With his best start as a Cardinal, John Lackey pitched the Cards closer to a postseason berth with a 2-1 win over the Reds on Friday night at Busch Stadium.

Clayton Kershaw struck out nine over five innings for his 20th win and the Dodgers’ offense erupted to rout the Cubs, 14-5, on Friday at Wrigley Field.

On a chilly Friday night, the Yankees continued their strong effort on the mound but at least temporarily found life with their bats. Jacoby Ellsbury contributed three RBIs, and New York pelted Toronto starter Mark Buehrle for eight hits, edging out the Blue Jays in a 5-3 victory at Yankee Stadium.

The Cardinals’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth is two, and on Saturday at Busch Stadium they will start Michael Wacha against Mike Leake and the Reds.

When David Ortiz’s 33rd home run of the season soared over the right-field wall at Camden Yards on Friday night, it gave him RBI No. 100, meaning the slugger had achieved yet another milestone.

With a 10-1 win on Friday night, the Tigers guaranteed themselves a 152nd day atop the American League Central. Now the pressure is squarely on the Royals for the final two games of the series at Kauffman Stadium.

Paul Konerko hasn’t played since Sept. 2 because of a fractured left hand, but No. 14 was penciled into the White Sox lineup, batting sixth and playing first base, for Friday’s night’s series opener against the Rays at Tropicana Field.

After beating out an errant throw from Jose Reyes with the bases loaded in the fourth inning of the Yankees’ 5-3 victory over the Blue Jays, Jacoby Ellsbury returned to the bag in some pain. He remained in to run the bases, but manager Joe Girardi pulled Ellsbury before the fifth inning with a strained right hamstring and the center fielder underwent an MRI soon after.

Julio Teheran and Mets starter Zack Wheeler were involved in a tight pitchers’ duel on Friday night at Turner Field. But Mets first baseman Lucas Duda ended that with a two-run home run that proved decisive in the Braves’ 5-0 loss.

Russell Martin’s three-run home run off suddenly-struggling reliever Jonathan Broxton sent the Brewers to a 4-2 loss Friday and erased everything Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo had done during seven scoreless innings. While 37,974 jumping, jubilant fans were still celebrating, the Brewers quietly returned to the clubhouse to find themselves even further to the fringes of the postseason picture.

The Nationals might not have given starter Doug Fister the type of support he had in his last start, but they did scrape together enough Friday night to beat the Marlins, 3-2, at Marlins Park. Fister yielded two runs and scattered five hits over 6 2/3 innings, and he was rewarded with his team-leading 15th win of the season.

There’s no swimming pool at Wrigley Field and Lake Michigan is too cold, even in summer, so whatever celebrating the Dodgers did Friday probably didn’t require goggles or fins.

Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke provided top-of-the rotation excellence, while a settled outfield and shortstop Dee Gordon provided a huge spark for the Dodgers this season.

The Giants confirmed Friday in a statement that Hall of Fame first baseman Willie McCovey was hospitalized in the Bay Area last week for complications from an infection: “His recovery is progressing every day.”

After a successful bullpen session Thursday and some more long-toss throwing Friday, Masahiro Tanaka appears ready to make his first start since early July on Sunday.

Prior to tonight’s game, the Astros will honor Jose Altuve’s breaking of the club’s single-season hits record. Craig Biggio, whose record Altuve broke, will take part.

Twins closer Glen Perkins was diagnosed with a left forearm strain and secondary nerve irritation in his forearm and will be shut down for the rest of the season, Twins general manager Terry Ryan said Friday.