Fans cheer as Chicago White Sox designated hitter Paul Konerko bats during the third inning of their game against the Kansas City Royals at U S Cellular Field on Saturday. Pictures: USA TODAY Sports

Agencies/Chicago

Phegley blasted two home runs to keep the Royals a game adrift of the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central Division. Kansas City has already secured a spot in the postseason but a victory—combined with a Tigers’ loss to Minnesota on Sunday—would force a tie for the division title. “It is all going to come down to (Sunday). We will see what happens,” said Kansas City manager Ned Yost.

Because of Oakland’s 5-4 loss to Texas, Kansas City is guaranteed a home game in the wild card round if it does not win the division. If the Royals and Tigers finish with the same records, a tiebreaker would be played Monday at Detroit to determine the division champion.

Jose Abreu hit a two-run homer and Alexei Ramirez drove in a run for the White Sox, who halted a four-game losing skid. Chicago pitcher John Danks again kept the Royals guessing, holding them to two runs on five hits over seven innings. In 16 career starts against the Royals, Danks is now 7-0. “He’s got our number right now, that dirty rat,” said Yost of Danks. 

Royals pitcher Danny Duffy took the loss after he allowed four runs on five hits over two-plus innings. Salvador Perez homered, while Nori Aoki, Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas each knocked in a run for the Royals. “We definitely let one get away,” said Royals infielder Eric Hosmer. “We had a lot of opportunities, guys on base to start innings. But we just didn’t get it done.”

Meanwhile in Seattle, Austin Jackson’s extra-inning leap of faith kept the Seattle Mariners in the AL wild-card race heading into the final day of the Major League Baseball regular season.

Jackson’s desperate lunge toward the first base bag beat the throw and allowed Brad Miller to score the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning for Seattle who eased past the Los Angeles Angels 2-1.

The Mariners were unable to take advantage of a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the ninth. Miller lined a one-out double down the right-field line off pitcher Mike Morin and Chris Taylor blooped a base hit into centre field to put runners on the corners.

Vinnie Pestano came on to pitch for Morin and Jackson bounced one to Grant Green at second base. Green flipped the ball to second for the force out, but Gordon Beckham’s relay throw to first was too late to catch the speedy Jackson. “He was indecisive,” said Angels manager Mike Scioscia of Green. “His indecisiveness kept him at a distance from second.”

Seattle is one game behind Oakland for the AL’s final wild card spot. If there is a tie for the second wild card, Seattle will host the playoff at Safeco Field. 

Meanwhile, Arizona first baseman Mark Trumbo hit two home runs, including a three-run shot in the seventh inning that lifted the Diamondbacks to a 5-2 victory over the St Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals (89-72) squandered their first chance to clinch the National League Central title but still lead Pittsburgh (88-73) by one game with one to play. Trumbo has six homers and 17 RBIs in his last 11 games, with two two-homer games. He has 14 homers this season after missing 11 weeks with a stress fracture in his left foot.

Ramon Santiago’s 10th-inning grand slam, just his second home run this season, lifted the Cincinnati Reds to a 10-6 victory over Pittsburgh that dented the Pirates’ hopes of winning the NL Central. Pittsburgh were given a reprieve when rivals St Louis also lost, leaving the Pirates one game behind heading into the final day of the regular season.

The Pirates already are assured of a spot in the postseason. If they do not catch the Cardinals, Pittsburgh will play San Francisco in a wild-card game.

Eduardo Escobar drove in six runs with four hits that included a three-run home run and the Minnesota Twins crushed the Detroit Tigers 12-3.

Detroit (89-72) botched a chance to clinch the American League Central and remained just one game ahead of Kansas City with one game of the regular season left.  The Twins sent 11 batters to the plate to score six runs in the decisive fifth inning, using eight singles as they finally got to rookie lefty Kyle Lobstein (1-2), who had shut them out over the first four frames.

Derek Jeter went 1-for-2 in the penultimate game of his distinguished career but was on the losing team as the Boston Red Sox posted a big 10-4 victory over the New York Yankees. Jeter, serving as the designated hitter after sitting out Friday night, was replaced by a pinch hitter in the fifth inning.

Masahiro Tanaka, in his second start back for the Yankees after missing 65 games with a muscle tear in his right elbow that may still require Tommy John surgery, lasted only 1 2/3 innings. He gave up seven hits and was charged with seven runs.

Shortstop Brandon Crawford broke a tie with a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning, sending the San Francisco Giants to 3-1 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Having already clinched a spot in the National League wild-card game, which will be played Wednesday, the Giants rested three middle-of-the-lineup hitters. Catcher Buster Posey never left the bench, while right fielder Hunter Pence and third baseman Pablo Sandoval were used as pinch hitters.