Yankees Rivalry Roundup: Guardians clinch AL Central, AL West still in play

The Rangers, with no choice but to take the division if they wish to play in October, had to wait through a two-hour rain delay to get started at Target Field. But their bats were very much alive despite the tardy first pitch. In the second inning, they strung together five consecutive two-out hits off Bailey Ober —four of which were doubles—to take a 4-1 lead. Danny Jansen and Jake Burger added solo homers to give Nathan Eovaldi quite the early cushion.

Eovaldi was making his first start since coming off the injured list on September 12. To that point, he'd made a couple relief appearances as manager Skip Schumaker looked to ease him back in. Tonight, he pitched into the fifth inning before entering a jam and departing—a subsequent double play ensured he'd leave with just the one run allowed on four hits. The bullpen allowed just one more run the rest of the way as the Rangers held serve in their battle for the AL West crown.

Kansas City got off to a hot start against Tanner Bibee , grabbing three runs in the opening frame. Jac Caglianone picked up his 30th double of the season to bring in one of those runs to put Cleveland in an early hole. But in characteristic Guardians fashion, they punched right back. Catcher Patrick Bailey atoned for a costly first-inning throwing error with a game-tying two-run blast down the line, then a sinking Steven Kwan liner eluded a diving Isaac Collins in left field for a run-scoring triple to put Cleveland on top as they looked to keep pole position in the AL Central.