Behind home runs by Alex Bregman and Jose Abreu, the Houston Astros claimed the American League West title with Sunday’s 8-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks to complete a three-game series sweep in Phoenix on the final day of the regular season.
The win by Houston, matched with the Texas Rangers’ 1-0 loss against the Seattle Mariners, gave the Astros the AL West championship. The Rangers also finished 90-72 but the Astros won the season series 9-4 between the teams.
Houston sent its entire lineup to the plate in the first inning, when it scored four runs to take early control of the game. Bregman hit a two-run home run with no outs off Arizona starter Kyle Nelson (7-4) to ignite the rally.
The Diamondbacks’ lone run came on Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s RBI double in the eighth inning. Their loss meant they had to settle for the third and final National League wild card and the No. 6 seed in the playoffs.
Tigers 5, Guardians 2
Matt Vierling had three hits, including a two-run homer, and host Detroit defeated Cleveland in the final game of Miguel Cabrera’s career.
The Tigers’ longtime designated hitter, who is retiring after 21 seasons in the majors at age 40, went 0-for-3 with a walk.
Cleveland starter Lucas Giolito (8-15) gave up five runs in five innings. Tyler Freeman homered for the Guardians.
Rockies 3, Twins 2 (11 innings)
Nolan Jones and Sean Bouchard hit home runs and Colorado beat Minnesota in 11 innings in Denver.
Brenton Doyle scored the game-winning run in the 11th inning as he attempted a steal of third base and continued home on a wild pitch by Twins position player Jordan Luplow.
Ryan Jeffers, Donovan Solano and Alex Kirilloff each had two hits for Minnesota, which will open the AL wild-card round against the Toronto Blue Jays at home on Tuesday.
Red Sox 6, Orioles 1
Tanner Houck and three relievers combined on a two-hitter as visiting Boston beat Baltimore.
Boston earned a split of the four-game series and finished 78-84 for the second straight season.
Baltimore reliever Danny Coulombe (5-3) took the loss, allowing two runs (one earned) in one inning.
Nationals 10, Braves 9
Jacob Young’s ninth-inning, two-run single was the difference as visiting Washington downed Atlanta to close the regular season.
After Orlando Arcia put the Braves up with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the eighth, Atlanta watched Michael Tonkin (7-3) blow a save opportunity in the top of the ninth, walking in Michael Chavis to knot the contest at 8-8. Young’s hit ensured that Marcell Ozuna’s second homer of the day and 40th of the season, a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth, wasn’t enough.
Ozuna added a three-run home run and Matt Olson and Michael Harris II each drove in two runs for the Braves. Young and Keibert Ruiz each finished with three RBIs for the Nationals.
Pirates 3, Marlins 0
Miguel Andujar hit an RBI double in the eighth inning and Jack Suwinski followed with a two-run double as Pittsburgh topped visiting Miami to avoid being swept in a three-game series.
Five Pirates pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout. Pittsburgh starter Andre Jackson pitched four innings, Dauri Moreta (5-2) struck out the side in the eighth for the win and David Bednar fanned two in a perfect ninth for his 39th save.
Marlins starter Ryan Weathers, recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville, pitched six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and three walks. He struck out five. Miami, which clinched a playoff spot with a win on Saturday, earned the second NL wild card despite Sunday’s loss.
Dodgers 5, Giants 2
Enrique Hernandez belted a three-run home run as part of a five-run uprising after San Francisco starter Kyle Harrison was pulled while throwing a no-hitter, and visiting Los Angeles recorded its 100th win of the season.
In reaching triple digits in wins for the fourth consecutive regulation-length season, the Dodgers gathered a bit of momentum heading into the NL playoffs, where they earned a bye into the division series.
Giants infielder Brandon Crawford departed to a standing ovation in the ninth inning after an 0-for-4 day in what could have been his final game in a San Francisco uniform after 13 seasons. Crawford (hamstring) was activated from the injured list before the game. Harrison gave up two walks, hit three batters and struck out four.
Angels 7, Athletics 3
Brandon Drury went 3-for-4 with two homers and three RBIs as Los Angeles beat Oakland in Anaheim, Calif.
