Rangers clinch first place, lock up Sox-Indians matchup

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It's official -- the Red Sox and Cleveland Indians, who began their regular season schedules by facing one another back in April, will open their post-season play matched up again.

BREAKING DOWN CLEVELAND -- A look at the Red Sox-Indians ALDS matchup

The three A.L. division winners -- Texas, Cleveland and the Red Sox -- all won Friday night.

That gave Texas 95 wins, most in the A.L. The Red Sox could get to 95, too, by winning their final two games, and so could the Indians, by winning their final three. If Texas lost the last two games on its schedule, that would create a three-way tie for best record with 95-67 records.

But by virtue of the best common record among the three teams, Texas would win that three-way tie breaker. They also would win two-team tiebreakers with both the Red Sox and Indians.

That means the Rangers will host the wild-card winner beginning Thursday, with the Red Sox and Indians facing off in the other A.L. Division Series.

The only question remaining is which team will have home field advantage and host Games 1 and 2.

The Red Sox won the season series between the two (4-2), so they have an advantage there. The Sox have a magic number of two to clinch home field with the Tribe -- any combination of two Sox wins or Cleveland losses would give the Sox home field.

They can claim home field outright by winning their final two games, or, they can split their last two and get in if the Indians lose any of their final three.

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