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Loney, Rios share award for lifting clubs into tiebreaker

Rays first baseman, Rangers outfielder earn recognition as AL's Players of Week

Rays first baseman James Loney and Rangers outfielder Alex Rios powered their teams to Monday night's American League Wild Card tiebreaker during the regular season's final week and were honored because of it.

Loney, who hit .435 last week, and Rios, who hit for the cycle on Sept. 23, shared the season's final AL Player of the Week Award.

Loney hit five doubles and one homer last week, leading the AL with a .783 slugging percentage and ranking third with a .480 on-base percentage.

The biggest among Loney's hits was a pinch-hit walk-off homer to give Tampa Bay a 5-4 win over the Orioles the same night Rios hit for his cycle against Houston.

Rios batted .346 on the week while ranking second in RBIs (eight) and stolen bases (three). He also ranked sixth with a .654 slugging percentage and tied for sixth with six runs.

Rios recorded his cycle in four at-bats of a 12-0 win against the Astros, driving in four and scoring three. He also added a go-ahead RBI single Friday in the seventh inning of Texas' win against the Angels.

This is Loney's first career weekly honor and the second for Rios, the last coming in September 2008.

Rangers left-hander Derek Holland was also considered after he tossed a shutout Sept. 23 against the Astros.

Cash Kruth is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @cashkruth.
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