ARLINGTON, TEXAS – The Texas Rangers had to keep winning to keep playing. After seven wins in a row, they have to do it one more time to get into the playoffs.

Craig Gentry had a key two-run single, Geovany Soto had a tiebreaking RBI double and a solo homer, and the Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 Sunday to force a one-game tiebreaker for the second AL wild-card spot.

“They showed heart, fight, gut — any other adjective you want to find,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said.

Yu Darvish allowed two runs, including a solo blast to Mike Trout in the opening frame, but settled down later as he yielded four hits over 5⅔ innings.

“I just tried to pitch like this was a game in April. Nothing different,” said Darvish, who struck out eight and walked two. “I just thought about doing my best. I’m glad we could win.”

The Rangers (91-71), who began September with the AL West lead before a 5-15 slide, added game No. 163 to the regular season. They will host Tampa Bay on Monday night in baseball’s first wild-card tiebreaker since 2007. The winner plays two days later at wild-card leader Cleveland for a berth against Boston in the division series.

“You can’t say enough. Just the fight, the character of this team,” Gentry said. “From being about as low as we could possibly be and almost everybody probably counting us out, and to come home and play the way we have.”

The Rangers will get Nelson Cruz with a chance to get back in the postseason for the fourth year in a row on the line.

The All-Star slugger on Sunday completed his 50-game suspension that followed Major League Baseball’s investigation of the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic, which was accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs.

“I’ll have a chance tomorrow to be with me teammates and do the thing I love the most, play baseball,” said Cruz, who went 9-for-27 with five doubles, a homer and nine RBIs in eight games in Arizona. “The guys are excited. I’m excited.”

Rays 7, Blue Jays 6

In Toronto, Evan Longoria and the Rays assured themselves a tie for a wild-card berth, scoring six runs in the first inning.

Tampa is now headed for a Monday tiebreaker at the Texas Rangers.

Texas beat the Rays in the division series in 2010 and 2011.

“We have something to prove in Texas,” Longoria said. “We’ve left that place too many times with our heads down and disappointed. I feel like now is the time to be able to turn that page.”

Munenori Kawasaki finished 0-for-1 for the Blue Jays.

Indians 5, Twins 1

In Minneapolis, Cleveland earned its first postseason berth since 2007 by beating the Twins.

Orioles 7, Red Sox 6

In Baltimore, Ryan Flaherty had two hits subbing for Chris Davis after baseball’s home run champ left with a sprained wrist.

Yankees 5, Astros 1 (14)

In Houston, Mark Reynolds hit a tiebreaking homer in a four-run 14th inning.

Royals 4, White Sox 1

In Chicago, Bruce Chen pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning.

Athletics 9, Mariners 0

In Seattle, Sonny Gray threw five shutout innings and Oakland had a pair of four-run innings.