MLB Playoff Picture: 3 things to know from Thursday

Every night we look around the league and identify three things you need to know about the playoff races. Here's what happened Thursday:

Lone Rangers

The Texas Rangers had their lead in the second American League wild card trimmed to a single game over the Minnesota Twins with a 5-0 loss to Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners, which also dropped them 2 1/2 back of the Houston Astros in the AL West. It's the second straight game the Rangers have been shut out, and they were blanked four times on their 5-5 road trip. Texas will now welcome the Oakland Athletics to Arlington for a three-game set before squaring off with Houston for four games.

Central flop

It was a lousy night for contending teams in the National League Central. The St. Louis Cardinals were routed 11-0 by the Cincinnati Reds, but the Pittsburgh Pirates couldn't capitalize on the opportunity to gain ground, dropping a 6-4 contest to the Milwaukee Brewers in 13 innings. Rain in Philadelphia kept the Chicago Cubs off the field, forcing a doubleheader Friday against the lowly Phillies. St. Louis maintained its 4 1/2-game advantage in the division, and the Cubs gained a half-game on the Pirates for the top wild-card spot. Chicago still, however, has to close a 2 1/2-game gap in order to earn the right to host a wild-card game.

Delayed gratification

The Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees were scheduled to open a pivotal four-game series at Yankee Stadium, but Mother Nature had other plans. A massive weather system flooded the East Coast and hit the New York area especially hard, forcing the postponement of the series opener and play at the US Open tennis major. Toronto holds a 1 1/2-game lead over New York for top spot in the AL East, and the clubs will now play a twin bill Saturday to make up for Thursday's wash.

If the playoffs started today: