At least half-dozen teams still duking it out

With just a dozen or so games remaining in the 2016 season, little about the postseason has been mathematically decided, with some races even creeping closer.

The Fisk Division is the tightest race at the moment, with 3 teams still vying for the title and the runners-up aiming for the final Wild Card spots. Vancouver shaved Arkansas' lead to just 1 game with Tuesday night's 5-4 win at home. Newly acquired Chris Archer got the win, snapping a three-game slide for Vancouver, as both bullpens gave up three-run homers last to make it interesting.

The Iron Fist (84-67) currently hold the 6th seed, just 1/2 game ahead of Allentown (83-67) but just 1 game back of Arkansas (85-66) for the Fisk. Whoever does win the Fisk is likely to have the inside track for the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye as division-leading Arkansas is 4 1/2 games up on current No. 3 seed, San Francisco.

Vancouver and Arkansas face off one more time tonight, with Johnny Cueto (13-9) -- the current league leader with 228 1/3 IP -- going for the Iron First and Edinson Volquez (11-6) throwing for the Falcons.

Hillsborough (78-72), which at one point this season seemed like sellers, continued a second-half resurgence trying to catch San Francisco (80-70) for the lead in the Drabek Division. The Hitmen opened a critical three-game series at home against the Experience with a 5-1 win Tuesday night, shedding the  division lead to just 2 games with 12 to play. Carlos Carrasco (10-8) tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings and got an early three-run bomb off Patrick Corbin from Travis D'Arnaud.

San Francisco, which has led the Drabek most of the season, will aim to keep Hillsborough at bay with Chris Sale (13-10) starting tonight, followed by surprise McDonald candidate Adam Warren (18-6). Hillsborough will counter with Danny Salazar (8-11) while Eduardo Rodriguez (5-6) is scheduled to go Thursday.

Sardine City (79-71) is starting to put the final nail in Hoboken's coffin during another decisive three-game series, this time in the Van Slyke Division. Tuesday's 10-8 victory extended the Straphangers' lead to 8 games with just 12 to play, reducing their magic number to a league-low 5. Hoboken (71-79) will counter with the top of their rotation -- Clayton Kershaw (16-10) and Max Scherzer (14-15) -- to cling to any hope for the postseason against Shelby Miller (8-13) and Gerrit Cole (14-7).

Tucson (88-62) reduced its magic number to single digits (9) after a 5-4 win over Hopatcong (84-66), extending their Kruk Division lead to 4 games over the Floating Fish. Despite back-to-back homers by Bryce Harper and Yoenis Cespedes in the 9th off Scorpions closer Ken Giles, and 4 1/3 hitless innings from its bullpen, Hopatcong couldn't overcome a poor start from Kyle Hendricks (11-12).

The Floating Fish will have two more games to try to cut directly into the Scorpions' lead. After losing Stephen Strasburg (10-11) for the rest of the regular season, Hopatcong may to rely on their big bats some more. Mike Leake (14-8) and free agent fill-in Chris Young (0-1), making his third start for the squad, are scheduled to face Zach Greinke (12-9) and Madison Bumgarner (11-10) in Tucson.

The "Fish with fight" cling to the 5th seed but it's a tenuous hold with Vancouver just 1/2 game back and Allentown 1 game back. Marietta (79-71) remains alive for a Wild Card, 5 games back, and it's still too early to write off Livingston (78-72), winners of five straight, in the packed Kruk Division.

11 innings?! I'm celebratin'!

And in a game that probably only mattered to close friends and family, Empire City and El Paso battled for 11 innings in a race for 14th place, or the 2nd overall pick depending on how you look at it. Still, El Paso's Jason Hammel has probably the most impressive start in the league, going all 11 innings on 117 pitches, with 12 strikeouts and nary a walk, against three hits. A Brian McCann home run in the top off the 11th was the decisive blow.