HOUSTON (AP) — Michael Harris II, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson each hit a two-run homer as the Atlanta Braves clinched a playoff berth with a 6-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
asserted
Braves → hit → night
The Braves secured at least a National League wild card and reduced their magic number to three for winning the NL East.
asserted
Braves → secure → East
Atlanta is heading to the postseason for the eighth time in nine years.
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Atlanta → head → years
The loss dropped Houston’s lead in the AL West over Texas to a half-game game, with the Rangers hosting Toronto on Friday night.
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Rangers → drop → night
Olson hit his 40th home run in the ninth inning to make him the fifth player in franchise history with multiple 40-homer seasons after he set a Braves record with 54 in 2023.
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he → hit → 2023
Harris, who had three hits, gave the Braves a 2-0 lead with his homer off Peter Lambert (8-10) in the fourth.
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who → have → fourth
They were clinging to a one-run lead with one on and one out in the seventh when Acuña connected off Bennett Sousa to make it 4-1.
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it → cling → Sousa
The Astros had runners on first and second with two outs in the eighth when an RBI single by Isaac Paredes cut the lead to 4-2.
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single → have → 4
Jose Altuve hit a flyball to shallow right field but Acuña made a diving catch to end the inning.
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Acuña → hit → inning
Tyler Mahle (7-10) allowed three hits and a run with six strikeouts in six innings to help the Braves to their second win in five games.
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Mahle → allow → games
Lambert yielded six hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings.
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Lambert → yield → innings
He remained winless since July 11.
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He → remain → July
Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin had four hits, Brandon Lowe hit his 32nd homer and Pittsburgh surged past Kansas City.
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Pittsburgh → have → City
Pittsburgh churned out 15 hits against Kansas City to overcome an early four-run deficit to move back to .500 (77-77) in its bid for the franchise’s first winning season since 2018.
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Pittsburgh → churn → 2018
The 20-year-old Griffin, who missed two months with a left-hand injury that coincided with a summer swoon that saw the Pirates’ playoff hopes evaporate, posted the third four-hit game of his young career.
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hopes → miss → career
His RBI single in the seventh off reliever Nate Pearson (2-2) capped a three-run rally.
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single → cap → rally
Yohan Ramirez (7-4) retired all four batters he faced in relief to pick up the win.
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he → retire → win
Gregory Soto worked the ninth for his 15th save, but just his first since Aug. 1.
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Soto → work → Aug.
Vinnie Pasquantino and Michael Massey homered for the Royals, but Kansas City couldn’t take advantage of a so-so performance by Pirates ace Paul Skenes.
asserted
City → homer → Skenes
José Ramírez and rookie Travis Bazzana homered and Joey Cantillo pitched six scoreless innings as Cleveland rallied to beat the Athletics and stay atop the AL Central.
asserted
Cleveland → homer → Central
Ramírez connected in the sixth inning to give the Guardians a two-run cushion.
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Ramírez → connect → cushion
His 12th homer was also the seven-time All-Star’s 1,000th RBI, making him just the second Cleveland player to reach the plateau.
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him → make → plateau
Earl Averill drove in 1,084 runs.
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Averill → drive → runs
Bazzana snapped a 3-3 tie in the fifth as the Guardians came back after falling behind 3-0 in the first.
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Guardians → snap → first
Cleveland, 18-9 since Aug. 20, came in tied with Chicago for first in the division.
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Cleveland → come → division
The White Sox hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.
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Sox → hold → tiebreaker
Cantillo (10-9) allowed two hits in six innings after replacing opener Daniel Espino.
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Cantillo → allow → Espino
Cantillo has not given up a run in 10 innings over his past two outings.
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Cantillo → give → outings
Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith finished off the combined three-hitter.
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Gaddis → finish → hitter
Smith worked the ninth for his 38th save.
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Smith → work → save
Zack Gelof hit a three-run homer for the A’s, who are 0-4 on their final road trip of 2026.
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who → hit → 2026
REDS 6, CUBS 4
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jose Trevino lined a two-run single to right field with the bases loaded in the seventh inning and Cincinnati rallied for a victory over Chicago.
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Cincinnati → line → Chicago
Michael Conforto had three hits for the Cubs, who have dropped two of three.
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who → have → three
Chicago (85-69) had the tying run at the plate with two outs in the ninth when Michael Busch was caught stealing at second base on a designed pitchout called by Trevino.
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Busch → have → Trevino
Busch was credited with the stolen base when it was overturned by instant replay.
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it → credit → replay
Chicago’s magic number to clinch a postseason spot remains at four.
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number → clinch → four
Clay Holmes (6-8) went 5 1/3 innings and allowed six runs.
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Holmes → go → runs
Eugenio Suárez tied it at 4-4 with a base hit to left to drive in Elly De La Cruz.
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Suárez → tie → Cruz
Héctor Rodríguez grounded into a fielder’s choice as Tyler Stephenson was called out at home before Trevino came through with the go-ahead hit.
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Trevino → ground → hit
De La Cruz also drove in two runs for the Reds, who had dropped three of four to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the previous series.
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who → drive → series
…and 74 more, not listed.
The Aporia
