Baseball roundup \ Saturday’s other games

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Yankees 3, Red Sox 0

NEW YORK — CC Sabathia combined on a two-hitter to become the major leagues’ first 19-game winner, Robinson Cano hit a tiebreaking, opposite-field homer off the top of the left-field fence and the New York Yankees closed in on the AL East title. Sabathia (19-7) allowed just one hit in seven innings to outduel Daisuke Matsuzaka (3-6) as New York cut to one the magic number for its first division title since 2006. Already assured of no worse than the wild card, the Yankees have won eight of nine against their rival after starting the season 0-8 against Boston. They can wrap up the AL East today when they play the Red Sox for the final time this season.

Blue Jays 5, Mariners 4, 10 innings

TORONTO — Adam Lind homered twice, including a game-ending solo drive in the 10th inning, to power the Blue Jays to a victory over the Mariners that included Seattle star Ichiro Suzuki’s first career ejection. Jose Bautista also went deep for the Blue Jays, who have homered in seven straight games and have 33 longballs in September, tops in the majors. Suzuki was thrown out by plate umpire Brian Runge for arguing a called third strike in the fifth, the first ejection of the season for the Mariners and the first of the All-Star outfielder’s career, including his years in Japan.

Tigers 12, White Sox 5

CHICAGO — Miguel Cabrera got four hits and drove in four runs, giving him at least 100 RBIs for the sixth consecutive season, and the Detroit Tigers rallied from a five-run deficit. Curtis Granderson, Placido Polanco and Gerald Laird each had three of Detroit’s 20 hits, including singles in the decisive seventh inning.

Twins 11, Royals 6

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Denard Span had four hits and a career-high six RBIs, leading the Twins for their 11th victory in 12 games. The Twins remained two games behind first-place Detroit, which beat the Chicago White Sox 12-5, in the AL Central. Minnesota was in third place and 51‚Ñ2 games behind the Tigers after a Sept. 12 loss. The teams open a four-game series Monday at Detroit. The Twins batted around in a five-run fourth, highlighted by Span’s bases-loaded triple. Four runs were unearned after shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt’s wild throw, his fourth error in three games, allowed Delmon Young to reach first and Jason Kubel to score.

Rangers 15, Rays 3

ARLINGTON, Texas — Marlon Byrd homered twice, including his sixth career grand slam in an 11-run fifth inning, to lift Texas.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Cardinals 6, Rockies 3

DENVER — Matt Holliday celebrated another playoff clincher at Coors Field, only this time it was with the St. Louis Cardinals and not the Colorado Rockies. Jason LaRue, subbing at catcher for injured All-Star Yadier Molina, homered off Ubaldo Jimenez to break a seventh-inning tie and the Cardinals clinched the NL Central crown.

Cubs 6, Giants 2

SAN FRANCISCO — Aramis Ramirez homered and Jake Fox hit a two-run single for the Cubs. Tom Gorzelanny (7-2) won consecutive starts for the first time all season and his third straight decision, following Carlos Zambrano’s two-hit gem a night earlier with five solid innings of his own. The left-hander returned to the rotation Sept. 21 after a 31‚Ñ2-week stint in the bullpen.

Braves 11, Nationals 5

WASHINGTON — Tommy Hanson pitched seven innings for his 11th win, Yunel Escobar drove in three runs and the Braves earned their fifth consecutive victory. The Braves (84-70) have won 13 of 15 and are 50-30 since June 27, improving to a season-best 14 games over .500.

Marlins 9, Mets 6

MIAMI — Injury replacement Cameron Maybin hit a three-run homer in Florida’s seven-run fifth and the Marlins rallied. Maybin ran for Cody Ross in the fourth inning after Ross was hit on the left hand by a pitch from John Maine (6-6). He hit his third homer an inning later to give Florida a 7-3 cushion. Maine allowed seven runs and seven hits in 42‚Ñ3 innings.

Reds 10, Astros 4

HOUSTON — Jay Bruce and Laynce Nix homered and drove in three runs apiece, helping the Reds earn their sixth consecutive win. Juan Francisco and Corky Miller each had two RBIs for the Reds, who have won 10 of 12 and 23 of 33 overall. They beat the Astros for the ninth straight time.

Brewers 7, Phillies 5

MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun hit a two-run homer off reliever Tyler Walker in the ninth, lifting the Brewers. It was Braun’s 30th home run of the season and second career game-ending homer.

Associated Press