Cubs repeat as NL Central champions
Twins clinch playoff berth as Angels fall
ST. LOUIS — The last time the Cubs went to the postseason three straight years was in 1906-08. The World Series champions won the National Central for the second straight year with a 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night.
Under .500 and trailing Milwaukee in the division race at the All-Star break, the Cubs turned things around with a stellar second half.
“It was tough,” starter John Lackey said. “It’s always a challenge and we got a lot of people’s best shots. We played well and we’re back in the playoffs and we’ll see what happens.”
Addison Russell hit a three-run homer and Lackey pitched six strong innings for Chicago.
The Cubs are the first defending World Series champions to win their division the next season since the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies and the first defending champions to reach the playoffs the next season since the Cardinals won the wild card in 2012.
INDIANS 4, TWINS 2: In Cleveland, Minnesota became the first team to make the playoffs after losing at least 100 games the previous season, clinching an AL wild-card berth when the
Angels lost at Chicago.
The Twins couldn’t secure their first spot in the postseason by themselves, losing to the Indians, but that hardly mattered. They won only 59 games a year ago, but now are the 13th team — and first since the 2009 Mariners — to go from 100-plus losses to a winning record the following season.
WHITE SOX 6, ANGELS 4 (10): In Chicago, Nicky Delmonico hit a tworun homer in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the White Sox a victory that eliminated the Angels from playoff contention.
ROCKIES 15, MARLINS 9: In Denver, Ian Desmond hit a three-run homer as part of a six-run second inning and playoff-chasing Colorado beat Miami.
REDS 6, BREWERS 0: In Milwaukee, rookie Brandon Woodruff was chased in a five-run third inning and the Brewers’ postseason hopes took another hit when they fell to the last-place Reds.
DIAMONDBACKS 4, GIANTS 3: In Phoenix, David Peralta capped a threerun rally in the bottom of the ninth inning by drawing a one-out, basesloaded walk, giving Arizona a win.
DODGERS 10, PADRES 0: In Los Angeles, Rich Hill allowed two hits over seven innings and Yasiel Puig homered for the Dodgers.
PHILLIES 7, NATIONALS 5: In Philadelphia, Aaron Altherr went 2-for-4 with a triple, drove in two runs and scored the go-ahead run as the Phillies
beat Washington. METS 7, BRAVES 1: In New York, Terry Collins was a winner in perhaps his final home game as manager of the Mets, who beat Atlanta behind rookie pitcher Robert Gsellman. ASTROS 12, RANGERS 2: In Arlington, Texas, Justin Verlander struck out 11 to win his fifth straight start since getting traded to Houston, Jose Altuve reached 200 hits for the fourth season in a row, and the AL West champion Astros completed a dominating threegame sweep by routing Texas. ATHLETICS 6, MARINERS 5: In Oakland, Calif., Mark Canha hit a gameending home run in the ninth inning to lead the Athletics.
RED SOX 10, BLUE JAYS 7: In Boston, reigning AL Cy Young winner Rick Porcello struggled in his final playoff tuneup, and David Price relieved him to solidify his role on the postseason roster as the Red Sox lowered their magic number to two to win the AL East.
YANKEES 6, RAYS 1: In New York, Luis Severino cruised through his final postseason tuneup, lifting the Yankees.
ROYALS 7, TIGERS 4: In Kansas City, Mo., Paulo Orlando hit a two-run homer, his first of the season, as the Royals handed the Tigers their ninth straight loss. PIRATES 5, ORIOLES 3: In Pittsburgh, Josh Bell hit a two-run homer and the Pirates swept a two-game interleague series.