Matchups

The Cleveland Indians were able to get away with meager run support as they were making a playoff push in late August, but their offensive woes have cost them in September. The Indians, who conclude their three-game home set with a doubleheader against the Twins on Thursday, closed August by winning seven of eight despite scoring three runs or fewer five times. Cleveland has failed to top the three-run mark seven times this month and suffered four of its five September losses in those games.

The Cincinnati Reds seek an extremely rare series win against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals when the teams wrap up a four-game set in Cincinnati on Thursday afternoon. The Reds have taken two of the first three games of the series to move within a victory of their second series win over the Cardinals in the last 13 sets between the two teams. St. Louis had won six straight matchups this season before dropping a 9-5 decision Tuesday and losing 4-2 on Wednesday.

The inability to win close games may wind up torpedoing the postseason chances of the Oakland Athletics, who hope to salvage a split of a four-game series with the host Chicago White Sox on Thursday afternoon. Seven of Oakland's nine games this month have been decided by one run and they are only 1-6 in them, including a 2-1 setback Wednesday that cut its lead atop the American League wild card race to two games. The Athletics dropped 10 of their last 13 overall.

The Cleveland Indians were able to get away with meager run support as they were making a playoff push in late August, but their offensive woes have cost them in September. The Indians, who conclude their three-game home set with a doubleheader against the Twins on Thursday, closed August by winning seven of eight despite scoring three runs or fewer five times. Cleveland has failed to top the three-run mark seven times this month and suffered four of its five September losses in those games.

The San Francisco Giants attempt to complete a sweep when they host the Arizona Diamondbacks in the finale of their three-game set Thursday afternoon. San Francisco posted a 5-1 victory in the series opener before four pitchers combined on a two-hitter in a 5-0 triumph Wednesday. Gregor Blanco recorded two hits, including a tiebreaking RBI double during a four-run seventh inning, as the Giants remained 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.

The New York Yankees are hanging onto their wild card hopes but are dealing with an overworked bullpen and an offense that struggles to produce consistently. The Yankees will look for some length out of starter Michael Pineda when they host the Tampa Bay Rays in the rubber match of a three-game series on Thursday. New York got only one out from its starter on Wednesday before battling back from a 4-0 deficit to grab an 8-5 victory.

Francisco Liriano has only four wins in 2014, but the veteran left-hander quietly has been terrific in the second half of the season. The Pittsburgh Pirates will turn to Liriano on Thursday in the finale of a four-game road series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Liriano has allowed two runs or fewer in nine of his 10 second-half starts and is coming off a dominant effort his last time out.

The Washington Nationals have seized control of the National League East, but they have one last major obstacle to navigate when they kick off an 11-game road trip with the opener of a four-game series at the New York Mets on Thursday. The Nationals hold an eight-game division lead over Atlanta after taking two of three from the Braves and are in a virtual tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the NL. Washington has won five in a row versus the Mets, outscoring them 26-8.

The Los Angeles Angels seek their eighth consecutive victory when they attempt to finish a three-game sweep of the host Texas Rangers on Thursday. Los Angeles won the first two games by a combined 17-4 and increased its lead in the American League West to nine games over the Oakland Athletics. The Angels are the first team in the majors to reach 90 wins and are 7-2 on the 10-game road trip that concludes Thursday.

The Kansas City Royals have regained first place in the American League Central and look to build on the lead when they host the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. Kansas City defeated Detroit 3-0 in Wednesday’s series finale to take a one-game lead over the Tigers and hope to gain some separation during a four-game set against the Red Sox, who are 20 games below .500. Boston dropped a 10-6 decision to Baltimore on Wednesday for its fourth straight loss.

The Milwaukee Brewers quickly faded from National League Central contention, but remain relevant thanks to the wild card race. Milwaukee tries for its second straight victory and third in 16 games when it hosts the Miami Marlins on Thursday in the finale of the four-game series. The Brewers received a boost from rookie Matt Clark, who belted his first career home run and drove in two runs in Wednesday's 4-1 victory to keep Milwaukee 1 1/2 games behind Pittsburgh for the second wild card spot.