Phillies clinch NL East title with 6-2 win over the Cubs

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto homered and Aaron Nola struck out seven to help the Philadelphia Phillies clinch their first NL East title since 2011 with a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.

Carlos Estévez retired Michael Busch on a flyball to end it, and the Phillies swarmed each other in excitement on the infield. The Phillie Phanatic stormed the celebration waving a 2024 flag as fans stood and filmed it all.

With a postseason berth already clinched last week, the Phillies won their 12th division championship — and have their sights set on the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the National League playoffs.

Philadelphia won five straight NL East titles from 2007-11, then went 10 years without making the playoffs. A wild-card entry each of the past two postseasons, the Phillies put together consecutive October runs that ended in heartbreak.

They lost the World Series to Houston in 2022 and blew series leads of 2-0 and 3-2 in dropping the NL Championship Series to Arizona last season.

The Phillies remain on track for a first-round bye in the playoffs. It’s the third time they’ve reached the postseason three years in a row (1976-78 and 2007-11).

RED SOX 4, BLUE JAYS 1

TORONTO (AP) — Tanner Houck pitched five strong innings, Wilyer Abreu reached base three times and Boston extended their winning streak to three games with a victory over Toronto.

The Red Sox opened their final road trip — a three-game set in Toronto — by improving to 4-0 in Canada this season.

Abreu walked and scored on Vaughn Grissom’s sacrifice fly in the second, hit an RBI double in the third, and singled in the fifth, joining Jarren Duran as the only Boston players with multiple hits.

Houck (9-10) carried a perfect game into the fifth inning before walking Addison Barger with two outs. Ernie Clement followed with a single, but the 28-year-old right-hander got Jonatan Clase to fly out. Houck threw just 57 pitches, 36 strikes, in his first winning start since July 11 against Oakland.

Leo Jiménez and George Springer hit back-to-back singles off Greg Weissert to start the sixth inning for Toronto, but Nathan Lukes grounded into a double play and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded out to end the threat.

Guerrero went 0 for 4 and saw his average slip to .324.

MARINERS 6, ASTROS 1

HOUSTON (AP) — Bryce Miller threw seven shutout innings and Julio Rodríguez had three hits and two RBIs to help Seattle to a win over Houston that prevented them from clinching the AL West title.

The Astros entered needing only a victory over second-place Seattle to secure their fourth straight division crown.

Instead, they struggled against Miller (12-8), managing just two singles while playing without injured slugger Yordan Alvarez.

Seattle has won four of five to move within 1 1/2 games of the final American League wild-card spot in a crowded race that also includes Detroit, Kansas City and Minnesota.

The Mariners are four games behind the Astros in the division standings with five to play. Houston will have another chance to wrap up the AL West when the teams meet again Tuesday night.

GIANTS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 3

PHOENIX (AP) — Matt Chapman hit an inside-the-park homer, Casey Schmitt and Michael Conforto both added solo shots and San Francisco continued to be a problem for teams with postseason aspirations, beating Arizona.

The Diamondbacks (87-70) lost more ground in the National League playoff race as they try to claim one of three wild cards. They’re in sole possession of the final wild card, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Atlanta Braves (85-71). The San Diego Padres (90-66) and New York Mets (87-69) are in the first two spots.

The Mets and Braves play each other in a crucial three-game series that begins on Tuesday in Atlanta.

San Francisco is out of the playoff race, but has played extremely well over the past week against teams that are still in contention. The Giants have a 6-1 record against the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals and Diamondbacks.

It was another frustrating loss for Arizona, which coughed up an 8-0 lead on Sunday and fell to the Milwaukee Brewers 10-9.

The Associated Press