Rangers, Yankees, Orioles clinch playoff spots

Mike Napoli blasted two home runs and knocked in six runs for the Texas Rangers in an 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels that clinched Major League Baseball playoff berths for three clubs. The triumphant Rangers, two-time defending American League champions but losers in the 2010 and 2011 World Series finals, ensured themselves, the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles playoff berths by defeating the Angels on Sunday. The Rangers, who lost 5-4 to the Angels earlier in the day, improved to 93-66, two games ahead of Oakland in the AL West division with a three-game season-ending series for Texas at Oakland on Monday. Oakland, which defeated Seattle 5-2 on Sunday, must sweep the Rangers to win the AL West crown but the A's need only win once to clinch a playoff berth. Baltimore beat Boston 6-3 and the Yankees beat Toronto 9-6 to do their part to claim American League playoff spots, but in the fight for the AL East division crown they remained deadlocked at 92-67 with three games to play. Either the Orioles or Yankees must settle for a wild-card playoff berth as a division runner-up. The Angels rallied to beat Texas 5-4 in the first game of a double-header and seized a 4-0 lead in the first inning of game two on a two-run homer from Mark Trumbo before the Rangers rallied in impressive fashion. A run-scoring double in the first inning by Josh Hamilton was followed by solo homers from Napoli and David Murphy in the second and a three-run homer by Napoli in the third inning to put Texas ahead 6-4. Napoli added a two-run double in the fifth inning but Howie Kendrick responded for Los Angeles with a three-run homer in the seventh inning that pulled the Angels within the final margin. In the opener at Texas, Torii Hunter smacked a two-out, two-run double to the wall in left-centerfield in the ninth inning to produce an Angels victory. The Rangers squandered a 4-1 lead and a solid pitching effort by Japan's Yu Darvish, who struck out seven batters, walked only one and scattered nine hits over 6 2/3 innings. That victory and Tampa Bay's 6-2 triumph over the Chicago White Sox kept both teams in contention for a wildcard berth but the Angels or Tampa Bay must sweep their final three games and have Oakland lose three times to Texas. The AL Central division champion will claim the fifth and final playoff spot, with Detroit needing only one victory from three games at Kansas City or one White Sox loss at Cleveland to clinch that division title and playoff spot. The Orioles, enjoying their winningest season since 1997, and Yankees did their parts to ensure a playoff spot by winning afternoon contests. Balitmore seized a 5-0 lead in the first three innings and rolled to victory with Nate McLouth, J.J. Hardy and Chris Davis all hitting homers for the host Orioles. At Toronto, the Yankees battled back from a 5-1 deficit. Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki's sacrifice fly scored Eduardo Nunez in the seventh inning. Robinson Cano followed with a double to score Derek Jeter from second and Alex Rodriguez scored from third on a wild pitch to equalize at 5-5. Nunez's sacrifice fly and a Jeter single each added runs in the eighth and Curtis Granderson singled in two more key runs in the ninth for New York. Washington, Atlanta, Cincinnati and San Francisco have secured National League playoff spots and the reigning World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals moved closer to taking the last spot by beating Washington 10-4. The Cardinals could clinch on Monday with a victory and loss by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Washington needs one victory or Atlanta loss in the last three days of the six-month season to clinch the NL East division crown.