New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge reacts after walking against Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello during the third inning of a game Sunday in New York.
AP photo
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NEW YORK — Aaron Judge remained at 60 home runs, one short of Roger Maris’ American League record, when the New York Yankees’ 2-0 victory Sunday night over the Boston Red Sox was called after six innings because of rain.
Judge went 1 for 2 with a double and was due up next for the Yankees when play was stopped. The game was called after a 98-minute delay, sending Judge on the road to chase Maris in Toronto this week.
New York can clinch the AL East title with a victory over the Blue Jays on Monday night.
The delay left fans at Yankee Stadium with a difficult decision: wait out a big storm holding out hope of seeing a historic moment, or head home before the hour got too late.
Many in the sellout crowd of 46,707 stuck around until the announcement that the game was called, leaving their seats for dry cover on concourses and under overhangs. Some booed when umpires called for the tarp at 9:15 p.m., but torrential rain was soon pouring in the ballpark. Loud thunder and lightning flashes accompanied a heavy storm that lasted past 11 p.m.
“We’re not leaving,” said Joe G., who declined to give his last name, during the delay. He made the trip from Pennsylvania and getting the tickets last month as a 30th birthday gift for his first game since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The game marked Judge’s final chance to catch Maris on New York’s 6-0 homestand — the Yankees play a three-game series in Toronto beginning Monday night, then return home for three games against Baltimore next weekend before wrapping up the regular season at Texas.
“I don’t think we’re leaving. I’d like them to hurry it up, but I don’t think we’re going anywhere,” said Brian Cassidy from Ocean View, Delaware.
Cassidy bought tickets as a birthday gift for his father in mid-August and they lucked into a chance to see Judge chase Maris’ home run record in person.
“I want to see two — one to tie and one to break,” said Cassidy’s father, Patrick, as they grabbed cover on a concourse between the second and third decks on the third base side.
Judge had gone four games without a home run. Since connecting for No. 60 on Tuesday night against Pittsburgh to spark a ninth-inning comeback in the first game of the homestand, the four-time All-Star was 4 for 15 with three doubles, six walks and six strikeouts.
The closest he’d come to matching Maris’ 1961 mark was a 404-foot drive caught right in front of the center field fence Thursday.
Royals 13, Mariners 12
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Luis Castillo, fresh off signing a rich contract with Seattle, got chased as the Kansas City Royals erupted for 11 runs in the sixth inning and a wild, 13-12 win Sunday that cost the Mariners a chance to move up in the AL wild-card standings.
Mitch Haniger singled twice during an eight-run fifth for the Mariners, and they led 11-2 going into the bottom of the sixth. But Castillo struggled, and Michael Massey homered and drove in four runs during the Royals’ biggest inning since 2004.
The Mariners stayed in the third wild-card spot, a half-game behind Tampa Bay. Seattle remained four games ahead of Baltimore for that last AL playoff slot.
Guardians 10, rangers 4
ARLINGTON, Texas — Cleveland has another new name this year: AL Central champions.
Four of rookie Steven Kwan’s career-high five RBIs came on his first career grand slam in the eighth inning and Aaron Civale allowed two runs on three hits in five innings.
They clinched the division title about 15 minutes before their game ended, when the second-place Chicago White Sox lost to Detroit. This is Cleveland’s 11th Central title since the division’s inception in 1994 and its fourth in 10 years under manager Terry Francona, who battled health problems the past two seasons.
Giants 3, Diamondbacks 2
PHOENIX — Pinch-hitter Evan Longoria had a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning to lead San Francisco.
Brandon Crawford led off the Giants eighth with a single against Luis Frias (1-1) and advanced to second on Cooper Hummel’s passed ball. One out later, Jason Vosler walked, and another passed ball moved the runners to second and third.
Pinch-hitter Wilmer Flores walked to load the bases and Reyes Moronta relieved Frias. Longoria’s line single to left scored the Giants’ first two runs after they had left 10 runners on base without scoring in the first seven innings. Camilo Doval pitched the ninth for his 26th save, giving up a run, a walk and a hit.
Astros 6, Orioles 3, 11 innings
BALTIMORE — Christian Vazquez hit a bases-loaded single to cap a four-run 11th inning for Houston.
The Orioles’ postseason hopes took another blow, missing a chance to move up in the AL wild-card standings. They remained four games behind Seattle for the third and final spot.
Houston ended the regular season 51-30 on the road. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers (52-26) will finish with a better mark. The Astros salvaged the last two games of this series after Baltimore shut them down in the first two.
