PHOENIX — The Houston Astros rallied to clinch their third straight AL West title, beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-1 on Sunday behind Christian Javier’s six sturdy innings and Alex Bregman’s two-run homer.
Needing a win and a Texas loss to win the division, the Astros did their half by leaping on Kyle Nelson (7-4) from the primary pitch. Houston had a 5-0 lead after two innings and Javier (10-5) held an Arizona lineup largely devoid of on a regular basis gamers to a few hits.
Kyle Tucker had a sacrifice fly to complete with 112 RBIs, most within the AL and third within the majors. Jose Abreu added a two-run homer within the seventh to clinch Houston’s sixth AL West title in seven years after the Rangers misplaced 1-0 to Seattle.
The Astros have a first-round bye within the AL playoffs whereas Arizona will play at Milwaukee in a best-of-three NL wild-card sequence that begins Tuesday.
Houston had a stable observe as much as its second World Sequence title, ending 90-72 after going 106-56 final season. The Astros’ fourth straight victory to shut the common season gave supervisor Dusty Baker his thirteenth season with not less than 90 wins.
The Diamondbacks backed into the playoffs, scoring two runs in three video games in opposition to the Astros to shut the common season on a four-game shedding streak. Arizona completed 84-78 after going 74-88 final season and shedding 110 video games the yr earlier than.
The Astros and Diamondbacks had duel celebrations Saturday evening after clinching playoff spots.
Houston did it with a 1-0 victory over Arizona that led to a muted response within the clubhouse for the reigning World Sequence champions.
The Diamondbacks celebrated within the dugout when Cincinnati’s 15-6 loss to St. Louis clinched their first playoff berth since 2017. That they had a way more raucous celebration after the sport, a celebration that spilled over into the pool behind Chase Area’s right-center wall.
Nonetheless inside attain of the AL West title, the Astros jumped on the Diamondbacks early, needing two pitches to take a 2-0 lead.
Jose Altuve opened with a single and Bregman adopted together with his twenty fifth homer, a two-run shot to left. Houston scored one other run on Arizona first baseman Emmanuel Rivera’s throwing error and went up 4-0 on Jeremy Pena’s run-scoring single.
Tucker hit a sacrifice fly within the second inning and made it 6-0 within the fifth with a triple and head’s up baserunning after Diamondbacks shortstop Jordan Lawlar held the relay throw.
UP NEXT
Houston: The Astros have a first-round bye within the AL.
Arizona: The Diamondbacks will face Milwaukee in an NL wild card playoff sequence beginning Tuesday.
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