ANGELS 2, RANGERS 1
ARLINGTON, Texas -- With Mike Trout and Albert Pujols leading the way, the Los Angeles Angels are still in the chase for a playoff spot.
Trout hit a leadoff triple in the ninth inning and scored on Pujols' tiebreaking single for a 2-1 victory Friday night in Texas, keeping the Rangers from clinching the AL West title that Los Angeles won last season.
"We can't lose anymore. Plain and simple," Trout said. "We've got to fight to the end. We're going to down fighting, try to get to the postseason."
Los Angeles began the day tied with Minnesota and a game behind Houston in the race for the second AL wild card. The Twins lost at home to AL Central champion Kansas City, dropping a game behind the Angels.
Already assured a playoff spot, the Rangers could have won the division with a victory over the Angels on Friday night, or a loss by the Astros.
But the champagne was put back on ice and the Rangers didn't even wait around to see what happened with the Astros playing in Arizona. Especially with their game today set for noon local time.
By time the scheduled postgame fireworks show was over, after most of the Rangers players had already left the ballpark, Houston led 7-2 in the sixth inning at Arizona. It was 16-2 in the seventh.
"Turn the page, come back tomorrow and be aggressive," shortstop Elvis Andrus said.
Rangers closer Shawn Tolleson (6-4) appeared in his fourth consecutive game. Trout hit the second pitch deep into the right-center gap, then slid headfirst into third base before emphatically pumping his right arm toward his teammates in the dugout.
"He did a good job of staying back and going the other way," Tolleson said. "They asked me how I felt today and I told them I felt really good. And I did."
Pujols followed with a soft single to left field on the next pitch.
"Anytime Mike's swinging the bat for us it's important," Manager Mike Sciosia said. "We need to get everybody swinging, but particularly Mike."
The Angels have won eight of their last 10 games, but their 5-3 loss Thursday in the opener of the four-game series assured Texas a playoff spot.
Mike Morin (4-2), the fourth Angels pitcher, retired the only batter he faced when Adrian Beltre grounded out to end the eighth.
Joe Smith worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save, including a strikeout of slugger Josh Hamilton, who was traded from Los Angeles back to Texas in April. Smith had faced only one batter since a foot injury Sept. 17 before taking over in the ninth.
Shin-Soo Choo matched his career high with his 22nd home run leading off the Texas fourth to tie the game at 1. He also had a nice defensive play, catching Trout's slicing fly while running into the right-field corner to start the sixth.
Erick Aybar singled on the first pitch of the game, advancing on Pujols' single before scoring on C.J. Cron's hit for a 1-0 lead off Rangers left-hander Martin Perez. But Perez then retired 19 of the last 21 batters he faced.
ROYALS 3, TWINS 1 Ben Zobrist put a major dent in host Minnesota's postseason bid with an RBI double in the eighth inning against struggling All-Star Glen Perkins, and Kansas City topped the Twins. The Twins entered the night trailing Houston by one game and tied with Los Angeles in the AL wild-card race.
BLUE JAYS 8, RAYS 4 Troy Tulowitzki doubled and singled in his return to the Toronto lineup after missing three weeks with injuries, and the visiting AL East champion Blue Jays rallied past Tampa Bay.
INDIANS 8, RED SOX 2 Josh Tomlin pitched into the seventh inning and Carlos Santana drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double, leading host Cleveland to a victory over Boston.
WHITE SOX 2, TIGERS 1 Chris Sale allowed one run over seven-plus innings and set a White Sox season strikeout record as Chicago beat visiting Detroit.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CUBS 6, BREWERS 1 Jake Arrieta struck out seven in six strong innings, and visiting Chicago beat Milwaukee as it tried to keep up with Pittsburgh in the race to host the NL wild card game.
BRAVES 4, CARDINALS 0 Julio Teheran pitched six strong innings, Daniel Castro drove in two runs and host Atlanta beat NL Central champion St. Louis.
PIRATES 6, REDS 4 Starling Marte's two-run home run in the bottom of the 12th inning gave Pittsburgh a victory over visiting Cincinnati. The Pirates (97-63) maintained a two-game lead over the Chicago Cubs for home-field advantage Wednesday night in the NL wild-card game. Pittsburgh can ensure the game is at PNC Park with a victory in either of its two remaining games or one Cubs loss in Milwaukee.
Sports on 10/03/2015