UP
The Tigers had a 220-bottle champagne celebration after clinching their first playoff berth since 1987 with an 11-4 win over the Royals. “Those guys out there in the clubhouse made me pretty smart,” manager Jim Leyland said. “I don’t take the credit. They are good players.”
UP
The Dodgers’ Nomar Garciaparra, battling a sore left quadriceps, provided the heroics for the second time in seven games, hitting a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the ninth in a 5-1 win over the Diamondbacks that kept the Dodgers a half-game back in the wild-card race.
UP
Second baseman Chase Utley homered twice and drove in four as the Phillies overcame a four-run deficit to beat the Marlins 10-7 for their fifth straight win to remain in the wild-card lead. He was 10-for-14 with three homers in the series and lifted his average 10 points to .309.
THREE DOWN
DOWN
The A’s magic number is still 2 to wrap up the AL West after a second straight loss to the second-place Angels, who clinched the West in Oakland the last two years. “We’ve got a whole week to win a couple. I like our chances,” said Frank Thomas, hitless in 13 at-bats.
DOWN
Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez went 0-for-3 to extend his slide to 4-for-28, popping out with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning in an 11-4 loss to the Devil Rays. He has not had a hit since a critical Sports Illustrated cover story about him came out.
DOWN
The Braves’ streak of 14 straight postseason appearances officially ended after the Phillies won and Atlanta lost 9-8 to the Rockies, blowing a 7-0 lead. “We haven’t played the way we want to play, and that’s why we are where we’re at,” the Braves’ Andruw Jones said.
