Game roundup: Zimmermann no-hits Marlins in finale
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Jordan Zimmermann, in a dazzling tune-up for a postseason start, threw a no-hitter as the National League East champion Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 1-0 on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams before a roaring crowd of 35,085.
He retired center fielder Christian Yelich for the final out of the game on a diving catch in left field by rookie Stephen Souza Jr.
Zimmermann retired the first 14 batters before Justin Bour, the first baseman, drew a two-out walk in the fifth. Zimmermann then retired catcher J.T. Realmuto on a liner to short -- the third line drive out of the inning.
While holding Miami hitless, Zimmermann had singles in the fifth and seventh. The right-hander fanned 10 batters.
A's 4, Rangers 0
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Sonny Gray pitched a shutout and Oakland clinched the American League's second wild-card spot with a victory over Texas.
Josh Reddick and Stephen Vogt had run-scoring hits in the second for the A's, who added two runs in the ninth. It was more than enough for Gray (14-10), who gave up six hits, walked none and struck out five.
The A's, who entered the game needing a win or a Seattle Mariners loss to clinch a playoff berth, will travel to Kansas City for the AL wild-card game on Tuesday evening.
Tigers 3, Twins 0
DETROIT -- A dominant David Price scattered four hits over 7 1/3 shutout innings to give Detroit its fourth American League Central Division championship in a row.
The Tigers made a two-RBI game by second baseman Ian Kinsler stand up.
Right-hander Joba Chamberlain finished the eighth and right-hander Joe Nathan the ninth to get his 35th save.
Royals 6, White Sox 4
CHICAGO -- Kansas City did its part, but did not get the help it needed in Detroit to force a tie atop the AL Central.
The Royals' win was rendered moot about halfway through thanks to the Tigers' victory to secure the title. Kansas City will host the Oakland Athletics in the AL wild-card game Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium in the Royals' first postseason appearance since 1985.
Third baseman Christian Colon's two-run double keyed a three-run sixth inning for the Royals, who replaced their entire starting lineup in the fifth, after learning of the Tigers' win.
A's 4, Rangers 0
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Right-hander Sonny Gray pitched a shutout and Oakland clinched the AL's second wild-card spot.
Right fielder Josh Reddick and first baseman Stephen Vogt had run-scoring hits in the second for Oakland, which added two runs in the ninth.
Left fielder Brandon Moss led off the second with a double. Reddick followed with his seventh triple of the season. With one out, Vogt drove in Reddick with a base hit to left.
Reds 4, Pirates 1
CINCINNATI -- Kristopher Negron went 3-for-4 including a two-run homer, helping Johnny Cueto become Cincinnati's first 20-game winner in 26 years.
The Reds ended Pittsburgh's hopes of a National League Central title.
Neil Walker homered for Pittsburgh, which faces the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday in the NL wild-card game at PNC Park.
Orioles 1, Blue Jays 0
TORONTO -- Jonathan Schoop homered and Miguel Gonzalez pitched five innings for Baltimore.
Gonzalez allowed five hits and struck out two as he snapped a two-game losing streak of his own and the Orioles ended their three-game string of losses. The Blue Jays had won the first two games of the three-game series and finished their season with a 5-2 home stand.
The Orioles, who are the American League East champions, have three days off before beginning their postseason competition.
Yankees 9, Red Sox 5
BOSTON -- Derek Jeter delivered an RBI single in the final at-bat of his illustrious 20-year career for New York.
The 40-year-old Yankees' captain went 1-for-2 in his last game before being removed for a pinch runner in the third inning after driving in New York's third run with a high infield chopper that bounced off third baseman Garin Cecchini's hand.
New York right-hander Michael Pineda held Boston to three hits and one run while striking out 10 in 6 1/3 innings.
Cubs 5, Brewers 2
MILWAUKEE -- Anthony Rizzo hit his 32nd home run of the season and Chicago's collection of youngsters provided reason for optimism next year.
Rizzo, the Cubs' first baseman, went 3-for-4 and also reached on a walk to cap off a 6-for-11 series.
Rizzo put the Cubs on the board with a two-run home run off Brewers right-hander Mike Fiers in the first, then scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning when he came home on center fielder Arismendy Alcantara's two-run double that broke a 2-2 tie.
Mets 8, Astros 3
NEW YORK -- Houston second baseman Jose Altuve locked up the American League batting championship but New York won the season finale when Lucas Duda collected four RBI.
Altuve went 2-for-4 with an RBI to raise his average to .341. Martinez went 0-for-3 for the Tigers and finishes the season at .335. The 24-year-old Altuve is the first batting champion in Astros history.
Duda hit the 90-RBI mark with a two-run, tie-breaking double in the fifth inning before hitting his 30th homer, a mammoth two-run shot in the eighth inning.
Indians 7, Rays 2
CLEVELAND -- David Murphy and Zach Walters homered and left-hander T.J. House pitched five solid innings to lead Cleveland.
The Indians finished the season in third place of the American League Central. Tampa Bay finished fourth in the AL East.
Cleveland, using a lineup filled mostly with reserves, took a 2-1 lead in the second inning. Right fielder Murphy led off with a home run over the wall in right-center field, his eighth homer of the year, off a 0-2 pitch from right-hander Alex Cobb.
Braves 2, Phillies 1
PHILADELPHIA -- In the final game of seasons to forget for both teams, Atlanta beat Philadelphia.
The Braves got to Phillies starter Cole Hamels from the onset, putting the first four batters aboard to score two runs in the opening frame before going silent. But that was all they needed in winning Game 162 of 2014.
Atlanta sat in first place of the NL East on July 18, but staggered to the finish line, going a major-league-worst 7-18 in September to complete its first losing season since 2008.
Giants 9, Padres 3
SAN FRANCISCO -- Warming up for the playoffs, San Francisco earned a second consecutive win, getting a two-run home run from Buster Posey in a victory over San Diego.
Posey, who hadn't played the Giants' previous two games after experiencing soreness in his back Thursday night, got San Francisco even in the bottom of the first after the Padres had scored twice in the top of the inning.
Pinch hitter Adam Duvall smacked a solo home run, his third, in the fourth inning, and the Giants busted the game open with a four-run seventh that featured a two-run double by Joaquin Arias.
Dodgers 10, Rockies 5
LOS ANGELES -- Matt Kemp, Adrian Gonzalez and Roger Bernadina homered, leading playoff-bound Los Angeles past Colorado.
Kemp hit a two-run shot. Bernadina, who replaced Kemp in right field, contributed a career-high four RBIs with a three-run homer and a run-scoring single. Gonzalez added a three-run blast.
Right-hander Zack Greinke (17-8) established a single-season high in wins. In five innings, Greinke induced seven groundouts and amassed six strikeouts while conceding just one run, one walk and four hits. He struck out six.
Mariners 4, Angels 1
SEATTLE -- Felix Hernandez and Seattle did their part Sunday, beating Los Angeles, but the final four innings of the game were relatively meaningless after Seattle was eliminated from playoff contention.
Oakland's 4-0 victory over Texas effectively finished the Mariners' season before it was officially over.
Hernandez (15-6) pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit. Along the way, he won the American League's ERA title (2.14, which moved him ahead of Chris Sale 2.16) and earned his 15th victory of the season -- Hernandez's highest win total since he went 19-5 in 2009.