Drury put Los Angeles up 1-0 in the first when he turned on a 3-1 fastball from A’s left-hander JP Sears (5-14) and drove it 401 feet into the Angels’ bullpen. Randal Grichuk had a solo blast in the third, and Drury scored on an error in the fourth before ripping a two-run homer in the fifth.
Esteury Ruiz of the A’s set the AL record for stolen bases by a rookie with 67 when he stole third in the third inning, breaking Kenny Lofton’s 1982 mark. Ruiz later added an RBI.
Rays 12, Blue Jays 8
Jonathan Aranda hit a grand slam and had six RBIs as visiting Tampa Bay defeated Toronto.
It was the first career grand slam for Aranda, who also had an RBI single and an RBI double.
Tyler Heineman had three RBIs for the Blue Jays and Brandon Belt had a solo homer.
Royals 5, Yankees 2
Kansas City put on a power display in the season finale, hammering three solo homers in support of Zack Greinke during a win over visiting New York.
In possibly the final appearance of his 20-year career, Greinke (2-15) threw five-plus innings of one-run ball. He allowed four hits and two walks while striking out two.
MJ Melendez, Edward Olivares and Dairon Blanco went deep off Michael King (4-8), helping the Royals build a 4-0 lead to chase the New York starter after four innings. King surrendered eight hits and a season-high four runs. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had a two-run single for the Yankees.
Brewers 4, Cubs 0
Adrian Houser struck out five over five innings and Tyrone Taylor clubbed a solo home run as playoff-bound Milwaukee closed the regular season with a win over visiting Chicago.
Houser (8-5) continued his strong finish to the season while yielding three hits and two walks. The veteran right-hander has allowed five earned runs over 21 innings to go 3-1 in four starts since coming off the injured list with an elbow issue for the NL Central champion Brewers, who enter the postseason winners of four of their past five games.
Christopher Morel had two of the five hits by the Cubs, who rested most of their everyday players to end the club’s first winning season in three years.
Mariners 1, Rangers 0
George Kirby pitched six scoreless innings as Seattle beat visiting Texas, spoiling the Rangers’ bid to claim the AL West title.
The Rangers finished in a tie with Houston atop the division, but lost the tiebreaker based on the season series between the clubs. The Rangers instead will head into the playoffs as the AL’s second wild-card team and will travel to Tampa Bay for the opening round.
The Mariners, who were eliminated from postseason contention on Saturday, finished third in the AL West and a game behind Toronto for the third and final wild-card berth.
Padres 2, White Sox 1 (11 innings)
Jurickson Profar hit a go-ahead single in the top of the 11th inning and San Diego held on for a win over host Chicago.
Ha-Seong Kim drove in a run in the 10th inning for the Padres, who fell short of the playoffs but closed out their season with five wins in a row. Zach Remillard knocked in the game-tying run in the 10th inning for the White Sox.
Padres left-hander Rich Hill (8-14) earned the win. He pitched two innings of relief, allowing one unearned run on two hits. White Sox right-hander Declan Cronin (0-1) gave up one unearned run on two hits in one inning.
Phillies 9, Mets 1
Nick Nelson tossed 5 1/3 solid innings of bulk relief for visiting Philadelphia, which prepared for the postseason by beating New York.
Nelson (1-0), the second of five Phillies pitchers, gave up one run on two hits after Matt Strahm threw a 1-2-3 first. Alec Bohm hit a go-ahead homer for the defending NL champion Phillies, who will host the Miami Marlins in a best-of-three NL wild-card series beginning Tuesday.
Tim Locastro homered for the Mets, who announced the firing of manager Buck Showalter before the game. New York owner Steve Cohen issued a statement in which he said he “let Buck know we’ll be parting ways” shortly after Showalter said he was stepping aside in his pregame press conference.
Cardinals 4, Reds 3
Jordan Walker went 3-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI as St. Louis edged visiting Cincinnati.
Nick Martini hit a homer for the Reds and Stuart Fairchild had two doubles, a run and an RBI.
In his final game before retiring, Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright struck out as a pinch hitter.
–Field Level Media