Braves clinch

The Atlanta Braves clinched their first National League East crown since 2013, with Mike Foltynewicz taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning Saturday in a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

BRAVES 5, PHILLIES 3

ATLANTA — Freddie Freeman stood soaked in champagne with music blaring and his teammates jamming in celebration.

This was just how the longtime star first baseman envisioned it when the Atlanta Braves began spring training seven months ago.

“You could tell after the first week of workouts that we had the talent to do something special,” Freeman said. “Obviously we still needed to put it together. But this is what happens. You win the division after three straight 90-loss seasons.”

The Braves capped a most surprising season by clinching their first NL East crown since 2013, with Mike Foltynewicz taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning Saturday in a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

A year after going 70-92, manager Brian Snitker and his Baby Braves surged back into the playoffs. A loud crowd at SunTrust Park joined the party when rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. caught a flyball for the final out, setting off another round of the Tomahawk

Chop and a big celebration on the field.

“When we started this series, we knew it was within our grasp,” Snitker said. “We knew we couldn’t lose track of today. I know I’m redundant saying that all the time, but I felt we just needed to stay current and worry about today’s game. These guys have done an unbelievable job of that this year.”

The Braves will make their first postseason appearance since 2013 on Oct. 4 in the NL Division Series. It has not yet been determined who or where the youth-filled club will play in the best-of-five round. Atlanta won its 18th division title, tying the New York Yankees for the most in the majors since division play began in 1969. CARDINALS 5, GIANTS 4, 10 INNINGS

Tyler O’Neill hit a solo home run with two outs in the 10th inning and the St. Louis Cardinals held their playoff position, rallying past the San Francisco Giants. Yadier Molina also homered for St. Louis, which began the day 1½ games ahead of Colorado for the second NL wild-card spot. The Cardinals, who have seven games remaining, started three games behind Milwaukee for the top wild-card slot. St. Louis won for the fifth time in six games. San Francisco has lost three in a row. O’Neill hit his ninth homer, connecting off Mark Melancon (0-3) to give the Cardinals their 11th walk-off win of the season. Carlos Martinez (8-6) pitched two scoreless innings.

NATIONALS 6, METS 0 Rookie Austin Voth and four relievers combined on a one-hitter and Washington posted the shutout hours after being officially eliminated from playoff contention. Matt Wieters and Trea Turner homered for Washington. Voth (1-1), making his second major league start, allowed only an infield single to Michael Conforto leading off the fourth inning. Voth struck out five with two walks in five innings.

The Nationals’ loss Friday night, coupled with the Atlanta Braves’ win, knocked them out of the NL East race. Then, shortly after Saturday’s game began, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Francisco Giants on a 10th-inning homer, ending Washington’s wild card hopes. Favored to win a third straight division title, the Nationals slid into third place on June 22 and remained there. AMERICAN LEAGUE

BLUE JAYS 5, RAYS 2 Rookie left-hander Thomas Pannone pitched 6 2-3 innings to win his third straight start, Rowdy Tellez homered and drove in three and Toronto dealt another blow to Tampa Bay’s faint playoff hopes. Tellez singled in the second, hit a two-run homer in the fourth, and added an insurance run with an RBI double in the eighth. Tommy Pham and Jesus Sucre hit solo home runs for the Rays, who began the day 6 1-2 games behind Oakland in the race for the second AL wild card. Tampa Bay has eight games remaining. Pannone (4-1) allowed two runs and six hits. He walked three and struck out five. Tyler Glasnow (2-7) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings to lose for the fourth time in five starts. He’s 0-2 with an 8.49 ERA in three starts against Toronto. YANKEES 3, ORIOLES 2, 11 INNINGS

Aaron Hicks doubled home the winning run in the 11th inning, and New York clinched an AL wild card spot. Rookie manager Aaron Boone will lead the Yankees into the winner-take-all Oct. 3 wild-card game, most likely against Oakland. The Yankees began the day 1½ games ahead of the Athletics for home-field advantage and are 53-27

at home this season. Hicks and Luke Voit homered in the second inning, but the Orioles tied the score with runs in the third and the fifth off Lance Lynn. The Yankees finally broke through after Didi Gregorius singled off Paul Fry (0-1) starting the 11th. Giancarlo Stanton struck out. Hicks fouled a pitch off his left foot, then took a ball. He lined a low, inside slider down the left-field line, and Gregorius sped home, sliding in headfirst ahead of shortstop Jonathan Villar’s relay throw. Gregorius spread his arms wide, and the Yankees poured out of the dugout to celebrate. Tommy Kahnle (2-0) pitched a one-hit 11th. Baltimore dropped to 44-110, one shy of the franchise record for losses set by the 1939 St. Louis Browns. The Orioles entered 60½ games out of first place.

TIGERS 5, ROYALS 4 Mikie Mahtook hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, and Detroit was a winner in Victor Martinez’s final major league game. With the score tied at 3, Niko Goodrum led off the eighth with his third hit of the game, a single off Jason Hammel (3-14). Mahtook then lined Hammel’s 1-0 slider over the left-field fence for his ninth homer. The 39-yearold Martinez, who made his debut with Cleveland in 2002, hit an infield single in his first at-bat and was immediately removed for pinch-runner Ronny Rodriguez. Fellow Venezuelans Salvador Perez and Alcides Escobar came out of the Royals’ dugout to embrace the five-time All-Star as he walked off the field to a standing ovation. Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann allowed two runs on three hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out five.