Sep 28, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira (25) celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk off grand slam against the Boston Red Sox during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Photo Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
NEW YORK — Mark Teixeira hit a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday night as the New York Yankees rallied for a 5-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox, who clinched the AL East Division title.
The Red Sox learned they secured their eighth divisional title before Craig Kimbrel threw a pitch when the Baltimore Orioles secured a 3-2 win in Toronto.
Kimbrel (2-5) loaded the bases by allowing three walks and a hit. He was pulled for Joe Kelly, who recorded the first two outs.
With many of the Red Sox fans rising in anticipation of the win, Teixeira drove an 0-1 pitch over the center field fence for his 15th home run of the season.
Diamondbacks 3, Nationals 0 (rain-shortened)
WASHINGTON — Right-hander Shelby Miller pitched five scoreless innings, Paul Goldschmidt drove in two runs and Jean Segura had three hits as Arizona beat Washington in a game that was called by rain with one out in the top of the sixth after a delay of 69 minutes.
Miller (3-12) picked up his first win since June 20 as he gave up just five hits, two coming from Anthony Rendon. The other win this season for Miller came May 7 at Atlanta. Miller, who lowered his ERA to 6.15, had five strikeouts with one walk against Washington.
He spent part of this season at Triple-A Reno but has now gone 11 scoreless innings after pitching six scoreless against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.
Orioles 3, Blue Jays 2
TORONTO –Pinch hitter Hyun Soo Kim hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning and Baltimore came back to defeat Toronto.
Kim’s home run came against Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna and gave the Orioles a split in the first two games of a three-game series. Mark Trumbo also homered for the Orioles.
Orioles left-hander Zach Britton pitched the ninth for his 47th save of the season.
Pirates 8, Cubs 4
PITTSBURGH — John Jaso became the first player to hit for the cycle in PNC Park, driving in five runs with a three-run homer, triple, double and a single as Pittsburgh beat up on Chicago starter Jake Arrieta and the Cubs.
Rookie right-hander Jameson Taillon (5-4), who began the season in the minors but ends it as the Pirates’ emerging staff ace, limited the Cubs to one hit — Anthony Rizzo’s home run in the first inning — while striking out four and walking three in six strong innings.
Royals 5, Twins 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The title defense ended for Kansas City despite scoring three runs with two outs in the eighth to beat Minnesota.
Kendrys Morales drove in the go-ahead run with a double, and Alex Gordon added a two-run single as the Royals topped the Twins for the 15th time in 18 games this year.
However, soon after the Royals’ big eighth inning, the Baltimore Orioles rallied to beat the Toronto Blue Jays, eliminating the 2015 World Series champion Royals from postseason contention.
Mets 5, Marlins 2
MIAMI — James Loney and Jay Bruce each hit two-run homers to lead New York to a win over Miami. Bruce, who also hit a two-run shot against Miami on Tuesday, leads the Mets with 32 homers, although 25 of them were hit before the Cincinnati Reds traded him to New York on July 31. Loney was in the lineup only after the Mets scratched first baseman Lucas Duda due to an apparent injury.
New York has hit 216 homers this season, and they ranked second in the NL in that category entering Wednesday. The Mets’ previous record for most homers in a season was 200 in 2006.
With the win, the Mets maintained their slim lead over the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals in the NL wild-card race. Only two of those three teams will make the playoffs.
Braves 12, Phillies 2
ATLANTA — Freddie Freeman extended his hitting streak to a major league-best 30 games and Atlanta drubbed Philadelphia for its ninth win in 10 games.
Freeman singled in the sixth inning and now has the third-longest hitting streak in Atlanta history. He was hit by a pitch in the third inning, extending his streak for reaching base to 46 consecutive games. The first baseman is batting .384 during his hitting streak, which began Aug. 24.
Mariners 12, Astros 4
HOUSTON — Robinson Cano struck one last devastating blow in a season full of them at Minute Maid Park and, in the process, snuffed the life out of Houston’s dwindling postseason aspirations.
Cano belted his 36th homer in the first inning and Seattle kept afloat its own playoff hopes with a victory over Houston.
The Mariners pounced on right-hander Doug Fister in their first at-bat and never looked back, building a 7-0 lead in the third inning before holding off an Astros’ rally in the sixth to claim the rubber match of this three-game series.
