American League wild-card roundup: Rangers, Astros tied atop AL West

The American League wild-card race remains as crowded as ever. But for teams in the AL West, a division title remains up for grabs as well.

And with a Texas Rangers win and a Houston Astros loss on Sunday, the two clubs from the Lone Star State entered a tie atop the division at 65-66.

The Cleveland Guardians also beat the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, extending their win streak to four games to stay tied with Texas and Houston and maintain the same record.

Every other club vying for the final wild-card spot lost to close out the weekend, with the Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers all failing to keep pace with the victorious Guardians and Rangers.

At 64-68, Toronto moved to 1.5 games back of the AL West leaders and Cleveland.

Houston: Off New York Yankees: Off Boston: at Miami, 6:10 p.m. Texas: at Chicago White Sox, 7:40 p.m. (Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet+) Cleveland: at Los Angeles Angels, 9:38 p.m. (Sportsnet+) Toronto: Off Baltimore: Off Minnesota: at Athletics, 9:40 p.m. Seattle: vs. Philadelphia, 9:40 p.m. (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+) Detroit: vs. Tampa Bay, 6:40 p.m. (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+)

HOUSTON — Max Muncy hit a go-ahead solo homer in the seventh inning and the Athletics rallied from a six-run deficit to beat Houston.

Brian Serven hit a three-run shot, his fourth, that began the six-run rally in the fifth inning. Lawrence Butler had an RBI double, and Tommy White drove in two to even the score 6-6.

Muncy then drove a fastball from Steven Okert (6-2) to centre to give the A’s the lead for good.

Jack Perkins (3-9) threw five innings of relief, striking out six while allowing three runs on three hits. He walked five, including two intentional walks of Yordan Alvarez.

Alvarez, currently in the hunt for just the second Triple Crown this century, fouled a ball off his foot in the fourth, but remained in the game.

NEW YORK — Ben Rice hit a bases-loaded single to score two runs and cap a three-run sixth inning, and New York pulled away for a victory over Toronto.

The Yankees knocked out Toronto starter José Soriano (10-7) by opening the sixth with three straight singles, including a bunt by Jazz Chisholm Jr. that loaded the bases. After Braydon Fisher got the first two outs, Trent Grisham took a 3-2 slider that was low and inside for a go-ahead walk.

Rice also reached a full count against left-hander Mason Fluharty and lined a slider to right field for a 5-2 lead.