Athletics clinch playoff berth with Rays’ loss to Yankees
SEATTLE — The Oakland Athletics have clinched their first playoff berth in four years, earning at least an American League wild card when the Tampa Bay Rays lost to the New York Yankees.
Following three straight last-place finishes in the AL West, the A’s found out just a couple of minutes after the first pitch of their game Monday night against Seattle that they are in the postseason for the first time since 2014.
Tampa Bay’s 4-1 loss to the Yankees eliminated the Rays from playoff contention. Oakland still has an outside shot at overtaking Houston for the division title, but is more likely headed toward a wild-card matchup with the Yankees.
The A’s could still host that game. They are two games behind the Yankees for the top wild card, pending the outcome of Oakland’s game against the Mariners.
NATIONALS 7, MARLINS 3: Anthony Rendon homered and drove four runs, Bryce Harper reached The Athletics’ Josh Phegley, left, and Matt Olson joke around in the dugout before a game against the Mariners on Monday in Seattle. Oakland clinched its first playoff spot since 2014.
100 RBIs in a season for the first time and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins on Monday night. Juan Soto and Matt Wieters also homered for Washington, which broke it open with four runs on three pitches in the fourth inning. Harper started the big inning, driving in his 100th run with a sacrifice fly that scored Adam Eaton and put Washington ahead 3-1. Harper, a pending free agent who may be playing his final home series at Nationals Park, got a standing ovation from the sparse,
rain-soaked crowd. His previous high was 99 RBIs in 2015, when he won the NL MVP Award.
RED SOX 6, ORIOLES 2: The Boston Red Sox broke a 106 year-old franchise record with their 106th victory on Monday night, clinching home-field advantage through the postseason by beating the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 thanks to a pair of hits from major league batting leader Mookie Betts. Nathan Eovaldi struck out 10 hapless Orioles batters to assure the Red Sox of the best record in baseball this season and
home-field advantage through the World Series, if they make it that far. For now, they know they will open the Division Series at Fenway Park on Oct. 5 against the winner of the AL wild-card game between the New York Yankees and mostly likely Oakland.
YANKEES 4, RAYS 1: Aaron Hicks injured his left hamstring running up the first-base line in the Yankees’ 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night, another concern for New York heading into next week’s AL wild-card game.