DETROIT — The AL Central has come down to the final day.

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

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 lost for the fifth time in seven games.

Earlier in the day, the Twins beat Kansas City 5-4, leaving them even with the Tigers at 85-76.

Detroit will start ace Justin Verlander on Sunday against John Danks. If the Tigers and Twins are still tied at the end of the day, there will be a one-game playoff Tuesday at the Metrodome.

The Tigers are in danger of becoming the first team to be in first place on May 10 and stay atop a division until losing the title in the last week. Minnesota hasn’t been in first — alone or tied — since May 14.

Detroit star Miguel Cabrera was hitless in four at-bats with runners on base.

Garcia (3-4) gave up one run, six hits and struck out seven in seven-plus innings. Alfredo Figaro (2-2) made the third start of his career — first since June 27 — and got just four outs.

Twins 5, Royals 4

MINNEAPOLIS — Michael Cuddyer hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, lifting Minnesota over Kansas City and leaving the Twins tied with Detroit for the AL Central lead.

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. The Twins took a 4-0 lead before the Royals rallied to 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.

Angels 4, Athletics 2

OAKLAND, Calif. — Scott Kazmir pitched five scoreless innings, Robb Quinlan drove in three runs and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics.

Kazmir (10-9) gave up three hits in his final playoff tuneup. Brian Fuentes pitched a scoreless ninth for his major league-leading 48th save.

Los Angeles, which plays Boston in the first round of the playoffs, won for the sixth time in seven games after a mid-September slump. Angels manager Mike Scioscia substituted liberally to rest his starters for the postseason.

The A’s lost their sixth in a row. Dana Eveland (2-4) took the loss.

Rays 5, Yankees 3

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Slumping Dioner Navarro hit a two-run homer and rookie Jeff Niemann pitched five solid innings to win for the first time in more than a month as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees.

Navarro, who has just four hits in his last 33 at-bats, homered off Andy Pettitte (14-8).

Niemann (13-6) allowed two runs and six hits to pick up his team-leading 13th victory in his seventh try. Grant Balfour earned his fourth save.

The Rays beat 19-game winner CC Sabathia on Friday night and will go for a sweep Sunday against A.J. Burnett. Yankees manager Joe Girardi gave Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez the day off.

Red Sox 11, Indians 6

BOSTON — Victor Martinez hit a grand slam against his former team and the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians despite a shaky outing by Josh Beckett.

After missing his previously scheduled start with back spasms, Beckett (17-6) allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings in his final postseason tuneup. But he’s 6-0 in his last eight postseason starts and is in line to start Game 2 of the AL division series Friday at the Los Angeles Angels.

Dustin Pedroia, Brian Anderson and Dusty Brown, with his first major league hit, also homered for Boston.

Aaron Laffey (7-9) lost his sixth straight start.

Orioles 6, Blue Jays 3

BALTIMORE — Mark Hendrickson won his first start since April, Jeff Fiorentino drove in two runs and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays for their third straight victory.

The victory assured the Orioles of avoiding the third 100-loss season in club history.

Hendrickson (6-5) was 0-5 in his previous nine starts. Jim Johnson worked the ninth for his 10th save. Scott Richmond (8-11) went four innings.

Earlier in the day, Toronto fired general manager J.P. Ricciardi after eight seasons and promoted 32-year-old assistant GM Alex Anthopoulos.

Mariners 2, Rangers 1

SEATTLE — Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 630th career home run to help the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers.

Griffey opened the fourth inning with a line shot over the right-field wall, his 19th this season, against Tommy Hunter (9-6). Griffey has three home runs in his past four games.

Ryan Rowland-Smith (5-4) worked through trouble to earn the victory. Miguel Batista, working the ninth in place of closer David Aardsma, earned his first save in five opportunities.

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