The New York Yankees secured their 16th American League East title with a 4-2 win over the Boston Red Sox and with it home-field advantage for the post-season.

The Yankees recorded their 100th win as Andy Pettitte pitched six strong innings and Hideki Matsui had a clutch two-run single as the home side also completed a series sweep.

Melky Cabrera and Mark Teixeira also homered for the dominant Yankees.

Central leaders Detroit were unable to make use of a defeat for second-placed Minnesota as the Tigers lost 8-4 to the Chicago White Sox.

That means the Tigers have a two-game advantage going into their crucial four-game series against the Twins.

The White Sox win was set up by a first Major League victory for starter Daniel Hudson and four RBIs from Carlos Quentin.

Zack Greinke gave the Twins several chances but closed the door every time as the Royals won 4-1.

Greinke won his 16th game for Kansas City as he claimed eight strikeouts.

Yuniesky Betancourt hit a three-run homer and scored on a wild pitch.

The Los Angeles Angels set up a West title clincher with the Rangers, knowing one win in the three-game set would be enough, with a 7-4 defeat of the Oakland Athletics.

Kendry Morales was the star for the Angels as he went three-for-three with a homer and three RBIs.

Edgar Gonzalez struggled for the second straight start, allowing five runs and the A's stayed silent through six innings before a three-run seventh which proved a false dawn in their comeback hopes.

Kelly Shoppach hit a three-run homer as Chris Tillman was punished with a six-run first inning as the Cleveland Indians beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-0.

Cleveland starter David Huff cruised through his 11th victory as the Orioles suffered a 10th straight defeat.

Rod Barajas' RBI double off starter Ryan Rowland-Smith in the eighth inning capped a fine rally as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Seattle Mariners 5-4.

The Mariners hit four solo home runs, three of them given up by Brian Tallet in his seven strong innings, giving up three from five hits and two walks.

Ben Zobrist scored singles in the eighth and ninth and Francisco Perez dropped a sacrifice bunt as the Rays beat the Rangers 7-6.

Nelson Cruz hit his 33rd home run of the season, a two-run blast in the second for Texas.

The Pirates forced the Dodgers to put their National League West title celebrations on hold as Los Angeles closer Jonathan Broxton went for four runs in the ninth.

Lastings Milledge hit a two-run single as Pittsburgh recorded a 6-5 win which had seemed highly improbable going into the final inning.

Atlanta kept pace in the wild card race as a three-run 10th inning saw them beat Washington 6-3.

The Braves' Derek Lowe allowed a season-high three home runs but Omar Infante finished off a three-run 10th to defeat the Nationals.

Ryan Zimmerman and Josh Willingham hit back-to-back homers in the first inning and Mike Morse added a solo shot in the fourth but the Nationals' early lead was swept away.

Second baseman Clint Barmes made an over-the-shoulder diving catch, then doubled Albert Pujols off first base as the Colorado Rockies beat the St Louis Cardinals 4-3 to keep their wild card lead at two and a half games.

Pujols gave the Cardinals an early lead by ripping a bases-clearing double in the third inning, but he made a costly fielding error in the fifth that led to two Rockies runs and then got doubled off first base to end the game.

Chad Tracy hit a solo home run and Stephen Drew hit a two-run double in the deciding sixth inning as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the San Diego Padres 7-4 in their final home game.

Adrian Gonzalez had a pair of hits, including his 40th home run of the season, but the Padres dropped the series finale.

Pat Misch blanked the Florida Marlins in the final regular-season game at Land Shark Stadium as the New York Mets won 4-0.

The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-5 to go within three wins of post-season.San Francisco Giants won 5-1 over the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros won 3-2 against the Cincinnati Reds.