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SPORTS Tuesday 24 sepTember 2019
Springer 3 HRs,

Verlander 20th win,

Astros clinch AL West

By The Associated Press and the Indians matched
HOUSTON (AP) — George the Tampa Bay Rays with six
Springer hit a career-high games to play. Both teams
three homers, Justin Ver- are 92-64 and two games
lander posted his MLB- behind Oakland, which
leading 20th win and the leads the wild-card race.
Houston Astros clinched Mercado's 14th home run
their third straight AL West off Vince Velasquez (7-8)
title in grand fashion, rout- broke a 1-all tie in the fifth.
ing the Los Angeles Angels The Indians put the game
13-5 on Sunday. away with a six-run sev-
A crowd at Minute Maid enth, which included Puig's
Park that was cheering double and a two-run
from Verlander's first pitch homer by Franmil Reyes.
got even louder as Springer YANKEES 8, BLUE JAYS 3
homered three times in the NEW YORK (AP) — Luis
first four innings. The Astros Severino (1-0) struck out
kept breaking away and nine over five scoreless in-
improved to 102-54, a half- nings for his first win of the
game ahead of the New season, and New York hit
York Yankees for the best three home runs as it beat Houston Astros starter Justin Verlander follows through on a pitch during the first inning of a baseball
record in the majors. Toronto in its regular season game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, in Houston.
After the final out, the As- home finale. Associated Press
tros held a bouncing group New York (102-55) moved
hug in the middle of the 47 games over .500 for the
diamond and posed for a first time since its record-
team picture. It hasn't been setting 114-victory season
determined who they will in 1998. The AL East cham-
face in the playoffs as they pions clinched home-field
try for their second World advantage in the AL Divi-
Series championship in sion Series starting Oct. 4
three years. and are competing with
Springer, the MVP of the Houston for the top record
2017 World Series, had in the AL.
two chances to tie the big Aaron Judge hit his 26th
league record for home homer this season and 14th
runs in a game. He popped in his last 29 games. Brett
up with the bases loaded in Gardner added a three-
the fifth and grounded out run drive and DJ LeMahieu
in the seventh. made it 6-0 with a two-run
Verlander (20-6) yielded six homer in the second.
hits and two runs in five in- Toronto opener Wilmer
nings to reach 20 wins for Font (2-3) gave up four runs
the second time in his ca- in the first and was followed
reer and the first since win- by Trent Thornton.
ning the AL MVP and Cy TWINS 12, ROYALS 8
Young Award in 2011 when MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Nel-
he went 24-5 for Detroit. son Cruz hit his 400th ca-
This year's AL Cy Young reer home run, Miguel Sanó
front-runner struck out five connected twice and
to leave him six strikeouts Minnesota powered past
shy of becoming the 18th Kansas City to remain four
pitcher in MLB history to games ahead of Cleve-
reach 3,000. Jose Rodri- land for the AL Central
guez (0-1) allowed three lead. Kansas City joined
runs in two innings. Baltimore, Detroit and Mi-
INDIANS 10, PHILLIES 1 ami with 100 losses, only
CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie the second time in major
Oscar Mercado hit a three- league history there have
run homer, Yasiel Puig been four 100-loss teams in
drove a three-run double one season.
and Cleveland moved into Sanó homered in the first
a tie for the second AL wild and third innings. Sanó hit
card. a three-run drive during the
Carlos Carrasco (6-7) big first inning against start-
pitched 2 2/3 scoreless in- er Jorge López (4-9), who
nings for his longest relief lasted just 2 1/3 innings.
appearance since his mid- Zack Littell (6-0) earned the
season cancer diagnosis, win in relief.q