The Yankees lost again on Sunday afternoon, delivering a listless performance in a rubber game against the rival Astros. With every loss, the scoreboard watching intensifies. If the Yankees can’t get their act together, their only hope of holding onto a playoff spot will rest with the (in)competence of their competitors for a Wild Card. With that, here’s what happened with the other AL contenders on Sunday.
Toronto Blue Jays (69-50) 5, Los Angeles Dodgers (68-50) 4
The Toronto offense, after absolutely exploding on the Rockies earlier in the week, largely went silent this weekend. They scored just two runs in the first two games of this series, both losses, and trailed 3-2 headed to the eighth on Sunday. But right at the last, they woke up.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Addison Barger went back-to-back to suddenly change the tide. Guerrero hit a cement mixer from Blake Treinen deep into the bleachers in left-center:
Two pitches later, Treinen hung another one, and Barger deposited it into the seats in right-center:
That power surge was the just the beginning of thel mate-inning drama. Los Angeles came right back in the bottom of the eighth and loaded the bases, Freddie Freeman drawing a walk to tie the game.
But Toronto had one more swing in them. The first pitch from Alex Vesia in the ninth was a slider down, and Ernie Clement dug and drilled it out for another solo shot:
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It still wasn’t easy from there for Toronto. Jeff Hoffman walked the bases loaded with one out in the home half, bringing up Shohei Ohtani. But Mason Fluharty came on and came up clutch, striking out Ohtani swinging on a slider on the ninth pitch of the at-bat before getting Mookie Betts to ground out to end the game:
With that, Toronto now owns the best record in the American League.
San Diego Padres (66-52) 6, Boston Red Sox (65-54) 2
After needing extra innings to close things out Saturday, the Padres didn’t have to stress too much to down the Red Sox yesterday, Dylan Cease outdueling Bryan Bello as the Padres took the rubber game.
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Cease was largely excellent, holding the Red Sox to one hit over his first six innings of work. Bello was less successful. He ran into two-out trouble in the third, and Luis Arraez opened the scoring with a two-run double:
Things stayed quiet until the fifth, when Fernando Tatis Jr. singled home one to make it 3-0. Bello remained in the game into the sixth, perhaps a bit too much leash for the righty. A couple singles and a two walks made it 4-0 and chased Bello, and Chris Murphy came in and walked another to make it 5-0.
That lead seemed to be safe with Cease dealing, but Sam Diego had to deal with one big scare in the seventh. Cease put the first two runners on, and Jason Adam came on and allowed both inherited runners to score. A Wilyer Abreu single loaded the bases with none out and the score 5-2, but the next three batters struck out, Adrian Morejon fanning Roman Anthony to end the inning:
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That would be the end of the drama. The final nine Red Sox went down in order as San Diego eased to a 6-2 win. The Red Sox now sit four games behind the blue Jays in the AL East.
Detroit Tigers (68-51) 9, Los Angeles Angels (56-62) 5
After a disheartening loss, the Tigers bounced back nicely to take two of three in Anaheim and right the ship a bit. They hit Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz hard early and never looked back.
Detroit worked Kochanowicz over in the first, roping four consecutive two-out hits to plate two, with Riley Greene and Zach McKinstry driving in runs. Kerry Carpenter’s sac fly in the second made it 3-0 before Detroit broke it fully open in the fourth. With two on and none out, Gleyber Torres knocked in one, and Carpenter followed with his 21st homer of the year to make it 7-0 and chase Kochanowicz after three-plus miserable innings:
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The Angels made it nominally close later, scoring two off Casey Mize in the fifth and one off Tommy Kahnle in the sixth. But Greene extinguished the Angels’ comeback hopes with a two-run shot in the seventh to make it 9-3:
Detroit has had a shaky August, and a red-hot Cleveland team has cut into the Tigers’ seemingly insurmountable AL Central lead, but the Tigers now lead by six games.
Other Games
Chicago White Sox (43-75) 6, Cleveland Guardians (61-56) 4: The Yankees’ pitiful play suddenly means they must watch Cleveland’s scores very closely, and this weekend meant they had the unfortunate fate of relying on the White Sox. Chicago got the job done Sunday though, hitting Slade Cecconi early before holding on. Lenyn Sosa and Colson Montgomery hit homers in the first to make it 3-0, while Curtis Mead and Kyle Teel singled home runs in the second to make it Cleveland did work their way back into it, with Kyle Manzardo leading the way with two dingers, the second of which made it 6-4. But Chicago’s bullpen did enough to hold on. Cam Booser pitching a scoreless eighth and Grant Taylor working the ninth for the save. For one more day at least, the Yankees have a hold on a playoff spot.
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Seattle Mariners (66-53) 6, Tampa Bay Rays (57-62) 3: The Mariners stayed red hot, sweeping their second-consecutive series to keep the pressure on in the AL West. It of course started with Cal Raleigh, his 45th homer of the year putting Seattle up 2-0:
Eugenio Suarez singled home two more later in the first off Rays newcomer Adrian Houser to make it 4-0. The Rays tallied a lone run in each of the next three frames off Bryan Woo, but Woo managed to make it through six up 4-3. The M’s added two more late, including a home run from Josh Naylor. The M’s stay just a half-game back of the Astros.
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Philadelphia Phillies (68-49) 4, Texas Rangers (60-59) 2: Joc Pederson hit a two-run homer in the first off Zack Wheeler to put the Rangers up first, but that was all they’d get the rest of the game. Edmundo Sosa hit a game-tying two-run shot off Patrick Corbin in the fifth, and Weston Wilson singled home another to put Philly ahead for good. Philadelphia’s bullpen was strong in relief of Wheeler, four different relievers tossing a scoreless inning and Jhoan Durán recording his 20th save.