AL wild-card roundup: Gaps forming as race heats up

A busy Monday night time noticed some wild-card contenders acquire floor, whereas another groups fell additional behind.

The Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins all picked up key wins to shut in on the idle Cleveland Guardians for the ultimate wild-card spot. Meanwhile, the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers remained caught in a rut that may be too massive to beat.

Here is how the standings take care of Monday’s motion:

Toronto: at Cleveland, 6:40 p.m., Sportsnet, Sportsnet+
Cleveland: vs. Toronto, 6:40 p.m., Sportsnet, Sportsnet+
Boston: vs. Seattle, 6:45 p.m., Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet+
Seattle: at Boston, 6:45 p.m., Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet+
Minnesota: vs. Tigers, 7:40 p.m., Sportsnet+
Detroit: at Twins, 7:40 p.m., Sportsnet+
New York Yankees: at Los Angeles Angels, 9:38 p.m., Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet+
Texas: vs. Athletics, 8:05 p.m.
Baltimore: at Rockies, 8:40 p.m.

RED SOX 9, MARINERS 8 (10 INNINGS)

BOSTON — Trevor Story drove within the profitable run with a bases-loaded single within the tenth inning after Seattle walked the 2 batters earlier than him deliberately, lifting the Boston Red Sox to a 9-8 comeback victory over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night time.

Jarren Duran hit a two-run homer and Mickey Gasper a solo shot for the Red Sox, who had been coming off a tough weekend after they dropped three of 4 to the Yankees.

Randy Arozarena had 4 hits, together with a homer over the Green Monster, drove in 4 runs and scored 3 times for the Mariners, who’ve misplaced 5 straight.

Aroldis Chapman (3-4) labored a scoreless tenth.

Nick Sogard sacrificed, then the Mariners walked the subsequent two batters, earlier than Story lined a 3-2 pitch from Cooper Criswell (2-2) into the left-center hole.

Boston tied it in opposition to Andrés Muñoz within the ninth. Roman Anthony had a leadoff triple when middle fielder Julio Rodríguez tried to make a sliding catch earlier than the ball hopped previous him, and scored on Ceddanne Rafaela’s fly to left.

MINNEAPOLIS — Ryan Jeffers had two homers, Walker Jenkins went deep for the primary time in his main league profession, and Minnesota beat Detroit.

Taj Bradley (10-6) struck out 9 in seven innings, his seventh outing with at the very least 9 strikeouts. The 25-year-old right-hander allowed one run on 4 hits and allowed three walks.

Jenkins, the Twins’ fifth total choice within the 2023 draft, had a two-run homer within the eighth off of place participant Zach McKinstry for his first big-league knock. The 21-year-old is the third-youngest participant in baseball and was the highest prospect within the Twins system earlier than his call-up on Friday.

The Twins led 2-0 by means of 4 innings after a sac fly and homer from Kody Clemens. They scored three runs in each the fifth and sixth innings to take a commanding lead.

Jeffers’ first homer was a 420-foot, three-run shot to left-center within the fifth. Brooks Lee cleared the bases with a three-run single to proper within the sixth.

Lee was thrown out after attempting to stretch a double, however the throw to second allowed Luke Keaschall to attain from first.

Jackson Jobe (1-2) allowed 5 runs, 4 earned, on six hits and struck out 4 in 5 innings.

DENVER — Colton Cowser made a spectacular leaping catch above the center-field fence for the ultimate out, robbing Jake McCarthy of a game-winning homer and preserving the Baltimore Orioles’ 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night time.

Cade Povich pitched 5 strong innings and Cowser drove within the go-ahead run within the seventh following a 98-minute rain delay at Coors Field.

Baltimore (69-69) has received 4 straight and 6 of seven to succeed in .500 for the primary time since taking the primary recreation of a doubleheader in opposition to Houston 10-3 on April 30. The surging Orioles moved inside a half-game of idle Cleveland within the crowded chase for the final American League wild card.

The Rockies have misplaced 5 in a row total and a franchise-record 10 straight at house, the longest house shedding streak within the majors this season.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jacob deGrom allowed a second-inning single in seven shutout innings whereas bouncing again from one among his worst main league begins, and Texas beat the Athletics.

Brandon Nimmo had two hits, two RBIs and scored a run, and Justin Foscue added a solo house run for the Rangers (68-70), who path Cleveland by 1 1/2 video games within the race for the ultimate AL wild-card spot.

