CHICAGO, IL (WTVB) – The Tigers finished their American League Central last place season with a 6-0 win yesterday over the White Sox, giving Detroit a final record of 74-87. Five Tiger pitchers combined on the 3-hit shutout as the White Sox ended up a game-and-a-half in front of Detroit, which had won the division for four straight years. Daniel Norris allowed only one hit in five innings for the victory. Tiger’s slugger Miguel Cabrera is celebrating his fourth American League batting title in five seasons. “Miggy” didn’t play yesterday, but went 3 for 4 on Saturday to finish with a .338 average. Cabrera is just the seventh player in history to win four batting titles. So the 2015 Major League Baseball regular season is in the books.
Both the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros had to wait until the final day of the year to learn their respective American League playoff fates. The Rangers clinched the AL West title with a 9-2 rout of the Angels in Arlington. The victory also gave the Astros the second AL Wild Card spot and eliminated the Angels from postseason contention. Houston’s 5-3 loss to the Diamondbacks in the season finale gave the Yankees home-field advantage for the AL Wild Card game, which will take place Tuesday evening in New York. The Kansas City Royals secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and will meet the winner of the Wild Card game in the ALDS. The AL East champion Blue Jays will battle the Rangers in the other series.
In the National League, the Pittsburgh Pirates earned home-field for the Wild Card game with a 4-0 win over the Reds. The Pirates will host the Chicago Cubs in the elimination affair Wednesday night.
