Freddie Freeman had an RBI single in a two-run sixth inning and Yoshinobu Yamamoto did not allow a run over 5 1/3 innings as the host Los Angeles Dodgers earned a 2-1 victory in the opener of a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.

Yamamoto kept the Giants off the scoreboard despite a career-high six walks, while allowing just one hit with seven strikeouts.

Six Dodgers pitchers combined to allow one hit in the game with 10 walks and 14 strikeouts, as left-hander Jack Dreyer (3-2) earned the win and left-hander Alex Vesia pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

Los Angeles (86-67) increased its National League West lead to three games over the San Diego Padres and reduced its magic number for clinching a playoff berth to one.

Giants right-hander Logan Webb (14-11) gave up two runs (one earned) over seven innings with one walk and five strikeouts. San Francisco (76-77) lost for the fifth time over its past six games and is now three games out of the final National League wild-card spot.

The only San Francisco hit was a single from Patrick Bailey in the second inning.

The Dodgers broke through on the scoreboard in the sixth inning against Webb. Ben Rortvedt scored from third base on a ground ball from Mookie Betts as Bailey dropped the throw at home from Giants shortstop Willy Adames.

One batter later, Freeman’s single gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

The Giants pulled within a run in a wild seventh inning when not a single ball was put in play. Right-hander Michael Kopech saw his struggles continue with two walks and a strikeout.

Blake Treinen came on to deliver consecutive walks, the second to Rafael Devers to force home a run. Treinen got out of the jam with consecutive strikeouts against Adames and Matt Chapman.

Anthony Banda pitched a perfect eighth inning for Los Angeles before Vesia tied his career high in saves while finishing off the Dodgers’ eighth victory in 11 games.

The Dodgers’ victory came hours after veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw announced his retirement, effective at the end of the season, in an emotional news conference that included many of his teammates.

–Field Level Media

The Detroit Tigers suddenly find themselves desperately trying to hang on to first place in the American League Central.

The Tigers (85-68) were swept by second-place Cleveland in a three-game series this week, allowing the Guardians to climb within 3 1/2 games. Detroit, which has lost six of its last seven games, will close out its home schedule this weekend against Atlanta, beginning on Friday night.

Up next after the Braves? Three games in Cleveland.

“We do have to pick ourselves up,” manager A.J. Hinch said following Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Guardians. “We got our (butt) kicked in pretty much every aspect. They swept us and they’re going to get another shot at us — or we’re going to get another shot at them, whichever way you want to say it — next week. But we’ve got three games in front of us (against Atlanta) that we better deal with to keep chipping away at the win total. These are tough times when you go through these stretches at this time of the year.”

The Tigers have scored just one run in their last two games.

“In the big picture, it’s very disappointing,” Hinch said. “We come every day to win and to win (every) series. We know how important these games are. We’ve got some work ahead of us to do this right.”

Charlie Morton (9-10, 5.56 ERA) will take the mound on Friday, though he hasn’t gone more than four innings in any of his last three starts. Walks have been an issue — he’s issued 11 during that stretch.

Morton is 4-2 with a 3.51 ERA in eight career starts against the Braves.

The Braves (70-83) will be sitting out the playoffs but they haven’t quit on the season. Atlanta has won five straight following a four-game slide.

The offense has carried the team during its upswing, scoring 39 runs during the winning streak. First baseman Matt Olson has homered in five of his last six games. He’s also banged out four other extra-base hits during that stretch with 10 runs scored and 11 RBIs.

Right-hander Bryce Elder (7-10, 5.56) will start the series opener for Atlanta. Elder racked up four consecutive quality starts before getting pounded for six runs and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings by Houston on Saturday.

“It (was) probably location, but he’s been on a great run — but (the Astros are) a really good hitting club,” manager Brian Snitker said. “If you make mistakes and don’t hit your spots, they’re (going to) make you pay. It’s just one of (those) days.”

