Austin Hays, center, is congratulated by Ryan Mountcaste, left, and Ramon Urias after driving in the winning run Thursday night against the New York Yankees. Gail Burton/Associated Press

BALTIMORE — Yankees reliever Clay Holmes threw a wild pitch with two outs in the ninth inning that let the tying run score, then Austin Hays chopped an RBI single in the 10th that lifted the Baltimore Orioles to a 3-2 win Thursday night, dropping New York back in the AL wild-card race.

The Yankees fell a half-game behind Toronto and Boston in the wild-card standings. New York had won three in a row.

Holmes was one strike away from his first career save when his high and outside fastball got past catcher Gary Sanchez, allowing pinch runner Kelvin Gutierrez to streak home from third base. Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman had pitched the previous three days.

Ryan Mountcastle homered for Baltimore, which snapped a five-game skid and avoided its 100th loss of the season.

Jahmai Jones, pinch running for automatic runner Austin Wynns in the 10th, moved to third on Richie Martin’s leadoff bunt single against Wandy Peralta (5-4). After Cedric Mullins walked and Mountcastle struck out, Hays grounded a single to left over a drawn-in infield.

ATHLETICS 7, ROYALS 2: Salvador Perez tied Johnny Bench’s record for homers in a season by a catcher with his 45th, but Chad Pinder’s two-run single spurred a third-inning rally and Oakland won at Kansas City.

Perez hit a two-run homer in the first inning, matching Bench’s total from 1970 for the most by a player who played at least 75% of his team’s games at catcher. Perez’s 45 homers and 112 RBI both lead the majors.

Pinder delivered a two-out hit during a four-run third inning in which Oakland had seven runners reach base – with just two hits.

The A’s also scored three runs in the ninth on just one hit. Oakland started the day 3 1/2 games behind Toronto, Boston and the New York Yankees for the two AL wild cards.

RAYS 5, TIGERS 2: Yandy Diaz hit a leadoff home run and Mike Zunino later connected, reliever Dietrich Enns pitched four solid innings and AL East-leading Tampa Bay won at home.

The Rays lead Boston and Toronto by 8 1/2 games. The fourth-place New York Yankees are nine back.

Tampa Bay slugger Nelson Cruz left the game in the sixth because of a bruised right forearm. He was hit by a pitch in the first inning.

ANGELS 9, WHITE SOX 3: Alex Cobb pitched five scoreless innings, Luis Rengifo and Jose Rojas hit home runs, and Los Angels coasted to a win at Chicago.

Cobb was activated from the 10-day injured list after suffering right wrist inflammation and allowed two hits in his first start since July 23.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

REDS 1, PIRATES 0: Tyler Mahle cruised through six innings, Asdrúbal Cabrera hit a pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the seventh, and visiting Cincinnati avoided a three-game sweep.

Mahle (12-5) allowed five hits – all singles – and struck out four with one walk as the Reds salvaged the finale of a nine-game road trip on which they lost ground in the chase for the second NL wild-card spot.

The Reds finished their nine-game road swing through Chicago, St. Louis and Pittsburgh with a 3-6 record. The Reds entered the day 1 1/2 games behind St. Louis in the race for a postseason berth.

PADRES 7, GIANTS 4: Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his NL-leading 39th home run and San Diego earned a split of its four-game series at San Francisco.

The Padres moved within half a game of St. Louis for the second NL wild card at 76-70. San Diego starts a three-game series in St. Louis on Friday.

Tatis also singled and walked twice, a day after matching a career best with four hits. Tommy Pham and Manny Machado each drove in two runs, and Adam Frazier and Austin Nola had three hits apiece.

PHILLIES 17, CUBS 8: Bryce Harper doubled to start a seven-run, game-tying rally in the fourth inning, drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth and sealed Philadelphia’s win over visiting Chicago with a three-run homer in the seventh.

The Phillies are three games behind Atlanta  in the NL East and 2 1/2 games behind St. Louis for the second wild card.