Blue Jays make Yankees wait

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American League

Vernon Wells smacked a two-run triple in the seventh inning to give the Toronto Blue Jays a 5-4 win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday.

The Yankees, who needed a victory to guarantee at least a wild card, were beaten by the Blue Jays for the second time in the three-game series.

Orlando Hernandez (8-1) allowed the game-winning hit by Wells and lost for the first time this season.

The Yankees, also chasing their seventh consecutive East Division title, blew a 3-0 lead as Toronto starter Ted Lilly (12-10) survived a shaky start to pick up the win.

Elsewhere, the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 7-6 in a 10th-inning thriller, while the Cleveland Indians edged the Detroit Tigers by the same score.

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National League

Javier Valentin blasted a three-run homer in a five-run ninth inning off star closer John Smoltz to carry the Cincinnati Reds to an 11-8 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

The host Braves needed a win to clinch at least a tie for the East Division title but Smoltz was knocked out of the game after getting only one out in the ninth.

Sean Casey had an RBI single and D'Angelo Jimenez added a run-scoring double off Smoltz (0-1), who lost for the first time this season.

In Miami, Pat Burrell's three-run homer led the Philadelphia Phillies to a 12-4 thrashing of the Florida Marlins.

In a key game for the NL play-off picture, Carlos Zambrano pitched seven and a third innings of shutout baseball as the Chicago Cubs edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0.

Zambrano (15-8), who also drove in the only run with a bases-loaded walk in the fifth, allowed six hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Oliver Perez (10-10) yielded one run on three hits over seven innings but took the loss, striking out eight batters and walking three.