MINNEAPOLIS -- Justin Verlander tied a season-high with 11 strikeouts and the Detroit Tigers moved into the second AL wild-card spot by beating the Minnesota Twins 4-2 Thursday to sweep a day-night doubleheader.
Erick Aybar drove in two runs for Detroit, which moved a half-game ahead of Baltimore for the second wild card and trails Toronto by one game. The Tigers went 9-0 at Minnesota this year.
Victor Martinez had a pinch-hit, three-run homer during a six-run ninth inning as Detroit won the opener 9-2. Justin Upton added his 26th home run.
Verlander (15-8) allowed four hits in six innings, including home runs by Juan Centeno and Byron Buxton. He has won 12 of his last 13 starts against the Twins.
Francisco Rodriguez got three outs for his 44th save in 48 chances (see full recap).
Price, Red Sox finish off sweep of Orioles
BALTIMORE -- David Price won his eighth straight decision, Hanley Ramirez homered and the Boston Red Sox completed a four-game sweep of the sinking Baltimore Orioles with a 5-3 victory on Thursday night.
Boston has won eight straight to open a 5-game lead over idle Toronto in the AL East. With 13 victories in their last 16 games, the Red Sox have moved within one game of Texas for best record in the AL.
MLB
Baltimore fell seven games out and dropped 1 games behind the Blue Jays for the top AL wild card. It was the first time since 2002 that the Orioles were swept at home by Boston in a four-game series.
Price (17-8) gave up three runs and six hits in seven inning, walking two and striking out five. The Red Sox have won each of the left-hander's last nine starts since Aug. 7.
Koji Uehara worked the eighth, and Craig Kimbrel got three straight outs for his 29th save in 31 chances (see full recap).
Kemp's two homers power Braves to win over Marlins
MIAMI -- Matt Kemp hit two home runs to power the Atlanta Braves to a 6-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday night.
Freddie Freeman singled in the third inning to extend his hitting streak to 26 games and drove in two runs for the Braves, who have won six straight for the third time this season.
Atlanta's Josh Collmenter (3-0) pitched seven innings and allowed two runs.
Mauricio Cabrera pitched the ninth for his fifth save in six chances.
Ender Inciarte, Wednesday's hero with the game-saving catch at the New York Mets, went 2 for 4 with a triple and scored twice.
Marlins starter Jose Urena (4-8) allowed five runs and four hits in three innings (see full recap).