Sep 17, 2020 4 min read

The Chicago White Sox clinched their first postseason berth since 2008, rallying to beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3 Thursday as Eloy Jiménez hit a tiebreaking double that capped a two-run rally in the seventh inning.

Chicago (33-17) opened a three-game lead over the second-place Twins (31-21) in the AL Central. The White Sox are assured of no worse than a wild-card berth.

José Abreu homered and drove in two runs and Edwin Encarnación also homered for Chicago.

Tampa Bay 3, Baltimore 1: Michael Perez doubled and scored during the pivotal seventh inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays edged closer to a playoff berth by beating the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 Thursday in a doubleheader opener.

The AL East-leading Rays would clinch a spot in the expanded postseason with a victory in Game 2, although their focus this year extends beyond merely qualifying for the playoffs.

“Just getting in was not what this team was built to do and certainly not something that we’re necessarily going to be satisfied with,” manager Kevin Cash.

Rangers broadcaster tests positive: Texas Rangers television broadcaster C.J. Nitkowski has tested positive for COVID-19, a move that led the team using a simulcast of its radio network’s call on the regional cable telecast for Thursday night’s series finale in Houston.

The Rangers said they received notification Thursday of the positive test for Nitkowski, a former major league pitcher who played for eight different teams between 1995-2005.

Nitkowski had been working only on the broadcast level at the new Rangers ballpark, where all of their broadcasts originated, whether home or way. He had no access to Tier 1 and 2 restricted areas or any other locations at Globe Life Field. The team said the broadcast level, including all broadcast booths, was thoroughly sanitized and disinfected Thursday.

Interleague

L..A. Angels 7, Arizona 3: Anthony Rendon hit a two-run homer and Mike Trout drove in two runs in the Los Angeles Angels’ 7-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

David Fletcher and Taylor Ward had three hits apiece for the Angels, who jumped to a 6-0 lead in the third inning and pounded out 14 hits on the way to their ninth win in 14 games. Jared Walsh also extended his Angels franchise record by scoring a run and driving in a run in his ninth consecutive game.

Griffin Canning (1-3) finally got a win in his 10th start of the season for the Angels, throwing five innings of six-hit ball with seven strikeouts. He allowed two runs, one earned.

Boston 5, Miami 3: Nathan Eovaldi pitched five shutout innings and struck out seven, and the Miami Marlins stumbled in their playoff run with a 5-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

Rafael Devers had a three-run homer, Kevin Plawecki hit a two-run single and Alex Verdugo had three hits for the Red Sox.

Seeking its first postseason appearance since winning the 2003 World Series, Miami is second in the NL East . The Marlins fell three games behind division-leading Atlanta, which was idle.

Eovaldi (3-2) didn’t allow a hit until Garrett Cooper’s leadoff double in the fifth. Miguel Rojas singled but Eovaldi struck out Jazz Chisholm and Chad Wallach, then retired Corey Dickerson on a groundout.

National League

Phillies’ Arrieta out for regular season: Phillies right-hander Jake Arrieta will not pitch again in the regular season because of a strained right hamstring.

Arrieta (4-4, 5.08 ERA) was injured against the Mets on Tuesday night. Manager Joe Girardi said tArrieta could return to the rotation if the Phillies make the playoffs.