Elder gave up a two-run homer to Christian Walker in the Braves’ most recent loss. It was just the second homer he had allowed over his last six starts.

“I think they thought they had a pretty good approach,” Elder said. “I thought I didn’t make the pitches when I needed to. (There were) a couple of two-strike sliders (that were) up. The homer was probably the wrong pitch and an even worse location. I think it was kind of ugly all around. I think there were two or three pitches that if I made a better pitch, it may not have been a really good outing but it would have kind of limited the damage.”

Elder will be facing the Tigers for the first time.

–Field Level Media

Nick Lodolo has a tall task on his hands as he attempts to follow up Hunter Greene’s masterpiece in the series opener.

Lodolo will make his best pitch to strengthen the Cincinnati Reds’ postseason aspirations on Friday when he takes the mound at home against the playoff-bound Chicago Cubs in the second contest of their four-game series.

Greene carried a no-hit bid through 6 2/3 innings and settled for a one-hit shutout in Cincinnati’s 1-0 victory in the series opener on Thursday. He retired the first 12 batters he faced and finished with nine strikeouts in front of an announced crowd of 18,532.

“Wish there were a little bit more fans in the stands, but for the fans that were here, I’m glad I was able to put on a show for them and we were able to get a win tonight,” Greene said.

“We’re just trying to handle our business. The more support that we can get, obviously the better. We’re already motivated enough for us to go out there and win. I’m not saying we can only win if we have fans (show up) … (But it’s) something we strive for. and hopefully we can bring that back.”

The Reds (77-76) have won three of their last four contests to remain two games back of the New York Mets (79-74) for the final wild-card spot in the National League. The Mets posted a 6-1 win over the San Diego Padres earlier on Thursday.

The Cubs (88-65), in turn, struggled to find their offense on the heels of clinching a postseason berth on Wednesday.

Seiya Suzuki ripped a double down the left field line with two outs in the seventh inning to break up Greene’s no-hit bid. Suzuki has hit safely in seven of his last eight games.

Lodolo (8-8, 3.30 ERA) carries a five-outing winless stretch into Friday’s contest. He allowed five runs on eight hits — including three homers — in 5 1/3 innings of a 7-4 setback to the Athletics on Sunday.

Lodolo has not recorded a decision in three starts (12 2/3 innings) against the Cubs this season. All told, he is 2-2 with a 4.28 ERA in eight career appearances (all starts) versus Chicago.

Fellow left-hander Shota Imanaga (9-7, 3.29) will get the start on Friday, and presumably he’s dried out since enjoying a champagne shower after the Cubs clinched a postseason berth.

“I’ve learned that with champagne, instead of drinking it, you should absorb it with your skin,” Imanaga said through a translator. “It feels better.”

Jokes aside, it’s been no laughing matter in terms of the home runs that Imanaga has allowed this season. He was taken deep twice in a no-decision against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, boosting his total to 26 homers allowed on the campaign.

Imanaga also did not receive a decision in his last encounter with the Reds despite holding Cincinnati to one run on three hits in 6 1/3 innings on Aug. 5. He is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two career appearances (both starts) versus Cincinnati.

Austin Hays collected two of the Reds’ four hits in the series opener. He has five hits in his last three games.

–Field Level Media

Max Fried struck out 13 batters across seven shutout innings and set a career high with his 18th win as the New York Yankees beat the host Baltimore Orioles 7-0 on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.

The Yankees have won six of their last eight games as they continue to stay within striking distance of first-place Toronto in the American League East. With the Blue Jays losing earlier in the day, this win cut the division margin to three games with nine left to play.

Fried (18-5), who held the Orioles to three singles and one walk, struck out three batters in both the third and sixth innings. He has won five consecutive starts. Paul Blackburn pitched the final two innings to complete the shutout, adding two strikeouts.

Paul Goldschmidt and Austin Wells each had two hits for the Yankees, who have won three games in a row. New York racked up nine hits and eight walks.

