September 20 – Shohei Ohtani becomes the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 runs in the same season, as his team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, beat host Miami 20–4 on Thursday afternoon and the Marlins clinched a spot in the playoffs.
Ohtani went 6-for-6 with 10 RBIs, three home runs, two doubles, two steals and four runs scored. He hit a home run in the seventh inning to tie the score at 50-50 and received a standing ovation from the Miami crowd. He hit 51 home runs that night (a new Dodgers season record, breaking Sean Green’s record of 49 home runs in 2001) and 51 interceptions.
The Dodgers, who have made the playoffs for the 12th consecutive year, get solid pitching from Jack Flaherty (13-7). He pitched six innings, allowing five hits, two runs and three walks. His career record in three starts at Miami is 3-0, and his 13 wins this season are the best of his career.
Marlins starter Edward Cabrera (4-8) suffered the loss because of a wild streak that limited him to just 2 1/3 innings. He reached base five times, struck out one batter, allowed four hits and struck out seven.
Astronaut 3, Angel 1
John Singleton hit a two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning and host Houston beat Los Angeles and remained undefeated in nine games with Yuki Kikuchi starting.
Singleton reached center field on a 1-2 count, breaking the deadlock with Angels reliever Ryan Miller (0-1). Yordan Alvarez opened the scoring and Yener Diaz scored to break the 1-1 deadlock.
Kikuchi went six innings, allowing five hits, walking one and striking out nine. Hector Neris, Bryan Abreu (3-3) and Josh Hader (recording his 32nd save) all pitched a scoreless inning and the Astros lowered the magic number for the American League West title to five games.
Diamondbacks 5, Brewers 1
Brandon Faft hit a shutout single in the seventh inning to help visiting Arizona beat Milwaukee and stay in step with the National League wild-card chase.
Pfuter (10-9) allowed only one run in the fourth inning before Garrett Mitchell hit a two-out solo homer in the seventh to cut Arizona’s lead to 3-1. Pfuter struck out a career-high 12, including seven straight to tie a franchise record, and didn’t give up a base hit in 104 pitches. AJ Puk and Justin Martinez each pitched a perfect inning, finishing with two hits to give Arizona a two-game lead over idle San Diego for the NFC title game.
The Diamondbacks broke a dead tie by scoring three runs on one hit in the fifth inning. Gabriel Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo loaded the bases with back-to-back walks. Corbin Carroll then reached base on third baseman Andrew Monasterio’s error, scoring Moreno.
Mets 10, Philadelphia 6
Brandon Nimmo hit the game-winning homer and drove in three runs in the third inning to give New York a win in the opener of a four-game series between the National League East Philadelphia teams.
Mark Vientos and Pete Alonso hit back-to-back homers in the first inning, and Francisco Álvarez hit a three-run shot in the fourth for the Mets, making it the first time in franchise history that the Mets hit back-to-back home runs in a third game to earn at least 10 points.
Trea Turner briefly tied the game with a two-run homer in the top of the third, and Bryce Harper added a two-run double for the NL East-leading Phillies, with a chance to enter the playoffs.
Pirates 3, Cardinals 2
Nick Gonzales had a triple, a run and the decisive RBI. He went 2-for-4 with a home run in Pittsburgh’s win over St. Louis.
Yasmani Grandal homered for the Pirates, giving them their fourth consecutive win. Luis Ortiz allowed two runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out seven and struck out two. Reliever Carmen Molozynski (4-5) got the win and Aroldis Chapman earned his 10th save.
The Cardinals’ Brandon Donovan went 4-4 with a run and two walks. Eric Feder allowed one run on four hits in six innings. He had three strikeouts and a walk. Reliever JoJo Romero (7-3) lost the game.
Guardians 3, Twins 2 (10 games)
Andrés Gimenez had three hits, including an RBI single in the 10th inning, helping Cleveland beat Minnesota and secure a playoff spot.
Minnesota’s Caleb Thielba (2-4) was on the mound, Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez had an automatic runner on second base in the 10th inning, and Josh Naylor was first on base on an intentional strikeout of Ryan Thomas. Jimenez then hit a single to right field to end the game.
