|
 George Springer, Carlos Correa, Colby Rasmus and Luis Valbuena
homered for the Astros (85-75), who set a franchise record for runs
in a nine-inning game.
The Astros are two games behind division-leader Texas (87-73) with
two games to play after the Rangers lost to the Los Angeles Angels
on Friday.
Houston is one game ahead of the Angels (84-76) and two ahead of
Minnesota (83-77) for the second AL wild-card berth.
Angels 2, Rangers 1
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Mike Trout scored the winning run after leading
off the ninth with a triple, keeping Los Angeles' playoff hopes
alive.
The Angels were one game back of Houston starting the day in the
race for the second wild-card spot. Minnesota also began Friday tied
with Los Angeles.
The loss also kept the Rangers from celebrating an American League
West title before a sellout crowd of 47,219 at Globe Life Park.
Texas, already assured of a spot in the postseason, came into the
game needing one win or Houston loss to clinch the division.
Royals 3, Twins 2
MINNEAPOLIS -- A two-run rally in the eighth inning lifted Kansas
City over Minnesota dealing a potentially crippling blow for the
Twins' postseason hopes.
The victory kept Kansas City tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for the
best record in the American League and in position for home-field
advantage throughout the playoffs. The Blue Jays won 8-4 over the
Tampa Bay Rays earlier in the night on Friday.
Pirates 6, Reds 4, 12 innings
PITTSBURGH -- Starling Marte's two-run home run allowed Pittsburgh
to maintain a two-game lead over the Chicago Cubs National League
wild card and home-field advantage in Wednesday night's game.
It was the left fielder's 19th home run of the season and third
career walk-off shot.
Gregory Polanco drew a one-out off reliever Colin Balester and Marte
hit the next pitch for the game-winner.
Cubs 6, Brewers 1
MILWAUKEE -- Jake Arrieta threw six shutout innings in his final
start of the regular season and Anthony Rizzo drove in three runs as
Cubs cruised.
Arrieta won his 22nd game and Rizzo hit his 31st home run.
Chicago remained two games behind Pittsburgh in the wild-card race
and race to host Wednesday's wild-card game. Pittsburgh beat
Cincinnati 6-4 in 12 innings.
Dodgers 6, Padres 2
LOS ANGELES -- A five-run outburst in the third inning boosted Los
Angeles past San Diego.
The Dodgers took a one-half game lead over the New York Mets for the
No. 2 seed in the National League Division Series. The Mets, who
were rained out Friday, will play a doubleheader against the
Washington Nationals on Saturday.
Athletics 4, Mariners2
SEATTLE -- Danny Valencia's two-run home run in the top of the
eighth inning gave Oakland the lead for good.
Oakland starter Aaron Brooks pitched seven strong innings to earn
his first win since July 26.
Rockies 9, Giants 3
SAN FRANCISCO -- Nolan Arenado belted a double and a home run to
become the all-time, single-season leader in extra-base hits among
third basemen and Colorado punished San Francisco.
Arenado's two extra-base hits gave him 88 for the season, one more
than previous record-holder Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper
Jones amassed in 1999.
[to top of second column] |
Yankees-Orioles, ppd.
BALTIMORE -- The first game of the season-ending three-game series
between Baltimore and New York Yankees was postponed.
The Yankees will now meet the Orioles in a split doubleheader
Saturday, going at 12:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m.
New York's magic number to clinch home-field edge for the AL
wild-card game remains at one. Either a Yankees win or a loss from
the Astros will do the trick.
White Sox 2, Tigers 1
CHICAGO -- Chris Sale made history, left the mound at U.S. Cellular
Field for the final time in 2015 to an ovation and reminded Chicago
fans for seven innings why there's hope for next season.
Sale, who'd lost his previous four outings, picked up the win in
against Detroit. More important, he struck out seven and placed his
name atop one of the White Sox's oldest single-season records with a
strikeout in the second inning.
Sale finished the season with 274 strikeouts, which is the new
highest total by a White Sox pitcher in a season, surpassing the
previous high of 269 set by Ed Walsh in 1908.
Blue Jays 8, Rays 4
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa hoping to play spoilers in its final
series blew a lead and lost to Toronto, which is battling Kansas
City for home-field advantage in the postseason.
Toronto (93-67) came into the night even with Kansas City for the
American League's best record, and they held up their end, scoring
four runs in the sixth and three in the seventh as part of a 17-hit
night.
Braves 4, Cardinals 0
ATLANTA - Julio Teheran finished up his season pitching like Atlanta
hoped he would have all year.
Teheran, who made the All-Star Game in 2014, allowed five hits over
six scoreless innings in his last start of the year.
Teheran had a 1.91 ERA in September.
Indians 8, Red Sox 2
CLEVELAND -- Carlos Santana had two hits and three RBI and Josh
Tomlin pitched into the seventh inning as Cleveland beat Boston.
Santana's three-run double was the big blow in a four-run Cleveland
third inning.
Mets-Nationals, ppd.
NEW YORK -- The first rainout involving the Mets since Sept. 24,
2014, left New York in more than a damper. The back-end of the
rotation for their NL Division Series against the Dodgers is in
limbo.
Rookie Steven Matz, who was expected to serve as New York's fourth
starter, visited doctors due to the back spasms that forced him to
be scratched from a scheduled start on Thursday.
It's possible he misses the playoffs, some Mets officials fear. It
that's the case, Bartolo Colon would take his place in the rotation.
Marlins-Phillies, ppd.
PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia is hoping to avoid 100 losses. Friday's
rainout might help the Phillies avoid that feat.
Friday's rainout will be made up as part of a doubleheader on
Saturday. But with the weather forecast calling for more inclement
weather, there's no guarantee the games will be played.
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