BREWERS 5, PIRATES 2
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Eric Thames hit his 29th home run, Domingo Santana went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh.
The Brewers pulled within two games of the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs who were playing the New York Mets.
Gerrit Cole (11-10) took his first loss in 10 road starts since the Atlanta Braves beat him 5-2 on May 22. He slipped to 8-1 away from PNC Park over that stretch after allowing five runs and seven hits in six innings. He tied his season-high with 10 strikeouts in his fifth start against Milwaukee this season.
Manager Craig Counsell turned to the bullpen to protect the 5-2 lead. Jeremy Jeffress, Oliver Drake, Jared Hughes, Anthony Swarzak and Josh Hader each turned in a scoreless inning. Jeffress (3-0) was the pitcher of record. Corey Knebel pitched the ninth for his 35th save in 40 chances.
RED SOX 11, ATHLETICS 1
BOSTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit two home runs and a two-run triple, and Boston rolled past Oakland.
The Red Sox, winners of five of their last six, pushed their American League East lead back to four games over the Yankees following New York’s loss to 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay.
Betts went 3 for 5 with six RBIs. He’s driven in three runs or more in a team-high 11 games.
The loss snaps a five-game win streak for the A’s. They managed just one run and one hit off Eduardo Rodriguez (5-5), who struck out nine over six innings.
Sean Manaea (10-10) was pulled after giving up seven earned runs on 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings.
BRAVES 8, NATIONALS 0
WASHINGTON (AP) — Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run off Gio Gonzalez and Julio Teheran threw seven shutout innings as Atlanta cruised past Washington.
Gonzalez (14-7) allowed five earned runs and seven hits in five innings and struck out eight. The left-hander did guarantee his $12 million option for next season with his first out of the game as he reached 180 innings this season.
The Nationals, who clinched the division Sunday when the Braves came back to beat the Miami in extra innings, lost for just the second time in eight games. This loss kept them from closing the gap on the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in baseball and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Teheran (11-11) allowed seven hits, struck out five and walked two.
BLUE JAYS 3, ORIOLES 2
TORONTO (AP) — Richard Urena singled home the winning run in the ninth inning and Toronto handed slumping Baltimore its sixth straight loss.
Facing Orioles closer Zach Britton (2-1), who had recorded the final out of the eighth, Kevin Pillar drew a leadoff walk in the ninth and went to third on Teoscar Hernandez’s single. One out later, Pillar scored when Luke Maile singled off the glove of third baseman Manny Machado.
Urena followed with a single to center. Darwin Barney raced around from second and slid home safely ahead of the throw from Adam Jones.
Blue Jays left-hander Tim Mayza (1-0) got one out for his first career win.
Tim Beckham homered for the Orioles.RAYS 2, YANKEES 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Adeiny Hechavarria hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning off Sonny Gray and Tampa Bay, playing as the home team in a series relocated to Citi Field because of Hurricane Irma, beat the Yankees.
Tampa Bay has split the first two games of the set held at the home of the New York Mets.
The Rays will fly back to Florida immediately after Wednesday afternoon’s game for firsthand looks at the storm damage. No word yet from MLB if Boston and Tampa Bay will play at Tropicana Field on Friday night as scheduled — the Rays expect to host the three-game set, but it could be reconfigured to give them an extra day off to handle personal matters.
Tommy Hunter (3-5) pitched one inning to give Tampa Bay, on the fringe of the AL wild-card race, its second win in six games. Alex Colome closed for his 44th save in 49 chances.
Gray (9-10) again pitched well but wound up with a loss. The Yankees, who hold the top AL wild-card spot, have dropped just three of their last 10.
ROYALS 4, WHITE SOX 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brandon Moss hit a grand slam in the first inning for his third consecutive game with a homer, powering Kansas City past Chicago.
Scott Alexander worked out of a ninth-inning jam for his fourth save in six chances. He yielded a double to Adam Engel and a single to Yolmer Sanchez to lead off the ninth. He struck out Yoan Moncada, retired Jose Abreu on a pop to Whit Merrifield and got pinch hitter Matt Davidson on a grounder to end the game.
White Sox rookie Dylan Covey (0-5) walked the bases loaded before Moss drove a full-count fastball to right-center. It was Moss’s fourth career grand slam and his first since July 24, 2014. He has nine RBIs in his past three games.
Sam Gaviglio (4-5) picked up his first Royals victory in his second start after being picked up on waivers Sept. 1 from Seattle.