White Sox take Central, 2 spots left

The Chicago White Sox defeated the Detroit Tigers 4-2 Thursday for the team's first AL Central pennant since 2000. The win eliminates the Indians from any home field advantage, should they make the playoffs. The Indians only way in know is through the Wild Card. Chicago tried to complete a Red Sox-like collapse after they built a 15-game lead in the division on August 1st, then saw it dwindle to 1 and 1/2 games as Cleveland closed. The White Sox survived a shaky ninth inning to win their AL-best 96th game and will start the playoffs at home next week. Chicago clinched because Cleveland can at best tie the White Sox, and no team can finish second in another division with 96 wins or more. If the AL Central is decided by a tiebreaker, it would go to the White Sox, who beat the Indians 11-5 in the season series, and Cleveland would be the wild card.

The White Sox are hoping to become the 1st team to win a World Series for the city of Chicago since 1917.

The Indians can guarantee themselves the Wild Card if they win out and tie the White Sox with 96 wins. That task should become much easier since the White Sox are guaranteed home field throughout the playoffs and won't be working their starters too hard over the weekend. If the Tribe can't outlast either the Red Sox or Yankees they'll be hitting the links with their new clubs (above). The Chicago win also whittles the 3 playoff spots down to two: AL EAST and AL WILD CARD...

The Indians last World Series win...1948, when after beating the Red Sox in a one game playoff, they defeated the Boston Braves in the Series.