DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers were down after absorbing a difficult loss in the opener of their critical day-night doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins.

Their ace took over from there.

Justin Verlander kept the Tigers on top in the AL Central, pitching eight innings in a 6-5 victory last night that restored their two-game lead over the scrappy Twins.

"After the first game, this win was huge," Verlander acknowledged.

Indeed.

It wasn't easy, but it never is against the pesky Twins.

"They showed why they're so good," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said.

Minnesota briefly pulled within one game of the Tigers when it won the opener, 3-2, in 10 innings. Brandon Lyon (6-5) set up Orlando Cabrera's go-ahead single with a pair of wild pitches.

If the Tigers can beat the Twins today and tomorrow, they'll win their first division title since 1987.

"This is playoff baseball — we just got started a little early this year," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said.

ANGELS 5, RANGERS 2

Bobby Abreu homered as host Los Angeles handed Texas its third straight loss, clinching the AL wild card for Boston, which will meet the Angels in the first round for the third consecutive postseason.

RAYS 3, ORIOLES 1

Rookie Wade Davis allowed one run over seven innings, helping host Tampa Bay hand Baltimore its 12th straight loss.

YANKEES 4, ROYALS 3

Juan Miranda singled off the leg of Kyle Farnsworth (1-5) to score a run and cap a two-run bottom of the ninth for New York.

MARINERS 6, ATHLETICS 4

Ken Griffey Jr. started what might be his final homestand with career homer No. 628, leading host Seattle over Oakland.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

ROCKIES 7, BREWERS 5

Pinch-hitter Chris Iannetta hit a two-run homer off David Weathers in the bottom of the 11th inning as Colorado widened its NL wild-card lead to three games over Atlanta with five games remaining.

PHILLIES 7, ASTROS 4

Pedro Feliz hit a grand slam and host Philadelphia reduced its magic number for winning the East division to one.

MARLINS 5, BRAVES 4

Jorge Cantu hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh as visiting Florida ended Atlanta's seven-game winning streak.

GIANTS 8, DIAMONDBACKS 4

Bengie Molina homered twice, Pablo Sandoval had four hits and host San Francisco remained five games behind wild card-leading Colorado.

REDS 7, CARDINALS 2

Jay Bruce homered twice and had a career-high five RBIs, helping host Cincinnati hand St. Louis its fourth loss in five games.

NATIONALS 4, METS 3

Pinch-runner Justin Maxwell scored the go-ahead run in the eighth thanks to two wild throws in the infield to lift host Washington.

CUBS 6, PIRATES 0

Ryan Dempster pitched a five-hitter for his third career shutout and Jeff Baker had a two-run double for host Chicago.