Tigers pull even…Birds lose…Rays stay hot…Braves clinch

UNDATED (AP) — All tied with eight games to play. That’s where the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox find themselves atop the American League Central.

Anibal Sanchez fired a three-hitter and the Tigers pulled even with Chicago by downing the Royals 2-0. Prince Fielder and Delmon Young provided RBI singles in the first inning to support Sanchez’s first shutout in over a year.

The Tigers were given a chance to move into a first-place tie when the Chicago White Sox lost 4-3 to Cleveland in the afternoon. The Indians built a 4-0 lead and hung on despite solo homers by A.J. Pierzynski, Dayan Viciedo and Paul Konerko. The White Sox had the potential tying run in scoring position when Gordon Beckham hit into a game-ending forceout.

Chicago held a three-game division lead the morning of Sept. 19.

The New York Yankees remain a game and a-half ahead of second-place Baltimore in the AL East after both teams lost.

Denard Span hit a two-run double while Minnesota was scoring four times in the seventh to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 5-4 win over the Yankees. The Bombers wasted homers by Nick Swisher, Russell Martin and pinch-hitter Andruw Jones.

Baltimore was shut out by Toronto 4-0 as Aaron Laffey combined with five relievers on a six-hitter. The Orioles loaded the bases in the ninth on an error and a pair of walks before closer Casey Janssen got Ryan Flaherty to pop out.

The AL West race is also a little tighter after George Kottaras led off the 10th inning with a homer to lift Oakland past Texas 3-2. Chris Carter tied it with a fourth-inning solo shot before the Athletics moved within four games behind the division-leading Rangers.

The A’s also moved within a half-game of Baltimore for the first wild-card spot.

The Angels remain two games behind Oakland after Zack Greinke allowed only a run while striking out a season-high 13 over five innings of a 5-4 win over Seattle. Torii Hunter belted a two-run homer and Erick Aybar added a solo shot in the win.

Tampa Bay made it six straight wins as the Rays try to catch Oakland in the wild-card standings. David Price improved to 19-5 after tossing a seven-hitter while striking out 13 in the Rays’ 5-2 verdict over Boston. Jeff Keppinger’s three-run blast was the difference as Tampa Bay ran its winning streak to six games.

Over to the National League, where the Atlanta Braves clinched a playoff berth with a dramatic 4-3 win over Florida. Freddie Freeman won it with a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, two innings after Donovan Solano’s second homer of the ninth put the Marlins ahead.

Chipper Jones led off the ninth with a double, scored twice and drove in a run for the Braves.

Washington’s lead in the NL East is down to four games over Atlanta following the Nationals’ 6-3 loss at Philadelphia. Homers by Darin Ruf, Carlos Ruiz and Domonic Brown helped Cole Hamels earn his career-high 16th victory. It also kept the Nats’ magic number at five.

Johnny Cueto (KWAY’-toh) picked up his 19th victory by allowing two runs and five hits over seven innings of Cincinnati’s 4-2 triumph over Milwaukee. The outcome put the Brewers 4 ½ games behind St. Louis for the NL’s final wild-card berth.

The Cardinals picked up their fourth consecutive win as Jaime Garcia scattered six hits in seven innings of a 4-0 shutout of Houston. Jon Jay drove in two runs for the defending World Series champs.

The Dodgers were 2-1 losers in San Diego, putting Los Angeles 4 ½ games behind the Redbirds in the wild-card race. Edinson Volquez outpitched Josh Beckett by limiting the Dodgers to six hits in seven scoreless innings.

Also in the NL, Paul Goldschmidt hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-high five runs as Arizona whipped San Francisco 7-2. Aaron Hill had three hits and scored three times in the Diamondbacks’ seventh victory in nine games.

Pedro Alvarez launched a three-run homer and had four RBIs as Pittsburgh outscored the New York Mets 10-6. Alvarez smacked his 30th homer of the season while the Pirates were scoring seven times in the first two innings.

Reds manager Baker won’t return until next week

CINCINNATI (AP) — Reds manager Dusty Baker has told his players on Tuesday that he had a mini-stroke in addition to his irregular heartbeat last week. Baker will need another week of rest before he’s able to rejoin the team for the final regular season series and the playoffs. The Reds clinched their second NL Central title in the last three years over the weekend while Baker was still in a Chicago hospital.

NFL OK with Monday outcome as labor talks resume

UNDATED (AP) — The NFL has weighed in on the call that allowed the Seattle Seahawks to beat the Green Bay Packers 14-12 on Monday night. So have President Barack Obama and Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, along with numerous players and a host of gamblers.

The league says the replacement officials made the correct call not to overturn Seahawks receiver Golden Tate’s 24-yard scoring reception. However, the NFL also said Tate should have been called for offensive pass interference before the catch but pointed out that penalties can’t be reviewed by instant replay. A flag would have clinched the game for the Packers.

Obama said the disputed call was “terrible” and declared it’s time to get the regular NFL officiating crews back on the job. Obama said — quote — “I’ve been saying for months we’ve got to get our refs back.”

Romney and GOP running mate Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin native, also said it was time to bring back the “real refs.”

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was still angry about the call a day later. He said on his weekly radio show on ESPN 540-AM in Milwaukee that – quote – “Our sport is generated — the multibillion-dollar machine — is generated by people who pay good money to watch us play. And the product that’s on the field is not being complemented by an appropriate set of officials.”

Meanwhile, Tom Brady is staying out of the chorus of complainers about replacement officials, saying they’re doing the best they can. He says the game officials are not responsible for the Patriots’ 1-2 start and puts the blame on himself and the team. The Patriots lost 31-30 at Baltimore Sunday night on a last-play field goal that came close to the right upright.

And Las Vegas oddsmakers say $300 million or more changed hands worldwide on the controversial referee call that decided the Monday Night Football game between Green Bay and Seattle. Gambling expert RJ Bell of Las Vegas-based Pregame.com says he thinks two-thirds of bets worldwide were on the Packers, and that sports books took in at least $150 million because of the call.

The rainbow amid the dark clouds is that the league resumed negotiations with locked-out officials today.

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Cleveland 4 Chi White Sox 3
Detroit 2 Kansas City 0
Toronto 4 Baltimore 0
Tampa Bay 5 Boston 2
Oakland 3 Texas 2, 10 Innings
Minnesota 5 N-Y Yankees 4
L.A. Angels 5 Seattle 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Philadelphia 6 Washington 3
Atlanta 4 Miami 3
Cincinnati 4 Milwaukee 2
Pittsburgh 10 N-Y Mets 6
St. Louis 4 Houston 0
Colorado 10 Chi Cubs 5, 6 Innings
San Diego 2 L.A. Dodgers 1
Arizona 7 San Francisco 2