MLB FINALIZES PLAYOFF FIELD ON FINAL DAY… There was drama on yesterday’s final day of MLB’s 2023 regular season as the Astros sneaked past the Rangers to capture the AL West title. The development came after Houston, which trailed Texas by 6-1/2 games in late June, rolled past the Diamondbacks 8-1 and the Rangers fell at Seattle 1-0. Houston and Texas both finished 90-72 but the Astros won their third consecutive AL West title and sixth in seven years on the basis of winning the season series. As the second seed, Houston gets a first-round bye and awaits the winner of the Wild Card Series between the Twins and Blue Jays.
The Astros victory also dropped Toronto to the third AL wild card slot. The Blue Jays fell yesterday to top AL wild card Tampa Bay 12-8.
Meanwhile, Arizona’s loss to Houston handed the NL’s fifth seed to wild-card Miami even before the Marlins were blanked by the Pirates 3-0.
IN OTHER GAMES SUNDAY…
NL
NL West-champion L.A. Dodgers 5, SAN FRANCISCO 2…
NL wild card Philadelphia 9, N.Y. METS 1…
Washington 10, NL East-champion Atlanta 9…
NL Central-champion MILWAUKEE 4, Chi. Cubs 0…
ST. LOUIS 4, Cincinnati 3
AL
Boston 6, AL East-champion BALTIMORE 1…
L.A. ANGELS 7, Oakland 3…
DETROIT 5, Cleveland 2…
KANSAS CITY 5, N.Y. Yankees 2
INTERLEAGUE
COLORADO 3, AL Central-champion Minnesota 2…
San Diego 2, CHI. WHITE SOX 1