Sep 7, 2019 3 min read

Minnesota Twins pitcher Michael Pineda was suspended for 60 games on Saturday for taking a diuretic, a big blow to the rotation of a first-place team heading toward the postseason.

Major League Baseball said Pineda tested positive for the banned substance and the penalty takes effect immediately. He won’t be allowed to pitch for the AL Central-leading Twins if they reach the playoffs.

Pineda, 6-7 and 280 pounds, said in a statement he took an over-the-counter medication given to him by an acquaintance to help manage his weight. The pills contained hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic that can mask other substances.

“Michael Pineda is a big member of this team in a lot of different ways, beyond the field as well as on it,” manager Rocco Baldelli said before the Twins held a team meeting prior to their home game against Cleveland. “Because of that, it does create a challenge. Our team has been pretty resilient with everything that’s been thrown at it to this point, and I think we’re going to have the ability to acknowledge this and process what’s going on and still continue to go out there and do our jobs.”

Pineda apologized to the organization, teammates, family and fans for his “error in judgment” and said he “never intended to cheat the system, other players or opposing teams.”

N.Y. Yankees 5, Boston 1: J.A. Happ pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning, Edwin Encarnacion homered and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1.

Happ and four relievers combined on a five-hitter for the AL East leaders.

J.D. Martinez homered off Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman with two outs in the ninth. The Red Sox began the day six games behind Oakland for the second AL wild-card spot.

Happ (12-8) allowed two hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out seven and walking one.

Tampa Bay 5, Toronto 3: Travis d’Arnaud and Daniel Robertson drove in runs with two outs in the eighth inning, helping the Tampa Bay Rays to a 5-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

In the eighth, Jordan Romano (0-2) walked pinch-hitter J-Man Choi and Kevin Kiermaier hit a double. D’Arnoud lofted a pinch-hit sacrifice fly that scored pinch-runner Michael Brosseau and broke a 3-3 tie. Robertson, who had tied the game with an RBI double in the seventh, hit a single off Ryan Tepera that drove in Kiermaier with an insurance run.

National League

Arizona 2, Cincinnati 0: Rookie Alex Young struck out 12 in eight innings, Ketel Marte drove in a run and scored another and the Arizona Diamondbacks extended their playoff surge, beating the Cincinnati Reds 2-0 Saturday for their fifth straight victory.

Jimmie Sherfy fanned slugger Eugenio Suarez and rookie sensation Aristides Aquino with runners on first and second to end it.

The Diamondbacks have won 11 of 12 and moved a season-high eight games over .500. They began the day 2 ½ games behind Chicago for the second NL wild-card spot.

Marte has been Arizona’s MVP during the surge. He singled home a run off Luis Castillo (14-6) in the fourth inning, advanced on Eduardo Escobar’s double and scored on Christian Walker’s groundout. In his last five games, Marte is 12 for 20 with two doubles, a triple, three homers and 12 RBIs.