Yankees, Orioles keep winning

[September 20, 2012]   -- Here's how the pennant races look with exactly two weeks left:

AN EXTRA GOOD TIME: The Orioles and Yankees sure had a lot of fun on Wednesday. First, Ichiro Suzuki powered New York to a doubleheader sweep against Toronto. Then Adam Jones hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning and Baltimore earned its 15th consecutive extra-innings win with a 3-1 victory at Seattle. The AL wild card-leading Orioles were coming off an 18-inning win against the Mariners on Tuesday night.

When the day was over, the Yankees had a half-game advantage over the Orioles in the wild AL East -- baseball's tightest race heading down the stretch.

LUCKY BREAK: Matt Kemp was credited with crossing home to give the Dodgers a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning of the second game of their doubleheader at Washington, even though TV replays showed the last out already had been recorded on third baseman Ryan Zimmerman's head-over-heels, reaching tag of runner Adrian Gonzalez. Kemp then hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth to send Los Angeles to a 7-6 victory and an important split of the two games.

REASON FOR CONCERN: Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat and was expected to stay overnight in a Chicago hospital. He missed the Reds' 6-5 victory over the Cubs and hopes to rejoin the team on Friday.

Cincinnati lowered its magic number to clinch a playoff spot to one with the Dodgers splitting a doubleheader at Washington. The Reds' magic number for a second NL Central title in three years is three.

NEXT UP: Angels right-hander Zack Greinke (5-2, 3.78 ERA) faces Rangers rookie Yu Darvish (15-9, 4.02 ERA) as the AL West powers conclude a three-game series in Southern California.

CHASE CHATTER: "The only thing that's going to mean anything to me is when we clinch the pennant. That's the only thing, the only number I'm concerned with," Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson said.

[Associated Press]

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