Rays And Wade Davis Look To Capture AL East In Kansas City

Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Rocco Baldelli scored the game-deciding run on a fielding error by Wilson Betemit, giving AL East champion Tampa Bay a 3-2 victory over Kansas City in the season-finale for both clubs from Kauffman Stadium.

Even if Tampa Bay (96-66) had lost the contest and tied New York -- which lost at Boston earlier Sunday -- it was assured the division crown and home-field advantage until the World Series. The victory put to rest any need for a tiebreaker, as the Rays finished one game ahead of the Yankees.

Carlos Pena tied the game in the ninth with a two-run double for Tampa Bay, which also clinched home-field advantage, will begin the postseason on Wednesday by hosting AL West champion Texas.

Jeff Niemann (12-8) got the win with a scoreless 11th inning in relief. Rafael Soriano posted his 45th save of the season, ending the game by fanning Mike Aviles swinging with runners on second and third.

Alex Gordon hit a two-run homer for the Royals (67-95), who finished with a losing record for the seventh straight year.

Dusty Hughes (1-3) was charged with the deciding unearned run over 1 2/3 relief frames.

Baldelli began the 12th with a pinch-hit single off Hughes, then stole second when Reid Brignac struck out. Greg Holland entered the game and induced a grounder from Kelly Shoppach, which Betemit mishandled at third base, and allowed Baldelli to score.

Soriano allowed a two-out walk to Mitch Maier and a looping double to pinch- hitter Gregor Blanco before Aviles swung through a high fastball to end the game.

Tampa Bay was held to two hits through the first eight frames, but rallied to tie the game in the ninth against Joakim Soria. Carl Crawford hit an infield single to start and Matt Joyce added a one-out hit before a Pena double to left plated both runners.

The Rays also won the AL East two years ago, when they advanced to the World Series before losing in five games to the Phillies...It was Gordon's first longball since September 5. He finished the injury-plagued 2010 campaign with eight homers and 19 RBI with a .215 average in 73 games...Kansas City's last winning season was 2003, when it finished 83-79 and took third place in the AL Central...Tampa Bay starter Wade Davis worked seven innings and allowed two runs on three hits while fanning six...Royals starter Sean O'Sullivan turned in six-plus scoreless frames, yielding two hits with three strikeouts and as many walks.