The Detroit Tigers kept their playoff hopes alive Sunday, beating the Chicago White Sox 5-3 and awaiting the result of Minnesota's game against Kansas City. The Tigers had a half-game lead in the AL Central Division race but a Twins' victory over the Royals would set up a one-game playoff Tuesday at

Carlos Quentin's three-run homer Sunday lifted the Chicago White Sox to an 8-4 win over Detroit. His 19th homer this season capped a four-run outburst with two outs in the bottom of the eighth shortly after Mark Kotsay's RBI single. Gordon Beckham and Scott Podsednik had two hits and one RBI apiece,

Edwin Jackson pitched seven shutout innings Tuesday to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians. Jackson (13-7) allowed seven hits and three walks for the Tigers, who moved three games ahead of Minnesota in the AL Central.

Placido Polanco had two hits and three RBI Sunday to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 6-2 win over Minnesota, averting a three-game sweep by the Twins. Polanco's two-run single erased a 2-1 deficit with no outs in the top of the fifth and his sacrifice fly in the ninth capped the scoring. Ryan Raburn hit a solo homer, Magglio Ordonez had two hits and one RBI, Carlos Guillen hit an RBI triple and Gerald Laird added two hits for the Tigers, who upped their AL Central Division lead over the Twins to three games by snapping a three-game losing streak. Winner Nate Robertson (2-2) yielded two runs and five hits in five innings with three walks and six strikeouts. Minnesota got one RBI each from Jason Kubel and Nick Punto.

Aubrey Huff hit a three-run homer in the ninth and Brandon Inge scored on an error in the 10th Monday to help Detroit beat Toronto 6-5. Huff hit his second home run since joining the Tigers in mid-August and Ryan Raburn also homered and drove in two runs for Detroit. Detroit starter Justin Verlander gave up five runs and 10 hits in seven innings while striking out nine.