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MIAMI — (AP) — Their slow get started now some distance in the back of them, Ronald Acuña Jr. and the World Series champion Atlanta Braves wanted only one extra win to finish a maximum surprising turnaround.
They earned it Tuesday evening, beating the Miami Marlins 2-1 to take their 5th straight NL East title and end the primary leg of a trek they hope leads them to any other crown.
Afterward, they popped Champagne and puffed cigars, basking of their accomplishment.
“It’s hard to win one,” supervisor Brian Snitker stated. “To win five is pretty special. It’s a credit to our organization.”
William Contreras drove within the go-ahead run with an infield unmarried within the 5th, and the Atlanta pitching team of workers grew to become in a forged efficiency.
With the win, Atlanta earned a first-round bye because the No. 2 seed within the NL, in the back of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Braves had been 10 1/2 video games in the back of the New York Mets firstly of June and misplaced 4 of 5 to New York in early August. But they had been in acquainted territory. Atlanta used to be 30-35 at one level ultimate season earlier than profitable the World Series.
“To keep plugging along and the consistency that these guys showed throughout the whole year,” Snitker stated. “Coming to work every day and worrying about today. They didn’t get caught up that we were behind.”
Acuña, whose 2021 season ended when he tore his ACL on this similar ballpark, hit a two-out unmarried in the second one, scoring Orlando Arcia and giving the Braves a 1-0 lead.
“I am feeling so much happiness and joy,” Acuña stated. He couldn’t get via his postgame interview with out teammates dousing him in champagne. “Last year, I couldn’t experience this because of my injury. I am so happy to be a part of this club.”
The Braves swept the Mets over the weekend to take the department lead and entered the Marlins collection wanting a win or a Mets loss to clinch the department crown.
The Mets swept the Washington Nationals in Tuesday’s doubleheader however needed to accept a wild-card spot.
Kenley Jansen recorded his forty first save, operating a great 9th to seal the win.
Starter Jake Odorizzi (6-6), who joined the workforce on the industry closing date, allowed one run in 5 innings. He struck out six, and gave up simplest two hits, together with a house run by means of Jesús Sánchez within the fourth.
“It’s great to be a part of this,’ he said. “Every one of these is special. I was only here for two months of it but it doesn’t make it less special. It’s pretty fantastic.”
Reliever A.J. Minter escaped Miami’s risk within the 8th. Jon Berti hit a one-out double and stole his forty first base of the season. Bryan De La Cruz and Avisaíl García walked to load the bases. But Nick Fortes, pinch-hitting for Sánchez, popped out to finish the inning.
“We tried to throw our best guys out there today and extend this thing,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “We got out of some jams and stayed in the game. We just weren’t able to get that last hit.”
The Braves didn’t make the most of many probabilities on the plate to stretch their lead, however their pitchers held the Marlins to 4 hits.
Collin McHugh and Raisel Iglesias pitched scoreless innings within the 6th and 7th in reduction of Odorizzi.
In the fourth, Sánchez hit Odorizzi’s first pitch over the suitable box wall to tie the sport.
Miami starter Braxton Garrett (3-7) used to be pulled within the 5th after Contreras hit a two-out infield unmarried, which scored Travis d’Arnaud and allowed Atlanta to retake the lead.
Contreras had two hits and an RBI.
Garrett allowed six hits, two runs, walked 5 and struck out seven.
The Braves, three hundred and sixty five days after profitable their first World Series title since 1995, are playoff-bound with out All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman, who signed with the Dodgers in March as a unfastened agent.
Atlanta additionally has 100 wins for the primary time since 2003 (101-61). The Braves completed 88-73 within the steady season ultimate yr.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Michael Harris II notched Atlanta’s first sacrifice bunt of the season within the fourth inning to advance Arcia to 2nd and Contreras to 3rd.
As 160 video games went by means of, it seemed like the Braves may well be the primary workforce in MLB historical past to finish a complete season with out bunting.
The Braves didn’t rating off it, even after the Marlins deliberately walked Acuña within the subsequent at bat to load the bases. Dansby Swanson struck out to finish the inning.
ALCANTARA WINS MARLINS MVP
Pitcher Sandy Alcantara used to be named Miami’s Most Valuable Player, as voted by means of participants of the South Florida bankruptcy of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Alcantara, who has been in Cy Young competition all season, leads the majors with 228 2/3 innings and has pitched six whole video games.
BRAVE OF THE YEAR
Third baseman Austin Riley is the repeat winner of Brave of the Year in balloting by means of the Atlanta Chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, edging out Swanson and Harris.
Riley is the 8th participant to be named Brave of the Year in consecutive seasons for the reason that workforce moved to Atlanta in 1966. The others are Phil Niekro, Dale Murphy, Terry Pendleton, Greg Maddux, Chipper Jones, Craig Kimbrel and Freeman.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: Placed RHP Edward Cabrera at the 15-day IL with a proper ankle sprain.
UP NEXT
RHP Elieser Hernández (3-6, 6.33) will pitch for the Marlins in Wednesday’s regular-season finale. The Braves have not introduced their starter.
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