ARLINGTON, Texas, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Craig Gentry made his first major-league homer an inside-the-park version Friday, boosting Texas to a division title in a 5-3 win over Seattle.
Two hours after downing the Mariners, the Rangers celebrated their second American League West crown in as many years on the field when the Los Angeles Angels fell to Oakland 3-1.
Thousands of fans remained in the stadium to watch the Athletics-Angels game on the scoreboard and the Texas players poured out of the dugout when the final out was recorded in that contest.
Texas became the third team to win a division championship Friday, joining Milwaukee in the National League Central and Arizona in the National League West. All six division titles have been claimed, leaving only the wild card berths yet to be determined during the final five days of the regular season.
The Rangers won for the fifth time in sixth games and their 91 victories are the third-most in franchise history.
Texas already had a 3-0 lead thanks to Andrian Beltre's two-run homer and Josh Hamilton's solo shot when Gentry came to bat in the fourth.
With Nelson Cruz on base, Gentry hit a liner to left-center. Left fielder Mike Carp and center fielder Trayvon Robinson both left their feet in an attempt to make the catch, but the ball scooted between them all the way to the wall.
Gentry dashed around to score standing up with what was his first home run in a 93-game major-league career.
Matt Harrison (14-9) worked six innings for the victory, giving up all three Seattle runs in the sixth. It was his fourth straight win. Neftali Feliz issued a two-out walk in the ninth before collecting his 30th save.
Anthony Vasquez (1-5) surrendered five runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 to take the loss.
