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Albany, NY – Well the Yankees are one win away from clinching a playoff berth...
Yesterday in the Bronx, Ivan Nova pitched shutout ball into the eighth, as New York blanked Tampa Bay Rays 5-0. The Yankees can secure their 16th postseason trip in 17 years, with one victory in today's day-night doubleheader against the Rays.
In Boston, Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon served up a bases-clearing double to Robert Andino, as Baltimore bounced Boston 7-5.
Elsewhere in the AL, the Angels topped Toronto 10-6, Texas downed Oakland 7-2, Kansas City crushed Detroit 10-2, Seattle edged Minnesota 5-4, and Cleveland split a doubleheader with the White Sox, winning the opener 4-3, but dropping the nightcap 5-4.
Over to the NL, in St. Louis, Ryan Theriot's two-run, seventh inning double put the Cardinals ahead for good, as they rallied to beat the Mets 11-6.
Elsewhere, the Dodgers dropped San Francisco 2-1, Pittsburgh got by Arizona 5-3, Milwaukee cruised past the Cubs 5-1, Atlanta shutout Florida 4-0, Cincinnati held off Houston 6-4, San Diego dumped Colorado 2-1, and Washington swept a doubleheader from Philadelphia, 4-3 and 3-0.
With exactly one week remaining in the baseball season, let's take a look at the playoff picture...
In the American League, the Yankees lead the East by six games over the Red Sox and eight over the Rays, the Tigers have clinched the central, leading the Indians by 12 1/2 and the White Sox by 14, the Rangers lead the West by five games over the Angels, and in the Wild Card race, the Red Sox cling to a two game lead over the Rays - the Angels sit 3 1/2 back.
In the National League, the Phillies have clinched the East, leading Atlanta by 10 1/2, the Brewers hold a 5 1/2 lead over the Cardinals in the central, the Diamondbacks lead the Giants by 5 1/2 out west, and in the Wild Card race, the Braves lead the Cardinals by 2 1/2.
I'm Tristan O'Neill, WAMC News.