Playoff teams updated

Nothing was decided yesterday as the Red Sox and Yankees split a doubleheader. Eric Patterson's walk-off single in the second game gave the Sox the win. Earlier in the game, with the score 4-2 Yanks, Josh Reddick nailed a ground ball to Lance Berkman with Daniel Nava on second. Berkman tossed it to New York pitcher A.J. Burnett, but Reddick was called safe. Burnett argued with the umpire and did not notice Nava breaking for home until it was too late. The Rays, meanwhile, shut out K.C. 4-0, so the two teams are tied atop the A.L. East.

In the National League, nothing was decided about the playoffs. San Diego beat the Giants 4-2 as Tim Lincecum left in the fourth for the Giants. Meanwhile, the Phillies blew away Atlanta 7-0, so San Diego and Atlanta are tied for the wild card and San Francisco has a tight one-game lead on the Pods. At the end of the day today, all three of the teams could have identical records, as the three of them fight for two remaining playoff spots.

Trivia
The Rays broke their four-game losing streak last night.
They needed eight pitchers to shut out Kansas City.

Postseason teams and hopes

The Boston Red Sox were eliminated when they lost a game in the ninth inning in game three of their series in Chicago. However, the Rays and Yankees have been within a half game of each other in the last week or so. The AL is not much of a race other than that. The Minnesota Twins won their division, and have lost seven of eight, so it is possible that the Rays or the Yankees could have a better record then them. The Texas Rangers clinched the AL west easily, although they will not be in the running for top seed. The Red Sox will have their chance to do their part, though, since they have a series with New York and if they can beat the Yankees, New York will have to play Minnesota in the ALDS.

In the NL, the Phillies clinched the East over the Atlanta Braves. However, the Braves have a one game wild card lead, with two to play (more on that later). The Cincinnati Reds won the NL Central, taking down the Cardinals. The Reds made the postseason for the first time since 1995 with the clinch. In the West, San Francisco has a two-game lead over San Diego, but the final two games are against each other, so anything can happen. Even if San Diego does not win the West, they still have a chance at the wild card.

Trivia
The Cardinals were not in the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
The Padres and Rangers have been in the second division for the last few years before coming back and fighting for postseason spots.