Keegan Akin (3-3) retired only one hitter in the 11th for Baltimore, and that was Yordan Alvarez on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly that put the Astros ahead 3-2. Akin then hit a batter to re-load the bases and walked Kyle Tucker to make it 4-2. Vazquez’s two-out, two-run single off Joey Krehbiel put Houston up by four.
Reds 2, Brewers 1
CINCINNATI — Spencer Steer hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth, and Nick Lodolo pitched six strong innings to lead Cincinnati.
Hunter Renfroe homered for the Brewers, who were unable to complete their first four-game sweep of the Reds since 2003. Freddy Peralta, who hadn’t pitched since Sept. 8 due to right shoulder inflammation, pitched two innings before giving way to Aaron Ashby.
Cincinnati tied the score 1-1 in the fourth when Ashby hit Austin Romine with the bases loaded. Steer’s solo home run leading off the eighth was his second homer of the season, first since his major-league debut on Sept. 2.
Dodgers 4, Cardinals 1
LOS ANGELES — Will Smith had two hits and Michael Grove pitched five solid innings to pick up his first career victory as Los Angeles clinched the No. 1 overall seed in the National League.
Two days after reaching 700 home runs, Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols received a standing ovation when he was announced as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning and struck out.
Grove (1-0), making his sixth appearance and fifth start, gave up one run and three hits to help the Dodgers tie a club record with their 106th win — previously accomplished in 2019 and 2021. Andre Jackson pitched the final three innings for his first save.
Tigers 4, White Sox 1
CHICAGO — Dylan Cease pitched six scoreless innings, but the White Sox bullpen got tagged and Chicago was eliminated in the AL Central.
Jonathan Schoop hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth and Chicago’s sixth straight loss clinched the division for Cleveland. The Guardians held a big lead in the ninth inning of their game at Texas when the clinching became official.
The White Sox, who won the AL Central last season in their first year under manager Tony La Russa, slipped to 76-77. La Russa hasn’t run the team since last August because of a medical issue, and Miguel Cairo has been the acting manager.
Cubs 8, Pirates 3
PITTSBURGH — Patrick Wisdom hit a three-run homer, Adrian Sampson tossed six efficient innings and Chicago beat Pittsburgh.
Wisdom took the first pitch he saw from reliever Manny Bañuelos and sent it into the Pirates bullpen well behind the center-field wall with two outs in the fifth. Wisdom became the fourth Cubs third baseman to reach the 25 home run-plateau in multiple seasons, joining Hall of Famer Ron Santo, Aramis Ramirez and Kris Bryant.
Angels 10, Twins 3
MINNEAPOLIS — Mike Trout had three hits, including his 37th homer of the season, and Los Angeles beat Minnesota.
Trout also doubled twice, walked and scored three runs. Shohei Ohtani had two hits, including an RBI single in the ninth that keyed a five-run rally that broke open the game.
José Suarez (7-8) earned the win, allowing two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.
Carlos Correa doubled twice while Jose Miranda went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Twins, who have lost nine of their last 11. Catcher Caleb Hamilton homered in the eighth inning for his first major league hit.
The Angels jumped on Twins starter Dylan Bundy (8-8) early.
Nationals 6, Marlins 1
MIAMI — Aníbal Sánchez threw five scoreless innings and Washington beat Miami hours after the Marlins announced manager Don Mattingly won’t be back next season.
The 38-year-old Sánchez (3-6) gave up two hits, continuing a recent string of solid outings. He walked two and struck out four, lowering his ERA to 1.31 in his last seven starts.
Rookie Joey Meneses hit his 12th homer and C.J. Abrams had three hits for the Nationals, who avoided a three-game sweep against the Marlins and their 100th loss. Miami won the season series 15-4.
Blue Jays 7, Rays 1
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — George Springer homered twice, Alejandro Kirk and Teoscar Hernández also went deep and Toronto earned a split of the four-game series.
Toronto (86-67) opened a two-game lead over Tampa Bay (84-69) for the top wild card with nine games left. Seattle (83-68) a half-game behind the Rays.
Toronto allowed 20 runs in losing the first two games, but limited Tampa Bay to a total of two runs in winning the final two.
Padres 13, Rockies 6
DENVER — Manny Machado and Brandon Drury hit back-to-back home runs in a five-run eighth inning, Wil Myers also went deep, and San Diego beat Colorado.
Jake Cronenworth tripled and drove in three runs and Juan Soto, Jurickson Profar and Luis Campusano had two hits each for the Padres. Robert Suárez (5-1) pitched one inning of relief for the win.
San Diego kept its hold on the second NL wild card and increased its lead on Milwaukee to three games. The Brewers lost 2-1 to Cincinnati on Sunday.