OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Brandon McCarthy held Detroit to a run through seven innings Thursday and the Oakland A's downed the Tigers 6-1 to keep them from clinching a division title.
The Tigers had a 12-game winning streak snapped, their longest in 77 years. Despite the setback, Detroit finished the evening needing just one win to clinch the AL Central and capture its first division crown since 1987.
The Chicago White Sox were knocked out of the division race when they lost Kansas City earlier in the evening. Cleveland then fell to Texas and the best the Indians can do is tie Detroit for first place at the end of the regular season.
McCarthy (9-8) allowed up a homer to Delmon Young in the third and four other hits. He struck out eight.
David DeJesus gave Oakland a quick lead with a three-run homer in the first. Kurt Suzuki added a solo blast in the second and Cliff Pennington had another one in the eighth.
Max Scherzer (14-9) suffered the loss, surrendering five runs on seven hits in five innings.
