AMERICAN LEAGUE
Jhonny Peralta brought home the go-ahead run when Andy Dirks’ hard slide broke up a potential inning-ending double play in the eighth inning as the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Wednesday night.
Triple Crown candidate Miguel Cabrera was robbed of a tiebreaking homer in the fifth inning by Alex Gordon’s catch above the left-field wall. Detroit, who started the day tied with the Chicago White Sox atop the AL Central for the first time since Sept. 2, found a way to break through the eighth, though.
Delmon Young hit an infield single with one out in the eighth off Kelvin Herrera (4-3) and was replaced by Kelly, who stole second base and took third on Dirks’ single.
Alex Avila hit a two-run homer and Austin Jackson had a solo shot in the fourth inning to tie the game.
Luis Marte got two outs in the fifth and Al Alburquerque gave up only one hit over 2-1/3 innings. Joaquin Benoit (4-3) allowed one hit in the eighth. Jose Valverde closed the game for his 32nd save in 37 chances.
ORIOLES 12, BLUE JAYS 2
In Baltimore, Maryland, Chris Davis and Manny Machado each connected twice as the Baltimore Orioles tied a team record with seven home runs and stayed within 1.5 games of the AL East lead.
The Orioles ended a two-game losing skid against the Blue Jays and remained close to the division-leading New York Yankees, who won 8-2 in Minnesota.
Nate McLouth hit a leadoff shot in the first inning, while Jim Thome and Mark Reynolds also homered. Baltimore have hit seven home runs three times, most recently on Aug. 26, 1985.
Davis finished with a career-high five RBIs.
Davis’ three-run drive gave the Orioles a five-run inning and finished Carlos Villanueva (7-7).
Miguel Gonzalez (8-4) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings. He allowed Edwin Encarnacion’s 42nd home run with two outs in the top of the first.
INDIANS 6, WHITE SOX 4
In Chicago, the slumping Chicago White Sox fell out of the AL Central lead for the first time in two months, walking 12 batters in a loss to Cleveland.
Chicago, who have lost seven of eight, had been in sole possession or tied at the top every day since July 24, but Detroit moved ahead by a game, beating Kansas City 5-4 with a week left in the regular season.
The White Sox have lost seven of their past eight and have seven games remaining — four at home against Tampa Bay and three at Cleveland next week. They will need to regroup in a hurry.
Choo Shin-soo had a go-ahead RBI grounder in the seventh off Matt Thornton (4-9) and Vinny Rottino hit his first homer for Cleveland in the eighth off Brett Myers. The Indians — who are 21-50 since the All-Star break — won two of three at US Cellular Field.
Tony Sipp (1-2) pitched one-third of an inning for the win and Chris Perez finished in the ninth for his 38th save in 42 chances. He issued the Indians’ sixth walk of the game and after a throwing error by shortstop Brent Lillibridge, he retired Paul Konerko on a fly to shallow left to end it.
In other AL action, it was:
‧ Rays 4, Red Sox 2
‧ Yankees 8, Twins 2
‧ Angels 4, Mariners 3
‧ Athletics 9, Rangers 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, CINCINNATI, Ohio
Ryan Braun hit his NL-leading 41st home run on Wednesday night as Milwaukee kept their wild-card chances flickering with an 8-1 victory over Cincinnati.
Milwaukee moved within 3.5 games of St Louis for the final NL wild-card spot, a long shot that left them with no margin for error. The Cardinals lost 2-0 to Houston.
Shaun Marcum (6-4) went six innings for his first victory since returning from an elbow problem, allowing four hits, including Joey Votto’s RBI double.
Norichika Aoki homered to start a three-run third inning off Bronson Arroyo (12-9) and added an RBI double. Braun, the NL’s Most Valuable Player last season as the Brewers won the NL Central, hit a two-run shot in the seventh off Logan Ondrusek.
Jonathan Lucroy also homered and had three hits.
The Reds played all of their healthy regulars even though they have clinched the NL Central.
BRAVES 3, MARLINS 0
In Atlanta, Georgia, Martin Prado homered and Paul Maholm combined with three relievers on a six-hitter as Atlanta showed no hangover from their champagne celebration after clinching an NL wild-card spot the night before.
The Braves remained four games behind first-place Washington in the NL East. The Nationals beat the Phillies 8-4.
Prado hit a first-inning homer off Josh Johnson (8-14) and drove in Jose Constanza with a third-inning single. The Braves had only four hits.
Miami have lost six straight and eight of nine.
Maholm (13-10) earned only his second win in his last seven starts. The left-hander gave up five hits with no walks and six strikeouts in 6-2/3 innings.
Chad Durbin recorded the final out in the seventh. Eric O’Flaherty pitched the eighth.
Craig Kimbrel earned his 40th save, matching Jason Motte for the NL lead, with a perfect ninth inning.
Johnson allowed three runs, two earned, four hits and five walks in six innings.
NATIONALS 8, PHILLIES 4
In Philadelphia, Bryce Harper hit his 20th homer, Ian Desmond and Kurt Suzuki also connected as Washington moved closer toward winning their first division title since moving to the capital. The 19-year-old Harper joined Tony Conigliaro as the only teenagers to reach 20 homers in big league history.
The Nationals reduced their magic number in the NL East to four, holding a four-game lead over Atlanta, who beat Miami 3-0, with seven remaining.
John Lannan (4-0) gave up two runs and five hits in 5-1/3 innings to win his second start since taking Stephen Strasburg’s spot in the rotation. Strasburg, the All-Star righty, was shut down after reaching his innings limit.
The Phillies, who closed within three games of St Louis for the NL’s second wild-card spot following a late push, are on the verge of elimination. The five-time defending NL East champions are 5.5 games behind the Cardinals.
Kyle Kendrick (10-12) got roughed up, allowing five runs and five hits in two-plus innings.
Jimmy Rollins hit a solo homer, his team-leading 23rd, to snap an 0-for-19 slump.
In other NL action, it was:
‧ Dodgers 8, Padres 2
‧ Mets 6, Pirates 0
‧ Astros 2, Cardinals 0
‧ Giants 6, Diamondbacks 0
‧ Rockies 6, Cubs 0
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