If Texas goes on to make the playoffs, the Rangers might look back at their 18-inning, 9-7 victory over Seattle as a key point in their season.

Alfonso Soriano finished off the longest major league game in more than a year on the 552nd pitch Thursday, hitting a two-run homer to end the contest that took 5 hours, 47 minutes - 43 minutes longer than the first two games of the series combined.

Texas, which has won a season-high six straight, overcame a 5-1 deficit and tied it at 7 on Mark Teixeira's RBI single in the ninth. The Rangers, who last made the playoffs in 1999, lead the AL West by one game over Oakland and 2½ games over Anaheim.

At Toronto, a day after their club-record 12-game winning streak ended, Tampa Bay set team records for runs and hits (24) and won for the 16th time in 19 games.

At Kansas City, Mo., Kansas City lost its final game with Carlos Beltran, traded to Houston later in the day as part of a three-way deal that sent three prospects to the Royals and reliever Octavio Dotel from the Astros to Oakland.Ivan Rodriguez, hitting a league-leading .373, had three doubles, a single and four RBI to help Detroit stop a five-game losing streak.

At Anaheim, Calif., Mark Mulder (9-2) pitched a four-hitter for his major league-high fourth complete game and matched his career best by winning his seventh straight decision.

At Baltimore, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter homered to back Javier Vazquez (8-5), who allowed two runs in the first inning, then blanked the Orioles over the next six.

At Boston, Lew Ford hit a sacrifice fly following a two-base error by Nomar Garciaparra in the 10th.

At Chicago, Jose Valentin hit a three-run homer in the first, and the White Sox tacked on four runs in the eighth.