Lawrence Butler led off the second inning with a pointy hit to proper subject off DeGrom (10-9), who struck out eight. The 38-year-old right-hander was coming off an outing during which he matched profession highs by permitting six runs within the first inning and eight whole in 3 2/3 innings final Tuesday on the Chicago White Sox.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner is 7-2 at house this season with a 2.42 ERA, in comparison with 3-7 with a 5.86 ERA away from Globe Life Field. In his earlier house begin, deGrom allowed one hit in six shutout innings in opposition to Washington whereas matching a season excessive with 10 strikeouts.

Rookie Gage Jump (6-9) allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings for the Athletics (53-85), who’ve misplaced 4 straight. They completed August 8-20, their worst efficiency within the month since going 7-21 in 1978.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Robert Stock pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning for his first main league win in seven years, Mark Vientos homered in his return from the injured listing and New York beat Tampa Bay.

Francisco Alvarez had an RBI single and left fielder Christopher Morel made two pivotal defensive performs because the last-place Mets stopped Tampa Bay’s four-game profitable streak. New York, which snapped an eight-game skid at Tropicana Field, had misplaced six in a row and 11 of 13 to the Rays total.

Liam Hicks and Chandler Simpson every had an RBI single with two outs within the eighth to drag the Rays to 3-2.

Kodai Senga labored a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.

Tampa Bay has the perfect document within the American League at 82-55 and commenced the day with a 4 1/2-game lead within the AL East over the New York Yankees.

HOUSTON — Nelson Velázquez hit a two-run homer and Cam Smith added a two-run double to steer Houston to a win over Chicago in a collection opener between American League division leaders.

It was the fourth victory in 5 video games for the Astros, who remained two video games forward of second-place Texas within the AL West.

Houston led by one with one out within the fifth when starter Anthony Kay (9-7) walked Christian Walker with the bases loaded to make it 4-2.

Trevor Richards changed Kay with two outs and Smith doubled to left subject, sending house two extra runners to make it 6-2.

Colson Montgomery hit his twenty ninth homer to chop it to 6-3 within the seventh. But the AL Central leaders couldn’t muster any offense after that as they misplaced their second straight.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Vaughn Grissom drove in 4 runs, rookie Walbert Ureña pitched seven sturdy innings and Los Angeles ended a seven-game shedding streak with a victory over sloppy New York.

Mike Trout had a two-run single and Christian Moore drove in a pair of runs because the Angels received at house for the primary time since Aug. 15. Ureña (9-9) gave up 5 hits with no walks and eight strikeouts.

Elmer Rodríguez (0-3) didn’t make it out of the fourth for the Yankees, permitting 4 runs and 4 hits with three walks over 3 2/3 innings. It was the shortest of his six profession begins since making his main league debut in April.

Spencer Jones homered for the Yankees, who dedicated three errors after scoring a mixed 25 runs in consecutive wins over the rival Boston Red Sox at house final weekend. New York is three video games forward of Boston for the highest American League wild card and 4 1/2 video games behind first-place Tampa Bay within the AL East.

The Angels took a 1-0 lead within the third on Grissom’s run-scoring single. Zach Neto had an RBI single within the fourth after each Oswald Peraza and Tyler Heineman had been hit by pitches from Rodríguez with two outs.

Trout added his two-run single within the fourth for his first multi-RBI hit since a two-run homer on July 8.

CHICAGO — Alex Bregman hit three of Chicago’s franchise-record 9 house runs and the Cubs wrapped up their August energy show with a blowout of Milwaukee.

Clay Holmes pitched six scoreless innings for the Cubs, who launched 5 homers off Milwaukee starter Kyle Harrison within the first 4 innings and three extra in opposition to place participant Andrew Vaughn late within the recreation.

The 9 longballs matched the second-most by one workforce in a significant league recreation, in accordance with Sportradar. Toronto hit 10 throughout an 18-3 victory over Baltimore on Sept. 14, 1987.

Chicago completed August with 62 house runs, second-most by a giant league membership in a calendar month behind the 74 hit by the New York Yankees in August 2019.

ATLANTA — Rafael Devers hit his thirtieth house run of the season and rookie Turner Hill had a two-run double as San Francisco snapped Atlanta’s seven-game profitable streak.

