Cards beat Cubs 9-0 in Maddon’s finale
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals clinched the NL Central on the final day of the regular season, using Jack Flaherty’s arm and Matt Carpenter’s bat Sunday to win their first division title since 2015 with a 9-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs lost on Joe Maddon’s last day as their manager. It was announced before the game that he won’t return next year.
Flaherty tossed seven impressive innings and Carpenter led a three-homer attack with a three-run drive to help St. Louis advanced to the NL Division Series, starting Thursday at Atlanta.
The second-place Milwaukee Brewers will play at Washington in the NL wild-card game Tuesday night, with the winner going on to play Los Angeles in the NLDS.
Paul Goldschmidt and Dexter Fowler also homered for St. Louis (91-71).
Flaherty (11-8) allowed two hits, struck out six and walked one.
Chicago starter Derek Holland (2-5) took the loss.
Rangers 6, Yankees 1
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Lance Lynn struck out 10, getting his career-high 16th win as Texas closed out the 26th and final season at their ballpark with a win over the AL East champion New York.
After Aaron Judge’s 27th homer in the third inning tied the game at 1-1, Lynn (16-11) retired his last 14 batters while pitching against his former team.
New York, plays Minnesota in the Division Series starting Friday, went 103-59.
Masahiro Tanaka (11-9) allowed two runs and five hits in three innings.
Red Sox 5, Orioles 4
BOSTON (AP) — Eduardo Rodriguez missed out on a 20-win season when Boston’s bullpen blew a late lead, but the Red Sox beat Baltimore on Mookie Betts’ ninth-inning dash home.
Betts scored from first on a single by Rafael Devers with no outs.
Stevie Wilkerson chased Jackie Bradley Jr.’s fly ball to the edge of the visitors’ bullpen, leaped over the short wall and pulled back Bradley’s would-be homer while nearly tumbling into the seats.
Brandon Workman (10-1) pitched one inning and struck out three to pick up the victory. Dillion Tate (0-2) got the loss for Baltimore (54-108), which was denied its first sweep of the season.
Dodgers 9, Giants 0
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bruce Bochy bid an emotional farewell following 2 1/2 decades in what is certainly Hall of Fame managerial career, finishing with a 9-0 defeat to Los Angeles.
Los Angeles won its franchise-record 106th game, jumping to a 5-0 lead in the first that held up on Will Smith’s two-run homer right after a bases-clearing, three-run double by Corey Seager.
Lefty Rich Hill worked three scoreless innings allowing one hit in his 13th start of the season for the Dodgers.