NEW YORK (AP) — Paul Skenes pitched two perfect innings in his Yankee Stadium debut and the Pittsburgh Pirates hit five homers, including four off rookie Luis Gil, in a 9-4 win Saturday that delayed New York from clinching home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs.
Yasmani Grandal and Nick Gonzales hit solo homers in the first four innings off Gil (15-7). Rookie Billy Cook in the fifth and Jared Triolo in the sixth added two-run drives. Nick Yorke hit a two-run homer in the ninth against Will Warren.
New York has lost four of five and opens the Division Series at home Oct. 5. The Yankees would be assured of home-field advantage in the League Championship Series by winning their regular-season finale or by Cleveland losing one of its last two.
Aaron Judge followed his third game off this season with his third five-strikeout game, his first since May 5, 2021.
WHITE SOX 4, TIGERS 0
DETROIT (AP) — Sean Burke pitched two-hit ball over five innings, Andrew Benintendi tied his career high with his 20th homer and the Chicago White Sox beat the playoff-bound Detroit Tigers 4-0 on Saturday to stay at 121 losses going into their season finale.
Making his fourth big league appearance, Burke (2-0) struck out six and walked three, helping stop Detroit’s six-game winning streak.
Detroit had two baserunners in each of the first two innings. Burke allowed only one runner in his last three innings.
CUBS 3, REDS 0
CHICAGO (AP) — Kyle Hendricks waved to appreciative fans after what may have been his final start for the Cubs, and Chicago beat Cincinnati.
Hendricks allowed only only a pair of singles, one an infield hit, and walked two over 7 1/3 innings on an afternoon with a strong wind blowing in from the northeast at Wrigley Field. The 34-year-old right-hander struck out two and retired 11 in a row in one stretch.
Dansby Swanson doubled off Buck Farmer (3-2) starting the eighth. Justin Wilson relieved, Cody Bellinger singled and Seiya Suzuki was intentionally walked.
Paredes pinch hit and looped a single to center to drive in the first run. After Pete Crow-Armstrong’s RBI single, Mike Tauchman drew a bases-loaded walk.
Tyson Milller (5-1) got two outs in the eighth, and Porter Hodge pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth save in 12 chances, finishing a three-hitter.
Cincinnati has lost five in a row. The Reds were shut out for the 16th time and held to three hits or fewer for the 20th time.
NATIONALS 6, PHILLIES 3
WASHINGTON (AP) — Philadelphia lost to Washington who got a three-run homer from Joey Gallo in a four-run eighth-inning.
James Wood hit a two-run, opposite-field homer in the sixth off Zack Wheeler, who finished 16-7 with a 2.57 ERA after allowing three hits in 6 1/3 innings while tying his season high with 11 strikeouts. Wheeler struck out 224 in 200 innings.
Trea Turner tied the score with a two-out homer in the eighth against Jose A. Ferrer (1-0).
Wood tripled leading off the bottom half against Jeff Hoffman (3-3) and scored on Keibert Ruiz’s bloop single. Dylan Crews singled with two outs and Gallo followed with his 10th homer, a drive down the right-field line.
Alec Bohm hit an RBI grounder in the ninth.
MARLINS 8, BLUE JAYS 1
TORONTO (AP) — Dane Myers hit a three-run homer and finished with a career-high five RBIs, Griffin Conine had three hits and an RBI and Miami claimed a series against Toronto for the first time since 2009 with a victory.
Miami’s Jesús Sánchez scored three runs for the second straight game.
Myers was activated off the 60-day injured list Tuesday. He fractured his left ankle when he kicked a door out of frustration after being ejected in a 10-6 loss at Cincinnati on July 13.
RAYS 7, RED SOX 2
BOSTON (AP) — Kutter Crawford allowed his major league-high 34th home run, a go-ahead drive by Junior Caminero, and took his big league-worst 16th loss when Tampa Bay beat the Boston.
Caminero had three RBIs for the Rays (80-81), who with a series sweep would avoid their first losing season since 2017. Caminero and Brandon Lowe had three hits each.
Shane Baz (4-3) won his third straight start, allowing two runs and three hits in six innings with seven strikeouts, one walk, two hit batters and a run-scoring wild pitch.
Crawford (9-16) gave up six runs, five hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings with six strikeouts, finishing with a 4.36 ERA. His 33 starts tied for the major league lead.
Tristan Casas’ 13th homer put Boston ahead in the first.
The Associated Press