Anthony Molina (2-0), who was traded from the Braves to the Giants on the deadline, picked up the win in opposition to his former workforce in his first begin of the season. He surrendered three runs in 5 innings and struck out a career-high six.

Jason Foley, Reiver Sanmartin and Dylan Smith mixed for 4 shutout innings out of the bullpen in a recreation that was a make-up of a June 18 rainout.

Devers’ first-inning house run to proper subject marked the fifth time in his profession he has reached the 30-home run mark and was his fourth house run in his final eight video games. He was 1 for 3 with two runs scored and two walks.

Atlanta starter Bryce Elder (8-8) allowed 5 runs in 5 1/3 innings. Michael Harris II hit his twenty third house run for the Braves.

Osleivis Basabe hit a house run to steer off a four-run sixth inning for the Giants that gave them a 6-3 lead. Hill had a pinch-hit, two-run double off Dylan Lee to interrupt a 3-3 tie, and fellow rookie Bryce Eldridge capped the rally with an RBI single. Rookie Jonah Cox added a solo house run within the ninth inning.

CINCINNATI — Manny Machado had 4 hits, Michael King struck out six in six innings and San Diego defeated Cincinnati.

San Diego bounced again from a three-game sweep at Tampa Bay and moved right into a tie with Arizona for the third NL wild-card spot. Arizona hosts Philadelphia later Monday.

King (9-9) labored his fifth consecutive high quality begin, permitting 4 hits and three walks. The final Padres pitcher to publish 5 or extra consecutive high quality outings was Matt Waldron, from May 28-June 24, 2024.

Machado had a double and three singles in his first four-hit recreation since July 27, 2025.

The Padres jumped into the lead with a four-run fourth inning. Jackson Merrill hit an RBI single, Xander Bogaerts added a two-run double, and Dustin Harris knocked in one other run earlier than the primary out of the inning.

Ty France hit a single that drove Fernando Tatis Jr. throughout within the seventh to finish the scoring.

Kyle Hart threw two scoreless innings and struck out 4, and Wandy Peralta struck out one within the ninth to complete off the shutout.

Brady Singer (5-13) allowed 4 runs on 10 hits and struck out 5 in 4 1/3 innings.

WASHINGTON — Daylen Lile homered twice and drove in 4 runs, Erik Tolman pitched out of a bases-loaded jam to earn his first main league save, and Washington beat Miami.

The Marlins dropped three of 4 to the Nationals and fell 4 video games behind Arizona within the race for the ultimate NL wild-card spot.

Lile, named the NL participant of the week earlier Monday, completed 3 for 3. The second-year outfielder has 5 homers over his previous eight video games to succeed in 20 for the season.

Brady House was 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Nationals. Andrew Pinckney and Keibert Ruiz additionally had two hits apiece.

Tolman changed Matt Waldron with the bases loaded and no person out within the eighth. He struck out Kyle Stowers, then induced a double-play grounder from Leo Jiménez. Tolman then struck out the aspect within the ninth.

Waldron (2-2) allowed 5 hits throughout three scoreless innings.

PHILLIES 2, DIAMONDBACKS 1

PHOENIX — Bryson Stott hit a homer, Aaron Nola supplied one other strong begin on the mound and Philadelphia completed a torrid August with a victory over Arizona.

The Phillies have received 5 straight, 14 of their previous 16 and completed with a 21-7 document in August, which was the perfect mark within the large leagues. They’re now simply 4 video games behind the Atlanta Braves within the NL East.

Stott crushed a 464-foot homer to proper subject within the second that gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead. Bryce Harper’s double off the middle subject wall within the third scored Garrett Stubbs and pushed the benefit to 2-0.

Nola (6-10) pitched into the sixth inning, giving up one run on 5 hits and two walks, placing out 5. The veteran right-hander has given up two runs or much less in 5 straight begins.

Alex McFarlane, Orion Kerkering, Brooks Raley, Jose Alvarado and Jhoan Duran mixed for 4 scoreless innings of reduction. Duran earned his twenty ninth save in 31 possibilities, stranding runners on first and third.

Three-time All-Star Ketel Marte made his return for the Diamondbacks, two weeks after he failed to indicate up for a recreation in Boston. He was the designated hitter, batted cleanup and was 1 for 3 on the plate with a single and a stroll.