Red Sox help Jays with 2nd straight win over Orioles

The Boston Red Sox have given the Toronto Blue Jays a chance to take top spot in the wild-card race after defeating the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 on Tuesday. 

The Jays can move one game ahead of the Orioles with a win later tonight in Seattle. A win would also help the Jays ease pressure from behind, as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Minnesota Twins 8-1 on Tuesday to close to within two games of both the Jays and Orioles. 

• ​MLB: Wildcard standings​

In Baltimore, David Ortizbroke open a tight game with a three-run homer in the seventh inning to lead Boston to its sixth straight victory.

Jackie Bradley Jr. also homered for the Red Sox, who stretched their lead over both Toronto (who has still to play tonight) and Baltimore to five games with 11 remaining. After sweeping four games from the Yankees, Boston has won the first two of this pivotal four-game series.

"This was really huge," Bradley said. "To get two wins right away is very vital for us. I think it will help us keep building on our momentum and finish strong."

The Red Sox are 11-3 in their last 14 games and a major league-best 13-5 in September.

"I think there is growing confidence in our clubhouse daily," manager John Farrell said. "We've responded to a number of challenges, whether it's on the road or coming from behind to win ballgames in the division. Those are key. When you succeed in those, that's a snowball effect that takes place.

McCann, Cabrera help Tigers breeze past Twins

Matt Boyd breezed through eight innings, backed by home runs from James McCann and Miguel Cabrera as the Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 8-1 on Tuesday night to step forward in the AL wild card race.

With Baltimore's loss to Boston, the Tigers cut the deficit between them and the second spot to 1½ games with 12 games to go.

Boyd (6-4) bounced back from an 8-1 defeat by the Twins at home last week, giving up a homer to Robbie Grossman in the seventh among only three hits allowed. He matched his career best with seven strikeouts and walked just one, after being pounded by Minnesota for seven runs in 3 2/3 innings on Sept. 13. McCann, in the designated hitter role for the injured Victor Martinez, sent a three-run shot into second deck above left-centre in a four-run sixth against Hector Santiago (12-9). Cabrera hit his 34th homer the following inning, a two-run drive against Michael Tonkin.