Juan Soto hit a game-winning single early in the 10th inning and the New York Yankees edged the visiting Boston Red Sox 2-1 in the opener of a four-game series on Thursday night.

Soto gave the Yankees their fourth walk-off win of the season when he hit a 2-2 sinker by Josh Winckowski (4-2) under the glove of shortstop Trevor Story into left field, setting up a point for pinch runner Jon Berti, who replaced automatic runner Gleyber Torres.

Soto’s game-winning hit gave the Yankees their fifth win in seven games and moved them two games ahead of the slumping Baltimore Orioles at the top of the American League East. New York reached its largest lead in the division since regaining first place on August 21.

Danny Jensen hit a solo home run for the Red Sox, who are 4 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Twins and have secured the last wild card spot in the American League.

Rockies 4, Tigers 2

Jacob Stallings hit two doubles and scored the game-winning run in the ninth inning as Colorado ended host Detroit’s four-game winning streak.

Jordan Beck hit a solo home run for the Rockies. Seth Halvorsen (1-0) earned his first career win with a scoreless inning as a relief pitcher and Tyler Kinley pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 12th save.

Detroit starter Tarik Skubal allowed one run and four hits with six strikeouts in six innings. Spencer Torkelson scored both runs for the Tigers with a double in the fourth inning.

Cardinals 6, Reds 1

Brendan Donovan hit a two-run home run and Masyn Winn hit two home runs to score as host St. Louis beat Cincinnati.

Cardinals starter Sonny Gray (13-9) allowed one run on two hits and two walks in six innings. He had nine strikeouts. It was quite a turnaround for Gray, who had lost his previous two starts against the Reds this season while allowing 12 runs (nine earned) on 12 hits in 9 1/3 innings. JoJo Romero got the final four outs to earn his first save.

Reds starter Jakob Junis allowed one run on three hits in five innings. He had three strikeouts and did not allow a walk. Reliever Carson Spires (5-6) had to accept the loss.

Astros 6, Athletics 3

Jon Singleton hit an RBI single in the eighth inning to lead the way and help host Houston defeat Oakland and avoid a three-game sweep.

After Singleton held on in the decisive period, Jake Meyers hit an RBI double to give Houston the win in the finale of a three-game series. Jason Heyward was then intentionally forced into a walk before Mauricio Dubon singled home two more runs to beat Oakland.

The Astros’ comeback in the eighth inning came against TJ McFarland (2-3) and Grant Holman. McFarland managed just one out and Holman two, and each reliever scored two runs. Houston starter Framber Valdez was on his way to his seventh win in nine starts until Brent Rooker tied the score at 2-2 with a one-out solo shot in the eighth inning against reliever Ryan Pressly (2-3).

Marlins 6, Nationals 3

Jonah Bride and Connor Norby each scored two runs as Miami overcame an early three-run deficit to defeat host Washington.

Jake Burger collected three hits and Xavier Edwards had two after entering the game in the eighth inning. Three relievers allowed no hits and struck out six times in four scoreless innings for the Marlins, who took advantage of three errors by the Nationals to end a three-game losing streak.

Washington’s Jose Tena had a two-run double and Dylan Crews added a run-scoring single during a three-run first inning to highlight his two-hit performance. Crews added a nifty sliding catch in the gap in right-center field to end the sixth inning for the Nationals, who have lost three of their last four games.

Rays 5, Guardian 2

Cole Sulser and four other relievers combined to allow one hit in seven scoreless innings, and Jose Caballero had two hits with one RBI as visiting Tampa Bay defeated Cleveland.

Brandon Lowe hit a home run in the first inning and Jonny DeLuca delivered a key single in the fourth for the Rays, who rebounded from a three-game sweep of Philadelphia this week. Right-hander Ryan Pepiot started for the Rays but was taken out of the game after just two innings after allowing two runs, two walks and four hits.

Gavin Williams (3-9) allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings for the Guardians, who had just won a three-game road game against the weaker Chicago White Sox, while allowing two walks and making five strikeouts.

-Field level media