NEW YORK (AP) — Mark Teixeira and Chase Headley hit solo home runs off Koji Uehara in the ninth inning, and the New York Yankees stunned the Boston Red Sox 5-4 Thursday night to bolster their slim playoff hopes.
New York had just one hit since the third inning before Teixeira drove a pitch into the second deck in right field for his 21st home run this season. One out later, Headley homered deep into the right-field bleachers against Uehara (6-5).
Adam Warren (3-5) pitched a scoreless ninth for the Yankees, who began the night four games out of the second AL wild-card spot and in danger of missing consecutive postseasons for the first time since 1992 and ‘93.
David Ortiz homered twice and drove in three runs for the Red Sox. Brock Holt put Boston ahead 4-3 with a fifth-inning homer, then made a great sliding grab in the bottom half.
BLUE JAYS 1, RAYS 0, 10 INNINGS
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Pinch-hitter Colby Rasmus homered in the 10th inning and Toronto earned its first three-game sweep at Tampa Bay.
Rasmus led off with a long drive into the right-field seats against Steve Geltz (0-1).
Tampa Bay threatened in the ninth and loaded the bases loaded with one out. But reliever Brett Cecil (2-3) worked out of the jam by striking out three in the inning. Casey Janssen got three outs for his 21st save.
Toronto won the first two games of the series to stop a streak of 22 consecutive winless road series (including one in Orlando) against the Rays dating to April 6-8, 2007.
Blue Jays starter Mark Buehrle and counterpart Jake Odorizzi both had impressive outings.
ORIOLES 9, REDS 7
BALTIMORE (AP) — J.J. Hardy snapped a seventh-inning tie with a two-run single, and Baltimore gave away a six-run lead before rebounding to beat Cincinnati for a three-game sweep.
After completing a 9-2 homestand, the AL East-leading Orioles (82-57) are assured a third straight winning season for the first time since 1992-94.
Nelson Cruz hit his major league-leading 37th home run in a six-run first, but the Reds chipped away and finally pulled even with a four-run seventh. Baltimore rookie Jonathan Schoop homered for the third straight game.
Tommy Hunter (3-2) worked 1 1-3 innings and Zach Britton got three outs for his 33rd save.
Devin Mesoraco went 4 for 4 with his 21st home run and four RBIs, but the Reds (66-74) fell eight games under .500 for the first time since Oct. 2, 2009. Cincinnati has dropped 16 of 22.
Manny Parra (0-2) took the loss.
CARDINALS 3, BREWERS 2
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Marco Gonzales and his fellow St. Louis relievers worked out of several jams in combining for six innings of one-run ball, and the Cardinals held off slumping Milwaukee for their sixth straight win.
The Cardinals moved to a season-high 14 games above .500 and extended their lead to four games in the NL Central over the Brewers, who lost their ninth straight.
St. Louis used the bullpen early after Michael Wacha was limited to three innings in his first start off the disabled list. Gonzales (2-2) went 2 1-3 innings for the win.
The Brewers stranded potential tying runs in scoring position from the sixth through the ninth.
St. Louis never trailed after Yadier Molina’s two-run single in the first off Wily Peralta (15-10).
TIGERS 11, INDIANS 4, 11 INNINGS
CLEVELAND (AP) — Eugenio Suarez’s two-run single and Victor Martinez’s three-run homer highlighted a seven-run 11th inning that lifted Detroit over Cleveland.
Detroit scored four runs in the first and then was shut down for the next nine innings. The Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate in the first and 11 in the final inning.
Cleveland chipped away against Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer and tied the score against the Tigers’ bullpen in the seventh.
Phil Coke (4-2) pitched 1 2-3 innings for the win.
Josh Tomlin (6-9) gave up five runs and three hits in one-third of an inning to take the loss.
Detroit, which holds a slim lead for the second AL wild card, won three of four in a crucial series to pull within one game of first-place Kansas City in the AL Central.
MARINERS 10, RANGERS 2
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Robinson Cano drove in four runs for the first time with Seattle, and the wild card-contending Mariners jumped out to a big early lead on the way to an easy victory over Texas.
Rookie left-hander Roenis Elias (10-12) allowed a run in five innings to become the fourth Seattle starter with at least 10 wins.
Robbie Ross (2-6) gave up six runs and five hits in 1 2-3 innings. The lefty was the first of six Texas pitchers, with two more making their big league debuts to increase the Rangers’ major league record totals to 40 pitchers used and 63 players overall this season.
While long a forgone conclusion, the Rangers (53-87) became the first team in the majors eliminated from playoff contention after their sixth loss in a row.
Chris Denorfia hit his first home run with the Mariners.
ANGELS 5, TWINS 4
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Pinch-hitter Chris Iannetta’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning lifted Los Angeles over Minnesota.
David Freese broke out of an 0-for-21 slump with two doubles and an RBI, and Howie Kendrick and Erick Aybar each had two hits and an RBI to help the Angels bounce back from a two-game sweep in Houston.
Huston Street earned his 36th save in 38 chances to give the Angels a five-game lead in the AL West over Oakland.
Eduardo Nunez hit a three-run homer and Kyle Gibson pitched seven innings for the Twins. But All-Star closer Glen Perkins (3-2) gave up a leadoff double to Freese to start the ninth and couldn’t strand him.
Joe Smith (6-2) worked one inning for the win, and Street nailed down his 12th save since arriving from San Diego in a trade.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, PADRES 1
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Randall Delgado and four relievers combined on a four-hitter, and A.J. Pollock had three hits to help Arizona beat San Diego.
The Diamondbacks won the final two of a four-game series in which they outscored the Padres 11-2.
Delgado’s outing marked the start of Arizona going to a six-man rotation. Delgado (3-3) started on April 4 and 10, then made 37 appearances as a reliever.
He came into the game with a 5.85 ERA and held San Diego to two hits in five innings.
Ian Kennedy (10-12) had a miserable night against his former team, allowing four runs and 10 hits in 5 1-3 innings.