Judge breaks McGwire’s home run rookie record, Yankees top Royals

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge broke Mark McGwire’s major league record for home runs by a rookie, hitting a pair for the second straight day to raise his total to 50 and lead the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 11-3 Monday.

The 6-foot-7, 25-year-old slugger tied the mark with a two-run drive to right-center off Jakob Junis (8-3) in the third inning that put New York ahead 3-0.

His solo shot to left against Trevor Cahill in the seventh made it 7-3 and earned him a rare curtain call.

Judge has 13 home runs in September and six in five games, and he is second in the majors behind Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton, who has 57. Judge has four multihomer games this month and seven this season.

McGwire hit 49 homers for Oakland in 1987.

Greg Bird added a two-run homer in the sixth. Gary Sanchez followed Judge in the seventh with back-to-back homers for the third time this year, raising his total to 33.

CC Sabathia (13-5) took a 6-0 lead into the seventh, when Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer and Mike Moustakas chased the left-hander by going deep four pitches later. Sabathia improved to 9-0 in 11 starts this year after Yankees losses.

New York moved within four games of AL East-leading Boston with six to play. Kansas City was pushed to the brink of postseason elimination.

CUBS 10, CARDINALS 2

In St. Louis, Addison Russell hit a three-run double in the first inning, then made a food run for a fan in enemy territory while Chicago beat St. Louis to move within a victory of clinching its second straight NL Central title.

Kris Bryant and Javier Baez homered for the Cubs, who can wrap up the division with a win Tuesday against the Cardinals or a loss by Milwaukee against Cincinnati.

The loss eliminated St. Louis from NL Central contention and dimmed the Cardinals’ wild-card hopes.

BLUE JAYS 6, RED SOX 4

In Boston, Josh Donaldson homered and drove in three runs, powering Toronto past AL East-leading Boston.

Boston’s six-game winning streak was snapped and its magic number to clinch a second straight division title remained at three.

WHITE SOX 4, ANGELS 2

In Chicago, James Shields tossed seven strong innings, Nicky Delmonico hit a two-run double and Chicago damaged Los Angeles’ slim playoff hopes.

With six games remaining, the Angels trail Minnesota by five games for the second AL wild card.

ASTROS 11, RANGERS 2

In Arlington, Texas, Marwin Gonzalez had four hits and three RBIs as AL West champion Houston put Texas on the brink of elimination in the wild-card race.

Texas (76-80), division champs the past two years, had an early 2-0 lead before losing its fourth straight game. The Rangers dropped six games behind idle Minnesota for the second AL wild card with six to play.

NATIONALS 3, PHILLIES 1

In Philadelphia, Michael Taylor homered, A.J. Cole allowed one run while pitching into the sixth inning and Washington defeated Philadelphia.

The NL East champion Nationals extended their franchise record with 50 road wins.

Bryce Harper remained out of Washington’s lineup with flu-like symptoms. The team had said it was possible he would return Monday from a knee injury that’s kept him out since Aug. 12.

BRAVES 9, METS 2, 1ST GAME; METS 3, BRAVES 2, 2ND GAME

In New York, Seth Lugo pitched two-hit ball over six innings and Travis d’Arnaud hit a record-setting homer for New York in the nightcap of a doubleheader split.

D’Arnaud hit his solo shot in the eighth inning. It was the 219th homer for the Mets, a franchise season mark.