NEW YORK: Right-hander Stephen Strasburg threw seven scoreless innings to help Washington to a win over the Atlanta Braves and reduce the Nationals’ magic number for winning the National League East to two.
The Nationals (86-63) could clinch their second division title in three years by beating Atlanta on Tuesday.
Atlanta (75-75) have lost four successive games.
Strasburg (12-11) allowed five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out seven. He also drove in a run with a single in the seventh.
Atlanta starter Ervin Santana (14-9) threw six solid innings, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks, with six strikeouts.
Royals 4, White Sox 3
Kansas City rallied for two runs in the ninth inning to come back from a 3-0 deficit and keep pace in their division race. The Royals (82-67) scored runs in the seventh and eighth innings to pull within 3-2, then beat Chicago reliever Jake Petricka in the ninth where they tied the score on a wild pitch and won on Lorenzo Cain’s infield single.
Orioles 5, Blue Jays 2
Ryan Flaherty hit a two-run homer and Nelson Cruz and Adam Jones each drove in a run as the Baltimore Orioles clinched at least a tie for the American League East title with a victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
The victory reduced Baltimore’s magic number to one over the Jays (77-72). One more win for the Orioles (90-60) would clinch their first division title in 17 years.
Marlins 6, Mets 5
Rookie right-hander Jacob deGrom tied a modern record by striking out the first eight batters he faced but didn’t factor into the decision after the New York Mets blew a pair of two-run leads in a loss to the Miami Marlins. Marlins scored 3 runs in each of 7th and 8th innings.
Rays 1, Yankees 0
Ben Zobrist’s RBI single to right field off reliever Shawn Kelley broke up a scoreless pitcher’s duel in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays walked off with a win over the New York Yankees.
REUTERS
