Yankees wrap up division crown
NEW YORK, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Robinson Cano drove in six runs as part of a 15-hit attack Wednesday that gave the New York Yankees a division title with a 14-2 blasting of Boston.
The Yankees learned during the seventh inning that they had clinched the American League East title when Tampa Bay finished off a 4-1 win over Baltimore.
New York went on to clinch the best record in the American League and will begin its quest for a 28th World Series title when it opens the division playoff round this weekend. The Yankees will meet either Baltimore or Texas, who will meet on Friday in a one-game wild card playoff.
Cano hit two-run homers in both the third and fifth innings and also had a two-run single in the sixth. Curtis Granderson hit two homers for the Yankees as well -- a three-run blast in the second and a solo shot during a five-run seventh inning.
New York closed the regular season with four straight victories and finished the campaign with 95 wins -- one more than Oakland and two more than Baltimore and Texas.
Hiroki Kuroda (16-11) picked up the easy win by seven innings, during which he gave up two runs on seven hits. Daisuke Matsuza (1-7) suffered the loss while allowing five runs on six hits in 2 1/3.
Boston finished a miserable season with the third worst record in the American League, putting Bobby Valentine's future as manager of the Red Sox in jeopardy.
Oakland rallies to win AL West
OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Coco Crisp's two-run double highlighted a big fourth inning Wednesday that rallied Oakland to a 12-5 win over Texas and handed the Athletics a divisional crown.
Trailing 5-1 entering the fourth, Oakland struck for six runs to wrest control of the final regular-season contest of the year, which decided the American League West championship.
The Rangers owned a four-game lead in the division with seven to play, but went 1-6 down the stretch and dropped all three to Oakland in their season-ending series.
Josh Reddick began the comeback with a run-scoring double and Seth Smith singled him home, cutting the deficit to 5-3 and knocking out Rangers starter Ryan Dempster.
Derek Holland (12-7) relieved and recorded two outs, but Crisp then sliced a fly ball that landed just inside the right field line, forging a 5-5 tie.
The A's went ahead for good when Stephen Drew kept the inning going with a walk and Josh Hamilton misplayed a routine fly from Yoenis Cespedes into a two-run error.
Brandon Moss knocked in three runs and Evan Scribner (2-0) tossed three scoreless relief innings to earn the win.
Adrian Beltre went 3-for-4 with an RBI and David Murphy knocked in two runs for Texas, which settled for an AL card berth.
The Rangers will face Baltimore in a one-game playoff on Friday in Texas.
Holmes to IR list with foot injury
NEW YORK, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- New York Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes went on the injured reserve list Wednesday after hurting his left foot, the team said Wednesday.
The placement on the IR likely means the season is over for the seven-year veteran, who made 20 receptions for 272 yards and a touchdown this season.
Holmes was injured in the fourth quarter of the Jets' 34-0 loss to San Francisco Sunday. X-rays were negative but additional tests revealed a Lisfranc injury, which affects ligaments in the mid-foot.
Holmes went down after making a catch, immediately falling to the ground without being hit and fumbling. 49ers cornerback Carlos Rogers returned the fumble for a 51-yard touchdown.
The Jets signed wide receiver Jason Hill to take Holmes' roster spot.
It was the latest blow for injury-riddled New York, which also lost star cornerback Darrelle Revis with a torn knee ligament.
The Jets (2-2) play the undefeated Houston Texans Monday in East Rutherford, N.J.
Grizzlies exec Dana Davis found dead
MEMPHIS, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Memphis Grizzlies Vice President of Basketball Operations Dana Davis has died at age 56, the team announced Wednesday.
Davis, who spent 13 years as part of the Grizzlies' management team, was found dead in his apartment by team personnel accompanied by police, The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal reported.
Police told the newspaper that while the cause of death wasn't known, foul play was not suspected.
Better known as "Double-D," Davis oversaw player development programs focusing on educational programs and one-on-one mentoring.
"Dana Davis was one of the original members of the Grizzlies management team when we originally purchased the team in 2000 and moved it to Memphis," team owner Michael Heisley said in a statement.
"As well as being an integral part of the team that made that transition successful, 'Double-D' was the most charitable and generous individual I have ever met."
Davis was also a member of the board of directors of the National Civil Rights Museum.
