Bichette, Ray lead Blue Jays over Rays
Bo Bichette homered and drove in five runs, Robbie Ray fanned 13 over seven innings to claim the major league strikeout lead and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 Wednesday.
Vladimr Guerrero Jr. doubled twice and scored twice, and Teoscar Hernández added an RBI single. The Blue Jays improved to 13-2 in September and are in a virtual tie with Boston and the New York Yanklees for the two AL wild-card spots.
Tampa Bay lost for the fifth time in seven games. The AL East leaders are 6-8 in September after going 21-6 in August. Mike Zunino hit his 30th homer and Brett Phillips also connected.
Ray (12-5) allowed one run and four hits to win his fourth straight decision. The left-hander is 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA and 91 strikeouts since his last loss, July 21 against Boston. Jordan Romano pitched the ninth for his 18th save.
After being shut out for only the third time this season Tuesday, the Blue Jays jumped on Rays righthander Michael Wacha (35) with a three-run first.
RED SOX 9, MARINERS 4, (10 INNINGS) » Kyle Schwarber and Christian Vazquez drove in two runs apiece in the 10th inning, and Boston beat Seattle to keep pace in the AL wild-card race.
Designated runner Jack Lopez scored on Tom Murphy’s passed ball to start the scoring in the sixrun 10th to break open a 3-3 game. J.D. Martinez, Schwarber and Vazquez added run-scoring hits as Boston beat the Mariners for the second day in a row.
The Red Sox, Toronto and the New York Yankees remained in a virtual tie for the two AL wild-card spots. Seattle if four games behind the three.
TIGERS 4, BREWERS 1 Dustin Garneau homered and drove in two runs, rookie Matt Manning combined with the bullpen on a three-hitter and Detroit beat Milwaukee to complete a two-game sweep.
Milwaukee’s magic number to clinch the NL Central remained at five after they dropped a pair to the Tigers following a five-game winning streak.
Manning (4-6) gave up a run on two hits and struck out a career-high six over six innings in his 15th start. Michael Fulmer recorded four strikeouts during the last two innings while notching his ninth save.
Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff (9-9) gave up three runs on four hits and struck out seven in six innings. Lorenzo Cain knocked in Milwaukee’s run with a second-inning double.
YANKEES 4, ORIOLES 3 » Brett Gardner blooped a two-run single in the ninth inning that was set up by a double steal, and New York beat Baltimore for its third straight win.
Wandy Peralta (5-3) earned the win and Aroldis Chapman got his 27th save.
PIRATES 5, REDS 4 » Wilmer Difo scored on a groundout from Colin Moran with one out in the ninth inning, and Pittsburgh handed Cincinnati its seventh loss in nine games.
PHILLIES 6, CUBS 5 » Andrew Knapp scored on a passed ball in the ninth inning to bolster Philadelphia’s tenuous playoff push with a win over Chicago.
The Phillies bullpen blew it in the late innings. Robinson Chirinos hit a two-run homer off Jose Alvarado that tied it 4-all in the eighth. Matt Duffy hit a solo shot off Ian Kennedy (2-1) in the ninth and tied it at 5.
J.T. Realmuto homered in the eighth inning for the Phillies.
Knapp led off the ninth with a single off Trevor Megill (1-2) and advanced to third on a sacrifice and a groundout. Chirinos couldn’t get a handle on Megill’s knuckle-curve and Knapp scooted home with the winning run.
INDIANS 12, TWINS 3 » Cal Quantrill turned in a strong start, and Oscar Mercado, Bobby Bradley and Franmil Reyes homered to help Cleveland rout Minnesota.
MARLINS 8, NATIONALS 6
Jesus Sanchez’s second two-run homer of the day capped a four-run ninth inning and Miami rallied past Washington.
CARDINALS 11, METS 4 » Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado each hit one of St. Louis’ four homers, and the Cardinals flashed some fantastic outfield defense in beating New York for their fifth straight victory.
ASTROS 7, RANGERS 2 » Jake Meyers and Marwin Gonzalez hit consecutive homers in a three-run second inning, Kyle Tucker homered among his three hits, and Jose Urquidy allowed one run and two hits in six innings as Houston beat Texas.
ANGELS 3, WHITE SOX 2 » Brandon Marsh hit a tiebreaking solo homer off Michael Kopech in the eighth inning, and Los Angeles beat Chicago.
ROCKIES 3, BRAVES 2 (10 INNINGS) » Raimel Tapia hit a tiebreaking single off A.J. Minter in the 10th inning, scoring Colton Welker from third base and lifting Colorado to a victory over Atlanta.