Tigers, Twins tied at the top

The Detroit Tigers dropped into a first-place tie with Minnesota, looking listless last night in a 5-1 loss to Freddy Garcia and the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland made two pitching changes in the second inning, trying to find a way to end his team’s slump. Instead, Detroit, which allowed six stolen bases, lost for the fifth time in seven games.

Earlier in the day, the Twins beat Kansas City, 5-4, putting them even with Detroit at 85-76 going into the final day of the regular season. If the Tigers and Twins are tied at the end of the day, there will be a one-game playoff Tuesday at the Metrodome.

The Tigers, who led the Twins by seven games Sept. 6, have been alone in first since play ended July 24.

Detroit star Miguel Cabrera was hitless in four at-bats with runners on base and the light-hitting team simply could not overcome his lack of production.

Placido Polanco’s RBI single pulled Detroit within three runs in the eighth, ending a 17-inning scoreless streak. But with two on and no outs, Magglio Ordonez lined out and Cabrera hit into an inning-ending double play.

Garcia (3-4) gave up one run and struck out seven in seven innings plus.

The Tigers used three pitchers in the first two innings and six total.

Earlier, Michael Cuddyer kept the desperate Twins on Detroit’s heels by hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning that lifted the Twins.

Joe Mauer delivered his biggest hit in an MVP-caliber season, a two-out single off Cy Young candidate Zack Greinke that broke a scoreless tie in the sixth. Delmon Young added a three-run double later in the inning for a 4-0 lead.

After the Twins bullpen let the Royals tie it, Cuddyer hit his 31st homer of the season off Dusty Hughes (0-2).

Jon Rauch (5-1) went one inning for the win and Joe Nathan got a brilliant diving catch from Denard Span in right field to help him pick up his 47th save.

Marlins 4, Phillies 3 - Anibal Sanchez (4-8) pitched seven strong innings to lead visiting Florida, although Philadelphia clinched home-field advantage for the first round with St. Louis’s loss.

Angels 4, Athletics 2 - Scott Kazmir pitched five scoreless innings, Robb Quinlan drove in three runs, and Brian Fuentes pitched a scoreless ninth for his major league-leading 48th save for visiting Los Angeles. Kazmir (10-9) has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his last nine starts.

In other games, Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 630th career home run to help host Seattle beat Texas, 2-1 . . . Ryan Braun hit a two-run homer to power visiting Milwaukee past St. Louis , 5-4 . . . Mark Hendrickson won his first start since April as host Baltimore beat Toronto, 6-3 . . . Dioner Navarro hit a two-run homer as Tampa Bay beat the visiting Yankees, 5-3 . . . Frankie Rodriguez collected his 35th save in the Mets’ 5-1 win over visiting Houston . . . Randy Wells struck out a career-high 10 in the Cubs’ 5-0 win over visiting Arizona . . . Justin Maxwell hit a two-out, two-run homer in the 11th inning in Washington’s 6-4 win in Atlanta, the Nationals’ sixth straight win . . . Joey Votto homered and drove in three in the Reds’ 8-4 win over visiting Pittsburgh . . . Late Friday, Ubaldo Jimenez allowed a run over six innings and struck out 10, leading the Rockies to a 4-3 victory over the NL West-leading Dodgers.