Red Sox clinch second straight division title

West champions Astros await Boston in play-offs

The first-place Boston Red Sox eased past the Houston Astros 6-3 on Saturday to clinch their second straight East Division title in a battle between two American League heavyweights.

The Red Sox and American League West Division champions Astros will meet in game one of the first round of the play-offs on Thursday in Texas.

This marks the first time since division play began in 1969 that the Red Sox have won back-to-back American League East crowns.

“It’s a good feeling, but at the same time we’ve been in this position before last year,” Boston’s Hanley Ramirez said. “So we’re looking forward to the last one. That’s the biggest one.”

Boston improved to 93-68 on the season as they needed a win at home at Fenway Park or a New York Yankees’ loss on Saturday to clinch. LA ANGELS 4 COLORADO 3 Oakland 4 Arizona 3 CLEVELAND 1 MINNESOTA 2 Atlanta 2 PHI’DELPHIA 4 WASHINGTON 1 Baltimore 3 Milwaukee 6 Cincinnati 0 SAN FR’ISCO 2 Toronto 1 Houston 3

The second-place Yankees won 2-1 in their Saturday game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Houston, who dropped to 110-61, will finish with the second-best record in Major League Baseball behind the Cleveland Indians.

Mitch Moreland had a pair of RBIs, Mookie Betts hit a solo home run, and Ramirez, Rafael Devers and Andrew Benintendi each drove in one run for the Red Sox.