2012 MLB standings: Tigers now hold 1-game lead over White Sox

For the first time since July 23, the Detroit Tigers have the top spot in the AL Central all to themselves. With a Chicago White Sox loss to the Cleveland Indians and a victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday, the Tigers moved a game ahead in the division that just about everybody thought they'd have locked up by now.

While the division remained close, both teams have struggled in September, with the Tigers going 13-11 and the White Sox doing a bit worse at 10-14. These aren't two teams that are slugging it out with victories to reinforce their position every night, it's just two teams that are doing everything they can to not lose their place.

Fortunately for the Tigers, Chicago has allowed a three-game lead as recent as Sept. 18 to slip away. The White Sox have lost two-straight games, falling to the lowly Cleveland Indians in both of them, and are 3-7 in their past 10 games. They dropped five straight during a stretch that ran Sept. 19-23, including a sweep at the hands of the Angels. Next up, they've got four games against the Tampa Bay Rays and a three-game series against the Indians again.

Meanwhile, the Tigers have bested the Royals in their last three games, and have a fourth on Thursday. However, they hit the road for the rest of their season, visiting the Twins for three games before finishing with a three-game set in Kansas City. The rest of the schedule definitely favors the AL Central-leading Tigers.

You can find full standings for the division and the rest of MLB here.