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Braves clinch division title as Red Sox reach MLB playoffs / Photo: Joe Buvid - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Braves clinch division title as Red Sox reach MLB playoffs
Mike Yastrzemski smacked a game-winning three-run homer to lead Atlanta over Houston 4-2 on Sunday as the Braves clinched their seventh Major League Baseball division title in nine seasons.
Atlanta's victory also guaranteed a playoff spot for the Boston Red Sox, the sixth team to secure a post-season berth with a week remaining in the six-month campaign and six spots unclaimed.
The Braves improved to 92-64 to take their first National League East division crown since 2023 while Houston's loss ensured an American League wildcard playoff berth for Boston despite a 5-1 loss at Tampa Bay.
The Chicago Cubs, who cruised 9-1 at Cincinnati, can clinch a National League playoff spot with a loss by Arizona to the New York Yankees in a later contest.
Entering Sunday, the Braves, Yankees, Tampa Bay, Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Dodgers had clinched playoff berths, the Dodgers taking a 13th NL West title in 14 seasons and Milwaukee capturing the NL Central crown.
Host Houston grabbed a 1-0 lead over Atlanta in the fourth inning on Jose Altuve's solo home run.
The Braves, however, answered in the sixth when Ozzie Albies singled in a run and Yastrzemski followed with a three-run homer for a 4-1 Atlanta lead.
Yainer Diaz smacked a solo homer for the Astros in the eighth but Braves left-handed relief pitcher Dylan Dodd struck out the side in the ninth to give Atlanta the triumph and start the team celebration.
The Red Sox, 84-72, began the season 32-46 and seemed destined to miss the playoffs, but Boston responded after manager Alex Cora was fired April 25 and replaced by interim manager Chad Tracy.
They didn't mind 'backing' into a post-season spot after a defeat.
"To fight as hard as we did, to put ourselves in the position we did, I don't think you care much how it gets done," Tracy said. "You just want to see your ticket get punched."
The Cubs reached the brink of a playoff berth as Pete Crow-Armstrong went 3-for-5 with a home run and three runs batted in against the Reds.
Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman, hitting .260 with 26 home runs and 88 runs batted in, left the game in the fourth inning after being struck in the face by a foul ball while standing in the on-deck batter's circle.
D.W.Ernst--BlnAP