Brewers 5, Angels 2

Christian Yelich doubled during a three-run rally for his 100th RBI as Milwaukee moved a step closer to the National League Central title by completing a three-game sweep of visiting Los Angeles.

The Brewers snapped a 2-2 tie with three runs in the seventh. Jackson Chourio opened with a ground-rule double off Luis Garcia (2-2), who came out of the bullpen to start the inning. Aaron Ashby (4-2) got the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Abner Uribe tossed a scoreless eighth and Jared Koenig finished for his second save, as the Angels dropped their seventh straight.

Milwaukee, which has clinched a playoff berth and has the best overall record in baseball, increased its division lead to six games over the Cubs, who lost 1-0 at Cincinnati earlier in the day. The Brewers reduced their magic number to four for their fourth division title in five seasons. Milwaukee moved three games ahead of idle Philadelphia for the best record in the National League.

Mets 6, Padres 1

Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo homered while rookie Jonah Tong pitched five solid innings for the win as New York stopped visiting San Diego.

Tong (2-2) allowed only four hits and an unearned run while walking none and fanning a career-high eight in his fourth MLB start. Four relievers closed the game out as the Mets upped its lead for the National League’s final wild-card spot to two games over Arizona.

Randy Vasquez (5-7) was charged with four hits and four runs over 2 1/3 innings with a walk and three strikeouts as the Padres dropped 2 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the National League West.

Guardians 3, Tigers 1

Jose Ramirez clubbed a tiebreaking, two-run homer and visiting Cleveland completed a three-game sweep of first-place Detroit by winning its seventh straight and 12 of its last 13 games to pull within 3 1/2 games of the Tigers in the American League Central.

Jhonkensy Noel supplied a solo home run for the Guardians. Colt Keith hit an RBI double for the Tigers, who have lost six of their last seven games. Keith departed in the third inning due to low back tightness.

The first six innings featured a pitchers’ duel between Detroit ace Tarik Skubal — who departed his previous start in the fourth inning due to left side tightness — and Tanner Bibee. Skubal gave up one run, seven hits and two walks while striking out nine on 102 pitches. Bibee (11-11) allowed one run on four hits with two walks and struck out eight on 100 pitches

Athletics 5, Red Sox 3

Brent Rooker homered during a three-run first inning that helped the Athletics defeat host Boston for their second win in the three-game series and sixth in their last seven games.

J.T. Ginn (4-6) pitched the first six innings to earn the win. He limited the Red Sox to two runs on two hits, struck out three and walked one. Hogan Harris earned his fourth save by pitching the final two innings. He gave up one run and struck out three.

Boston starter Brayan Bello (11-8) was pulled after four innings. He allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits. David Hamilton and Trevor Story each homered for Boston, but shortstop Story also committed two errors, each of which cost the Red Sox a run.

Rays 4, Blue Jays 0

Shane Baz crafted five scoreless innings, Chandler Simpson had his second straight three-hit game and Tampa Bay split a four-game series against visiting Toronto.

Baz allowed just two hits while whiffing four and walking one for the Rays (75-78). Simpson went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, Carson Williams was 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs and Jake Mangum produced two hits and a stolen base

The American League East-leading Blue Jays (89-64) got a hit apiece from Nathan Lukes, Daulton Varsho, Ernie Clement (double) and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Chris Bassitt (11-9) lasted just 4 1/3 innings and surrendered three runs on eight hits.

Mariners 2, Royals 0

Luis Castillo threw six stellar innings, Jorge Polanco and J.P. Crawford each had RBI doubles and Seattle shut out host Kansas City for its 11th victory in 12 outings and tying the Houston Astros atop the American League West.

Castillo (10-8) allowed three hits in his scoreless outing, striking out three and walking none. Andres Munoz worked around Vinnie Pasquantino’s one-out double and a hit-by-pitch in the ninth by striking out Adam Frazier to earn his 36th save.

