but bounced back to take the next three. The last one, a 5–0 shutout, eliminated the Red Sox from division contention and left them virtually out of the wild card race, at 8 games back with less than twenty games to spare. The Yankees finished the season 14–5 against the Red Sox. Yankees won the series 3–1 (21–12 runs) September 10–12, at Detroit Tigers The Yanks continued cruising into their first AL East pennant since 2012 with another series win, against the Tigers, reducing their magic number to 5. In the last game, the second of a doubleheader on September 12, New York previewed what could be one of their postseason strategies: starting CC Sabathia, who struck out five in innings to surpass John Smoltz on the all-time strikeouts list, and then relieving him with Domingo Germán, who did not allow a run over four frames, in a 6–4 victory. The doubleheader turned out to be costly for the Yankees, as they lost Edwin Encarnación due to a left oblique strain, J. A. Happ due to a left biceps tendinitis, and Gary Sánchez due to a left groin tightness. Yankees won the series 2–1 (27–20 runs) September 13–15, at Toronto Blue Jays At Rogers Centre, the Yankees struggled to win against the Blue Jays, dropping two out of three contests. Nonetheless, the Yanks moved one step closer to clinching the AL East. Yankees lost the series 1–2 (22–15 runs) September 17–19, vs. Los Angeles Angels The Yankees returned home to face the Angels in a three game set, successfully clinching their first AL East title since 2012 with their 100th win of the year. Giancarlo Stanton also returned from injury in the second game of the series. Yankees won the series 2-1 (19-4 runs) September 20–22, vs. Toronto Blue Jays In their final series with the Blue Jays of the year, the Yankees would lose the first game of a three-game series, but go on to win the next two. Yankees won the series 2-1 (18–9 runs) September 24–25, at Tampa Bay Rays The Yankees would face the Rays one last time in Tampa, barring a postseason meeting. The Yankees failed to beat the Rays, losing both games of the two-game series. Yankees lost the series 0-2 (6-1 runs) September 27–29, at Texas Rangers In the final series ever played at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, the Yankees struggled