BALTIMORE -- David Ortiz broke open a tight game with a three-run home run in the seventh inning, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 Tuesday night for their sixth consecutive victory.
Jackie Bradley Jr. also homered for the Red Sox, who stretched their lead over Baltimore in the AL East to five games. After sweeping four games from the Yankees, Boston has won the first two of this pivotal four-game series.
The Red Sox are 11-3 in their last 14 games and a major league-best 13-5 in September.
Trey Mancini homered in his major league debut with the Orioles, who began the day tied with Toronto for the two AL wild cards.
The Red Sox led 2-1 in the seventh when Marco Hernandez and Mookie Betts singled off Kevin Gausman (8-11). One out later, Ortiz hit a 1-2 pitch far over the center-field wall.
Playing in his final season, Ortiz, 40, has 36 home runs and 121 RBI. Big Papi has hit eight home runs against the Orioles this season and 54 for his career.
Betts also extended his run of success against Baltimore, going 3 for 5 and scoring twice. He is 16 for 31 at Camden Yards and has scored 16 runs in 8 games.
Eduardo Rodriguez (3-7) allowed 2 runs and 4 hits in 61/3 innings for Boston, his first victory in 11 starts since July 16.
Craig Kimbrel worked the ninth for his 28th save.
After giving up 4 hits in 8 scoreless innings last week at Boston, Gausman yielded 5 runs and 10 hits in 61/3 innings.
INDIANS 2, ROYALS 1 Pinch-hitter Brandon Guyer singled in a run with two outs in the ninth inning, helping host Cleveland move closer to an AL Central title with a victory over Kansas City.
YANKEES 5, RAYS 3 Rookie slugger Gary Sanchez hit his 17th home run in 42 games this season, a three-run shot in a four-run seventh inning that sent visiting New York past Tampa Bay.
TIGERS 8, TWINS 1 Matt Boyd breezed through eight innings, backed by home runs from James McCann (Arkansas Razorbacks) and Miguel Cabrera, as Detroit beat host Minnesota to step forward in the AL wild card race.
RANGERS 5, ANGELS 4 Rookie Nomar Mazara hit his 20th home run in another testy game with multiple ejections and Texas moved closer to its second consecutive AL West title by beating visiting Los Angeles. Texas cut its magic number to two to clinch its seventh division title in franchise history.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CARDINALS 10, ROCKIES 5 Adam Wainwright was shaky on the mound but shined at the plate with a career-high four RBI as visiting St. Louis beat Colorado to move into a tie for the top NL wild card. Matt Adams and Jedd Gyorko homered to help the Cardinals pull even with the New York Mets.
BRAVES 5, METS 4 New York nemesis Julio Teheran pitched seven more sparkling innings and last-place Atlanta blunted host New York's bid to extend its NL wild-card lead, holding on for a victory.
MARLINS 1, NATIONALS 0 Giancarlo Stanton homered to back a strong outing by Jose Fernandez, who pitched eight innings and struck out 12 for Miami in a victory over visiting Washington.
CUBS 6, REDS 1 Jon Lester threw seven strong innings, Anthony Rizzo drove in three runs and host Chicago moved closer to securing the NL's best record with a victory over Cincinnati.
PIRATES 6, BREWERS 3 Andrew McCutchen, Jody Mercer and Josh Bell each drove in two runs and visiting Pittsburgh preserved its faint playoff hopes with a victory over Milwaukee.
INTERLEAGUE
PHILLIES 7, WHITE SOX 6 Odubel Herrera kept up his hitting surge with three hits and three RBI, and host Philadelphia held off a late Chicago rally. Tommy Joseph and Roman Quinn added two hits apiece and combined to drive in three runs for the Phillies.
Sports on 09/21/2016