Toronto’s George Springer, right, celebrates his home run with Marcus Semien during the Blue Jays’ 5-2 win over the Twins on Sunday in Minneapolis. Andy Clayton-King/Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS — Danny Jansen hit a go-ahead, three-run homer, George Springer also went deep and the Blue Jays beat the Minnesota Twins 5-2 Sunday to maintain pressure in the AL wild-card race before heading to Toronto for their final homestand.

Toronto will enter the final week one game back for the second AL wild card. The New York Yankees and Boston were tied for the wild-card lead heading into their game on Sunday night.

Toronto won the final two games of the four-game series. The Blue Jays host three-game series against New York and Baltimore.

Alek Manoah (8-2) won his third straight start, giving up two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts and two walks. The rookie has 25 strikeouts in his last three outings.

Manoah and three relievers combined to strike out 15.

WHITE SOX 5, INDIANS 2: Lucas Giolito pitched six scoreless innings, Eloy Jiménez had a two-run single and AL Central champion Chicago won in Cleveland.

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Chicago clinched its first Central title since 2008 by beating the Indians in a doubleheader opener Thursday but is 34-33 since the All-Star break.

Giolito (11-9) allowed five hits, struck out six and threw 100 pitches. Cleveland advanced only two runners to third base off Giolito, who escaped his biggest threat by retiring Owen Miller with men on first and second to end the sixth.

MARINERS 4, ANGELS 1: Shohei Ohtani allowed Jarred Kelenic’s tying home run in the seventh inning, and Mitch Haniger hit a go-ahead single in a four-run eighth against the bullpen that lifted Seattle over Los Angeles in Anaheim, California.

Ohtani gave up one run and five hits in seven innings with 10 strikeouts and no walks. He remained 9-2 and lowered his ERA to 3.18 with 156 strikeouts and 44 walks in 130 1/3 innings. Ohtani reached double-digit strikeouts for the fourth time this season and second start in a row. If he makes another start, it would also be against the Angels.

A’S 4, ASTROS 3: Mark Canha hit an RBI single with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning and Oakland again beat Houston with its final swing, edging the AL West-leading Astros in Oakland, California.

The A’s swept the three-game series to move up in the playoff chase. They began the day four games behind AL wild card leaders Boston and New York.

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Alex Bregman homered for the Astros, whose magic number to clinch the division stayed at 2.

ROYALS 2, TIGERS 1: Kris Bubic kept up his mastery of the Tigers, pitching seven shutout innings and leading Kansas City to a win in Detroit.

Bubic (6-6) gave up only two hits and a walk while striking out six. He allowed just three earned runs over 23 innings in four outings against Detroit this season.

RANGERS 7, ORIOLES 4: Andy Ibáñez hit a two-run homer and Texas avoided its 100th loss for at least a day by winning in Baltimore for a four-game split.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

CARDINALS 4, CUBS 2: Andrew Knizner scored the go-ahead run on Codi Heuer’s wild pitch in the ninth inning, and St. Louis won in Chicago for its 16th straight victory.

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The franchise-record streak is the longest in the majors since Cleveland took 22 in a row in 2017, and the best in the National League since the New York Giants won 16 straight in 1951 on their way to an improbable pennant.

Paul Goldschmidt and Harrison Bader homered to extend a streak that has rocketed the Cardinals into position for the second NL wild card, leading Philadelphia and Cincinnati by six games with six to go.

BREWERS 8, METS 4: Milwaukee clinched its second NL Central title in four years, beating sloppy New York behind Willy Adames’s two-run homer and three RBI, in Milwaukee.

Josh Hader pitched a perfect ninth inning, retiring Brandon Nimmo on a game-ending flyout to left fielder Christian Yelich and sending the Brewers running onto the field to celebrate as the crowd of 43,430 erupted into cheers.

Milwaukee completed a three-game sweep and sent the skidding Mets to their 10th loss in 11 games.

GIANTS 6, ROCKIES 2: Brandon Crawford homered to cap a four-run ninth inning and San Francisco held its lead in the NL West, winning in Denver.

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The Giants, who have won 15 of 19, began the day with a two-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco now heads home to Oracle Park with a chance to clinch their first division title since 2012.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt left the game in the seventh inning after getting hit on the left hand with a pitch while squaring to bunt. Manager Gabe Kapler said X-rays were inconclusive and Belt will be reevaluated back in San Francisco.

DODGERS 3, DIAMONDBACKS 0: Corey Seager hit two solo homers, Julio Urías posted his MLB-leading 19th victory and Los Angeles won its 100th game of the season by beating Arizona in Phoenix.

The World Series champion Dodgers continued their stellar year, but it still might not be enough to match the San Francisco Giants, who remain two games ahead in the NL West.

Seager and Trea Turner both hit their 100th career home runs.

Seager reached the mark with his second homer, a drive estimated at 464 feet in the third inning that landed deep in the seats and gave the Dodgers a 3-0 lead.

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BRAVES 4, PADRES 3: Will Smith struck out the side around three walks in the ninth inning to finish Atlanta’s win in San Diego that opened a 2 1/2-game lead over Philadelphia heading into their NL East showdown.

Pinch-hitter Orlando Arcia hit a go-ahead double in the sixth off Pierce Johnson (3-4).

Joc Pederson homered and scored twice for Atlanta, which has led the division since Aug. 15. The Braves won despite walking seven Padres.

PHILLIES 6, PIRATES 0: Phillies starter Hans Crouse gave up a home run to Cole Tucker on his first major league pitch and Philadelphia’s playoff hopes took a hit with a loss to Max Kranick and visiting Pittsburgh.

The Phillies, who had won five in a row, trail NL East-leading Atlanta by 2 1/2 games. Philadelphia visits the Braves for a three-game series starting Tuesday night.

Bryce Harper and Philadelphia finished the home portion of their schedule with a record of 47-34.

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REDS 9, NATIONALS 2: Tyler Stephenson and Nick Castellanos hit consecutive home runs, Kyle Farmer broke open the game with a grand slam and host Cincinnati kept alive its slim playoff hopes by routing Washington.

Cincinnati won its third straight and is 5 1/2 games behind St. Louis for the second NL wild card with six games left, tied with Philadelphia. The Cardinals played later Sunday.

At 81-75, the Reds ensured consecutive non-losing seasons for the first time since 2012 and ’13.

INTERLEAGUE

RAYS 3, MARLINS 2: Rookie Shane Baz pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings to win his second straight start and AL East champion Tampa Bay beat Miami in St. Petersburg, Florida for its team-record 14th series sweep.

Baz (2-0), a 22-year-old right-hander who was on the U.S. Olympic team, allowed three hits, struck out nine and walked one. He gave up two runs and two hits — both homers — over five innings to beat Toronto in his big league debut on Sept. 20 following his call-up from Triple-A Durham.

Nelson Cruz had two RBIs for the Rays, who on Saturday night clinched their second consecutive division title and fourth since 2008. The defending AL champions at 97-59 are also closing on securing the best record in the league.


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