Stephen Kolek (5-6) threw 7 1/3 innings of two-run (one earned), two-hit ball, while striking out a career-high eight batters and walking one for the Royals, who have dropped eight of their last 11. Both teams finished with just five hits.

Marlins 9, Rockies 7

Liam Hicks homered, singled and drove in a career-high-tying four runs, Otto Lopez and Heriberto Hernandez also went deep and Miami held on to beat Colorado and sweep the three-game series in Denver.

Jakob Marsee and Agustin Ramirez also had two hits and Sandy Alcantara allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings for Miami, which has won seven of its last eight.

Blaine Crim hit two solo home runs and Yanquiel Fernandez also homered and doubled for Colorado. Tyler Freeman had two hits and Tanner Gordon (6-7) allowed four runs — three earned — on five hits in his six innings.

Reds 1, Cubs 0

Hunter Greene carried a no-hit bid through 6 2/3 innings and allowed just one hit en route to his second career complete game as host Cincinnati edged Chicago.

Will Benson ripped an RBI double in the fourth inning to provide Greene (7-4) with all the offense he needed and to maintain the flickering postseason aspirations of the Reds. Cincinnati, which has won two in a row and three of its last four games, remained two games behind the New York Mets for the final wild-card spot in the National League.

Fresh off clinching their postseason berth on Wednesday, the Cubs were unable to capitalize on Colin Rea’s 11-strikeout performance.

Dodgers 2, Giants 1

Freddie Freeman had an RBI single in a two-run sixth inning and Yoshinobu Yamamoto did not allow a run over 5 1/3 innings as host Los Angeles earned a victory in the opener of a four-game series against San Francisco.

Six Dodgers pitchers combined to allow one hit in the game with 10 walks and 14 strikeouts, as left-hander Jack Dreyer (3-2) earned the win and left-hander Alex Vesia pitched the ninth for his fifth save. Los Angeles (86-67) increased its NL West lead to three games over the San Diego Padres and reduced its magic number for clinching a playoff berth to one.

Giants right-hander Logan Webb (14-11) gave up two runs (one earned) over seven innings while the team’s only run came in a hitless seventh inning on four walks. San Francisco (76-77) lost for the fifth time over its past six games and is now three games out of the final NL wild-card spot.

–Field Level Media

As the Pittsburgh Pirates and Athletics wind down their unremarkable seasons, expect to see a number of players get their first opportunities in the major leagues, maybe even on Friday night when they open a three-game series in Pittsburgh.

Rafael Flores, who was acquired from the New York Yankees in a trade for right-handed pitcher David Bednar on July 31, earned his opportunity with the Pirates (65-88) on Wednesday, playing first base and going 1-for-3 with a walk in the 8-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

“Getting traded definitely was a little weird,” Flores said. “It’s something you’re not really taught to do. You kind of just have to go through it, and I think it was all a benefit for me. I got here and I was uncomfortable. I used that uncomfortable feeling to my benefit.”

Flores, who grew up in Anaheim and played at Katella High and Rio Hondo College in Whittier, Calif., was never drafted, instead working his way through the Alaska Baseball League before the Yankees signed him to a pro contract in July of 2022.

Baseball America named Flores as the Minor League Player of the Year for the Yankees in 2024. In 36 games with Triple-A Indianapolis following the trade, Flores batted .281 with an .822 OPS and six home runs.

“I’ve continued to just swing it,” Flores said. “I feel like that’s my biggest strength, staying healthy and being able to play every day.”

The Pirates plan to start right-hander Mitch Keller in the series opener.

Keller (6-14, 4.13 ERA) has strung together strong starts his last two times out, but didn’t earn the win in either game.

He most recently allowed two runs and four hits over 5 1/3 innings last Friday against the Washington Nationals, but was lifted after 62 pitches in the eventual 6-5 loss.

“As a competitor, you want to stay out there,” Keller said. “I wish I could go nine every game.”

