Braves clinch
The Atlanta Braves clinched a playoff berth Saturday. But there was no celebrating in the clubhouse, as the team remained concerned about Charlie Culberson, who was struck in the face by a pitch in the seventh inning.
BRAVES 10, NATIONALS 1
WASHINGTON — Ronald Acuna Jr. ignited a four-run rally with the go-ahead, two-run double, as the NL East leading Atlanta Braves clinched a playoff berth with a 10-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.
Acuna Jr.’s double down the leftfield line off of Nationals reliever Fernando Rodney added fuel to a dramatic seventh inning for the Braves (93-57), who reduced their magic number to four to clinch their 19th division title. The victory eliminated the Phillies from winning the NL East.
Earlier in the seventh, Charlie Culberson was struck directly on the right cheekbone by a 91 mph fastball on Rodney’s first pitch of the game.
Culberson, who was pinch-hitting for starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz, remained on his back for several minutes as trainers pressed a towel to his face. He was eventually helped to his feet and onto the back of a cart, clutching the towel to his face.
Atlanta Manager Brian Snitker was enraged that Culberson was charged with a swinging strike on the play and was thrown out for the 13th time, the fourth time this season.
The Braves hardly missed a beat, though, as Acuna Jr. and Albies immediately followed with back-toback doubles that drove in runs. Albies was trying to stop his swing, but Rodney’s pitch glanced off his bat and floated into shallow left, allowing Acuna Jr. to score.
CUBS 14, PIRATES 1 Kris Bryant and rookie Nico Hoerner each homered among three hits,
and host Chicago went deep four times to set a club record with 237 home runs while pounding Pittsburgh. METS 3, DODGERS 0 Rajai Davis hit a three-run double off Julio Urias with two outs in the eighth and New York beat visiting Los Angeles. BREWERS 5, CARDINALS 2 Mike Moustakas and Yasmani Grandal homered to help Milwaukee beat host St. Louis. DIAMONDBACKS 1, REDS 0 Merrill Kelly pitched seven scoreless innings, Nick Ahmed’s triple led to the game’s only run and Arizona beat visiting Cincinnati.
ROCKIES 11, PADRES 10 Charlie Blackmon homered to start a six-run inning, Daniel Murphy had four hits and four RBI, and host Colorado hung on to beat San Diego.
MARLINS 4, GIANTS 2 Miguel Rojas doubled in the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning, Jorge Alfaro hit a home run and visiting Miami beat San Francisco.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
TWINS 2-9, INDIANS 0-5 Five Minnesota pitchers combined to stop host Cleveland’s offense and Minnesota beat the Indians 2-0 in the first game of a doubleheader. In the second game, Miguel Sano’s grand slam capped a fiverun eighth inning and Minnesota grabbed firm control of the AL Central. YANKEES 13, BLUE JAYS 3 James Paxton won his ninth consecutive start, Brett Gardner homered twice and drove in five runs, and visiting New York beat Toronto.
TIGERS 8, ORIOLES 4 (12) Victor Reyes hit a tying home run in the ninth and John Hicks hit the game-winning grand slam in the 12th to lift host Detroit over Baltimore.
ASTROS 6, ROYALS 1 Zack Greinke beat his old club and Yordan Alvarez belted a pinchhit three-run home run as visiting Houston beat Kansas City.
ATHLETICS 8, RANGERS 6 Mark Canha’s two-run home run off the left-field foul pole broke a fifth-inning tie as Oakland beat host Texas.
RAYS 3, ANGELS 1 Travis d’Arnaud broke open a scoreless game with a three-run double in the sixth, and visiting Tampa Bay defeated Los Angeles.
INTERLEAGUE
RED SOX 2, PHILLIES 1 A sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Andrew Benintendi (Arkansas Razorbacks) in the top of the ninth inning lifted visiting Boston over Philadelphia.