Detroit Tigers clinch third AL Central title

Austin Jackson hit a triple and scored the game's only run as Detroit clinched the AL Central for the third straight season with a 1-0 win over Minnesota. Jackson also had a double in Wednesday's finale of a three-game set at Target Field ballpark. He led off the game with a triple to right-centre and scored when Torii Hunter hit a single to centre field. The Tigers had a half dozen more hits after that but failed to tack on any insurance runs for starting pitcher Max Scherzer. Scherzer, who is up for the Cy Young award as the top pitcher in the AL, allowed two hits and walked six but struck out 10 on a season-high 123 pitches. Jose Veras and Drew Smyly combined to get out of the eighth unscathed before Joaquin Benoit sealed the win in the ninth for his 24th save of the season and second in this series. Jim Leyland posted his 700th victory as manager of the Tigers, putting him in elite company. Leyland became the third manager in Detroit history to reach at least 700 victories, joining Hall-of-Famers Sparky Anderson (1,331) and Hugh Jennings (1,131). Source: AFP