Dodgers clinch sixth straight playoff berth
Yankees break MLB home run record
SAN FRANCISCO — The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched baseball’s final playoff berth and gave themselves a chance to still win the NL West, getting a go-ahead triple from Manny Machado in the eighth inning Saturday and beating the San Francisco Giants 10-6.
The defending NL champions locked up their sixth straight trip to the postseason, assuring at least a spot in the wild-card game. The Dodgers joined Colorado, Atlanta, the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee in the NL playoff field.
Los Angeles began the day one game behind Colorado for the division lead, but drew even when the Rockies lost at home to Washington later in the day.
The regular season is scheduled to end today. If Los Angeles and Colorado finish even, there will be a one-game tiebreaker for the West title Monday at Dodger Stadium.
Machado, the star infielder acquired from Baltimore during the All-Star break, hit a two-out triple off Mark Melancon (1-4) for a 6-5 lead. Max Muncy added a tworun double during a four-run ninth.
Alex Wood (9-7) pitched the seventh for the win and Kenley Jansen closed it out.
NATIONALS 12, ROCKIES 2: In Denver, Colorado dropped into a tie with Los Angeles for the NL West lead with only one game left, routed by Stephen Strasburg, Juan Soto and the Nationals.
Hoping to hold their one-game edge, the Rockies instead saw their winning streak end at eight. The Dodgers were 10-6 winners in San Francisco earlier to ensure the race will go down to the wire.
With game No. 162 on deck, the Rockies (90-71) are attempting to accomplish something they’ve never done since entering the league in 1993: capture a division title.
CARDINALS 2, CUBS 1: In Chicago, the Cubs wasted a solid performance by Cole Hamels, sending the NL Central race to the final day of the season.
The Cubs would have wrapped up their third straight division championship with a victory and a loss by the Brewers to Detroit on Saturday night. Instead, they’re tied entering today’s play.
Chicago and Milwaukee would meet in a tiebreaker at Wrigley Field on Monday if they wind up with identical records, with the loser then playing in a wild-card game at home on Tuesday against Colorado or Los Angeles.
YANKEES 8, RED SOX 5: In Boston, Gleyber Torres and Giancarlo Stanton connected as the Yankees broke the major league record for home runs in a season and reached 100 wins.
Torres’ two-run drive in the fourth was the Yankees’ 265th of the year and moved them past the 1997 Seattle Mariners. Stanton pushed the record to 266 in the seventh with his 38th homer, a solo homer to left field. A fan sitting in the seats above the Green Monster threw the souvenir back, and the ball bounced into Stanton as he rounded second base.
New York, which will host Oakland in the AL wild-card game on Wednesday, reached 100 wins for the 20th time in franchise history.
ASTROS 4-5, ORIOLES 3-2: In Baltimore, Justin Verlander struck out 10 in six scoreless innings, helping the Astros take the opener of a doubleheader.
Houston shortstop Carlos Correa homered and hit a tie-breaking RBI double in the ninth inning. Will Harris (5-3) worked the eighth and Hector Rondon got three outs for his 15th save.
In the nightcap, Myles Straw hit his first big league homer and Brian McCann also went deep against rookie Yefry Ramirez (1-8).
REDS 3, PIRATES 0: In Cincinnati, Michael Lorenzen singled home a run and got his first victory as a starter since 2015, helping Cincinnati snap its seven-game losing streak against Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh has dominated the Ohio River rivalry, going 13-5 this season. The seven-game winning streak was the Pirates’ longest against the Reds since 1991.
RAYS 4, BLUE JAYS 3: In St. Petersburg, Fla., C.J. Cron and Austin Meadows homered as Tampa Bay beat Toronto, though Blake Snell failed to win his 10th straight start.
BREWERS 6, TIGERS 5: In Milwaukee, the Brewers moved into a tie for first place in the NL Central with one game remaining in the regular season, getting two homers from MVP candidate Christian Yelich to beat Detroit.
PHILLIES 3, BRAVES 0: In Philadelphia, Aaron Nola pitched seven shutout innings and Cesar Hernandez had a two-run single in the seventh inning to help Philadelphia snap a nine-game losing streak.
TWINS 8, WHITE SOX 3: In Minneapolis, Joe Mauer reached base three times and Kyle Gibson capped a season of improvement with six quality innings as Minnesota matched a season high with its fifth straight win.
ROYALS 9, INDIANS 4: In Kansas City, Mo., Adalberto Mondesi hit a tie-breaking, three-run homer to lift Kansas City.
Corey Kluber gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings in his final regular-season start for Cleveland while working on a short pitch count ahead of the playoffs.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, PADRES 4: In San Diego, rookie Ildemaro Vargas hit his first home run, got his first stolen base and drove in three runs to lead Arizona.
METS 1, MARLINS 1 (13 Inns.): In New York, David Wright left to a long standing ovation before a sellout crowd at Citi Field in his farewell game for the Mets.
The team captain went 0 for 1 with a walk against the Marlins. He was removed after two plate appearances as planned.
MARINERS 4, RANGERS 1: In Seattle, Dee Gordon drove in the go-ahead run with a triple in the seventh inning, and James Paxton struck out nine to go over 200 for the season to lead the Mariners.
ATHLETICS 5, ANGELS 2: In Anaheim, Calif., Khris Davis hit his major league-leading 48th homer and the Athletics beat LA.