The Atlanta Braves hold the wild card lead in the National League after beating Washington 5-1 on Wednesday. Atlanta has a three and a half game wild card lead as it begins a series at NL West leader San Francisco tonight.
The Giants lead Los Angeles by two and a half games after an 8-4 win over LA gives them a series sweep. The Miami Marlins drop a doubleheader to Arizona, losing 3-0 and 3-2. In other NL games, Colorado beat New York 5-2; San Diego stops Pittsburgh 4-2; Milwaukee edges Chicago 3-2 to sweep the series; Cincinnati nips Philadelphia 3-2 and Kyle Lohse wins his 13th as St.Louis downs Houston 4-2.
In the American League, Tampa Bay gets by Kansas City 5-3 to keep the team hot; it has won 16 of 21 as it begins a home series with Oakland tonight. The A’s will be without pitcher Bartolo Colon who was suspended by MLB 50 games after testing positive for testosterone.
In other AL games, Chicago sweeps New York in New York for the first time since 1991 with a 2-1 win; Oakland downs Minnesota 5-1; Detroit nips Toronto 3-2; Texas gets three Adrian Beltre homers to rip Baltimore 12-3; Seattle beats Cleveland 3-1 and Los Angeles beats slumping Boston 7-3.