DETROIT – Rick Porcello fell just short of his first complete game.

He and his teammates will have to settle for a spot atop the AL Central.

Porcello pitched brilliantly into the ninth inning, and the Detroit Tigers took over first place Saturday with a 7-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox. The Tigers lead the White Sox by a half-game. It’s the first time they’ve been in first since they were tied after beating Kansas City on May 1.

Brennan Boesch hit a three-run homer and Austin Jackson drove in the other four runs for the Tigers, who were in third place in mid-June, as many as six games back.

Porcello (7-5) departed after allowing two hard-hit singles to start the ninth. He gave up five hits and struck out four with no walks, outdueling Chris Sale (11-3) in the Chicago left-hander’s first loss since May 12.

ATHLETICS 2, YANKEES 1: Brandon Inge and Yoenis Cespedes homered, Jarrod Parker shut down one of baseball’s best lineups for eight innings, and Oakland beat visiting New York for its fourth straight win.

RANGERS 9, ANGELS 2: Mike Napoli homered twice against his former team, Yu Darvish struck out 11 over seven strong innings, and Texas battered Ervin Santana in a win at Arlington, Texas.

ORIOLES 3, INDIANS 1: Jim Thome’s two-run homer in the seventh inning led visiting Baltimore to its fourth straight victory.

Portland’s Ryan Flaherty added a solo shot in the eighth.

MARINERS 2, RAYS 1: Jason Vargas took a shutout into the seventh inning, Michael Saunders had two RBI and Seattle won at St. Petersburg, Fla.

ROYALS 7, TWINS 3: Lorenzo Cain drove in three runs, and Alex Gordon had three hits and scored two runs as Kansas City won at home.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

GIANTS 6, PHILLIES 5: Gregor Blanco drove in the tiebreaking run with a drag bunt single in the 10th inning, and visiting San Francisco won a game in which All-Star pitchers Cole Hamels and Matt Cain hit homers in the same inning.

DIAMONDBACKS 12, ASTROS 3: Jason Kubel became the seventh player in team history to homer three times in a game and drove in six runs at Phoenix.

CARDINALS 12, CUBS 0: Jake Westbrook worked seven innings of three-hit ball, and St. Louis scored all its runs in the bottom of the seventh against visiting Chicago.

DODGERS 8, METS 5: Juan Uribe broke out of a long slump with a homer and four RBI, and Chris Capuano pitched seven solid innings against his former team as Los Angeles won at New York.

BRAVES, NATIONALS SPLIT: Bryce Harper returned from an ankle injury to single and score as a pinch hitter, and Roger Bernadina had a tiebreaking hit in the seventh inning as Washington earned a split of a day-night doubleheader against visiting Atlanta with a 5-2 victory.

Harper injured his ankle in the opener and was lifted after the second inning. The Braves won 4-0 behind Ben Sheets, who extended his scoreless innings streak to 12 in his return after missing last season because of Tommy John surgery.

PIRATES 5, MARLINS 1: A.J. Burnett remained undefeated at home by pitching 7 2/3 strong innings at Pittsburgh.

Burnett (11-3) allowed one run and eight hits. A homer by Justin Ruggiano was his only blemish as he improved to 7-0 at home.

REDS 6, BREWERS 2: Ryan Ludwick and Brandon Phillips each hit a two-run homer, powering Cincinnati to a win at home.