Mets Are Division Champs for First Time Since 2006

Looking ahead, the Mets will most likely face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the playoffs next month, and whichever team finishes the season with the best record will get home-field advantage for that series. These were all scenes from this incredible Saturday night, with Mets fans all over the country letting loose after almost a decade of down times.

Helping clinch the win, Lucas Duda with a grand slam in the first inning and a three-run home run from David Wright in the ninth. New York has set its rotation for the upcoming series in Philadelphia.

Duda sparked a warmup celebration with his first swing.

Center fielder Skip Schumaker had three hits including a pair of doubles for the Reds (63-92) who have lost eighth straight. The slam gave him three homers in five at-bats with 10 RBIs.

This title was rather unexpected. But New York bolstered a struggling offense at midseason and beat the Nationals head-to-head while pulling away. They’ve already got their playoff spot.

The smell of beer and champagne still lingered on Sunday afternoon inside the visitors’ clubhouse at Great American Ball Park. Mets fans are no longer counting down the magic number. The Pirates remain three games behind NL Central leader St. Louis, which defeated Milwaukee. Even with their bench players in the game, they’re riding their high.

It’s been nine years since the Mets tasted champagne, and seven years since they finished above.500. He been confirmed just as much during Sunday’s 10-3 beat the Detroit Tigers.

New General Manager Sandy Alderson made it clear that he had no intention on spending big anytime soon. Sometimes the best deals are the ones you don’t make.

It turned some heads, too.

“We’re going to play them out”, manager Terry Collins said before the game. When you go for a subway ride wearing Mets apparel, no avid Yankee fans are screaming “Mets suck!” anymore. “And so I did it for the good of Matt, hopefully, and for the good of the organization and the future”.

The loss was the seventh straight for the Reds, who have allowed 25 runs in the first three games of the four-game series.

Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve led the the Astros to a 9-7 win against the Rangers. The method of constructing the roster would be different from how the 2006 team was built.

Angels closer Huston Street had to be helped off the field in obvious pain after finishing his follow-through on a pitch in the ninth inning. “We’re not like that”. The Dodgers could clinch the NL West as early as tomorrow.

“This is a different era at a different age, OK?” said Collins, who is the oldest manager in baseball at age 66.

J.P. Arencibia homered in the eighth for the Rays, who entered the night five games out of a wild-card spot. X-rays were negative.

This season started ominously as starter Zack Wheeler and reliever Josh Edgin had elbow surgery.

Cincinnati Reds’ Jay Bruce hits a single in the third inning of a…

Herrera’s first homer since June 14 came on a 1-0 pitch from Reds rookie right-hander Keyvius Sampson.

Rubby De La Rosa won for the third time in his last five starts in setting a career high for wins.