Santana's home run hits right note for White Sox

Cleveland Indians' Josh Naylor, right, signals safe after scoring past Chicago White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal, left, on a single by Cesar Hernandez during the second inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Indians' Josh Naylor, right, signals safe after scoring past Chicago White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal, left, on a single by Cesar Hernandez during the second inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)

CLEVELAND -- Carlos Santana's two-run home run snapped a tie and Jose Ramirez homered again as the Cleveland Indians moved closer to clinching a playoff berth -- and delayed Chicago's likely AL Central title -- with a 7-4 win over the White Sox on Monday night.

After the White Sox scored four times in the fifth inning against Aaron Civale (4-5), Santana came to the plate in the bottom half. With Ramirez on first after a one-out walk, Santana pulled a 2-1 sinker from Jace Fry (0-1) over the left-field wall and into the empty bleachers to make it 6-4.

Nick Wittgren struck out the side in the seventh and James Karinchak worked the eighth before Brad Hand pitched the ninth for his 14th save in 14 tries.

Eloy Jimenez hit his 14th homer of the season for the White Sox..

ANGELS 8, RANGERS 5 Jared Walsh hit his first career grand slam during the Angels' seven-run fourth inning in an win over Texas. Max Stassi had a two-run single in the final home game of the fifth consecutive losing season for the Angels (24-31), who have won 12 of 18 overall after taking three of four from Texas. Walsh extended his hitting streak to 13 games when he mashed a sinker from Kyle Gibson (2-6) 450 feet over the ficus trees behind the center-field fence at the Big A. Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Derek Dietrich homered for the last-place Rangers, who have lost five of seven.

BLUE JAYS 11, YANKEES 5 Rookie Alejandro Kirk became the first catcher 21 or younger since Johnny Bench with at least four hits that included two for extra bases, and Toronto beat the Yankees. Kirk, who played at Class A last season and made his debut Sept. 12, singled in the third off Michael King, doubled in the fourth against Jonathan Loaisiga, singled in the fifth off Nick Nelson and hit an opposite-field homer to right in seventh off Chad Green for his first four-hit game.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

REDS 6, BREWERS 3 Eugenio Suarez hit a two-run homer, Luis Castillo won his fourth straight start, and streaking Cincinnati moved above .500 for the first time since opening day. The Reds (28-27) won for the eighth time in nine games. The Brewers (26-27) had their season-high four-game winning streak snapped. Suárez connected in the sixth inning off Brandon Woodruff (2-5), who had repeatedly escaped threats. The Reds pulled away in the eighth against Drew Rasmussen. Curt Casali led off with a homer and Mike Moustakas added a three-run shot.

CUBS 5, PIRATES 0 Jon Lester scattered four hits over six innings and the Cubs inched closer to their first NL Central title since 2017. Lester (3-2) struck out one and walked one in his first victory since Aug. 11. He retired the first nine batters he faced and kept the lowest-scoring team in the majors in check. Only two of Pittsburgh's four hits left the infield. Kyle Schwarber doubled twice and drove in a pair of insurance runs in the eighth. Javy Baez drove in a run with a surprise bunt and Victor Caratini added an RBI double.

NATIONALS 5, PHILLIES 1 Bryce Harper was hitless in his return from back stiffness and Philadelpia Manager Joe Girardi was ejected in the third inning of a loss to Washington. Harper went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts as the designated hitter, dropping his average to .254. Third-place Philadelphia fell to 27-27 and with six games left. Girardi and center fielder Roman Quinn were ejected in the third inning for arguing a call by plate umpire Junior Valentine.

BRAVES 5, MARLINS 4 Austin Riley's two-run double capped a wild first inning and the deep Atlanta bullpen took it from there, allowing just one run over the final six innings to push the Braves a step closer to a third straight NL East title. Tyler Matzek (4-3) pitched two hitless innings for the win, and Darren O'Day and Chris Martin each worked a scoreless frame.

INTERLEAGUE

RAYS 2, METS 1 Nate Lowe homered and scored both runs against NL Cy Young Award contender Jacob deGrom, and Tampa Bay overcame 16 strikeouts to move closer to an AL East title. The Rays trimmed their magic number to two for their first division title since 2010. Tampa Bay started the day 3 1/2 games ahead of the New York Yankees. DeGrom (4-2) pitched seven innings of two-run ball, striking out 14 to match his career high for the second time this season.

ROYALS 4, CARDINALS 1 Maikel Franco hit the go-ahead single with two outs in the sixth inning and the Kansas City bullpen shut down St. Louis from the fourth inning on. Alex Gordon and Jorge Soler also drove in runs for the Royals, who returned for their final homestand after getting swept in Milwaukee. Carlos Hernandez allowed one run over 3 2/3 innings before giving way to Jake Newberry, Scott Barlow, Josh Staumont (2-1) and Jesse Hahn, who combined to allow one hit -- a two-out single by Paul Goldschmidt -- without a walk over the next 4 1/3 innings. Greg Holland worked around a leadoff single in the ninth for his sixth save.

Cleveland Indians' Delino DeShields makes a leaping catch to get out Chicago White Sox's Tim Anderson during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Cleveland Indians' Delino DeShields makes a leaping catch to get out Chicago White Sox's Tim Anderson during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)

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