Yankees sweep White Sox to keep pace with Blue Jays in AL East race

If Chicago third baseman Curtis Mead had gloved a hot shot from Giancarlo Stanton, the White Sox almost certainly would have turned an inning-ending double play and preserved a two-run lead.

But Mead didn’t, and the Yankees took advantage.

One gift from a noncontender helped them keep pace.

A second from a contender was not delivered on this night, as the Red Sox could not pull off a sweep of the Blue Jays.

So the Yankees remained knotted with Toronto atop the AL East upon escaping with a 5-3 victory in The Bronx in front of 38,545, who are guaranteed to witness a playoff game this year: The worst the Yankees can finish is the first wild card, which ensures the Stadium will host October games.

The Yankees (91-68) have three games left against the Orioles to break a tie with the Blue Jays, who now host the Rays. The tie must be broken if Aaron Boone’s bunch wants the division and a first-round bye.

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The Blue Jays, who won eight of the 13 head-to-head matchups, hold the tiebreaker. The Yankees, who have won five straight and eight of nine, hold the momentum. 

Twice there was doubt Thursday whether the Yankees would continue applying pressure. They did because the White Sox’s defense cracked while the Yankees’ did not.

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The game turned in the bottom of the fifth, which began with the Yankees down, 3-1.

Singles from Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger knocked Chicago starter Davis Martin from the game, and Tyler Gilbert entered (and required a second glove because umpires confiscated the one he wore jogging in from the bullpen).

With one out, the lefty Gilbert walked Ben Rice to load the bases for Stanton, who crushed a two-hopper directly at Mead.

The third baseman tried to play it on a backhand and was eaten up by the 109-mph, bouncing bullet, olé’ing the ball into left field for what was ruled a bases-clearing double that put the Yankees in front.

They remained in front because of a quietly excellent play from Bellinger in the eighth.

With the Yankees up by two, Devin Williams put a pair of White Sox batters on base and watched Miguel Vargas crush a drive to left.

But Bellinger got a good jump, sprinted back and to his left, lifted his glove and made the nice, frame-ending catch on the run.

An RBI double from Austin Wells in the seventh had provided insurance, and three scoreless innings from Luke Weaver, Williams and David Bednar (ninth save in pinstripes) secured a game that will not be remembered fondly by Yankees hitters, who went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

They left 11 on base, scored just once in the first inning when they loaded the bases without an out and continually failed in meaningful spots.

It did not matter because Stanton’s ball got through the infield, the bullpen was excellent, Bellinger solid and Carlos Rodón competent.

In his 33rd and final start of the season, Rodón, who picked up his 18th win, did not have his best stuff yet still grinded through six innings in which he allowed three runs on four hits and a walk with five strikeouts, including his 200th of the season.