AL East (Pee-Wee Wanninger Division):

The Red Sox clinched a playoff spot as they rallied in the ninth to beat Tampa Bay, 8-6.

The Yankees are 2 1/2 games back after they won a 5 hour, 10-inning game that featured 18 pitchers from both sides. New York beat Toronto 12-11 and there were no home runs in the game either. Toronto used eight pitchers and all but one was charged with at least one run. The pitcher who didn't give up a run was Scott Downs and he gave up a hit to the only batter he faced.

Boston has also reclaimed the top spot in the AL.

AL Central (Vito Valentinetti Division):

Cleveland missed a chance to pop open champagne after losing to Oakland 9-3. They will have another chance to do it at home Sunday.

Detroit lost to Kansas City 7-4 to lower Cleveland's magic number to 1 and also put the Red Sox into the playoffs.

Cleveland can win the division tomorrow with a win or a Detroit loss.

AL West (John Montague Division):

Miguel Batista started for Seattle and went 5 1/3 innings to get the win for Seattle. Five relievers followed: Sean Green, Eric O'Flaherty, Cha Seung Baek, Ryan Rowland-Smith, and George Sherill. They all got holds. The last pitcher, J.J. Putz, got a save. Seattle kept the Angels from clinching with a 3-2 win.

The Mariners will be eliminated from the AL West with a loss Sunday and from playoff contention completely if they lose and the Yankees win.

AL Wild Card (Dave Collins Division):

The Yankees lead Detroit by 6 1/2 and their magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 3.

Tomorrow's pitching matchups with postseason implications:

Jorge De La Rosa (Kansas City) vs Justin Verlander (Detroit), Dallas Braden (Oakland) vs Jake Westbrook (Cleveland), Dustin McGowan (Toronto) vs Mike Mussina (New York), Tim Wakefield (Boston) vs Edwin Jackson (Tampa Bay), Jeff Weaver (Seattle) vs John Lackey (Los Angeles).

NL Central (Ted Savage Division):

The race here is looking like it's Chicago's to lose. The Cubs rolled over Pittsburgh again 9-5. The Cubs lead Milwaukee by 2 1/2 games. The Cubs magic number is 6.

The Brewers lost in Atlanta, 4-3 in 11 innings, after Francisco Cordero blew a save with two outs in the 10th when he gave up a home run to Scott Thorman.

ESPN has chosen the Cardinals and Astros to be the Sunday night game tomorrow. O Lord, what have we done to forsake you? Tell us who to smite! Please let it be Joe Morgan. Or possibly Rick Sutcliffe.

NL West (Steve Finley Division):

Arizona, the little team that supposedly shouldn't be able to win, won again, beating the Dodgers at home 6-2. Arizona leads San Diego by 2 1/2 games and has a magic number of 6 to win the division and 5 to make the playoffs. The Dodgers can be eliminated Sunday if they lose and San Diego wins.

The Padres lost at home again to the Rockies, who have won seven straight games. The Rockies won 6-2 with Ryan Speier getting the win. Speier relieved Mark Redman in the fifth with the bases loaded and one out with the Rockies up 3-2 and struck out Mike Cameron and got Scott Hairston to fly out.

NL East (Rico Brogna Division):

The Mets had little trouble in beating the Marlins in Florida, winning 7-2.

Philadelphia remained 1 1/2 games back with a 4-1 win in 10 innings in the last night game played at RFK. The Mets magic number is 7.

NL Wild Card (Andy Ashby Division):

In what is now the closest race, the Padres lead the Phillies by just 1/2 game. The Rockies are 2 1/2 games back. The Padres have one more game left than the Phillies. That odd game will be made up Monday. The Padres finish with three at San Francisco and four at Milwaukee. The Phillies finish at home with three against Atlanta and three against Washington.

Tomorrow's matchups for games with postseason implications:

Cole Hamels (Philadelphia) vs Joel Hanrahan (Washington) in the last game at RFK, Chris Capuano (Milwaukee) vs Jo-Jo Reyes (Atlanta), John Maine (New York) vs Chris Seddon (Florida), Tom Gorzelanny (Pittsburgh) vs Carlos Zambrano (Chicago), Jeff Francis (Colorado) vs Greg Maddux (San Diego), Chad Billingsley (Los Angeles) vs Edgar Gonzalez (Arizona).