MLB RECAPS

MLB Recaps: Indians reduce magic number to four

The Sports Xchange

September 22, 2016 at 10:15 pm.

Sep 22, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians first baseman Carlos Santana (41) hits a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. Photo Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Sep 22, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians first baseman Carlos Santana (41) hits a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. Photo Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

CLEVELAND — Carlos Santana’s three-run home run in the sixth inning broke a tie and lifted the Cleveland Indians to a 5-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals Thursday night at Progressive Field.

Cleveland completed a three-game sweep of the defending World Series champions. With Thursday’s win, the Indians reduced their magic number for clinching the American League Central Division title to four.

Reliever Dan Otero (5-1) pitched two scoreless innings of one-hit relief with two strikeouts to get the win. Closer Cody Allen pitched the ninth inning to earn his 29th save.

Royals reliever Dillon Gee (7-9) gave up three runs on two hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings to take the loss.

Rays 2, Yankees 0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Last-place Tampa Bay avoided a sweep with a shutout win over New York, which is trying to keep its postseason hopes alive in a wild-card logjam.

Rays rookie Blake Snell (6-8) threw five shutout innings, and former Yankees pitcher Chase Whitley threw 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief against his old team.

Tampa Bay closer Alex Colome went 1 1/3 innings for his 35th save, getting the final out with a runner at third when Jacoby Ellsbury lined out to center field. The Yankees, who were shut out once in the first 122 games of the season, have been blanked five times in the past 30 games.

Tigers 9, Twins 2

MINNEAPOLIS — Justin Upton hit his 26th home run of the year and Victor Martinez also homered as the Detroit Tigers topped Minnesota in the first game of a day-night doubleheader Thursday.

The game was a makeup of Wednesday’s rain-shortened game, which was postponed in the bottom of the third inning. There was no score in the game before it was called.

Upton’s homer came off Twins reliever Alex Wimmers and broke a 1-1 tie. The 444-foot blast landed in the bullpens in left-center field and gave the Tigers the lead for good.