Guardians clinch playoff berth on walk-off HBP

CLEVELAND -- CJ Kayfus was deed by a transportation from Robert Garcia with the bases loaded and 2 outs successful the ninth inning, scoring Petey Halpin to clinch a playoff berth for the Cleveland Guardians with a 3-2 win implicit the Texas Rangers connected Saturday night.

Cleveland (87-74) is guaranteed astatine slightest an American League chaotic paper and remains tied with Detroit atop the AL Central going into the last time of the regular season. The Guardians are the archetypal squad successful the past 100 seasons to clinch a playoff spot via a walk-off deed by pitch, according to ESPN Research.

The Guardians ain the head-to-head tiebreaker, truthful a triumph Sunday implicit Texas oregon a Tigers nonaccomplishment astatine Boston would springiness Cleveland its 2nd consecutive part rubric aft a stirring comeback this season.

The fourth-place Guardians were 40-48 done July 6 and inactive 15½ games retired of archetypal 2 days later.

Houston was eliminated from postseason contention with the Guardians' victory. The Astros volition miss the playoffs for the archetypal clip since 2016.

Garcia (4-8) intentionally walked Gabriel Arias to load the bases earlier hitting Kayfus connected the close limb with his 2nd transportation to the rookie. Halpin was connected 3rd arsenic a pinch runner for Johnathan Rodriguez, whose two-out locomotion began the rally.

Cade Smith (8-5) retired 5 batters for the triumph arsenic Guardians relievers combined for 3⅓ scoreless innings.

Rodríguez deed a two-run homer successful the archetypal disconnected Jacob Latz to enactment Cleveland up 2-1, scoring Jose Ramirez. Josh Jung's RBI treble plated Michael Helman successful the apical half.

Adolis Garcia launched a 433-foot location tally successful the 4th against Joey Cantillo to propulsion the Rangers adjacent astatine 2-all. Cantillo struck retired 8 implicit 5⅔ innings and Latz had six strikeouts successful 5⅓ innings

The Associated Press contributed to this story.