Atlanta secured the National League East on Sunday with a 4‑2 triumph over Houston, thanks to a decisive three‑run home run by Mike Yastrzemski in the sixth inning. The Braves swept the three‑game interleague series and locked up the division, their seventh pennant in the past nine seasons.
Key moments
Yastrzemski capped a four‑run sixth with a towering three‑run shot that broke a 1‑1 tie. The homer was his 12th of the season and came off Astros left‑hander Bryan King, who failed to record an out before exiting the game.
Houston’s offense was limited to two runs. Jose Altuve and Yainer Diaz each homered, but the Astros could not overcome the Braves’ pitching. Starter Martin Perez worked efficiently for Atlanta, allowing just one run on six hits and two walks over 4 1/3 innings.
Other league action
In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays continued their dominant stretch, beating the Boston Red Sox 5‑1 in St. Petersburg, Fla. Jonny DeLuca and Chandler Simpson each drove in two runs, and Victor Mesa Jr. added a home run. The win gave the Rays an 8‑1 record to close out their regular‑season homestand and a league‑best 55‑26 mark.
Boston’s loss featured a lone home run from Trevor Story, while Roman Anthony and Caleb Durbin each went 2‑for‑4 for the Red Sox, who fell to their second straight defeat.
Pittsburgh completed a three‑game sweep of Kansas City, defeating the Royals 4‑3. Rafael Flores Jr. delivered a go‑ahead two‑run homer in the eighth inning, and the Pirates improved to 14‑6 in their last 20 games.
Philadelphia’s Phillies earned a crucial 7‑2 win over the New York Mets. Cristopher Sanchez tossed 6 1/3 solid innings, earning his 18th win of the season, while Luis Arraez contributed two RBIs. The victory kept the Phillies four games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL wild‑card race.
Notable performances
Chicago’s Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 9‑1, highlighted by Pete Crow‑Armstrong’s 45th home run of the season, tying the major‑league lead. Crow‑Armstrong also recorded his 30th double and 38th stolen base, joining an elite group of players with 40 home runs, 30 doubles and 30 steals in a single season.
St. Louis rallied past Washington 5‑3, with Leo Bernal’s two‑run homer capping a three‑run eighth inning. The Cardinals snapped a four‑game losing streak.
Seattle’s Mariners stayed alive in the postseason race with a 2‑1 win over Colorado. Rookie Kade Anderson delivered a career‑best seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits.
In Toronto, the Blue Jays defeated the Texas Rangers 7‑2 in Arlington. Nathan Lukes and Charles McAdoo each drove in two runs, and Kazuma Okamoto’s RBI single broke a 2‑2 tie in the fifth.
Milwaukee’s Brewers blanked Baltimore 3‑0, completing a three‑game sweep and setting a franchise record for regular‑season victories. Jacob Misiorowski’s three shutout innings helped the Brewers move two games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best NL record.
Arizona’s Diamondbacks kept their slim NL wild‑card hopes alive with an 8‑4 victory over the New York Yankees in Phoenix. Nolan Arenado’s third grand slam of the season powered the win.
In the American League Central, the Cleveland Guardians edged the Oakland Athletics 1‑0, with Gavin Williams throwing seven shutout innings.
Finally, the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three‑game sweep of the San Francisco Giants, 3‑1, thanks to a strong long‑relief effort from Emmet Sheehan and a run‑scoring double by Enrique Hernandez.
These results round out the final week of the regular season, setting the stage for the postseason and the final wild‑card battles across both leagues.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
