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MLB roundup: Red Sox reach 100 wins for first time since 1946

Boston Red Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi throws the ball to the infield after making the catch on a fly out by Toronto Blue Jays' Teoscar Hernandez during the fifth inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston • The scoreboards at Fenway Park were all flashing “100 WINS” to celebrate the Red Sox reaching the milestone for the first time since Ted Williams returned from World War II.

David Price was already thinking about No. 101.

“That’s what we’ve done all year,” Price said on Wednesday night after pitching seven innings of three-hit ball to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0. “That’s why we have 100 wins right now.”

Price (15-6) struck out seven to win his sixth straight decision, leaving after 92 pitches with a lead earned when Rafael Devers scampered home on a wild pitch by Aaron Sanchez (4-6) in the fifth inning. The Red Sox left-hander is unbeaten in 11 starts and is 5-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break.

Steven Wright pitched the eighth and Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 39th save, and Boston’s magic number for clinching the AL East dropped to seven over the second-place New York Yankees.

“Don’t get me wrong; 100 is 100. But we’ve got bigger goals, obviously,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “Today we got closer to one of those goals.”

A night after becoming the first major league team this year to clinch a playoff spot, Boston won for the 10th time in 14 games and moved a season-high 54 games above .500 for the first time since the 1946 team of Williams, Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr and Dom DiMaggio went 104-50.

The Red Sox need only to go 6-10 the rest of the season to break the franchise record of 105 wins, set in 1912. Boston also won 101 games in 1915.

“Somebody just told me it’s been done three times here and the last one was 70-something years ago,” first baseman Mitch Moreland said. “I think that speaks for itself.”

Sanchez allowed three hits and struck out six, allowing the game’s only run after Moreland walked to lead off the fifth. Devers reached on a fielder’s choice and took third when Brock Holt poked a single through the hole at shortstop on a hit-and-run.

Sanchez bounced a 2-2 pitch to Jackie Bradley Jr. in the dirt and past catcher Danny Jansen to the backstop, allowing Devers to score.

“I love Price. I keep in touch with Price even to this day,” said Sanchez, who was teammates with Price in Toronto in 2015. “To go out there and match what he’s doing. ... Just to go out there and have a special night like that was fun. It’s unfortunate they scored the way they did and we lost the way we did.”

Rays 3, Indians 1 • In St. Petersburg, Fla., Blake Snell took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning and got his major league-leading 19th win, leading Tampa Bay past Cleveland. Snell (19-5) lost his bid when Jose Ramirez led off the seventh with his 38th homer.

Dodgers 8, Reds 1 • In Cincinnati, Yasmani Grandal and Justin Turner drove in three runs each, and Los Angeles beat Cincinnati to avoid a season sweep by the last-place Reds. Joc Pederson homered for the Dodgers, and Grandal had three hits.

Braves 2, Giants 1 • In San Francisco, pinch-hitter Tyler Flowers drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, and Atlanta moved closer to clinching the NL East. San Francisco lost its 11th straight, the worst skid since the team moved to San Francisco and the longest for the franchise since 1951.

Astros 5, Tigers 4 • In Detroit, George Springer made a diving catch in the eighth inning to help preserve Houston’s lead, and the Astros swept a series at Comerica Park for the first time. It was the 13th series sweep of the season for the Astros.

Brewers 5, Cubs 1 • In Chicago, Curtis Granderson homered, tripled and scored three runs, Lorenzo Cain added three hits and Milwaukee beat the Cubs to move within a game of the NL Central lead. Milwaukee took two of three from the first-place Cubs.

Rockies 5, Diamondbacks 4 • In Denver, DJ LeMahieu hit a two-run homer off Yoshihisa Hirano in the ninth inning, and NL West-leading Colorado rallied to beat Arizona. LeMahieu hit a fastball over the fence in right as the Rockies kept their 1½-game advantage over Los Angeles intact.

Pirates 4, Cardinals 3 • In St. Louis, Jameson Taillon won his fourth straight start, Jacob Stallings drove in three runs and Pittsburgh snapped St. Louis’ three-game winning streak. Taillon (13-9) allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings.

Athletics 10, Orioles 0 • In Baltimore, Matt Olson homered during a 10-run third inning in which the first 11 batters reached base, and Oakland beat the Orioles for its sixth straight victory. Oakland totaled 10 hits and two walks in its biggest inning of the year.

Twins 3, Yankees 1 • In Minneapolis, Jake Odorizzi’s no-hit bid was broken up when Greg Bird hit a run-scoring double with one out in the eighth inning, but Minnesota beat the Yankees to take two of three from New York. The Yankees’ lead over Oakland for the AL’s top wild card was cut to one game.

Nationals 5, Phillies 1 • In Philadelphia, Stephen Strasburg threw seven impressive innings, Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman and Juan Soto homered and Washington beat Philadelphia to complete a three-game sweep. The Phillies have lost five in a row to drop 71/2 games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East with 17 to play.

Padres 5, Mariners 4 • In Seattle, Austin Hedges and Hunter Renfroe hit long home runs, and San Diego held on to beat fast-sinking Seattle for a two-game sweep. The Padres swept the interleague season series against the Mariners after taking two games in San Diego on Aug. 28-29.

White Sox 4, Royals 2 (12) • In Kansas City, Mo., Tim Anderson hit a two-run homer in the 12th inning, and Chicago beat the Royals. Jose Rondon also homered for the White Sox, who snapped a seven-game skid.

Mets 13, Marlins 0 • In New York, Zack Wheeler and Jay Bruce helped the Mets jump on Miami following a 5-hour, 35-minute rain delay, capping a long, soggy day with a win early Thursday morning Eastern Time.