Our long tri-state area nightmare is over: the Yankees have won a baseball game. They’ll have to do much more than win one game to get back into the AL East lead, but you have to start somewhere, and for a couple days, we’ll get to bask in the glory of one (1) Yankees victory.

With a win in hand, let’s go through the rest of a packed Sunday AL slate.

Toronto Blue Jays (52-38) 3, Los Angeles Angels (43-46) 2

All three games between the Blue Jays and Angels were close, with the Angels having opportunities to win each contest. Instead, Toronto snuck away with one-run victories every time, maintaining their hold on first place in the AL East.

Mike Trout got the Angels out in front quickly, muscling a Kevin Gausman fastball out to right for a solo shot in the first inning:

Gausman was otherwise very solid. The right-hander struck out nine over 5.2 innings, allowing two runs and ultimately departing with the score tied 2-2.

The Jays had gotten to LA starter Tyler Anderson for two runs in the fourth, including a Bo Bichette homer, but Anderson was decent overall, and came out to start the sixth. There, Toronto pounced, with a walk and two singles pushing the Jays in front and chasing Anderson:

Brock Burke relieved Anderson and did well to hold the Blue Jays there, but the damage was done. Ryan Burr, Brendon Little, and Jeff Hoffman shut the Angels out in relief, with the Angels’ only real chance coming in the eighth. Little allowed a walk and a single with two out to put the tying run on second, but got Nolan Schanuel to ground out harmlessly to end the threat.

Every game of this series could have gone either way, and in another universe, the Yankees have gained ground. In this world, Toronto escaped with a sweep, now heading to play the White Sox in a three-game set starting tonight.

Tampa Bay Rays (49-41) 7, Minnesota Twins (43-47) 5 (ten innings)

Trailing for much of the day, the Twins hung in there and looked like they might steal a win. But when the dust settled, the Rays prevailed in an exciting affair, meaning the Yankees wouldn’t gain any ground on their primary rivals.

Byron Buxton homered off Drew Rasmussen in the first to put Minnesota up 1-0, but the Rays got runs off Joe Ryan in the second and third, thanks to a Taylor Walls solo shot and Jonathan Aranda RBI single. Ryan was solid for Minnesota, departing after six having allowed just the two runs and still trailing 2-1.

Minnesota tied the game in the sixth thanks to a Rays mistake and some good baserunning. Brooks Lee grounded a routine grounder to second that José Caballero booted. Trevor Larnach, who started on second, alertly dashed home and avoided the tag at the plate:

There would be more drama in the eighth. The Rays took the lead on a wild play, Junior Caminero bouncing one right in front of the plate with runners on second and third, and Christopher Morel winning a race home:

Tampa added one on another Aranda RBI single to take a 4-2 lead, but the Twins came right back in the home half. Facing Mason Montgomery with one on, Harrison Bader connected on a high-arching blast down the line, tying the game:

The game went to extras tied at four, where the Rays finally landed the decisive blow. Yandy Díaz doubled home the zombie runner to take the lead:

And the Rays scored two more on a throwing error by Justin Topa and a sac fly to push the lead to 7-4. The Twins could do no better than scoring the zombie runner on a pair of outs, letting the Rays salvage the series finale 7-5.

Houston Astros (55-35) 4, Los Angeles Dodgers (56-35) 1

There seems to be little doubt about: the Astros have hit their stride and have announced their intention to take back control of the American League. Their slow start is far in rearview mirror now, after Houston rolled into LA and drubbed the defending champion Dodgers over three games.

The game was quiet through the early stages. Ryan Gusto managed contact over six innings, striking out just one but limiting the Dodgers to four hits and one run a Dalton Rushing RBI double in the second. A Jose Altuve sac fly in the third was the only damage the Astros managed against Dodgers starter Emmett Sheehan, who departed after five.

But the Astros surged late. In the sixth, they mounted a two-out rally, with a double, hit-by-pitch, and single loading the bases with two down. They took the lead as Zack Short worked a walk to force in a run.

Houston expanded their lead with a bit more noise. Facing Tanner Scott, Christian Walker and Yainer Diaz went back-to-back to give Houston a 4-1 lead:

Jose Altuve added a solo shot of his own in the ninth to bring the score to its final at 5-1. The Astros outscored the Dodgers by a margin of 29-6 this weekend. One series only means so much, but this felt like a bit of a statement by Houston.

Detroit Tigers (57-34) 7, Cleveland Guardians (40-48) 2 (ten innings)

Unspeakable things are happening in Cleveland right now. On the heels of scoring one run over the course of three games and losing nine in a row, the Guardians looked poised to snap their streak by the narrowest of margins. Tarik Skubal was absolutely outstanding as usual, striking out 10 Guardians over seven shutout innings, but Gavin Williams tossed six shutout of his own, and when Steven Kwan doubled home a run in the eighth to go up 1-0, the Guardians were three outs away from getting back in the win column:

But the ninth inning continued the nightmare. Emmanuel Clase hit Spencer Torkelson with a pitch to lead off, and Torkelson was replaced with Zach McKinstry. After a lineout, McKinstry swiped second, and took third on a groundout, putting the tying run 90 feet away with two down.

Clase got ahead of Parker Meadows 1-2, and Cleveland was one strike away from breaking the streak. Instead, Clase bounced a cutter, and McKinstry scampered home:

Heartbreak once more for Cleveland. Perhaps crushed by the events in the previous inning, the Guardians folded in extras as the Tigers hung a six-spot in the top of the tenth, thanks to a three-run homer from Trey Sweeney and a two-run shot from Riley Greene:

As miserable as the Yankees’ recent stretch has been, this run by Cleveland is one of the worst I can remember seeing from a team that had been in contention.

Other Games

Boston Red Sox (45-46) 6, Washington Nationals (37-53) 4: The Red Sox will be sad to leave Washington, their offense beating up on Nationals pitching for a third-straight day to cinch a sweep. Boston hung a four-spot in the first on starter Shinnosuke Ogasawara, with Trevor Story’s two-run homer capping the inning. Garrett Crochet was solid for the Red Sox, holding the Nationals to two runs over five while striking out seven. The Nats hung in there and got the tying run to the plate in the ninth in a 6-4 game, but Jordan Hicks shut the door there to earn his first save with his new team.

Seattle Mariners (48-42) 1, Pittsburgh Pirates (38-53) 0: Sunday was just another day in the life of Paul Skenes. He was dominant, striking out ten over five shutout innings (he was pulled after just 78 pitches, perhaps in an effort to limit his innings). And, as usual, he didn’t factor into the decision. His offense continued its remarkable stretch of futility, which now features three-straight shutouts. George Kirby was at his best, striking out nine over 6.1 scoreless, and Randy Arozarena provided the winning margin with a solo homer in the sixth, just after Skenes had departed. Skenes has now recorded only four wins in 19 starts despite allowing just 25 earned runs in those starts.