NEW YORK -- Derek Jeter capped his Yankee Stadium farewell with a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning, the latest storybook moment in a charmed and illustrious career, to give New York a 6-5 victory Thursday night over Baltimore.
Serenaded with adoring chants that echoed through the Bronx night, Jeter tipped his cap several times at shortstop and drove in three runs. He launched an early double off the wall and saved the best for last -- a sharp, opposite-field single to right with one out that knocked in the winning run.
During the raucous celebration that followed, Jeter said he's played his final game at shortstop, but he'll likely play in some capacity this weekend in Boston.
As if it was planned all along, closer David Robertson (4-5) gave up a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to Adam Jones and a tying shot to Steve Pearce with two outs.
That only set the stage for Jeter one more time.
Jose Pirela hit a leadoff single in the bottom half against Evan Meek (0-4) and Brett Gardner's sacrificed. Jeter lined the next pitch through a wide hole on the right side, and pinch-runner Antoan Richardson slid home ahead of Nick Markakis' throw.
REDS 5, BREWERS 3
CINCINNATI -- Brandon Phillips hit his first home run in almost three months and rookie David Holmberg pitched six solid innings as the Cincinnati Reds officially ended Milwaukee's postseason hopes.
The Brewers' loss meant the San Francisco Giants clinched a playoff spot. Milwaukee spent 150 days leading the NL Central this season.
Holmberg (2-2) allowed two runs on three hits to earn his second career win, both in the last 12 days over Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo (8-11).
Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth for his 35th save.
GIANTS 9, PADRES 8
SAN FRANCISCO -- The playoff-bound Giants blew a six-run lead, and then rallied to stay within one game of Pittsburgh for the top spot in the NL wild-card standings.
Hunter Pence scored the go-ahead run on Matt Duffy's squeeze bunt in the Giants' three-run seventh, hours after they clinched a playoff berth with Milwaukee's loss at Cincinnati. Pablo Sandoval had a season-high four RBIs, including a key single in the decisive seventh.
Yasmani Grandal hit his first career grand slam for San Diego in the seventh. He also had a solo shot in the sixth.
Tim Lincecum (11-9) recorded the final out of the seventh for the win. Santiago Casilla closed it out for his 18th save in 22 chances.
Blaine Boyer (0-1) got the loss.
TIGERS 4, TWINS 2
DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez homered, Max Scherzer made it through six tough innings and the Detroit Tigers moved closer to another AL Central title with a victory over Minnesota.
The Tigers, who have already clinched a postseason berth, can wrap up a fourth straight division championship as early as Friday. Martinez hit a two-run homer in the first, and Cabrera added a solo shot in the fourth.
Scherzer (18-5) allowed two runs and five hits. Joakim Soria pitched the seventh, Joba Chamberlain handled the eighth and Joe Nathan finished for his 34th save in 41 chances.
Trevor May (3-6) took the loss.
ROYALS 6, WHITE SOX 3
CHICAGO -- Eric Hosmer homered and drove in two runs, Lorenzo Cain had four hits and scored twice and the Kansas City Royals put themselves on the verge of a playoff spot by beating the Chicago White Sox.
One more win for Kansas City, or a loss by Seattle, will send the Royals to the postseason for the first time since George Brett led them to a championship in 1985.
Kansas City remained two games behind Detroit in the AL Central and moved one up on Oakland in the wild-card standings.
Kelvin Herrera (4-3) worked a scoreless seventh after James Shields went six innings.
Wade Davis pitched the eighth and Greg Holland pitched the ninth for his 45th save in 47 chances.
Jose Quintana (9-11) gave up five runs over 7 1-3 innings.
RANGERS 2, ATHLETICS 1
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Adrian Beltre hit a walk-off homer in the ninth inning, and the Texas Rangers kept Oakland from getting closer to clinching an AL wild-card spot.
Beltre sent a drive just over the wall in right field off Luke Gregerson (5-5) with one out for his team-leading 19th homer of the season and just his second since Aug. 10.
The A's lost a chance to clinch a wild-card spot when Seattle won at Toronto earlier in the day. The last-place Rangers won for the 12th time in 13 games.
