The MLB playoff races are building as the final week is underway. The San Diego Padres and Baltimore Orioles clinched playoff spots with victories last night.
–The Padres turned a game-ending triple play to hold of the Los Angeles Dodgers to preserve a 4-2 win. They moved to within two games of the first-place Dodgers.
–The Orioles defeated the Yankees 5-3. New York still holds a five game lead over Baltimore in the A.L. East and could clinch the division with a win over the Orioles in one of the next two days.
–The Atlanta Braves defeated the New York Mets 5-1 and the San Francisco Giants shutout Arizona 11-0, allowing the Braves to move to within a half-game of a National League Wild Card..
–The Detroit Tigers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 and Kansas City defeated Washington 1-0. Both teams are now two games up on Minnesota for the final American League Wild Card.
–The Houston Astros defeated Seattle 4-3 last night and have clinched the A.L. West to reach the post-season for an eighth consecutive season. It is the Astros fourth straight American League West Division title. They are the first team to win that division four straight seasons since the Oakland A’s won it five times in a row from 1971 to 1975.