American League wild-card roundup: Blue Jays a game back from final spot

After months lagging behind the pack, the Toronto Blue Jays have climbed their way back into a playoff spot.

The Blue Jays won their sixth series in a row after taking down the New York Yankees 4-1, and losses from the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins let them stake their claim for the final wild-card spot in the tight American League as the playoff race heats up down the stretch.

TORONTO — Charles McAdoo had two hits, including a tiebreaking RBI double in the seventh inning, and Toronto beat New York for its 13th win in 19 games.

McAdoo also had an RBI single and Brett Bateman reached base three times as the Blue Jays inched closer to the final AL wild-card spot.

Spencer Miles (5-2), the fifth of seven Blue Jays pitchers, went one inning for the win and Louis Varland struck out the side in the ninth for his 28th save in 29 opportunities.

The Yankees had four hits, all singles, and lost their third straight game. New York has scored two total runs in those games.

Pinch hitter Ernie Clement singled on the first pitch he saw from Brent Headrick (6-2) to begin the seventh. McAdoo followed with an RBI double off the wall.

McAdoo and Nathan Lukes had RBIs off Tim Hill in Toronto’s two-run eighth.

McAdoo started in place of six-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who went on the seven-day IL earlier Saturday because of concussion symptoms. Guerrero left Friday’s 3-1 victory following a collision with Yankees rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. at third base.

DETROIT — Andrew Benintendi had two hits, including the go-ahead single in the seventh inning, and Chicago defeated Detroit for the second straight day.

Chicago (64-58) has won five of seven and now leads the AL Central by a season-best 4 1/2 games over the Tigers (60-63) and Minnesota Twins.

Jordan Hicks (2-1) picked up the win for Chicago with 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, and Bryan Hudson pitched the ninth for his fifth save of the season.

The teams traded runs in the first, with Braden Montgomery’s RBI single for the White Sox in the top of the inning being answered by one from Eduardo Valencia in the bottom of the frame.

Chicago wasted chances to add on — former Tigers player Jake Rogers bunted into a double play and first baseman Spencer Torkelson threw out Munetaka Murakami at the plate on a ground ball — but Colson Montgomery’s two-out, two-run double gave the White Sox a 3-1 lead in the third.