Streaking Brewers closer to wild card

WASHINGTON – Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez had consecutive RBI hits in the ninth inning off Nationals closer Tyler Clippard as the Milwaukee Brewers extended their season-high winning streak to six games with a win over Washington.

The win combined with a St. Louis loss moved the Brewers within 1-1/2 games of the Cardinals for the final wild card berth in the National League.

Yankees 2 A’s 1 (10)

NEW YORK – Russell Martin homered in the 10th inning against Sean Doolittle, and the American League East-leading New York Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics for their sixth straight win.

Brandon Moss hit a towering drive to right off Rafael Soriano with one out in the ninth to spoil a dominant three-hit outing by Yankees ace CC Sabathia, stunning the boisterous crowd of 40,759. It was Soriano’s fourth blown save in 46 chances.

New York maintained its one-game lead over secondplace Baltimore, which won 4-2 at Boston. The A’s, losers of four of five, dropped one game behind the Orioles for the top spot in the wild-card standings.

Jim Johnson set a Baltimore franchise record with his major league-leading 46th save.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays thumped the Toronto Blue Jays 12-1 to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Dodgers 3 Reds 1 (10)

CINCINNATI – Matt Kemp’s two-out single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a win that denied the Cincinnati Reds’ first chance to clinch the NL Central.

The Dodgers won for only the fifth time in 15 games, moving two games behind St. Louis for the final NL wild card. Cincinnati was trying to lock up its second division title in three years without manager Dusty Baker, still in a Chicago hospital with an irregular heartbeat.

Phillies 6 Braves 2

PHILADELPHIA – Kevin Frandsen hit one of Philadelphia’s four solo homers to back Kyle Kendrick as the Phillies inched closer in the NL playoff race with a victory over the Atlanta Braves.

D-Backs 15 Rockies 5

DENVER – Wade Miley of the Arizona Diamondbacks tossed six innings to become the second NL rookie pitcher to win 16 games . Jason Jennings also won 16 for the Colorado Rockies in 2002 when he was named the NL rookie of the year.

Angels 6 White Sox 2

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Ervin Santana struck out 11 while pitching seven innings of two-hit ball as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Chicago White Sox to gain ground in the playoff race.

The Angels are 3-1/2 games back of Oakland.

Astros 7 Pirates 1

HOUSTON – The Pittsburgh Pirates couldn’t find much offence as they lost their fourth straight game to fall to six games back of the second NL wild card spot. They’ve lost 16 of their last 20 games to increase the possibility of a 20th straight losing season, which would extend their major North American professional sports record.