MLB roundup: Astros and Diamondbacks punch tickets to post-season
Houston solidified a spot in the American League play-offs with the victory, clinching at least a wildcard spot. Arizona currently own the third and final National League wildcard thanks to the Cincinnati Reds' 15-6 loss against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Saturday's contest was a pitchers' duel between Houston's Justin Verlander and Arizona's Merrill Kelly until Verlander was relieved by Phil Maton to start the Diamondbacks' half of the sixth inning.
Verlander (13-8) allowed two hits in five scoreless innings, while Kelly (12-8) went seven innings and allowed five hits and one run. Jose Abreu provided the game's lone run with an RBI double.
Marlins 7, Pirates 3
Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered and added an RBI single for visiting Miami, who beat Pittsburgh to clinch an NL wildcard spot.
Josh Bell added a two-run double and sacrifice fly, and Bryan De La Cruz an RBI single for the Marlins.
Endy Rodriguez and Bryan Reynolds each hit an RBI single for the Pirates.
Rangers 6, Mariners 1
Andrew Heaney came out of the bullpen to make a spot start, pitching four 1/3 scoreless innings as Texas clinched a post-season berth with a victory against hosts Seattle.
Jonah Heim drove in three runs for the Rangers, who guaranteed themselves at least one of the three AL wildcard spots. Texas are headed to the play-offs for the first time since 2016.
Eugenio Suarez homered for the Mariners, who were eliminated from the play-off race when Houston beat Arizona later Saturday night.
Braves 5, Nationals 3
Right-hander Spencer Strider set the franchise record for most strikeouts in a season, Marcell Ozuna hit a go-ahead, three-run homer and the Braves beat visiting Washington.
Strider (20-5), who now has 281 strikeouts on the season, fanned seven batters in five innings to break the Braves' modern-era, single-season strikeout record of 276 set by John Smoltz in 1996. Strider gave up three runs on six hits with three walks while throwing 94 pitches.
Washington jumped on Strider for three runs on four hits in the first inning. CJ Abrams singled to begin the game, stole second base and scored on Keibert Ruiz's one-out double. Joey Meneses followed with an RBI single and scored on Luis Garcia's double.
Tigers 8, Guardians 0
Andy Ibanez, Akil Baddoo and Carson Kelly drove in two runs apiece and hosts Detroit rolled past Cleveland in the second-to-last game of retiring slugger Miguel Cabrera's career.
The Tigers, who moved a game ahead of the Guardians into second place in the AL Central, used seven pitchers for their 15th shutout this season. Cabrera went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run.
Beau Brieske (2-3), who pitched two 1/3 innings, was credited with the victory. Starting pitcher Triston McKenzie (0-3) gave up one run and three hits in four 1/3 innings for the Guardians.