NEW YORK — First baseman Travis Shaw and left fielder Jackie Bradley hit two-run home runs in consecutive innings off right-hander Ivan Nova as the Boston Red Sox prevented the New York Yankees from inching closer to clinching a postseason berth with a 5-1 victory Monday night.
The Yankees (86-70) had an outside chance at clinching at least a wild-card spot. A combination of them winning and losses by the Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Angels and Minnesota Twins would have secured their spot.
New York still needs to win at least two of its final six games to get in for the first time in three years. The combination of one more loss and one more Toronto Blue Jays will officially eliminate the Yankees from the AL East race.
Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (10-6) allowed one run and seven hits over six innings during his final start of the season. He became the first Boston rookie southpaw to win 10 games since John Curtis in 1972 and finished his rookie season at 121 2/3 innings.
Rodriguez did not get the lead until two outs in the sixth. After shortstop Xander Bogaerts doubled off third baseman Chase Headley’s glove into left field, Shaw drove a 2-1 fastball into the right-field seats for his 12th home run and a 2-1 lead.
Boston doubled its lead when Bradley drove a 1-0 fastball deep enough to left field for a drive that just cleared the wall.
Shaw’s 12th home run and Bradley’s 10th came after Rodriguez pitched with men on most of the night.
He put two on in the first after allowing a sacrifice fly to designated hitter Alex Rodriguez but struck out first baseman Greg Bird. Rodriguez loaded the bases in the second following a fielding error by second baseman Dustin Pedroia but fanned the 40-year-old to end it.
Heath Hembree and Noe Ramirez combined on a scoreless seventh. Ramirez retired Rodriguez on a double play after left fielder Brett Gardner singled to the third-base side of the mound.
Third baseman Devin Marrero added insurance when he hit his first career home run with two outs in the ninth off Caleb Cotham.
Robbie Ross Jr. put two on in the ninth but finished off Boston’s fourth straight win when he struck out left fielder Brett Gardner.
Nova (6-10) allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings but got little help offensively as the Yankees went 0-for-14 with men on base after consecutive two-out singles in the first.
NOTES: The Yankees announced RHP Masahiro Tanaka (hamstring) will rejoin the rotation Wednesday, potentially putting him in line to start the wild-card playoff game Oct. 6. … New York RHP Nathan Eovaldi (right elbow inflammation) played catch for the third straight day but is unlikely to be available in the bullpen for a wild-card game. … OF Rusney Castillo (strained right quad) was out of Boston’s lineup and is day-to-day. Manager Torey Lovullo said he thinks Castillo would be able to play Tuesday. … Lovullo also said the Red Sox will reveal their rotation for the series in Cleveland Tuesday. … Boston is staying in the same Manhattan hotel as President Obama, who is in New York for the UN General Assembly.
Blue Jays 4, Orioles 3
BALTIMORE — Justin Smoak drove in the tie-breaking run on a fielder’s choice in the ninth as the Toronto Blue Jays scored three runs in the final two innings and moved one step closer to the American League East title with a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.
The Blue Jays (91-65) are winners of five straight games and reduced their magic number to three.
This gives Toronto a better chance to clinch the division title in Baltimore (76-80), where the Jays watched the Orioles do it last year.
Catcher Dioner Navarro began the game-winning rally in the ninth with a soft single to right off right-hander Brad Brach (5-3). Dalton Pompey came on to pinch-run and moved to second on center fielder Kevin Pillar’s single.
Shortstop Ryan Goins then moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt in front of the plate before first baseman Smoak hit a soft grounder toward Chris Davis. The Baltimore first baseman tried to nail Pompey at the plate, but Davis made an off-balance throw that sailed past catcher Matt Wieters.
Pompey scored easily and Pillar tried, but Wieters grabbed the ball and made a diving tag that stood up under review.
Left-hander Brett Cecil (5-5) came on in the eighth inning and earned the victory. He replaced right-hander Marco Estrada, who allowed just three runs on four hits in 7 1/3 innings.