American League Wild-Card Roundup: Blue Jays, Orioles one game out

The race for the third wild-card spot in the American League is even tighter after Friday's results.

Wins by the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles and losses by the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers leave six teams within 1.5 games of the final playoff spot.

Here is an updated look at how the American League standings look after Friday's results:

PITTSBURGH — Brandon Lowe hit a three-run home run and rookie Rafael Flores Jr. homered for the third time in two days to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Lowe’s homer came in the fifth inning off Jovani Moran and landed in the right-field stands, extending the Pirates’ lead to 7-2 as they won back-to-back games for the first time since July 26-27. Flores hit a solo shot off Jake Bennett (7-6) in the second to open the scoring after connecting twice Thursday in a 13-1 victory at Miami.

Rookie Esmerlyn Valdez hit a two-run double in the third and scored on a single by Flores to make it 4-0. Lowe had three hits and Bryan Reynolds added two.

The Red Sox lost for the sixth time in seven games after winning 28 of 36. They had runners on first and second with two outs in the ninth, but Mason Montgomery escaped the jam for his third save.

Rookie Bubba Chandler (6-8) won his third straight start, allowing two runs and four hits in five innings with five strikeouts and two walks. Bennett gave up four runs over four innings while losing for the fourth time in four starts.

TORONTO — Shane Bieber threw six strong innings and Alejandro Kirk homered to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 3-1 win over the New York Yankees on Friday night at Rogers Centre.

Relievers Tyler Rogers and Mason Fluharty threw an inning apiece before Louis Varland came on to pick up his 27th save as Toronto (60-64) won for the fourth time in five games.

Trent Grisham hit a solo homer in the sixth inning for New York. The Blue Jays took advantage of some suspect defence in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead.

With two runners on, George Springer hit a chopper to Ryan McMahon, who stepped on third base for the force but made a low throw to first.

Luis Garcia Jr. couldn't corral the ball and then threw to third base before shortstop George Lombard Jr. was in position. Lombard collided with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto slugger scored when the ball rolled into foul territory.

Springer then came across with the go-ahead run on a double by Kirk. Guerrero, who appeared to be shaken up, was removed from the game and replaced by Charles McAdoo.