Colby Rasmus’ broken-bat RBI single capped Houston’s rally from a three-run deficit as the Astros retook the lead in a race for the second American League wild-card spot by beating Seattle 7-6.
A day after being passed by the Angels, the Astros moved back in front of Los Angeles. The Astros are a half-game ahead going into their final series of the season, beginning today in Arizona.
Luke Gregerson got his 31st save, capped when center fielder Carlos Gomez caught a line drive by Franklin Gutierrez and doubled pinch-runner James Jones off first base to end the game.
Photo: USA Today
Tony Sipp (3-4) was the winner. Danny Farquahar (1-7) took the loss.
TWINS, INDIAN
Cody Anderson pitched seven shutout innings and Jose Ramirez hit a three-run homer, leading the Cleveland Indians a split doubleheader, keeping them alive in the AL wild-card race.
Photo: USA Today
Minnesota won the first game 7-1 and pulled to one game behind the Angels for the second wild-card spot.
In the second game, the Indians hammered the Twins 10-2.
Anderson (7-3) held the Twins to two hits and won his fifth straight start.
Cleveland scored four runs in the second off Mike Pelfrey (6-11), who lasted 1-2/3 innings, and Francisco Lindor, continuing his case for rookie of the year, belted a two-run homer in the fourth.
ATHLETICS 8, ANGELS 7
Stephen Vogt hit a tiebreaking, two-run single during Oakland’s four-run rally in the seventh inning, and the Athletics hung on to stop Los Angeles’ seven-game winning streak.
Sean Doolittle got pinch-hitter Collin Cowgill to ground out with Mike Trout on third base to end it, completing a five-out save in a wild regular-season home finale for the Angels (83-75).
Eric Sogard had an early three-run double for the last-place A’s, whose second win in 11 games further complicated the AL playoff race.
One day after the Angels completed a two-month chase by passing Houston for the second wild-card spot, Los Angeles committed four errors and gave up seven unearned runs.
RANGERS 6, TIGERS 2
Adrian Beltre hit the first of three Texas home runs as the AL West leaders moved closer to a postseason berth by beating Detroit.
Robinson Chirinos and Mike Napoli also homered for the Rangers.
Yovani Gallardo (13-11) won, despite giving up nine hits in 5 1-3 innings. Matt Boyd (1-6) allowed all three homers in 2 2-3 innings.
RED SOX 9, YANKEES 5
New York’s normally steady bullpen wasted a chance to clinch their first playoff berth in three years when Dellin Betances gave up a tying homer and Andrew Bailey allowed the go-ahead hit.
After losses in the first two games of the four-game series and with the chance to wrap up a wild-card berth, the Yankees rallied from a 3-0 deficit. Alex Rodriguez’s first homer in two weeks gave them a 5-4 lead in the sixth.
However, on a night when Masahiro Tanaka struggled early in his return from a hamstring injury, the Yankees stumbled again. Still, they need just one win in their final four games to earn the playoff spot.
Bailey (0-1) gave up an RBI single to Deven Marrero with one out in the 11th. Chasen Shreve yielded a run-scoring sacrifice to Jackie Bradley Jr and a two-run homer to Betts.
PHILLIES 7, METS 5<
New York Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes bruised two fingers of his left hand after he was hit by a pitch in a testy loss to Philadelphia.
X-rays showed no bone damage to Cespedes’ ring and middle fingers. He exited in the third inning, then returned to the dugout in the sixth when the benches started to empty following a high-and-tight pitch.
Daniel Murphy and Michael Conforto homered for the Mets.
Ken Roberts (1-1) retired one batter and Ken Giles got his 15th save in 19 chances. Bobby Parnell (2-4) lost in relief.
In other games, it was:
‧ Cubs 10, Reds 3
‧ Giants 5, Dodgers 0
‧ Royals 5, White Sox 3
‧ Rays 6, Marlins 4
‧ Braves 2, Nationals 0
‧ Brewers 5, Padres 0
‧ Diamondbacks 3, Rockies 1
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two