NEW YORK (AP) β Carlos Beltran hit a three-run homer off White Sox ace Chris Sale, leading Michael Pineda and the New York Yankees past Chicago 3-2 Thursday night in their push for a playoff spot.
After a tribute before their first home game since October great Yogi Berra died, the Yankees closed within three games of idle Toronto in the AL East. New York cut its magic number to six for clinching at least a wild-card slot.
Beltran, a postseason star throughout his career, gave the Yankees a boost to begin their final homestand of the season. He connected in the third inning for his 18th homer, a line drive that a young boy in the front row of the left-field seats neatly gloved.
Pineda (12-8) gave up one run, on Trayce Thompson’s homer, in six innings. He improved the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in the AL, fanning six without a free pass.
