CLEVELAND — Pinch-hitter Brandon Guyer doubled in a run with two outs in the ninth inning, helping the Cleveland Indians move closer to an AL Central title with a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.
Guyer’s hit off Joakim Soria landed just fair in the right-field corner and scored Coco Crisp. Guyer was the third pinch hitter of the inning used by Manager Terry Francona.
Cleveland leads Detroit by seven games in the division.
Andrew Miller (9-1) struck out three during 12/3 scoreless innings.
Kansas City, the reigning World Series champions, can be eliminated from contention in the division if it loses to Cleveland on Wednesday night.
YANKEES 5, RAYS 3: Rookie slugger Gary Sanchez hit his 17th homer in 42 games this season, a three-run shot in a four-run seventh inning that sent New York to a win at St. Petersburg, Florida.
TIGERS 8, TWINS 1: Matt Boyd breezed through eight innings, backed by home runs from James McCann and Miguel Cabrera as Detroit won at Minneapolis to step forward in the AL wild-card race.
With Baltimore’s loss to Boston, the Tigers cut the deficit between them and the second spot to one game with 12 to go.
RANGERS 5, ANGELS 4: Rookie Nomar Mazara hit his 20th homer in another testy game with multiple ejections as Texas moved closer to its second consecutive AL West title with a win at home.
Texas (90-62) cut its magic number to two to clinch the seventh division title in franchise history.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
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 win at home.
Fernandez (16-8) allowed three hits without a walk to outduel Washington’s Tanner Roark (15-9), who pitched seven innings and allowed one run.
BRAVES 5, METS 4: Mets nemesis Julio Teheran pitched seven more sparkling innings and last-place Atlanta again blunted New York’s bid to extend its NL wild-card lead, holding on for a win at New York.
The Braves have the worst record in the NL, yet have won four straight and are 6-2 at Citi Field this year.
CUBS 6, REDS 1: Jon Lester (18-4) overcame an injury scare to throw seven strong innings, Anthony Rizzo drove in three runs and Chicago moved closer to securing the NL’s best record with a win at home.
PIRATES 6, BREWERS 3: Andrew McCutchen, Jody Mercer and Josh Bell each drove in two runs as Pittsburgh preserved its faint playoff hopes with a win at Milwaukee.
INTERLEAGUE
PHILLIES 7, WHITE SOX 6: Odubel Herrera kept up his hitting surge with three hits and three RBI as host Philadelphia held off a late Chicago rally.
Herrera is 15 for 28 in his last seven games.
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