Four rollicking games produced a deadlock atop the American League Central. And it’s likely the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins are only getting started.
The Indians survived a ninth-inning collapse Sunday to beat the Twins in extra innings and claim three of the four games this weekend at Target Field, a result that pulled them even with Minnesota.
The Twins’ 11 1/2-game lead on June 2? All gone.
The Indians’ five losses in their first eight head-to-head matchups with Minnesota? A distant memory.
And the Indians climbed over the Twins in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings, nudging them out of fourth place by a single point.
Now, the teams retreat to neutral corners for nearly a month, before six meetings between Sept. 6-15 close out the season series. Meanwhile, the Indians face an immediate challenge: 10 games against the Yankees, Red Sox and Mets. Minnesota faces a six-game trip to Milwaukee and Texas, followed by a virtual mulligan: 13 in a row against the White Sox and Tigers.
A look at this week’s rankings:
RANK (movement from last week)
1. Houston Astros (–)
- Yordan Alvarez may soon end any Rookie of the Year debate.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (–)
- Dustin May has the look of October folk hero.
3. New York Yankees (–)
- Possibilities seem endless when Masahiro Tanaka pitches like an ace.
4. Cleveland Indians (+1)
- Jose Ramirez’s first- and second-half fortunes (.652/1.079 OPS) mirror his team’s.
5. Minnesota Twins (-1)
- Now, to find out what they’re made of.
6. Tampa Bay Rays (+1)
- Time to seize the wild card: 13 games against Padres, Tigers, Mariners, Orioles.
7. Atlanta Braves (-1)
- Fitting that Sean Newcomb accidentally activated a fire extinguisher: Erstwhile starter has 11 holds.
8. Chicago Cubs (–)
- Nick Castellanos rips 10 extra-base hits in first 10 games as Cub.
9. Oakland Athletics (–)
- Unbalanced schedule works against them in wild-card chase.
10. New York Mets (+6)
- Eight games out of first, but holding the deepest rotation in NL East.
11. Washington Nationals (-1)
- Max Scherzer should be creeping back into the rotation soon.
12. Milwaukee Brewers (+2)
- Nope, not going to make an Adrian Houser vomit joke.
13. Boston Red Sox (-2)
- Weirdest stats for a pitching staff gone haywire: Chris Sale has a 1.09 WHIP, 4.41 ERA.
14. St. Louis Cardinals (2)
- Must improve 27-32 road record.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks (+3)
- Have lost 10 of 15 against Dodgers.
16. Philadelphia Phillies (-3)
- And now the Mets leapfrog them.
17. Texas Rangers (–)
- Mike Minor is your major league leader in pitching WAR (6.5).
18. San Francisco Giants (-3)
- Losing seven of 10 after GM keeps club together at deadline an odd way to say thanks.
19. Cincinnati Reds (+1)
- Aristides Aquino arrives with authority.
20. Los Angeles Angels (-1)
- Mike Trout’s career OPS of 1.001 ranks eighth all time.
21. San Diego Padres (–)
- The future – MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patino – has landed at Class AA Amarillo.
22. Colorado Rockies (–)
- Mike Tauchman’s excellence in New York should inspire some organizational soul-searching.
23. Chicago White Sox (+1)
- Headed for seventh straight losing season.
24. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1)
- Solidly entrenched in cellar, with first last-place finish since 2010 looming.
25. Toronto Blue Jays (–)
- Will Bo Bichette be most prolific among the Legacy Trio?
26. Seattle Mariners (–)
- Stings a little more when you get swept by the team with which you’ve made a few dozen trades.
27. Miami Marlins (–)
- Could be the end of the line for Curtis Granderson, batting .186 with .643 OPS.
28. Kansas City Royals (–)
- Jorge Soler may flirt with 50 home runs.
29. Baltimore Orioles (–)
- To think the manager and underperforming star had to be separated three days before the 23-2 loss.
30. Detroit Tigers (–)
- Two games up in loss column on road to second No. 1 pick in three years.