TORONTO (AP) — Alejandro Kirk homered and drove in three runs, Bo Bichette had four hits and the Toronto Blue Jays put themselves on the brink of a playoff berth by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 11-4 on Friday night.
Brandon Belt and Matt Chapman each hit a solo home run for the Blue Jays. Bichette went 4 for 5 with an RBI and scored three times as Toronto pounded out 16 hits to win for the ninth time in 13 games.
Yandy Díaz returned as the Rays’ designated hitter after missing two games because of a sore right hamstring and hit a two-run homer, his 22nd.
Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (11-6) allowed three runs and five hits in five-plus innings.
Kirk hit a solo home run off Aaron Civale (7-5) in the second, his eighth, and added a two-run single off Zack Littell in the third.
MARLINS 4, PIRATES 3
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Josh Bell’s two-run double keyed a four-run eighth-inning rally, and Miami beat Pittsburgh to move closer to a playoff berth.
The Marlins broke through against Colin Selby (2-2) to reduce their magic number to earn the NL’s third wild-card spot to two.
Miami didn’t get into Pittsburgh until almost dawn on Friday. Its game against the Mets was delayed for more than three hours with two outs in the top of the ninth before finally being suspended with the Marlins up 2-1. The Marlins would love to avoid needing a return trip to Citi Field to wrap up the regular season. Their 10th victory when trailing after seven innings helped.
Huascar Brazoban (5-2) earned the victory with a scoreless seventh. Tanner Scott worked a perfect ninth for his 11th save in 15 chances.
RED SOX 3, ORIOLES 0
BALTIMORE (AP) — Nick Pivetta allowed two hits in seven impressive innings and Trevor Story hit a two-run homer in the fifth to lift Boston past Baltimore.
A day after winning the AL East title, the Orioles did little offensively. John Means (1-2) pitched into the seventh inning and looked like a solid option for Baltimore when it sets up its postseason rotation.
Means was Baltimore’s opening day starter last year but needed Tommy John surgery and didn’t pitch again for the Orioles until this month. This was his fourth start.
Pivetta (10-9) struck out 10 with a walk. He finished his season with a flourish, throwing seven scoreless innings in each of his last two starts. Garrett Whitlock worked the final two innings for his first save of the season.
GUARDIANS 7, TIGERS 5
DETROIT (AP) — Miguel Cabrera had three hits for Detroit as Cleveland won the first game of his valedictory weekend.
Cabrera, playing the last three games of his career, doubled in his first two at-bats to raise his total to 626, breaking a tie for 13th place and moving two ahead of Hank Aaron. Cabrera singled in the seventh for his 3,173rd hit.
Cal Quantrill (4-7) gave up eight hits and four runs while striking out three in five innings, and Emmanuel Clase allowed a ninth-inning homer to Spencer Torkelson before finishing the game for his 44th save.
Joey Wentz (3-13) allowed seven runs in 2 1/3 innings.
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