Indians clinch spot in playoffs
With one swing, Jose Ramirez pushed Cleveland into the playoffs and made his case for the American League most-valuable-player award.
Ramirez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning, giving the Indians a 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox that clinched a postseason berth Tuesday night.
“I knew it was a home run because I got it right on the barrel,” said Ramirez, who is hitting .500 (14 for 28) with six homers and 16 RBIs in his last seven games. “There was a lot less champagne than usual, but it was still a good celebration.”
AL Central-leading Chicago lost for the fourth time in five games. Minnesota is in second and Cleveland is just three games back.
Jose Abreu tied the score in the sixth inning with his 19th homer. Abreu leads the AL with 56 RBIs and 74 hits.
at Twins 5, Tigers 4: Max Kepler hit the tying home run in the eighth and the winning single with two outs in the 10th, and Minnesota moved within a half-game of the White Sox.
at Braves 11, Marlins 1: Bryse Wilson pitched five scoreless innings, Marcell Ozuna hit two homers and drove in five runs, and Atlanta won its record 20th division title.
Yankees 12, at Blue Jays 1: Gerrit Cole pitched seven innings, and New York lowered its magic number to one for second in the AL East.
at Mets 5, Rays 2: New York kept alive its playoff shot and kept Tampa Bay from winning the AL East.
Astros 6, at Mariners 1: Framber Valdez fanned eight in seven innings as Houston cut its magic number to one over Seattle and the Angels for second place in the AL West.
at Nationals 5-2, Phillies 1-1: Yadiel Hernandez hit a game-ending, two-run homer in the eighth as Washington swept an abbreviated doubleheader to keep its playoff hopes alive and Philadelphia fell out of postseason position. Hernandez, 32, became the oldest player to hit a walk-off for his first home run, according to STATS.
at Pirates 3, Cubs 2: Jacob Stallings homered in the ninth and Pittsburgh ended a five-game skid.
Brewers 3, at Reds 2: Eric Sogard doubled home the go-ahead run in the seventh, and Milwaukee rallied to help its sagging playoff hopes.
Cardinals 5, at Royals 0: Austin Gomber tossed six scoreless innings and St. Louis aided its playoff push.
at Diamondbacks 7, Rangers 0: Caleb Smith and Riley Smith combined to throw a six-hitter.
at Red Sox 8, Orioles 3: Nick Pivetta struck out eight in five innings in his Boston debut.
at Giants 5, Rockies 2: Alex Dickerson hit a solo home run and Brandon Belt hit a two-run double in the seventh inning as San Francisco broke a 2-2 tie.