Guardians’ loss tightens race
Robbie Ray started September the way he finished August with six solid innings as the Mariners shut out the slumping Guardians 4-0 on Saturday night in Cleveland for their sixth consecutive win.
The American League Central-leading Guardians (68-63) lost their fourth in a row and have been shut out in three of them. They’ve scored just one run in their last four games. They’ve been shut out four times in six games — five in their last 10.
Their lead in the division is down to one game over the Twins and two over the White Sox.
Seattle, trying to end a 20-season playoff drought, currently holds one of the AL’s three wildcard spots and has won 13 of 17.
Rays 2, Yankees 1
Corey Kluber limited the Yankees to a pair of singles over seven shutout innings and the Rays withstood Aaron Judge’s 52nd home run to cut their deficit in the American League East to four games.
The first-place Yankees, who have seen their 15½game advantage slip away, have lost six of seven.
Yandy Diaz hit a two-run single in the third inning and the Rays made it stand up. Judge boosted his major-league homer lead with a leadoff drive in the ninth inning off Jason Adam. But Adam retired the next three batters for his eighth save.
Kluber (10-7) struck out four without a walk as the Rays improved their AL-best record since Aug. 3 to 20-9.
Nationals 7, Mets 1
Mets ace Max Scherzer exited with left side fatigue after five sharp innings and 67 pitches. Scherzer, who missed almost seven weeks earlier this season with a left oblique strain, had his fastball clocked as high as 96 mph. He retired his final seven batters before heading straight to the tunnel leading to the Mets’ clubhouse following the fifth. The three-time Cy Young Award winner, making his third attempt at earning his 200th win, allowed three hits — including Luis Garcia’s homer with one out in the first — and walked one with five strikeouts.
Injury news
Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who had surgery on his right wrist in July, is set to resume his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham on Sunday.
♦ Red Sox reliever Tanner Houck, who has been on the IL since early August, will have back surgery next week and should be ready for spring training.
♦ Yankees left fielder Andrew Benintendi was put on the 10-day IL with right wrist inflammation.