Keller has faced the A’s twice in his career and lost both games while posting a 6.97 ERA.

The A’s (72-81) are coming off a 5-3 win at the Boston Red Sox on Thursday afternoon in the rubber game of their three-game series. Boston is trying to hold onto the third wild-card spot in the American League.

The A’s swept the Cincinnati Reds in a three-game series last weekend. The Reds are also battling for a playoff spot.

The A’s plan to start right-hander Luis Severino (6-11, 4.82) on Friday.

Severino does not have a decision in three starts this month, posting a 4.80 ERA in those games.

He most recently allowed five runs and six hits over five innings in an 11-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds last Saturday. He departed with the score tied 5-5.

Severino has made four starts against the Pirates in his career and is 3-1 with a 3.13 ERA.

He did not allow an earned run over six innings in a 9-1 win against the Pirates on April 17 of last season, but was lit up for seven runs over six innings in a 14-2 loss 2 1/2 months later.

The A’s have made a name for themselves with the long ball this season, becoming the second MLB team with three players with at least 30 home runs.

Brent Rooker homered on Thursday to give him three straight 30-homer seasons for the A’s.

Nick Kurtz has 32 home runs and Shea Langeliers has 30.

Kurtz hit a 493-foot home run against the Reds last weekend, the longest home run in the MLB since 2023.

“(Jose) Canseco and (Mark) McGwire used to hit balls like that,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “In a different era.”

–Field Level Media

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora has been reminded recently of the grueling September stretch drive as the regular season nears its end, but he fully expects his club to keep playing next month.

Cora and the wild-card-holding Red Sox return to Florida for Friday night’s opener of a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays in the final matchups between the division foes this season.

The Red Sox (83-70) lost 5-3 to the Athletics on Thursday afternoon, dropping two of three in the series.

“A good friend of mine told me today that September is to suffer, because you’ve still got teams around you and you win and you look (at the scoreboard) and you suffer,” Cora said. “In October, it’s head-to-head. You’ve got control of whatever happens in that series. But in September, everything gets magnified. But you have to enjoy it. We’re blessed to be part of this.”

The Red Sox might not feel so blessed with how their scoreboard has looked lately.

In a battle with the New York Yankees for second place in the AL East, Boston has played sub-par baseball for a playoff hopeful by going 7-8 in September.

The club holds the final wild-card spot by a tenuous 1 1/2 games over the Cleveland Guardians, who have won seven straight and are knocking on the postseason door.

Still, Cora doesn’t feel he’ll be making October tee times anytime soon, adding plainly, “Our plan is to play in the playoffs.”

In the opener, Boston will send out its best to get the series started on the right foot by turning to lefty Garrett Crochet (16-5, 2.63 ERA).

Since the beginning of June, the veteran hurler in his first season in Boston has a sparkling 12-1 record and a 3.02 ERA, helping to propel the Beantown bunch into postseason position.

He is 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA in three starts and one relief outing against Tampa Bay.

Manager Kevin Cash’s Rays (75-78) split four games with the Toronto Blue Jays in a 4-0 shutout win on Thursday behind starter Shane Baz’s five scoreless innings, a Carson Williams homer, and Chandler Simpson’s second straight three-hit game.

It was the Rays’ 11th shutout this season, and the team won the season series against the first-place Blue Jays for the eighth consecutive season by taking seven of 10 matchups.

Williams, who played poorly in the first two games, stepped up in the latter two as he scored the game-winning run on Wednesday before Thursday’s long ball, his fourth since debuting on Aug. 22.

The shortstop broke a 0-for-19 skid in the series.

“Any new level you go to, there’s going to be challenges,” said Williams, the organization’s top prospect. “Slowly, day by day, I’m going to learn this level as much as I can.”

Drew Rasmussen (10-5, 2.74) will face Crochet in a battle of aces. The right-hander has no decisions in all three September starts with a 3.60 ERA.

Across nine games against Boston, including five starts, Rasmussen is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA.

