MLB roundup: Shohei Ohtani makes history as Dodgers clinch playoff place

Shohei Ohtani made history by becoming the first player in Major League Baseball to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season, as the Los Angeles Dodgers secured a playoff spot with a commanding 20-4 victory over the Miami Marlins on Thursday afternoon.

Ohtani delivered an impressive performance, going 6-for-6 with 10 RBIs, including three home runs, two doubles, two stolen bases, and four runs scored. He reached the 50-50 milestone with a home run to the opposite field in the seventh inning, prompting a standing ovation from the Miami crowd.

He concluded the game with 51 home runs, setting a new Dodgers season record and surpassing Shawn Green's previous mark of 49 set in 2001, along with 51 stolen bases.

The Dodgers, who have qualified for the playoffs for 12 consecutive years, received strong pitching from Jack Flaherty (13-7), who pitched six innings, allowing five hits, two walks, and three runs. Flaherty remains undefeated in three career starts in Miami, and his 13 wins this season represent a personal best.

Marlins starter Edward Cabrera (4-8) suffered the loss, as his lack of control limited him to just 2 1/3 innings, during which he walked five batters, hit one, and allowed four hits, resulting in seven runs.

In another matchup, the Houston Astros triumphed over the Los Angeles Angels with a score of 3-1. Jon Singleton delivered a crucial two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, helping the Astros maintain their unbeaten streak in nine games started by Yusei Kikuchi.

Singleton's hit capped a rally against Angels reliever Ryan Miller (0-1), as he lined a 1-2 sweeper to center field, allowing Yordan Alvarez, who had drawn a leadoff walk, and Yainer Diaz to score, breaking a 1-1 tie.

Kikuchi pitched six innings, yielding five hits and one walk while striking out nine batters. Hector Neris, Bryan Abreu (3-3), and Josh Hader, who recorded his 32nd save, each contributed a scoreless inning, reducing the Astros' magic number to clinch the American League West to five games.

Diamondbacks 5, Brewers 1
Brandon Pfaadt delivered an impressive performance, taking a one-hit shutout into the seventh inning as the visiting Arizona team maintained its momentum in the National League wildcard race by defeating Milwaukee. Pfaadt (10-9) permitted only a single hit in the fourth inning, but Garrett Mitchell's two-out solo home run in the seventh reduced Arizona's advantage to 3-1.

He achieved a career-high of 12 strikeouts, including seven consecutive, which equaled a franchise record, and did not issue any walks during his 104-pitch outing. A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez each contributed a flawless inning to finalize the two-hitter, allowing Arizona to close the gap to two games behind the idle San Diego for the top NL wild-card position.

The Diamondbacks broke a scoreless deadlock by scoring three runs on a single hit in the fifth inning. Gabriel Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo began the inning with consecutive walks, followed by Corbin Carroll reaching base due to an error by third baseman Andruw Monasterio, allowing Moreno to score.

Mets 10, Phillies 6
Brandon Nimmo provided the decisive home run in the third inning and concluded the game with three RBIs for the surging New York team, which triumphed over visiting Philadelphia in the first match of a four-game series between the National League East competitors.

Mark Vientos and Pete Alonso launched back-to-back home runs in the first inning, while Francisco Alvarez contributed a three-run homer in the fourth, marking the Mets' third consecutive game scoring at least 10 runs, a first in the franchise's history.

Trea Turner temporarily leveled the score with a two-run homer in the top of the third, and Bryce Harper added a two-run double for the NL East-leading Phillies, who missed an opportunity to secure a playoff spot.

The Pittsburgh Pirates triumphed over the St. Louis Cardinals with a score of 3-2. Nick Gonzales contributed significantly, going 2-for-4 with a triple, a run scored, and the crucial RBI that secured the victory for the visiting team.

Yasmani Grandal also made an impact by hitting a home run, helping the Pirates avoid a four-game sweep. Luis Ortiz pitched effectively, surrendering two runs on five hits over six innings, while striking out seven batters and issuing two walks. The win was credited to reliever Carmen Mlodzinski (4-5), and Aroldis Chapman successfully notched his 10th save.

On the opposing side, Brendan Donovan had an impressive performance for the Cardinals, going 4-for-4 with two RBIs. Erick Fedde allowed only one run on four hits in his six-inning outing, striking out three and walking one. The loss was assigned to reliever JoJo Romero (7-3).