Mookie Betts drove in five runs as the Boston Red Sox clinched their third consecutive American League East crown with a 11-6 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday.
Betts also hit a home run and had two doubles for the Red Sox, who have the best record in the major leagues.
The Red Sox closed out the once close division race with nine games to spare and are to open the playoffs at Fenway Park on Oct. 5 against an undetermined opponent.
Photo: AFP
Giancarlo Stanton hit a go-ahead grand slam for the Yankees in the fourth inning, before Boston’s Jackie Bradley blasted a tying home run in the seventh and Xander Bogaerts put Boston ahead with a sacrifice fly.
Boston entered the three-game series needing a single victory to lock up their fourth AL East title in six years, but the Yankees put the celebration on hold with two consecutive victories.
It took three tries, but Boston finally earned their chance to celebrate at Yankee Stadium.
Photo: AP
“To be able to do it here — obviously we know the history,” manager Alex Cora said. “It feels great.”
Pinch-runner Lin Tzu-wei of Taiwan scored on a sacrifice fly for the Red Sox.
Elsewhere, Los Angeles Angels catcher Francisco Arcia began the day behind the plate, did a brief stint on the mound and ended up in the major-league record books.
Arcia pitched two innings of relief and hit his sixth home run in the Angels’ 21-3 loss to the Oakland Athletics.
In doing so, Arcia became the first player to catch, pitch and homer in the same game, according to the Angels.
“They just told me that,” Arcia said. “I’m pretty happy, I guess.”
The 29-year-old Arcia was already in the record books after driving in 10 runs in his first two games after being called up from the minors on July 26.
Arcia also became the first Angels position player to pitch since 1993, when he threw one scoreless frame against the A’s on Aug. 11, but had not done much since.
That changed when the Angels fell behind by double digits early. Manager Mike Scioscia felt no need to tax his bullpen, so turned to Arcia.
Arcia needed only five pitches to retire the first two batters before allowing three consecutive hits, including back-to-back home runs by Nick Martini and Chad Pinder.
“Just BP fastballs,” Arcia said when asked what his repertoire included. “Played catch with my catcher, that’s it.”
Mark Canha singled off Arcia with one out in the eighth, but Dustin Fowler hit into an inning-ending double play.
Arcia then homered off Chris Hatcher in the ninth.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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