All-Star third baseman Junior Caminero (back) did not play in Thursday’s victory.

–Field Level Media

Christian Yelich doubled during a three-run rally for his 100th RBI as the Milwaukee Brewers moved a step closer to the National League Central title with a 5-2 victory to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Thursday.

The Brewers snapped a 2-2 tie with three runs in the seventh. Jackson Chourio opened with a ground-rule double off Luis Garcia (2-2), who came out of the bullpen to start the inning. Brice Turang singled in the go-ahead run, William Contreras walked and Yelich doubled to reach 100 RBIs for the first time since 2018 and just the second time in his career. Andrew Vaughn’s sacrifice fly pushed the lead to 5-2.

Aaron Ashby (4-2) got the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Abner Uribe tossed a scoreless eighth and Jared Koenig finished for his second save, as the Angels (69-84) dropped their seventh straight.

Milwaukee (94-59), which has clinched a playoff berth and has the best overall record in baseball, increased its division lead to six games over the Cubs, who lost 1-0 at Cincinnati earlier in the day.

The Brewers reduced their magic number to four for their fourth division title in five seasons. Milwaukee moved three games ahead of idle Philadelphia for the best record in the National League.

Milwaukee tied the game at 2 on Caleb Durbin’s RBI single in the sixth.

The Angels had runners on second and third with two outs in the seventh, but center fielder Blake Perkins made a long running catch to haul in Chris Taylor’s drive to the warning track to prevent two runs.

Brewers starter Quinn Priester, who had won a franchise-record 12 consecutive decisions, retired the first 12 hitters before Jo Adell walked to open the fifth inning. Luis Rengifo then sent a 2-1 pitch 386 feet to right-center for his ninth homer to put the Angels up 2-1.

Priester allowed two runs on three hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out 10 and walking two.

Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi allowed two runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings with three walks and two strikeouts.

The Brewers snapped a scoreless tie with a run in the fourth. Vaughn doubled, advanced on a ground out and scored on Durbin’s infield single.

–Field Level Media

Hunter Greene carried a no-hit bid through 6 2/3 innings and allowed just one hit en route to his second career complete game, fueling the host Cincinnati Reds to a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night.

Will Benson ripped an RBI double in the fourth inning to provide Greene (7-4) with all the offense he would need on Thursday and keep alive the flickering postseason aspirations of the Reds (77-76).

Cincinnati, which has won two in a row and three of its last four games, remained two games behind the New York Mets (79-74) for the final wild-card spot in the National League. The Mets posted a 6-1 win over the San Diego Padres earlier on Thursday.

Fresh off clinching their postseason berth on Wednesday, the Cubs (88-65) were unable to capitalize on Colin Rea’s 11-strikeout performance and saw their four-game winning streak come to a halt.

Greene retired the side in order through the first four innings before Moises Ballesteros reached on an error by shortstop Elly De La Cruz to lead off the fifth. Greene responded by retiring the next three batters to close out the inning and breezed into the seventh before Seiya Suzuki belted a double down the left-field line with two outs to end the no-hit bid.

Undaunted, Greene induced Carson Kelly to ground out to end the seventh and retired the side in order in both the eighth and ninth innings. His previous complete game was a rain-shortened seven-inning contest, 7-0 over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on June 6, 2022.

Greene finished with nine strikeouts on Thursday to highlight his 109-pitch masterpiece. That is a distinctly better performance than the one he put forth on Saturday after he permitted five runs on four hits — including two homers — in 2 1/3 innings of an 11-5 setback to the host Athletics.

Austin Hays, who recorded two of the four hits by the Reds, doubled to lead off the fourth inning against Rea (10-7). Hays came around to score after Benson hit a one-out double to right-center field.

Rea took the hard-luck loss after permitting one run on four hits and no walks in seven innings.

–Field Level Media

Max Fried struck out 13 batters across seven shutout innings and set a career high with his 18th win as the New York Yankees beat the host Baltimore Orioles 7-0 on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.

