NEW YORK: Freddie Freeman put the bitter ending to last season behind him with a walk-off, two-run home run that clinched a National League playoff berth for the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.
Freeman blasted the game-winner to give the Braves a 4-3 win over the Miami Marlins, one year after he made the final out of the season that saw the team blow an 8 1/2-game lead in the wild card race.
“This is the coolest thing I’ve ever had happen to me in my life,” Freeman told reporters after being mobbed by team mates celebrating Atlanta’s return to the post-season.
“This is a dream come true. I just don’t know what to say.”
Atlanta (89-65) still have a chance to catch NL East leaders Washington, who they trail by four games.
In Houston, the St. Louis Cardinals moved closer to sealing a playoff berth with a 4-0 win against the Houston Astros.
Jaime Garcia fired seven scoreless innings and the Cardinals (84-71) moved 4 1/2 games in front of Milwaukee (79-75) in the race for the National League’s second wild card berth.
The Brewers fell 4-2 in Cincinnati as their hopes are looking slim with just eight games remaining.
In San Diego, the Los Angeles Dodgers also saw their playoff chances suffer after a 2-1 defeat dropped them 4 1/2 games adrift of a post-season spot.
In the American League, the Detroit Tigers shut out Kansas City 2-0 to tie the Chicago White Sox at the top of the AL Central.
Starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez threw a complete-game shutout featuring 10 strikeouts with just three hits and a walk.
The White Sox (82-72), who a day earlier had rallied to preserve their one-game lead in the division, nearly repeated the feat but ended up losing 4-3 at home to the Cleveland Indians.
Chicago trailed 4-2 in the ninth before Paul Konerko hit a solo home run to bring them closer and they put two men on base before Kansas City recorded the final out.
In Baltimore, the Orioles lost 4-0 to the Toronto Blue Jays to remain 1 1/2 games behind AL East leaders the New York Yankees.
The Yankees had a chance to stretch their advantage but failed to hold off Minnesota in a 5-4 defeat. The Twins rallied with a four-run seventh inning to snatch the win away from the visiting Yankees.
The Orioles (88-67) have lost two in a row but still top the AL wild card Standings by a half-game over Oakland (87-67).
The Athletics cut into Baltimore’s lead with a hard-fought 3-2 triumph over first-place Texas in 10 innings.
George Kottaras delivered a solo blast in the top of the 10th to sink the Rangers (91-63) who lead Oakland by four games in the AL West.
The Los Angeles Angels, fighting to stay in the race, remained two behind the Athletics after a 5-4 home win over the Seattle Mariners.
Starting pitcher Zack Greinke struck out 13 Seattle batters in five innings to position Los Angeles (85-69) for the win.
“It’s definitely a lot of fun,” Angels outfielder Torii Hunter told reporters of the post-season chase.
“The intensity level is up, the fans are into it and that’s what has kept us going.”
Freeman gets redemption as Braves make playoffs
Freeman gets redemption as Braves make playoffs
Tennis world number ones Sabalenka, Alcaraz begin Australian Open campaigns
- Carlos Alcaraz, who could complete a career Grand Slam if he wins the tournament, faces Adam Walton
- Aryna Sabalenka takes on Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah as she seeks a third title at Melbourne Park
MELBOURNE: The first round of the Australian Open begins in Melbourne on Sunday.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz, who could complete a career Grand Slam if he wins the tournament, faces Adam Walton, while Aryna Sabalenka takes on Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah as she seeks a third title at Melbourne Park.
Top men’s match: Alcaraz v Walton
At 22, Alcaraz could replace Don Budge as the youngest man to achieve the career Grand Slam with victory at the Australian Open. The Spaniard has left no one in any doubt what his main goal is for the 2026 season, saying in November he would rather win a first Melbourne Park crown than retain his French and US Open titles.
His quest to make history will begin with a first-round tie against Australian Walton.
The pair have crossed paths once before, with Alcaraz beating the Australian 6-4 7-6(4) during his title-winning run at the Queen’s Club Championships last year.
Top women’s match: Sabalenka v Rakotomanga Rajaonah
Sabalenka will be bidding to continue her incredible record in hard court Grand Slam tournaments when she begins her campaign against Frenchwoman Rakotomanga Rajaonah.
The Belarusian world number one has reached the final of the last six majors she has played on the surface, winning four of those.
She enters the competition in fine form after retaining her Brisbane International title this month without losing a set, and should have little trouble when she takes on the 118th-ranked Rakotomanga Rajaonah.
Venus Williams is back
Venus Williams, a two-times Australian Open singles finalist, returns to the tournament for the first time since 2021 after receiving a wildcard.
The 45-year-old faces Olga Danilovic in the first round, where she is set to become the oldest woman to feature in the Australian Open main draw by surpassing Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she bowed out in the first round in 2015.
Williams has endured a poor start to the season, losing to Magda Linette in the first round in Auckland and to Tatjana Maria in her opening match at the Hobart International.
Despite her defeats, she said she was happy with her level.
“I can’t expect perfection right now, but I know I’m playing good tennis. Winning and losing doesn’t know any age. Once you walk on court, you’re there to compete,” Williams said before her defeat in Hobart.
Australian Open order of play on Sunday
Here is the order of play on the main showcourts on the first day of the Australian Open (prefix number denotes seeding):
Rod Laver Arena
- Day session
Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Belarus) v 7-Jasmine Paolini (Italy)
3-Alexander Zverev (Germany) v Gabriel Diallo (Canada)
- Night session
1-Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) v Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah (France)
1-Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) v Adam Walton (Australia)
Margaret Court Arena
- Day session
Maria Sakkari (Greece) v Leolia Jeanjean (France)
18-Francisco Cerundolo (Argentina) v Zhang Zhizhen (China)
- Night session
10-Alexander Bublik (Kazakhstan) v Jenson Brooksby (US)
Mananchaya Sawangkaew (Thailand) v 28-Emma Raducanu (Britain)
John Cain Arena
- Day session
Arthur Fery (Britain) v 20-Flavio Cobolli (Italy)
- Day session
12-Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) v Cristina Bucsa (Spain)
- Night session
29-Frances Tiafoe (US) v Jason Kubler (Australia)
Olga Danilovic (Serbia) v Venus Williams (US)
