American LeagueJason Bartlett's single to deep center field with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning on Thursday night gave Minnesota a 2-1 victory over Kansas City and moved the Twins into a tie for first place in the AL Central with Detroit.
Joe Mauer's homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth tied the game against Joe Nelson, who blew his first save in 10 chances. Joe Nathan (7-0) pitched the 10th for the win.
Detroit lost to Toronto 8-6 on Thursday, but the Tigers hold the tiebreaker over the Twins after winning the season series 11-8. The Tigers host the Royals for their final three games, while the Twins are home for their last three against the Chicago White Sox.
Justin Morneau started the 10th with a single off reliever Scott Dohmann (1-3). Rondell White's one-out single squirted out of the infield and Morneau raced to third. After a walk, Bartlett's hit -- ruled a single -- bounced over the fence.
Blue Jays 8, Tigers 6
At Detroit, Kenny Rogers was roughed up by Toronto, which built a seven-run lead and then held off the Tigers.
Rogers (17-7), who likely will start Detroit's first playoff game since 1987, gave up seven runs -- five earned -- and eight hits. He went 3 2/3 innings, his shortest outing in two months and one of the worst in what has been a stellar season.
The Tigers pulled within a run with a three-run seventh, capped by Sean Casey's two-run homer.
Orioles 7, Yankees 1
At New York, Baltimore's Daniel Cabrera came within two outs of a no-hitter before Robinson Cano slapped a clean opposite-field single in the ninth.
Cabrera overcame three errors behind him and cruised into the ninth with a chance to make history at Yankee Stadium.
But after Johnny Damon grounded weakly to first, Cano punched an 0-1 pitch for New York's only hit. On the very next offering, Bobby Abreu bounced into a game-ending double play.
Angels 2, Athletics 0
At Anaheim, California, John Lackey allowed four hits over eight innings and had a career-high 11 strikeouts to lead Los Angeles.
Lackey (13-11) didn't walk a batter and lowered his ERA to 3.56 in his 33rd and final start of the season. The right-hander went against Barry Zito in the opener of a season-ending series that lost its luster and intensity once Oakland clinched its third division title in seven years on Tuesday night, dethroning the two-time AL West champion Angels.
Indians 5, Devil Rays 4
At Cleveland, Ryan Garko doubled home the go-ahead run in a three-run seventh inning for Cleveland.
Grady Sizemore and Andy Marte hit two-run homers and Paul Byrd (10-9) won for the first time in his five starts this month.. Sizemore hit the first pitch he saw from reliever Jon Switzer for his 28th homer, a two-run shot in the seventh that tied it at 4.
Ruddy Lugo (2-4) then walked Jason Michaels, who scored on Garko's double into the left-field corner.
Rafael Betancourt worked out of a bases loaded jam to earn his third save.
National League
Rookie James Loney tied the Dodgers' franchise record with nine RBIs, including a grand slam and a two-run homer, and Los Angeles outslugged Colorado 19-11 on Thursday.
The Dodgers, who remained one game behind San Diego in the NL West, moved two games in front of Philadelphia in the NL wild-card race.
Getting the start at first base with Nomar Garciaparra out with sore side and thigh muscles, Loney hit a grand slam in the second, a two-run double in the third, a run-scoring single in the fifth and a two-run homer in the seventh before striking out in the eighth.
RSS