The Yankees (86-67) have won six of their last eight games as they continue to stay within striking distance of first-place Toronto in the American League East. With the Blue Jays losing earlier in the day, this win cut the division margin to three games with nine left to play.

Fried (18-5), who held the Orioles to three singles and one walk, struck out three batters in both the third and sixth innings. He has won five consecutive starts.

Paul Blackburn pitched the final two innings to complete the shutout, adding two strikeouts.

Paul Goldschmidt and Austin Wells each had two hits for the Yankees, who have won three games in a row. New York racked up nine hits and eight walks.
The Orioles (72-81), who occupy last place in the AL East, had a three-game winning streak snapped as they managed only three hits.

Baltimore starter Cade Povich (3-8) took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts in five innings.

New York went up 2-0 in the first inning on Amed Rosario’s two-out, two-run double. Wells knocked in Anthony Volpe, who had doubled, in the fifth for a 3-0 edge.

The Yankees struck for four runs in the seventh off reliever Chayce McDermott, who retired only one of six batters he faced – and that came on Aaron Judge’s sacrifice fly. Goldschmidt’s run-scoring single and Giancarlo Stanton’s two-run double were the other run-producing moments in the inning.

The Orioles barely threatened, though they did put two runners on base in the sixth inning on Ryan Mountcastle’s one-out single and Gunnar Henderson’s two-out single before a Tyler O’Neill strikeout stranded them. They stranded five runners on base in the game and were 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.

New York has won four of the seven meetings between the teams so far this season.

–Field Level Media

The Kansas City Royals placed rookie right-hander Ryan Bergert on the 15-day injured list due to a right elbow strain and center fielder Kyle Isbel on the 10-day IL for a strained left hamstring, ending their seasons on Thursday.

In corresponding moves, Kansas City recalled two rookies, right-hander Luinder Avila and outfielder John Rave, from Triple-A Omaha.

Bergert, 25, felt tightness in his right forearm during a bullpen session on Wednesday. He last pitched on Saturday, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts in four innings of a no-decision in the team’s 8-6 loss at Philadelphia.

He is 1-2 with a 4.43 ERA, 17 walks and 39 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings over eight starts since the Royals acquired him and right-hander Stephen Kolek from the San Diego Padres for catcher Freddy Fermin at the trade deadline.

Bergert is a combined 2-2 with a 3.66 ERA, 35 walks and 73 strikeouts in 76 1/3 innings over 19 games (15 starts) since making his major league debut with San Diego in April.

“It’s pretty disappointing,” Bergert told MLB.com. “Obviously, I wanted to finish the season strong and compete with all the guys. I know I’ve only been over here for a few months, but just wanted to finish the season with them. It would have meant a lot. Sucks, but at the end of the day, it’s where we’re at.”

Isbel, 28, last played on Wednesday, going hitless in his lone at-bat in a 7-5 home win over Seattle. He pulled up short and limped for a few steps when grounding out to first base to end the bottom of the second inning. A standout on defense as the Royals’ everyday center fielder for two-plus seasons, Isbel was replaced by Tyler Tolbert.

“With the position that Izzy plays and the type of player he is, he has to be able to go full speed,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “He was not going to be able to do that, whether this was May or September.”

Isbel batted .255 with four home runs and 33 RBIs with a .301 on-base percentage and .353 slugging percentage in 135 games.

For his career, Isbel is a .238 hitter with 23 homers and 144 RBIs in 496 games since his major league debut with Kansas City in April 2021.

Rave, 27, is batting .199 (27-for-136) with four homers and 13 RBIs in 64 games for Kansas City.

Avila, 24, is 1-0 with a 0.96 ERA, four walks and 11 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings over eight relief appearances for the Royals this season.

The Royals have nine games remaining in the regular season, the last on Sept. 28 against the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif.

–Field Level Media