Acuña joins the 40-40 club; Judge hits three home runs
By The Associated Press
Ronald Acuña Jr. joined the exclusive 40-40 club as the Atlanta Braves beat the host Washington Nationals 9-6 on Friday night.
Acuña’s 40th homer led off the game against Nats left-hander Patrick Corbin. The blast was Acuna’s 34th leadoff home run in his career and eighth this season. He is the first player to have 40 homers and at least 60 stolen bases in one season.
He joins Alfonso Soriano (2006), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Barry Bonds (1996) and Jose Canseco (1988) in the 40-40 club.
Acuña also doubled and scored three runs. His 143 runs scored are the most since Rodriguez also tallied 143 runs in his 2007 MVP campaign.
Austin Riley hit a two-run homer off Corbin and finished with four RBIS. Marcel Ozuna added a three-run shot in the seventh.
YANKEES 7, DIAMONDBACKS 1 >>
Aaron Judge became the first player in Yankees history with two three-homer games in one season, and New York cruised to a home victory over Arizona.
Arizona’s five-game winning streak was snapped, and the Diamondbacks’ lead over the Chicago Cubs for the second of three NL wild-card spots was reduced to one game.
Judge hit a three-run shot in the third inning and a two-run drive in the fifth off rookie starter Brandon Pfaadt (2-9). The slugger got his third homer with a solo drive off Slade Cecconi in the seventh.
It was the second career threehomer game for Judge — both in the past month. He also went deep three times Aug. 23 at home against Washington to help New York break its first nine-game losing streak since 1982.
Judge went 4 for 4 with a double and tied a career high with six RBIS.
Acuna
RANGERS 8, MARINERS 5 >>
Corey Seager got Texas started with his 32nd homer and rookie Evan Carter added a three-run blast as the Rangers took over the AL West lead for the first time in September with an win over visiting Seattle.
The Rangers (85-68) and Mariners began the day tied for the AL’S third and final wild-card spot, and a halfgame behind reigning World Series champion Houston for the division lead.
But the Astros (85-69) lost at home to 102-loss Kansas City to fall a half-game behind Texas. That pushed Houston into the third wildcard spot and still a halfgame ahead of the Mariners (84-69), who dropped below the playoff line.
Seager, the AL’S leading hitter with a .333 average, snapped a 2-for-22 slide with a first-pitch homer in the first inning off rookie Bryce Miller (8-6). Carter also went deep on the first pitch he saw in the second inning of his 14th big-league game to put Texas up 4-0.
Chris Bassitt became the American League’s second 15game
BLUE JAYS 6, RAYS 2 >> winner and visiting Toronto beat Tampa Bay in a matchup of teams holding the top two AL wildcard positions.
Bassitt (15-8) allowed two runs and six hits while striking out eight in 6 2/3 innings. He tied the Rays’ Zach Eflin for the AL lead in wins.
BREWERS 16, MARLINS 1 >>
Christian Yelich and Josh Donaldson homered during a 12-run second and Milwaukee clinched a playoff berth with a rout at Miami.
The Brewers shaved their magic number to one for wrapping up the NL Central title. The Brewers, who have won four straight, can secure the crown with a victory today over Miami or a loss by the Cubs to Colorado.
Yelich also launched a three-shot in the sixth.
Corbin Burnes (10-8) benefited from the early run support and scattered two hits over five scoreless innings. He struck out six.
Milwaukee sent 15 batters to the plate against relievers Steven Okert (32) and Bryan Hoeing.
Two-run homers by Donaldson and Yelich started and capped the scoring. Mark Canha also hit a tworun double.
Seiya Suzuki and Jared Young each hit two-run homers, Jameson Taillon pitched six scoreless innings and Chicago blanked Colorado at Wrigley Field.
Suzuki singled in the opening inning to bring home Chicago’s first run, then tagged starter Noah Davis (0-3) for his 20th homer in the fourth.
CUBS 6, ROCKIES 0 >>