jax and three relievers combined on a three-hitter in Minnesota’s road win.