Padres 5, Brewers 4 (11 innings)

Freddy Fermin delivered in walk-off style, lining a one-out single in the bottom of the 11th to lift San Diego into the postseason for the second straight year. With Bryce Johnson starting on second, Jose Iglesias dropped down a perfect bunt to move him to third before Fermin ended it on the first pitch from Grant Anderson. The Padres’ dugout emptied in celebration, capping a tense night that also saw rookie Bradgley Rodriguez escape a bases-loaded jam in the top half of the 11th with a double-play ball to earn his first MLB win.

Both teams traded runs in the 10th on fielder’s-choice grounders, but it was San Diego that held firm to secure the win and punch its ticket. The Padres trimmed their deficit to 2 ½ games behind both the Dodgers in the NL West and the Cubs for the top wild card. Milwaukee, already NL Central champions, watched its edge over Philadelphia for baseball’s best overall record shrink to 2 ½ games. MLB playoff betting guide.

Cardinals 6, Giants 5

Ivan Herrera keyed a decisive four-run fifth inning with a two-run homer as St. Louis stayed alive in the postseason chase with a narrow win in San Francisco. The Cardinals turned to four relievers for the final four innings, shutting down the Giants’ rally attempts to secure back-to-back victories.

Both clubs are clinging to life in the NL wild-card race, tied after this result and now trailing Cincinnati and New York by 3 ½ games and Arizona by 2 ½ games for the final playoff slot. Michael McGreevy (8-3) picked up the win despite being charged with all five Giants runs across 4 1/3 innings. Justin Verlander (3-11) was tagged for nine hits and six runs (four earned), continuing a tough stretch in which San Francisco has dropped eight of its last ten. Baseball betting strategies.

Braves 11, Nationals 5

Michael Harris II sparked Atlanta’s ninth straight victory with a three-hit, three-RBI night that included a double and three stolen bases. Marcell Ozuna added three hits, Drake Baldwin chipped in two, and Ronald Acuña Jr. homered as the Braves pounded out 14 hits, reaching double digits offensively for the seventh time during their win streak.

The win came at a cost: second baseman Ozzie Albies fractured his hamate bone and will miss the remainder of the season, a blow to Atlanta’s infield depth heading into October. Chris Sale (6-5) earned the victory despite matching his season high by surrendering five runs across five innings. MacKenzie Gore (5-15) lasted only two-plus frames for Washington, giving up four runs with four walks in his shortest outing of the year. MLB run line betting guide.