The Boston Red Sox became the first team to clinch a postseason berth Tuesday night, led by pinch hitter Brock Holt’s three-run home run in the seventh inning to send Boston to a 7-2 win over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.
This is third consecutive trip to the playoffs for the Red Sox, which ties the longest streak in franchise history.
Toronto led 2-0 when Ryan Borucki walked Xander Bogaerts with one out in the bottom of the seventh and Steve Pearce, obtained in a trade with the Blue Jays this season, tripled.
Tzu-Wei Lin ran for Pearce and Borucki was replaced by Ryan Tepera (5-5), who struck out Ian Kinsler and walked Eduardo Nunez. Holt, batting for Sandy Leon, hit his fourth homer of the season and has hit both of Boston’s pinch-hit homers on the year.
Ryan Brasier (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings with two strikeouts to earn the win.
Chris Sale started the game for Boston, allowing one hit and hitting a batter while striking out two in one inning.
The short stint was planned for his first start since Aug 12. He went on the disabled list six days later with mild inflammation in his left shoulder.
Borucki allowed two runs, three hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. After Sale, the Red Sox sent out Brandon Workman for one inning, and he allowed a walk in the second.
Nathan Eovaldi was next for the Red Sox, giving up two runs, three hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings.
Devon Travis led off the sixth with a double off the wall in left. He took third when Justin Smoak flied out.
Kendrys Morales walked and Jonathan Davis ran for him. Travis scored as part of a double steal with Davis continuing to third on second baseman Kinsler’s errant throw home. After Kevin Pillar’s two-out single, Brasier replaced Eovaldi.
Hector Velazquez retired the only batter he faced, that in the eighth inning. Bobby Poyner allowed a single to Yangervis Solarte in one-third of an inning and Joe Kelly struck out Randal Grichuk. The Red Sox added three runs in the bottom of the eighth. 
Jake Petricka allowed an RBI double by Andrew Benintendi and an RBI single by Kinsler. Another run scored on a wild pitch by Taylor Guerrieri. Boston’s Heath Hembree pitched a perfect ninth.
“We’re in great position to win the division and then to accomplish other things,” first-year manager Alex Cora said. 
“As I told the group, I’m very proud of them.”
Mauer slam helps 
Twins rout Yankees
Joe Mauer capped a six-run fifth inning with a grand slam, and the host Minnesota Twins roughed up the New York Yankees en route to a 10-5 victory Tuesday night in Minneapolis.
Mauer gave the Twins a 10-1 lead when he drove a full-count fastball from right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle into the grassy area beyond the center field fence for his sixth homer of the season.
 It was the first baseman’s fifth career grand slam and first since he hit one last Sept. 17 off Toronto Blue Jays reliever Chris Rowley. 
Mauer’s grand slam earned him a curtain call from the fans and helped the Twins beat the Yankees for the first time in the teams’ past nine meetings, including last season’s American League wild-card game.
Jorge Polanco collected three hits, including an RBI double in the fourth off reliever Jonathan Loaisiga that put Minnesota ahead 4-1.
Before Mauer’s drive, the Twins expanded their lead against Loaisiga on a bases-loaded walk by Max Kepler and a bloop single by Willians Astudillo that dropped in front of Yankees right fielder Andrew McCutchen.
Mauer also scored Minnesota’s first run in the third inning on a passed ball by catcher Austin Romine with the bases loaded. The Twins took a 3-1 lead on Jake Cave’s two-run single up the middle off Sonny Gray (10-9) after Mauer scored.
Didi Gregorius tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Gary Sanchez in the second, then hit a grand slam in the sixth for the Yankees, who fell to 4-4 on a nine-game road trip. 
The Yankees (90-55) also saw their lead for the first AL wild card trimmed to two games over the Oakland A’s. Tyler Duffey served as the “opener” for the Twins and allowed one run on two hits in two innings. Kohl Stewart (1-1) followed and allowed three runs on two hits in 3 1/3 innings to get the win despite allowing five walks.