Yanks beat Jays 5-2 to clinch AL East; Judge stuck at 60 HRs

Tue, Sep 27, 2022
MLB News (AP)

Aaron Judge walked four times and stayed at 60 home runs, one shy of Roger Maris' American League record, as the New York Yankees clinched the AL East title by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2 Tuesday night.

The Yankees celebrated their 20th division championship, tied for second-most with the Dodgers behind Atlanta's 21, but not home run history. New York (95-59) secured a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the Division Series.

Judge lined out in his first at-bat and then drew four straight walks in his seventh straight game without a home run. The Yankees have eight games left in the regular season for Judge to tie or break the AL mark set by Maris in 1961.

Despite the loss, Toronto (87-68) maintained its place atop the AL wild-card standings.

Gleyber Torres had three hits and drove in three runs to back Jameson Taillon (14-5), who pitched 7 1/3 sharp innings, allowing two runs and five hits. He's 4-0 in five career starts in Toronto.

Jose Berrios (11-7) allowed five runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings, losing his second straight outing after a six-start unbeaten streak. His ERA rose to 5.37. Berrios reached 1,000 career strikeouts.

BRAVES 8, NATIONALS 2

WASHINGTON (AP) - Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a pair of solo home runs and Atlanta beat Washington, extending its winning streak to four games and moving into a first-place tie in the NL East with the New York Mets.

Orlando Arcia also homered and Michael Harris II had a two-run triple for the Braves, who caught the Mets when they lost 6-4 at home to Miami. Both teams have seven games remaining, including a head-to-head three-game series beginning Friday in Atlanta.

With the win, the Braves (97-58) are guaranteed the No. 2 playoff seed in the National League if they finish ahead of the Mets.

Victor Robles homered and Luke Voit had two doubles for the last-place Nationals (53-101).

Collin McHugh (3-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Paolo Espino (0-8) retired the first 10 Braves batters before giving up four runs and five hits.

CUBS 2, PHILLIES 1

CHICAGO (AP) - Marcus Stroman pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, and Yan Gomes hit a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning, lifting Chicago over Philadelphia.

The Phillies' magic number to clinch a National League playoff berth is stalled at eight after their third straight loss. The Cubs (68-86) won for the sixth time in seven games.

Stroman (5-7) struck out six and lowered his ERA to 2.50 over his last six starts. Rookie Christopher Morel homered in the third inning for Chicago.

Ian Happ led off the seventh with a single through the middle of the infield off Connor Brogdon (2-2). With two out, Gomes poked a double into the right field corner, scoring Happ.

Bryson Stott walked to start the sixth. After Kyle Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins struck out, Bryce Harper hit a deep drive that grazed off the outstretched glove of a diving Morel in left-center, scoring Stott for the Phillies' only run.

PIRATES 4, REDS 1

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Miguel Andujar hit a tiebreaking three-run double in the seventh inning, leading Pittsburgh past Cincinnati.

Andujar's hit snapped a 1-all tie and came in his second game with the Pirates. The designated hitter was claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees on Sunday.

The Pirates loaded the bases with one out on a single by Oneil Cruz and walks to Bryan Reynolds and Jack Suwinski by Buck Farmer (2-2). Andujar then hit a long drive off the top of the bullpen door in left-center field, clearing the bases.

Wil Crowe (6-10) pitched two scoreless innings of relief. David Bednar worked the ninth for his 18th save in 22 chance as the Pirates won for the third time in four games.

The Reds, who have lost five of six and 15 of 19, got two hits each from Kyle Farmer and Mike Siani.

TWINS 4, WHITE SOX 0

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Matt Wallner hit a two-run homer, Bailey Ober had a career-high 10 strikeouts and Minnesota beat Chicago.

Ober (2-3) threw a career-high 7 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits.

Wallner, the rookie outfielder from nearby Forest Lake, hit his second homer in his 11th career game and first at home. Jose Miranda added three hits for Minnesota.

Lance Lynn (7-7) gave up four runs on 10 hits in five-plus innings for Chicago. White Sox interim manager Miguel Cairo was ejected following Wallner's homer.

Chicago struck out 14 times in the game.

TIGERS 4, ROYALS 3, 10 INNINGS

DETROIT (AP) - Harold Castro singled in the winning run with two outs in the 10th inning after tying it with a two-run single in the eighth in for Detroit.

Tucker Barnhart bunted pinch-runner Ryan Kreidler to third and Anthony Misiewicz (3-2) intentionally walked pinch-hitter Eric Haase. Riley Greene struck out, and the Royals decided to walk Javy Baez to pitch to Castro with the bases loaded. He hit a soft grounder up the middle to win it.

Alex Lange (6-4) earned the win.

Kansas City took an early 2-0 lead on a homer by Hunter Dozier, his 10th in 32 career games at Comerica Park.

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