Randy Arozarena hit a tiebreaking two-run homer with one out in the sixth inning and added another homer in the ninth and the Tampa Bay Rays clinched the American League East Division title with an 8-5 victory over the host New York Mets Wednesday night.
The Rays (37-20) won their third division title and first since 2010.
They took over first place in the division for good on August 22 and are closing in on clinching the top seed in the American League playoffs.
The Rays celebrated on the field with confetti near their dugout on the third base side.
Arozarena snapped a 2-2 tie when he hammered a first-pitch fastball from Michael Wacha (1-4) over the wall in right-center field. Arozarena’s homer occurred after Brandon Lowe lined a single just over the reach of second baseman Robinson Cano’s glove.
Arozarena added his second homer when he drove a fastball from Steven Matz down the left-field line and inside the foul pole. It was his seventh homer in 54 at-bats this season.
Joey Wendle also homered as the Rays won for the ninth time in 13 games. Manuel Margot created a run in the third with a bunt single and then scored on a ground ball to first base when he got his hand in just before catcher Wilson Ramos could apply the tag.
Lowe padded the lead with a two-run homer in the eighth off Chasen Shreve. Willy Adames made it 7-2 with an RBI single later in the eighth off Jeurys Familia and that ended Tampa Bay’s 0-for-27 skid with runners in scoring position.
The Mets (25-31) clinched a losing season for the third time in four seasons and their playoff hopes grew even more unlikely. New York is 2 1/2 games behind Milwaukee (27-28) and Philadelphia (28-29).
Tyler Glasnow (5-1) allowed two runs on three hits in six sharp innings to win his fifth straight decision. He struck out eight, walked one, and retired the last eight hitters.
Rookie Andres Gimenez and Dominic Smith homered for the Mets, who lost for the seventh time in 11 games.
Todd Frazier hit a two-run homer off Oliver Drake in the ninth and the game ended when Nick Anderson struck out Gimenez. Wacha allowed four runs on six hits in a season-high six innings. He struck out four and walked two.
Salvador Perez and Franchy Cordero each hit two homers and drove in five runs as Kansas City clobbered visiting St. Louis. Perez tied his career high in RBIs on his first two swings and Cordero never previously had more than three RBIs in a game.
The Cardinals fell into a tie with the Cincinnati Reds for second place in the National League Central.
In the NL wild-card race, St. Louis, Cincinnati and San Francisco ended the day tied, with Philadelphia and Milwaukee each one game back.
Danny Duffy (4-4) earned the win for the Royals. He allowed one run on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk in 5 2/3 innings. Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez (0-3) allowed eight runs on nine hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five-plus innings.
The Tampa Bay Rays celebrate clinching the American League East division title with confetti cannons after defeating the New York Mets at Citi Field. (USA TODAY Sports)
