The Wrap: AL

AL Quote of the Night

"It doesn't matter how you do it, as long as you're in."

-- Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia on the team clinching the wild card despite losing Tuesday night

Toronto Blue Jays 8, Boston Red Sox 7

Adam Lind hit three home runs, part of a six-homer explosion from the Blue Jays in Boston. Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz gave up five of them to take his first loss since August 13. In spite of the defeat, Boston still wrapped up the AL wild card as Texas lost on the road against the Angels.

Game 1: Minnesota Twins 3, Detroit Tigers 2 (10)
Game 2: Detroit Tigers 6, Minnesota Twins 5

After a pressure-packed doubleheader, things in the AL Central remained exactly as they were at the start of Tuesday as the Tigers and visiting Twins split the two games allowing Detroit to retain its two-game lead. In Game 1, Minnesota scored twice in the top of the 10th inning to briefly pull within a game of Detroit. Game 2 featured Justin Verlander striking out eight over eight innings as the Tigers fought off the Twins for the victory. Curtis Granderson hit a solo home run in both games, blasting one in the bottom of the 10th in the matinee and another in the eighth inning of the night session.

New York Yankees 4, Kansas City Royals 3

The Yankees tallied their major-league leading 15th walk-off win of the season and got it from a highly unlikely source. Playing in just his third game of the season, 26-year-old first baseman Juan Miranda drove in the winning run thanks to a carom into foul territory. Perhaps more important than the win for New York was the performance of starting pitcher A.J. Burnett who truck out eight while allowing two runs over 6 1/3 innings. Since the all-star break, Burnett had accumulated a 4.69 ERA, a decided up-tick from his 3.77 ERA of the first half. However, in four of his last five starts, the Yankees' offseason acquisition has allowed two runs or fewer.

Tampa Bay Rays 3, Baltimore Orioles 1

Tampa Bay rookie Wade Davis has two wins on the season and both have come against Baltimore. Davis allowed one run over seven innings as he and the Rays handed the Orioles their 12th straight loss. Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie suffered his league-leading 17th defeat of the season despite turning in just his second quality start of the month. Baltimore now needs to win three of its final five games to avoid a 100-loss season.

View All of Tuesday's Results »

By CJ Holley |  September 30, 2009; 7:56 AM ET  | Category:  The Wrap: AL
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