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The baseball gods could be in the Brewers corner this season.
After the Cubs defeated the Cardinals 8-4 Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field, the Brewers needed a win to keep pace. And the ball bounced – and rolled – their way Friday night to Milwaukee.
With the Brewers and Tigers tied 5-5 in the eighth inning, Ryan Braun – who had dominated the third inning to help clear a 3-0 deficit early – snapped a shot on the far right. The Tigres defensive player, Nicholas Castellanos, went back to the wall, jumped and stretched his left arm to catch the ball.
The ball hit his glove at the top of the wall, but it came out under the impact – then rolled about 2 feet above the wall and fell off the other side for a solo circuit.
The Brewers held on for a 6-5 victory.
What it means: The Cubs lead the Brewers in a match-two and their magic number to win the division is two. They face the Cardinals at 12:05 at Wrigley (FOX-32). The first pitch for the Brewers-Tigers game is at 6:10 pm at Miller Park.
Elsewhere, the Rockies began their second consecutive playoff run with a 5-2 victory over the Nationals. They won eight straight games and led NL West in a game against the Dodgers, who defeated the Giants 3-1.
The Cardinals drag the Dodgers by two games for the second card, which means you have to win and hope that the Dodgers lose two games in a row to force a tiebreaker.
Look on the division race:
1. Cubs
Record: 94-66.
Magic number: 2 to win the division title; landed the wild bunk.
Probability of the playoffs (Fangraphs.com): 81.3% to win the division, 18.7 to win the joker.
Friday: Defeat the Cardinals 8-4 at Wrigley Field.
Remaining games: 2 (2 house).
Versus 500 teams and more: 2.
Calendar remaining
Saturday: vs. Cardinals, 12:05, FOX-32.
RH Miles Mikolas (17-4, 2.94) against LH Cole Hamels (9-11, 3.87).
Sunday: vs. Cardinals, 14:20, NBCSCH.
RH Jack Flaherty (8-8, 3.16) against LH Mike Montgomery (5-6, 3.99).
2. Brewers
Record: 93-67, 1 game late.
Magic number: 4 to win the division; took first place in the wild card.
Probability of the playoffs: 18.7 percent to win the division, 81.3 percent to win the joker.
Friday: Defeat the Tigers 6-5.
Remaining parties (Friday included): 2 (2 house).
Versus 500 teams and more: 0.
Calendar remaining
Saturday: vs Tigers, 6:10 pm
Sunday: vs Tigers, 2:10 pm
3. cardinals
Record: 87-73, 7 games behind; eliminated from central contention.
Probability of the playoffs: 0.9 percent to win the No. 2 Joker.
Friday: Lost to the Cubs 8-4 at Wrigley Field.
Remaining games: 2 (2 road).
Versus 500 teams and more: 2.
Calendar remaining
Saturday: in the Cubs, 12:05
Sunday: in Cubs, 2:20 pm
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