NEW YORK — Brett Gardner homered with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the New York Yankees a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
The Yankees scratched out two runs in the first eight innings but struggled to get much done with runners in scoring position.
New York quickly reached two out in the ninth but won the game when Gardner drove a 3-and-1 fastball from Erasmo Ramirez (3-1) into the second deck in right field. As he approached home plate, Gardner tossed his helmet into the air and was met by his teammates, who mobbed him in celebration.
It was Gardner’s second career walk-off home run and sixth walk-off hit. The last one was a home run off Detroit’s Jose Veras on Aug. 11, 2013.
Nationals 2, Twins 0
WASHINGTON — Tanner Roark struck out a career-high 15 batters in seven innings and Ryan Zimmerman drove in two runs in the first as Washington blanked Minnesota.
Roark’s previous best was 11 strikeouts at San Diego in 2014. That year he won 15 games as a starter but was used mostly out of the bullpen in 2015 after the Nationals acquired free agent pitcher Max Scherzer.
For the second straight game, the Nationals jumped on the Twins in the first inning as Zimmerman had a two-run single to center to make it 2-0 against starter Phil Hughes. The hit by Zimmerman scored Anthony Rendon, who had singled, and Bryce Harper, who had doubled to right to send Rendon to third.
Roark (2-2) allowed no runs and two hits. Hughes (1-3) gave up two runs and six hits in seven innings.
Indians 10, Tigers 1
DETROIT — Corey Kluber collected his first win of the season and Yan Gomes tied his career high by driving in five runs as Cleveland overwhelmed Detroit.
Kluber (1-3) lost his first three starts when the Indians only scored a combined three runs. He got plenty of run support on Saturday as Cleveland reached double digits for the first time this season. He struck out 10, with Justin Upton fanning in all three of his at-bats against the 2014 American League Cy Young Award winner.
Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez (2-2) lasted just 2 1/3 innings as he allowed nine hits and seven runs (six earned).
Blue Jays 9, Athletics 3
TORONTO — Josh Donaldson hit a three-run homer, Troy Tulowitzki hit two solo homers and J.A. Happ pitched seven innings as Toronto defeated Oakland.
The loss ended a six-game winning streak for the Athletics and stopped a three-game losing skid by the Blue Jays.
Happ (3-0) allowed seven hits, one walk and three runs. He also hit a batter and struck out one.