Aaron Judge tied Joe DiMaggio for fourth place on the Yankees’ all-time home run list on Thursday, going deep twice while leading New York to a 9-3 win over the visiting Detroit Tigers in the finale of a three-game series between American League playoff contenders.
Giancarlo Stanton also homered and Jazz Chisholm Jr. had a two-run single for the Yankees (81-65), who were outscored 23-3 while losing the first two games of the series. Ben Rice, Jose Caballero, Austin Slater and Cody Bellinger each had a RBI hit.
New York remained three games behind the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays (84-62) and broke a tie with the idle Red Sox (81-66) for the first wild-card spot. The Yankees visit Boston for a three-game series starting on Friday.
Dillon Dingler had a homer and an RBI single for the Tigers (84-63), who lead the second-place Cleveland Guardians (75-71) by 8 1/2 games in the AL Central.
Judge went deep off opener Tyler Holton (5-5) in the first inning before tying DiMaggio by hitting his 361st homer in the third off Sawyer Gipson-Long.
Blue Jays 6, Astros 0
Kevin Gausman fired a two-hitter to earn the second shutout and fourth complete game of his career as host Toronto defeated Houston in a battle of American League division leaders.
Gausman, who retired 15 straight batters from the fourth to the ninth, finished with nine strikeouts and one walk in his 100-pitch effort. Davis Schneider homered while Nathan Lukes and Daulton Varsho contributed two hits apiece. Lukes and George Springer scored two runs each.
Jeremy Pena and Carlos Correa poked fourth-inning singles to account for the Astros’ hits. Cristian Javier (1-3) allowed four runs and six hits over six innings.
Orioles 3, Pirates 2
Dylan Beavers drove in the winning run for the second day in a row as his seventh-inning single knocked in Jackson Holliday to enable host Baltimore to complete a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh.
After starter Cade Povich allowed two runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings, Grant Wolfram (3-0) tossed a scoreless eighth and Keegan Akin picked up his fifth save as the Orioles won for the eighth time in nine games. Holliday went 2-for-4 and stole a base.
Pirates starter Johan Oviedo also gave up two runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings. Colin Holderman (0-2) was responsible for Holliday’s game-winning run while Alexander Canario homered and joined Jared Triolo and Nick Gonzales with two hits apiece.
White Sox 5, Rays 1
Shane Smith fired 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball as host Chicago defeated Tampa Bay for its ninth win in the last 11 games.
Colson Montgomery and Kyle Teel each produced a two-run single while leadoff man Chase Meidroth went 2-for-2 with two walks. Smith (6-7) scattered four hits and one walk to go with four strikeouts.
Leadoff man Chandler Simpson went 4-for-4, posted his 40th stolen base and scored the Rays’ run. Ian Seymour (3-2) allowed five hits and three runs over 5 1/3 innings.
Marlins 5, Nationals 0
Ryan Weathers pitched five strong innings in his first MLB game since June 7 as host Miami shut out Washington.
Weathers (2-1) allowed five hits, struck out four and didn’t record a walk in his return from a strained left lat. Eric Wagaman drove in three of the Marlins’ five runs while going 3-for-4.
MacKenzie Gore (5-14) took the loss in his first start since Aug. 26 after dealing with a shoulder issue. He allowed four hits and two runs over five innings.
Phillies 6, Mets 4
Jesus Luzardo retired 22 straight batters after a rough first inning and Philadelphia rallied to sweep four from visiting New York.
Luzardo (14-6) struck out 10 and did not walk a batter over eight innings. He allowed four runs and five hits — all in the first inning — before giving way to Jhoan Duran, who authored a dominant ninth for his 29th save. Otto Kemp homered and drove in three runs.
Reed Garrett (3-6) relieved starter David Peterson in the sixth and allowed three runs. Starling Marte recorded a two-run double to cap a four-run first.
Guardians 3, Royals 2
Rookie C.J. Kayfus belted a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift host Cleveland past Kansas City in a key game in the American League playoff race.
Matt Festa (4-3) pitched a scoreless eighth frame to help Cleveland pull within three games of the final AL wild-card spot. Gavin Williams started for the Guardians, allowing two runs on four hits over six innings.
John Schreiber (3-3) recorded the loss after giving up Kayfus’ dramatic home run. Royals starter Stephen Kolek surrendered just one run on three hits over 6 2/3 innings, while Vinnie Pasquantino hit a two-run, first-inning homer for his 30th of the season.
