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Elimination takes shine off Yanks’ win

The Boston Red Sox celebrate on the field after beating the Cleveland Indians 5-4 to clinch an American League wildcard playoff spot in Boston, Massachusetts, on Tuesday. PHOTO: AP

AMERICAN LEAGUE

The New York Yankees won their sixth consecutive game by beating Toronto 3-1, but it was little consolation for officially being eliminated from the post-season race on Tuesday.

Jason Giambi homered and Robinson Cano also drove in a run for the Yankees (86-71), who were eliminated from the Major League Baseball playoffs when the Boston Red Sox (92-65) registered a 5-4 win over Cleveland.

En route to tying his career-high for wins in a season, pitcher Mike Mussina (19-9) tossed five scoreless innings while posting six strikeouts.

Five relievers hurled the final four innings, including Mariano Rivera, who recorded his 38th save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

The Blue Jays left eight runners on base.

TWINS 9, WHITE SOX 3

The Minnesota Twins edged within 1.5 games of Chicago atop the American League Central division with a win over the White Sox on Tuesday in the opening game of a crucial three-game series.

Minnesota’s Jason Kubel went 3-for-4 with two homers, including going back-to-back with Delmon Young in the seventh to put the game out of reach.

The Twins practically need a sweep of this series to reclaim top spot in the Central, needing two wins to overhaul the White Sox.

Chicago’s Ken Griffey Jr passed Sammy Sosa for sole possession of fifth place on the career list with his 610th home run.

RAYS 5, ORIOLES 2, GAME 1

RAYS 7, ORIOLES 5, GAME 2

In Baltimore, Tampa Bay moved two steps closer to claiming the AL East pennant by beating Baltimore in a double-header.

The Rays had never before won both games in a double-header in 13 attempts, and moved three games ahead of Boston in pursuit of their first division title.

The two victories enabled the Rays to break the record held by the 1991 Atlanta Braves for most wins by a team that owned the worst record in the majors one year earlier.

Baltimore has lost eight straight overall, and 11 straight to Tampa Bay.

RED SOX 5, INDIANS 4

In Boston, the home team edged Cleveland to make certain of a long-likely playoff spot.

The defending World Series champions scored three times in the fifth inning to rally from a two-run deficit.

With the win, the Red Sox clinched at least the AL wildcard, putting them 6.5 games ahead of New York with five games left.

Boston slipped three games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East pennant race.

MARINERS 9, ANGELS 6

In Seattle, Los Angeles’ lead over Tampa Bay in the chase for the AL’s best record was cut to two games after losing at Seattle.

Kenji Johjima drove in three runs to end the Mariners’ 12-game losing streak.

The Mariners, who trailed 6-2 after five innings, scored four runs in the sixth to tie the game then added three in the seventh.

It was a game with significance for both teams. The Angels are trying to hold off Tampa Bay for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, while the Mariners stayed on 99 losses, trying desperately to stave off 100 losses, with five more to play.

ROYALS 5, TIGERS 0

In Detroit, Kansas City shut out Detroit to push the Tigers into last place in the AL Central.

Pitchers Zack Greinke and Leo Nunez combined on a four-hitter for the Royals, who have won 10 of their past 12 games.

Detroit has lost 11 of 12 and was shut out for the 13th time this season.

RANGERS 6, ATHLETICS 4

In Arlington, Texas, the home team snapped a five-game losing streak by downing Oakland.

Hank Blalock hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh. Blalock lined a 1-2 pitch into the seats in right for a 6-4 lead.



NATIONAL LEAGUE

AP, NEW YORK

New York pitcher Johan Santana got an unusual broken-bat infield single and struck out 10 batters to lead the Mets to a critical 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs in the National League on Tuesday.

With five games to play, New York stayed a game ahead of Milwaukee in the NL wildcard race and closed within 1.5 games of NL East division leader Philadelphia.

The victory arrested the Mets’ three-game losing streak that had sharpened memories of last year’s dramatic collapse that saw the team go from playoff certainties to post-season spectators.

Santana allowed just two runs in eight innings and improved to 8-0 with a 2.26 ERA in his past 16 starts.

The Cubs have already secured the best record in the NL and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

With one out in the fifth and a man on first, Santana hit a broken-bat grounder up the middle. Chicago pitcher Sean Marshall eluded a piece of Santana’s bat but could not get the ball, which then kicked off the broken wood, bouncing off the glove of the shortstop.

After an out and a walk, David Wright lined a tying two-run single to left.

DODGERS 10, PADRES 1

In Los Angeles, the home team beat San Diego to close in on the NL West title. Nomar Garciaparra and Blake DeWitt hit three-run homers for the Dodgers, who moved three games clear of Arizona with only five to play and closer to their first division title since 2004.

Los Angeles sent 10 men to the plate during a six-run first inning.

BRAVES 3, PHILLIES 2

In Philadelphia, the home team fell to just its second loss in 12 games, defeated by Atlanta.

Casey Kotchman homered and pitcher Mike Hampton won for the first time in a month for the Braves.

The Phillies twice had serious shots at big innings against the oft-injured Hampton.

They left the bases loaded in the third and ran themselves out of a rally in the sixth.

Hampton allowed just two runs in six innings.



Also on Tuesday it was:

• Cardinals 7, Diamondbacks 4

• Nationals 9, Marlins 4

• Brewers 7, Pirates 5

• Rockies 9, Giants 4

• Reds 2, Astros 1