Rays top Blue Jays, clinch playoff berth

Tommy Pham hit a two-run homer, Austin Meadows added a solo shot, and the visiting Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 Friday night to clinch an American League wild-card spot. The Cleveland Indians lost 8-2 Friday night to the Washington Nationals, allowing the Rays (96-64) to book a place in the postseason. The A's (96-64) also sealed an AL wild card thanks to Cleveland's loss, though Oakland fell 4-3 at Seattle later Friday night.

The Rays are headed to the postseason for the first time since 2013. Tampa Bay right-hander Tyler Glasnow, making his fourth start since returning from a four-month absence caused by a forearm strain, did not allow a hit and walked two while striking out four in 4 1/3 scoreless innings.

Oliver Drake (5-2) gave up one run in two innings to earn the win. Emilio Pagan pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth. Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run homer for Toronto (65-95).

Blue Jays starter T.J. Zeuch (1-2) allowed three runs, four hits, and three walks and struck out four in five innings. Tampa Bay's Joey Wendle led off the third with a single, and with one out, Pham hit his 21st home run of the season.

Nate Lowe walked to lead off the Rays' fourth, took second on a groundout and scored on a two-out single by Willy Adames. Rays reliever Chaz Roe allowed a leadoff single to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the seventh. Drake replaced Roe, and with one out, yielded the 24th homer of the season by Hernandez, trimming the lead to 3-2.

The Rays scored twice in the eighth. Derek Law gave up a one-out single by Travis d'Arnaud, a ground-rule double to Lowe and a single by Avisail Garcia that scored pinch-runner Johnny Davis.

Kevin Kiermaier fanned, and Adames struck out for what would have been the third out, but he reached first base on a passed ball and a throwing error by catcher Reese McGuire that allowed Lowe to score and Garcia to take third. Drake pitched a perfect bottom of the eighth before Meadows led off the ninth with a homer against Ryan Dull, his 33rd long ball of the season.