Red Sox set franchise win record
Their 106th victory secures home-field advantage for playoffs
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.
The Red Sox 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 most likely Oakland. The 1912 Red Sox won 105 games in their first season at Fenway Park.
The Orioles (45-111) became the sixth AL team and the first since the 2003 Tigers to lose 111 games.
Boston scored four runs in the second inning, getting back-toback doubles from Steve Pearce and Brock Holt, an RBI single from Christian Vazquez and Mookie Betts’ two-run homer. It was the 32nd homer of the season for Betts, a career high.
Betts also singled and scored in Boston’s two-run fourth. Nationals 7, Marlins 3: Anthony rendon homered and drove four runs, Bryce Harper reached 100 rbis in a season for the first time and Washington beat miami. Juan Soto and matt Wieters also homered for Washington. Astros 5, blue Jays 3: Brian mccann and Josh reddick hit back-toback home runs, and Houston beat toronto.
Pirates 5, Cubs 1: Jameson taillon outpitched Cole Hamels, francisco Cervelli hit a two-run homer and Pittsburgh made the Cubs wait at least another day to clinch a postseason spot. the Cubs needed a win plus a loss by Colorado to Philadelphia to assure a franchise-record fourth straight trip to the playoffs.
Indians 4, White Sox 0: Corey Kluber struck out 11 in seven scoreless innings and won his 20th game, and Brandon Guyer hit a go-ahead solo homer in the seventh inning. Kluber is Cleveland’s first 20-game winner since Cliff Lee went 22-3 in 2008.
Jon Gray pitched seven crisp innings and drew a bases-loaded walk as part of a five-run third to help Colorado rout Philadelphia.
Note: Bobby evans has been fired as the San francisco Giants’ general manager. the Giants said evans will be reassigned, with responsibilities to be determined. the Giants began the final week of the season 72-84, their second straight losing record. the team will start a search for a new director of baseball operations. evans was hired by the Giants in 1994, became vice president of baseball operations in 2009 under general manager Brian Sabean and was promoted to general manager in April 2015 when Sabean became San francisco’s executive vice president of baseball operations. A major league-best 57-33 at the 2016 All-star break, the Giants are 166-224 since.