WASHINGTON — Ronald Acuña Jr. ignited a four-run rally with the go-ahead, two-run double, as the NL East leading Atlanta Braves clinched a playoff berth with a 10-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.
Acuña Jr.’s double down the left-field line off of Nationals reliever Fernando Rodney added fuel to a dramatic seventh inning for the Braves (93-57), who reduced their magic number to four to clinch their 19th division title.
The win eliminated the Phillies from winning the NL East.
Earlier in the seventh, Charlie Culberson was struck directly on the right cheekbone by a 91 mph fastball on Rodney’s first pitch of the game.
Culberson, who was pinch-hitting for starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz, remained on his back for several minutes as trainers pressed a towel to his face. He was eventually helped to his feet and onto the back of a cart, clutching the towel to his face.
Atlanta manager Brian Snitker was enraged that Culberson was charged with a swinging strike on the play and was thrown out for the 13th time, including four this season.
The Braves hardly missed a beat, though, as Acuña Jr. and Albies immediately followed with back-to-back doubles that drove in runs.
CHICAGO — Kris Bryant and rookie Nico Hoerner each homered among three hits, and Chicago went deep four times to set a club record with 237 home runs to pound Pittsburgh.
Bryant hit a two-run shot in the fourth and had four RBIs. Hoerner’s second homer in two days, a three-run drive in the sixth, broke the Cubs’ old mark of 235, established in 2004.
TORONTO — James Paxton pitched five innings to win his ninth straight start, Brett Gardner homered twice and drove in five runs and New York hit five homers in a win over Toronto.
CLEVELAND — Five Minnesota pitchers combined to stop Cleveland’s offense and the Twins widened their lead in the AL Central by defeating the Indians in the first game of Saturday’s day-night doubleheader.
The Twins were forced to go with a bullpen game in both ends of the doubleheader after Friday night’s game was postponed by rain in the third inning.