Texas closer Neftali Feliz (2-1) pitched a scoreless ninth.
MARINERS 7, BLUE JAYS 5
TORONTO -- Logan Morrison hit two home runs, Mike Zunino also connected and the Seattle Mariners kept their faint playoff hopes alive, beating Toronto.
Morrison hit a three-run drive off Todd Redmond in the fourth and added a solo shot off Aaron Loup (4-4) in the sixth as the Mariners avoided a four-game sweep and snapped a five-game losing streak.
The victory sent the Mariners into the final three games of the season trailing wild-card leader Kansas City by three games and Oakland by two.
Yoervis Medina (5-3) worked one inning for the win and Fernando Rodney, the ninth Seattle pitcher of the game, gave up Kevin Pillar's leadoff homer in the ninth but finished for his 47th save in 50 chances.
PIRATES 10, BRAVES 1
ATLANTA -- Edinson Volquez threw seven scoreless innings, Travis Snider and Neil Walker hit homers and the Pittsburgh Pirates moved within one game of the NL Central lead by defeating Atlanta.
Pittsburgh, only one game behind first-place St. Louis in the division, will close its regular season with a three-game series at Cincinnati. The Pirates clinched a playoff spot on Tuesday night.
Volquez (13-7) set a season high with 10 strikeouts and gave up only four hits. He closed his regular season with 18 consecutive scoreless innings.
Josh Harrison moved past Colorado's Justin Morneau (.317) for the lead in the NL batting race. Harrison had three hits, pushing his average to .319, and scored two runs.
Volquez added to his memorable night with an eighth-inning single that snapped his 0-for-45 drought since April 27.
David Hale (4-5) took the loss.
METS 7, NATIONALS 4, 1ST GAME
NATIONALS 3, METS 0, 2ND GAME
WASHINGTON -- Gio Gonzalez struck out a career-high 12 and allowed just one hit through seven innings as the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets to split a day-night doubleheader.
In the first game, Ryan Zimmerman's healing hamstring appeared to pass a seven-inning test for playoff-bound Washington in its loss.
The split pulls the NL East champion Nationals within one win -- or one Los Angeles Dodgers loss -- of clinching the National League's top record and home-field advantage until the World Series.
In the second game, Zack Wheeler (11-11) allowed three runs over five innings in the loss as the Mets were ensured of their sixth consecutive sub-.500 season.
Drew Storen worked a perfect ninth for his 11th save, closing out the first of two day-night doubleheaders in as many days for Washington.
In the early game, Washington's Zimmerman continued his quest to get healthy by hitting, running the bases and playing left field.
Matt den Dekker singled home the go-ahead run off Tyler Clippard (7-4) in the eighth inning.
Carlos Torres (8-5) pitched the seventh, and Jenrry Mejia worked the ninth for his 28th save.
MARLINS 6, PHILLIES 4
MIAMI -- Casey McGehee had three RBIs, including a two-run, tiebreaking double in the seventh inning, and the Miami Marlins rallied in their home finale to beat Philadelphia.
With the comeback, Tom Koehler (10-10) finally reached double figures in victories for the first time. He had gone winless in his six previous starts despite a 3.50 ERA.
Koehler allowed four runs in seven innings. Steve Cishek pitched a perfect ninth for his 39th save in 43 chances.
The victory ensured the Marlins will end a streak of three consecutive last-place seasons in the NL East. Philadelphia sewed up last place in the division.
The Marlins trailed 4-2 before scoring four runs on five hits against Jake Diekman (5-5) in the seventh.
RED SOX 11, RAYS 1
BOSTON -- Rusney Castillo and Christian Vazquez each hit his first major league homer, and Allen Webster pitched seven solid innings to carry the Boston Red Sox over Tampa Bay.
Vazquez finished with a career-best four hits and drove in three runs, and Mookie Betts had three of Boston's 16 hits.
Webster (5-3) was charged with one run and seven hits in his best start since he joined the rotation in late July.
Leading 3-1 in the third, the Red Sox broke it open by scoring four times while chasing Jeremy Hellickson (1-5).