The Dodgers clinched their first NL West title in four years without lifting a bat after Arizona’s loss. “It’s fine with me we don’t have to do it on the field,” Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.
Roy Halladay pitched his major-league-leading ninth complete game to become the AL’s second 20-game winner in the Blue Jays’ 8-2 win over the Yankees. It’s his second 20-win season.
Jon Lester kept the Red Sox in the AL East race with six innings of two-hit ball in a 6-1 win over the Indians. It was Lester’s 16th win of the year and kept Tampa Bay’s magic number at 1 for the East title.
THREE DOWN
D’backs third baseman Mark Reynolds has a chance to really make a name for himself this season. Reynolds could be the first player to lead the majors in strikeouts and errors since 1965.
At least Jesse Chavez can say his first ML pitching decision was memorable. Chavez served up the walk-off grand slam to Ryan Braun in the Pirates’ 5-1 loss to the Brewers in the 10th.
Entering the ninth with a seven-run lead, the Astros needed closer Jose Valverde to finish off an 8-6 win over the Reds, who scored four in the ninth off Alberto Arias and five in the inning overall.
———-
EDITED BY BOB FOLTMAN AND THOMAS L. OUTLAW
