Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – The Philadelphia Phillies became the first Major League Baseball club to clinch a division title this season by beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 in 10 innings on Monday. The Phillies clinched their second consecutive National League East division crown with the victory, improving to 90-61 with the New York Mets, 77-73, unable to catch them.
Philadelphia had already joined NL rival Milwaukee as the first two MLB teams to clinch playoff berths. It’s the fourth playoff trip in a row for the Phillies after missing out from 2012 through 2021.
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In the 10th inning, J.T. Realmuto hit a sacrifice fly out to right field to score Harrison Bader from third base to put the Phillies ahead 6-5. The host Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs in the 10th but Max Muncy grounded out to first base to end the game and give Philadelphia the division crown.
The Dodgers were leading 3-1 when the Phillies answered in the top of the seventh inning. Otto Kemp doubled down the left-field line, took third on Max Kepler’s ground out to second base, and scored on Bryson Slott’s line drive single to centerfield. Weston Wilson followed with a two-run homer that gave Philadelphia a 4-3 lead, but a solo homer by Mookie Betts in the bottom of the seventh lifted the Dodgers level.
Bryce Harper’s solo homer in the eighth gave the Phillies a 5-4 edge. Dominican relief pitcher Jhoan Duran surrendered a solo homer to Andy Pages in the ninth for a 5-5 tie that forced extra innings.
© 2024 AFP
