Nats and Tigers clinch division titles…Athletics in the playoffs…Yanks go one up on Orioles
UNDATED (AP) — The team that is bringing postseason baseball back to our nation’s capital for the first time in 79 years reached another milestone last night. The Washington Nationals captured the National League East crown despite a 2-0 loss to the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. The Nats secured the division title when the second-place Atlanta Braves got beat 2-1 in Pittsburgh.
Three years after winning 59 games, Washington is 96-64 and tied with Cincinnati for the top seed in the NL playoffs.
This is 69-year-old Davey Johnson’s 16th season as a big league manager. His teams have finished first or second 13 times.
Also in the National League
— Jaime Garcia homered off Bronson Arroyo and pitched into the seventh inning, helping the St. Louis Cardinals clinch a tie for the second NL wild card and spoil Dusty Baker’s return from a mini-stroke with a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The defending World Series champions have won 11 of 14 and lead the L.A. Dodgers by two games with two games left.
— The Dodgers nipped West champion San Francisco 3-2 to keep their faint wild card hopes alive. Elian Herrera singled in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the ninth for the Dodgers’ sixth straight win.
— Giancarlo Stanton hit his 37th homer, and Rob Brantly hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning to help the Miami Marlins beat the New York Mets 3-2.
— Carlos Gomez, Rickie Weeks and Jonathan Lucroy all hit home runs to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-3 win over the San Diego Padres.
— The Chicago Cubs got their 100th loss of the season when Lucas Harrell threw six shutout innings to lead the Houston Astros to a 3-0 win.
Over in the American League:
— Miguel Cabrera had four hits, including a homer during a five-run sixth inning, and the Detroit Tigers held off the Kansas City Royals 6-3 to clinch the AL Central title. The Tigers have made the postseason in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1934-35.
— Oakland is back in the playoffs for the first time in six years. The Athletics beat the first-place Texas Rangers 4-3 to remain in contention for a division crown. Coco Crisp had a go-ahead RBI double in the fifth as Oakland pulled within one game of Texas in the down-to-the-wire AL West race.
— Mike Trout had four hits and drove in three runs in Los Angeles’ 8-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners but it wasn’t enough to keep the Angels in the playoff chase.
— Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Russell Martin and Mark Teixeira homered in a nine-run second inning, and the New York Yankees routed the Boston Red Sox 10-2 Monday night to open a one-game lead over Baltimore in the AL East with two games to play.
— Baltimore lost 5-3 at Tampa Bay and dropped into second place. Alex Cobb allowed two hits over seven innings. The Rays have won 11 of 12 but were eliminated from the wild card chase.
— Rookie Hector Santiago allowed just one hit in seven shutout innings as the Chicago White Sox posted an 11-0 win over Cleveland, but were eliminated in the AL Central race.
— Anthony Gose singled home the winning run in the 10th inning as the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to beat the Minnesota Twins 6-5.
A beat-down in Big-D
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Charles Tillman returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown and Lance Briggs also returned an interception for a TD as the Chicago Bears routed the Dallas Cowboys 34-18. The Bears are 3-1 at the quarter pole of the NFL season.
Tony Romo threw five interceptions, matching the most in his career. Major Wright had two of the picks as the Cowboys fell to 2-2.
Jay Cutler totally outplayed Romo. The Bears quarterback completed 18 of 24 passes for 275 yards and two TDs.
Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte returned to the Bears lineup after missing the last game with a sprained right ankle and being limited in practice all week. He had 52 yards on 13 carries.
Pagano undergoing cancer treatment
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — It took Chuck Pagano less than nine months to instill his fighter’s mentality and hopeful spirit in the Indianapolis Colts.
He will need both to survive the biggest battle of his life — leukemia.
In a somber news conference Monday, the Colts announced that their new coach had been hospitalized for cancer treatment and probably would not return to full coaching duties this season. He will be replaced on an interim basis by offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.
Holmes could miss time
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Santonio Holmes is expected to be sidelined at least a few weeks after injuring his left foot early in the fourth quarter of the New York Jets’ 34-0 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Coach Rex Ryan says X-rays on the wide receiver’s foot were negative, but the team is awaiting results of an MRI exam. Ryan adds that he’s not sure “how many weeks” Holmes will be out, but says it looks “doubtful” for this week.
With All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis likely out for the season with a torn ligament in his left knee, the Jets signed Aaron Berry to add much-needed depth to their secondary. Detroit terminated Berry’s contract in July after his second arrest of the summer.
New-look Lakers on display
UNDATED (AP) — Dwight Howard says he’s ready to learn about winning from Kobe Bryant.
Howard and Bryant wore their gold uniforms together Monday as the Lakers opened training camp with a revamped roster and sky-high expectations.
Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash, Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace joined Howard and Bryant in Los Angeles’ new starting five.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
N-Y Yankees 10 Boston 2
Chi White Sox 11 Cleveland 0
Toronto 6 Minnesota 5, 10 Innings
Tampa Bay 5 Baltimore 3
Detroit 6 Kansas City 3
Oakland 4 Texas 3
L.A. Angels 8 Seattle 4
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 2 Atlanta 1
Philadelphia 2 Washington 0
Miami 3 N-Y Mets 2
Houston 3 Chi Cubs 0
Milwaukee 5 San Diego 3
St. Louis 4 Cincinnati 2
Colorado 7 Arizona 5, 13 Innings
L.A. Dodgers 3 San Francisco 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Chicago 34 Dallas 18
