MLB roundup: Shohei Ohtani makes history as Dodgers clinch playoff place
Ohtani went 6-for-6 with 10 RBIs, three homers, two doubles, two steals and four runs. He got to 50-50 with an opposite-field homer in the seventh inning, earning a standing ovation from the crowd in Miami. He finished the night with 51 homers - a new Dodgers season record, breaking Shawn Green's mark of 49 in 2001 - and 51 steals.
The Dodgers, who have made the playoffs 12 straight years, got solid pitching from Jack Flaherty (13-7). He went six innings, allowing five hits, two walks and three runs. He is 3-0 in three career starts in Miami, and his 13 wins this season are a career-best.
Marlins starter Edward Cabrera (4-8) took the loss after wildness limited him to just 2 1/3 innings. He walked five, hit a batter and gave up four hits in surrendering seven runs.
Astros 3, Angels 1
Jon Singleton slapped a two-run, two-out double into centre field in the bottom of the eighth inning and hosts Houston beat the Angels, remaining unbeaten in nine games started by Yusei Kikuchi.
Singleton capped a rally against Angels reliever Ryan Miller (0-1) by lining a 1-2 sweeper to centre field. Yordan Alvarez - who had worked a leadoff walk - and Yainer Diaz scored to snap a 1-1 deadlock.
Kikuchi pitched six innings, giving up five hits and one walk and striking out nine. Hector Neris, Bryan Abreu (3-3) and Josh Hader - who notched his 32nd save - worked a scoreless inning each as the Astros reduced their magic number to clinch the American League West to five games.
Diamondbacks 5, Brewers 1
Brandon Pfaadt took a one-hit shutout into the seventh inning as visiting Arizona kept pace in the National League wildcard chase by beating Milwaukee.
Pfaadt (10-9) allowed only a single in the fourth inning before Garrett Mitchell's two-out solo homer in the seventh cut Arizona's lead to 3-1. Pfaadt struck out a career-high 12, including seven in a row to tie a franchise record, and walked none in a 104-pitch outing. A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez each followed with a perfect inning to complete the two-hitter as Arizona moved within two games of idle San Diego for the top NL wild-card spot.
The Diamondbacks snapped a scoreless tie with three runs on one hit in the fifth. Gabriel Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo opened with consecutive walks. Corbin Carroll then reached on an error by third baseman Andruw Monasterio, with Moreno scoring.
Mets 10, Phillies 6
Brandon Nimmo hit the tie-breaking homer in the third inning and finished with three RBIs for red-hot New York, who beat visiting Philadelphia in the opener of a four-game series between the National League East rivals.
Mark Vientos and Pete Alonso hit back-to-back homers in the first inning and Francisco Alvarez hit a three-run shot in the fourth for the Mets, who scored at least 10 runs for a third straight game for the first time in franchise history.
Trea Turner briefly tied the game by hitting a two-run homer in the top of the third while Bryce Harper had a two-run double for the NL East-leading Phillies, who missed a chance to clinch a playoff berth.
Pirates 3, Cardinals 2
Nick Gonzales went 2-for-4 with a triple, a run and the decisive RBI as visiting Pittsburgh edged St. Louis.
Yasmani Grandal hit a home run for the Pirates, who avoided a four-game sweep. Luis Ortiz allowed two runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked two. Reliever Carmen Mlodzinski (4-5) recorded the victory and Aroldis Chapman earned his 10th save.
Brendan Donovan went 4-for-4 with two RBIs for the Cardinals. Erick Fedde allowed one run on four hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked one. Reliever JoJo Romero (7-3) took the loss.