Kyle Manzardo also had three hits for Cleveland, giving the team its fifth win in six games and clinching at least a wild-card spot in the upcoming playoffs.
Golden Nightingale 5, Giant 3
Anthony Sanchez hit a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to give Baltimore the lead over San Francisco.
Sanchez got four consecutive doubles off Ryan Walker before hitting his 42nd home run of the year. Jackson Holliday had a two-run hit and Jake Eflin pitched six strong innings to help the Orioles snap a three-game losing streak.
Trying to hold on to a 3-2 lead in the ninth, Baltimore closer Serrantny Dominguez gave up bases-loaded walks to Patrick Bailey and Heliot Ramos to lead off the inning. Casey Schmidt smashed a hit to right-center, striking out Baltimore outfielders Cedric Mullins and Austin Slater. Brett Wisely tied the game by adding a run for Bailey. Michael Conforto also homered for the Giants for the second consecutive day.
Warriors 15, Reds 3
Matt Olson and Michael Harris II each hit two home runs and Atlanta beat host Cincinnati in the rubber game of the three-game series.
Harris went 3 for 5, including four RBIs and four runs. Ramon Laureano and Jorge Soler also hit three-run home runs for the Braves. Starter Chris Sale (18-3) tied a career high with his 18th win. He allowed two runs on five hits, walked two and struck out six in five innings.
Rookie Blake Dunn hit his first major league home run in the best-of-three win for the Reds, who have lost five of their last eight games. Dunn scored three times. Eli De La Cruz had three of Cincinnati’s 10 hits.
Mariners 3, Yankees 2
Logan Gilbert snapped a six-game winning streak and Seattle won the final game of a three-game series against visiting New York City.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered for the Yankees, who beat Baltimore 2-1 in 10 innings on Wednesday night to clinch a playoff spot and move four games ahead of Baltimore in the AL East.
Gilbert (8-11), winless since Aug. 10, allowed two runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander recorded two walks and nine strikeouts for the Mariners.
Blue Jays 4, Rangers 0
Kevin Gausman pitched five hitless innings and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a pair of solo homers in the first two runs as Toronto earned the win over Dirk Arlington, Sask.
Guerrero went 3 for 4, struck out three and walked one. Gausman (13-11) pitched well through 4 1/3 innings before Nathaniel Lowe took over. Gausman had six strikeouts and no hits in 58 pitches and was taken out because of “lower back tightness,” according to the team.
Texas managed only two hits and lost for the sixth time in its last nine games. In his second major league start and home debut, Rangers rookie right-hander Kumar Roark (0-1) allowed two runs (ERA), two hits and four walks, striking out five in three innings.
Rays 2, Red Sox 0
By Jake Little In St. Petersburg, Florida, Tampa Bay gave up just one hit through seven innings with a shutout win over Boston.
Little (8-9), in his 28th start, struck out seven batters and didn’t move any bases in an economical 75-pitch inning. He struck out 21 of the 22 batters he faced and allowed just one run, a single in the third inning to Nick Sogard, the Red Sox’s only baserunner on the night. The Rays’ Brandon Low got an RBI hit and Jose Caballero had an RBI hit, recording his 44th stolen base in the American League.
Red Sox starter Brian Belo allowed one run on five hits in 5 2/3 innings, recording seven strikeouts and two walk-offs.
Cubs 7, Citizens 6
Dansby Swanson had three hits and scored four runs, and Cody Bellinger drove in three runs. The score put host Chicago ahead of Washington.
Chicago’s Seiya Suzuki hit a two-run homer and Ian Happ had three hits and drove in two runs. Isaac Paredes drove in two runs for the Cubs, who ended a two-game losing streak with 12 hits.
Washington’s Joey Gallo hit a three-run homer and James Wood, Andres Chaparro and Jose Turner each drove in a run. C.J. Abrams had four hits and scored twice for the Nationals, who scored 29 points during the four-game losing streak.
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