Had their Phils: Atlanta clinches the NL East Division
Braves blitz Arrieta, beat Phils for third straight game and clinch NL East title
ATLANTA » Freddie Freeman stood soaked in champagne with music blaring and his teammates jamming in celebration.
This was just how the longtime star first baseman envisioned it when the Atlanta Braves began spring training seven months ago.
“You could tell after the first week of workouts that we had the talent to do something special,” Freeman said. “Obviously we still needed to put it together. But this is what happens. You win the division after three straight
90-loss seasons.”
The Braves capped a most surprising season by clinching their first NL East crown since 2013, with Mike Foltynewicz taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning Saturday in a 5-3 win over the Phillies.
A year after going 7092, manager Brian Snitker and his Baby Braves surged back into the playoffs. A loud crowd at SunTrust Park joined the party when rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. caught a flyball for the final out, setting off another round of the Tomahawk Chop and a big celebration on the field.
“When we started this series, we knew it was within our grasp,” Snitker said. “We knew we couldn’t lose track of today. I know I’m redundant saying that all the time, but I felt we just needed to stay current and worry about today’s game. These guys have done an unbelievable job of that this year.”
The Braves will make their first postseason appearance since 2013. Atlanta won its fourth straight game and beat second-place Philadelphia for the third day in a row.
The Phillies also startled a lot of fans this year and led the division in early August, but faded while going 6-14 this month.
Foltynewicz (12-10) tipped his cap to a standing ovation as he left with runners on first and second in the eighth with a 4-0 lead.
Arodys Vizcaino, in his first save situation since June 17, closed out the ninth for his 16th save in 18 chances, getting Wilson Ramos to ground out, striking out Roman Quinn and retiring Maikel Franco on a flyball to Acuna in left.
Phillies starter Jake Arrieta (10-10) lasted two innings, allowing four runs, four hits and three walks in the shortest outing of his nine-year career. The Phillies dropped to 14-16 in his starts as Arrieta posted a 6.18 ERA and went 1-4 over his last eight outings.
“I didn’t do my job today,” Arrieta said. “You’ve got tip your cap. They won the division. They really did. This wasn’t something that started today, obviously. Individually, the last month I haven’t been very good, and we didn’t take care of business. We just didn’t get the job done. They did.”
Atlanta led 2-0 in the first when Arrieta walked three of his first four batters, and Johan Camargo hit a two-run single.
Freeman hit a two-run single in the second to make it 4-0. Freeman, one of two current Braves who played on the 2013 division-winning team —along with pitcher Julio Teheran — is hitting .389 over his last 14 games.
Foltynewicz didn’t permit a hit until Odubel Herrera singled to begin the seventh. Franco singled with one out in the eighth.
BIG FADE
The Phillies faltered down the stretch under first-year manager Gabe Kapler. After winning Aug. 5, the Phillies were 1½ games ahead and 15 games over .500. They have since gone 15-28.
“I think this is a really important moment to reflect back to the beginning of the season and really the offseason,” Kapler said. “If we said that we were going to be playing a meaningful game on Sept. 22, I think a lot of people would’ve said that’s not a reasonable thought.
“On the flip side, this is ultimately a stain. This hurts, but I’m ultimately proud of the guys for putting us in this position and to be fighting in Atlanta kind of the season on the line today.”