Edging closer to the postseason: the AL

Rather than cover every game, I figure updating after every series makes more sense. So here's the situation as it stands:

Yankees-Orioles: Split the last two games, Ruffing winning for the Yankees powered by home runs by Rolfe and Selkirk, Palmer striking out 9 in preventing the sweep. The Yankees ended the series up 1.5 games over the Birds.

Red Sox-Tigers: Also split their last two (a pattern we'll see often). Speaker was 4-6, but a rain-shortened game gave Gorsica a 5-inning complete game win (in which he drove in both of Detroit's runs)... Boston 2.5 back, Detroit theoretically still alive at 6.5 back (but a long, long shot at this point).

White Sox-Browns: Hey, another split! Chicago's bats come alive for a rare double-digit outburst in game 1, with Ed Cicotte the beneficiary. A homer by Ken Williams and a couple of hits from George Sisler (and 4 from Marty McManus) give game 2 to St. Louis.

Philadelphia Athletics-Nationals: Hey, not a split! Philly's pitchers shut down the potent Washington offense, Lefty Grove shutting them out and Rube Walberg limiting them to 1 run in the second game. Foxx homered twice, Simmons ended the series at .379.

Mariners-Indians: Seattle managed to split their last two games with Cleveland, but that left them 5.5 behind with only 12 games left. Nagy shut down the Mariners for 7 innings, while the Indians crushed Jamie Moyer in game 1, Joel Piniero shut Cleveland out, but again--- too little, too late? Cleveland's magic number is 8, and the Mariners are the only team in the division with a mathematical shot at the title other than the Indians.

Twins-Rangers: Minnesota took two from Texas, a well-pitched game preceding a slugfest. Kaat and Zepp got the winse for the Twins, while the Rangers wasted a big day from Toby Harrah (4-5, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI)...

Angels-Royals: The Royals scored 11 runs in two games against California, and were never close. The Angels, unfortunately for Kansas City, scored 26 runs in the same two games... Reggie Jackson crushed Royals pitching to the tune of a 7-10 performance with 4 runs and 5 RBI, 3 doubles and a home run. Bobby Grich was only 2-10, but drove in 6 thanks to two homers. Fred Lynn drove in 5. The Royals also lost Willie Wilson to injury in the process.

Blue Jays-Oakland A's: Oakland were the anti-Angels, not only scoring zero runs in two games, but only managing 4 hits in the process. Things started poorly for Toronto as they lost Dave Steib before the first pitch was thrown, but Mark Eichhorn pitched amazingly in "relief" with 7 scoreless innings before giving way to two perfect innings by Tom Henke. Jimmy Key went the distance the next day. Frustratingly for the A's, their pitchers did very well, only allowing 5 runs and 10 hits in the two games, themselves. Toronto shut them out in the preceding game, too...