THANKS, BOSOX!: Tigers lose lead in makeup at Camden Yards, but Twins blow chance at Fenway: 94-loss Royals on deck for three games in K.C.

Byline: Jon Paul Morosi

Sep. 22--BALTIMORE -- The Tigers had been tested like this before. And they had passed every time.

Thirteen times since assuming sole possession of first place May 21, they played with a lead of one game or less. Thirteen times, they won. Yes, they have allowed a 10-game lead to virtually disappear, but never had they lost when first place in the American League Central was at stake -- until Thursday.

The Tigers took a one-run lead into the bottom of the eighth inning, but lost to the Baltimore Orioles, 4-3, at Camden Yards. Melvin Mora turned on a wayward change-up from Fernando Rodney (7-4) for the winning double in the eighth. Curtis Granderson, who had continued his resurgence with a double and home run earlier, struck out to end it, just shy of 7 p.m.

Minutes later, up the coast, Minnesota leadoff hitter Luis Castillo stepped into the batter's box at Fenway Park. The Twins had never spent a day in first place this season, and this was their chance. The game, though, became much like their season: They never led. Ace Johan Santana struggled, former Twin David Ortiz homered twice, and Boston saved the Tigers with a 6-0 victory.

The Tigers begin a weekend series tonight in Kansas City with a half-game division lead. And they are six games ahead of the third-place White Sox -- the truest measure of their postseason status -- after Chicago's 9-0 home loss to Seattle on Thursday night.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland and his team were, quite fittingly, up in the air as their daily fate was determined by games in other cities. All things considered, the travel party must have arrived in Kansas City in relatively good humor.