Playoff Picture: Athletics fall to 2nd wild-card spot with late collapse vs. Rangers

Every night we take a look around the league and recap pennant and wild card races in baseball.

Here's a look at how Wednesday's slate affected the playoff picture in the majors:

American League

• The Baltimore Orioles previously clinched the AL East.

• The Kansas City Royals moved to within a half-game of the Central-leading Detroit Tigers with a 6-2 victory over the White Sox.

• The Tigers fell 8-4 to the Minnesota Twins to open the door for the Royals to gain ground.

• The Los Angeles Angels clinched the AL West title with a 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners combined with a 6-1 Oakland Athletics loss to the Texas Rangers. 

• The Athletics took a 1-0 lead into the ninth inning vs. the Texas Rangers, who piled on six runs in the final frame for the come-from-behind victory. The Royals now hold the first wild-card spot via tiebreaker.

• The Indians and Yankees were victorious while the Mariners and Blue Jays suffered losses.

If the postseason started today ...

Wild Card: Athletics at Royals

Division Series: Wild Card at Angels, Tigers at Orioles

National League

• The Washington Nationals previously clinched the NL East.

• The Cardinals rallied behind an Adam Wainwright shutout to blank the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0.

• The Pittsburgh Pirates picked up a third straight victory with a 9-1 rout of the Boston Red Sox to spoil Rusney Castillo's MLB debut.

• The Los Angeles Dodgers were crushed 16-2 by the Colorado Rockies, who were led by Justin Morneau's six-RBI day.

• The Giants staged a ninth-inning rally courtesy of a Matt Duffy two-RBI single to break a 2-2 tie with the Arizona Diamondbacks and come away with a 4-2 victory.

• The Brewers fall 2 1/2 games back with the loss, while the Giants and Pirates continue to hold down the two wild-card spots with victories.

• The Atlanta Braves snapped a five-game losing streak with a 3-1 over the Washington Nationals, but lost Andrelton Simmons (ankle) and Jason Heyward (thumb) to injuries.

If the postseason started today ...

Wild Card: Pirates at Giants

Division Series: Wild Card at Nationals, Dodgers at Cardinals