Indians scratch Cliff Lee in finale

The Mets and Brewers are tied in the National League wild-card race.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHICAGO — Cleveland ace Cliff Lee was scratched from his scheduled start in today’s regular-season finale against the Chicago White Sox because of a stiff neck.

It could prove to be a big break for the White Sox, who trail the Minnesota Twins by half a game in the American League Central Division race.

Lee, who is 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA, said he started to feel some discomfort two days before his Tuesday start against Boston, when he gave up five runs and nine hits in seven innings. He said the soreness has increased the last few days.

“It wasn’t as bad that day as it has been this past couple of days,” Lee said Saturday. “It really came on two days before my last start. That’s when I really started feeling it.”

Lee said the discomfort caused him to change his pitching mechanics against the Red Sox, which then increased the soreness in his neck.

Starting for the White Sox will be lefty Mark Buehrle on three days’ rest. Buehrle threw 121 pitches in his last outing Wednesday against the Twins.

The division winner will open the playoffs on Thursday against the Rays in Florida.

The Boston Red Sox, the AL’s wild-card team, will open the postseason on Wednesday in California against the Angels.

Saturday’s Red Sox game against the New York Yankees was rained out and rescheduled as part of today’s day-night doubleheader.

The Red Sox and Yankees waited out 2 hours, 9 minutes of rain delays on Friday to finish a 19-8 New York victory that didn’t end until end until 12:52 a.m. — 5 hours, 47 minutes after the scheduled first pitch.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (18-2) will face Mike Mussina (19-9) in the first game at 1:35 p.m., and Tim Wakefield (10-11) will go against Sidney Ponson (8-5) at 7:35 p.m.

In the National League, the wild-card race has the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets tied. Both have 89-72 records. The Brewers close the season against the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs while the Mets host the Florida Marlins.