CHICAGO — Kansas City’s long postseason drought is over.
The Royals clinched a playoff spot for the first time in 29 years, beating the Chicago White Sox 3-1 on Friday night behind seven scoreless innings from Jeremy Guthrie.
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Kansas City secured at least a wild card and ended the longest active postseason drought among the major North American sports leagues. Not since George Brett led the Royals to a World Series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985 had they reached the playoffs.
Small-market Kansas City endured more than its share of losing in recent years. But it contended into September last season and kicked down the playoff door on Friday.
TWINS 11, TIGERS 4: Rick Porcello allowed six runs in under four innings and host Detroit lost to Minnesota on a night the Tigers had hoped to clinch the AL Central title.
Porcello allowed four earned runs and six hits in 32/3 innings.
A.J. Achter (1-0) earned his first career win with a solid relief effort.
Miguel Cabrera homered, but the bigger bright spot for the Tigers may have been a scoreless inning of relief from Anibal Sanchez, who pitched for the first time since Aug. 8 after being out with a pectoral strain.
BLUE JAYS 4, ORIOLES 2: Rookie Dalton Pompey had three extra-base hits, Drew Hutchison won for the first time in three starts and host Toronto ensured that Baltimore will not finish with the best record in the American League.
The Orioles came in three games behind the Los Angeles Angels, who will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Baltimore right-hander Chris Tillman lost for the first time in 16 road starts, preventing him from becoming the first pitcher since Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2008 to complete a season without losing away from home.
Tillman (13-6) came in 8-0 with a 4.19 ERA in his 15 previous road starts.
INDIANS 1, RAYS 0: Corey Kluber struck out 11 in eight innings, and host Cleveland beat Tampa Bay to maintain its faint hopes for postseason play.
Kluber (18-9) allowed five hits and walked two in his final start of the season, bolstering his case for the AL Cy Young Award.
ATHLETICS 6, RANGERS 2: Josh Reddick drove in three runs, Scott Kazmir won for the first time in seven starts, and Oakland moved ever so close to its third consecutive playoff appearance with a victory at Texas.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PIRATES 3, REDS 1: Travis Snider and Andrew McCutchen hit consecutive run-scoring doubles in the eighth inning, and Pittsburgh won at Cincinnati to keep the pressure on NL Central-leading St. Louis.
MARLINS, NATIONALS SPLIT: Enrique Hernandez’s grand slam helped Miami split a day-night doubleheader in Washington with a 15-7 win.
After clinching home advantage throughout the NL playoffs by winning the opener 4-0 on Doug Fister’s three-hitter, Washington used only two regulars in the nightcap.
PHILLIES 5, BRAVES 4: Jonathan Papelbon made his first appearance in Philadelphia since he made a lewd gesture as he left the field, closing out a victory over Atlanta with a scoreless ninth inning.
The game was Papelbon’s first at home since he blew a save against the Marlins on Sept. 14.
INTERLEAGUE
ASTROS 3, METS 1: New York pitcher Jonathon Niese left his final start of the season with an elevated heart rate, a condition he has dealt with before, and Houston rallied against reliever Carlos Torres for a victory on the road.
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