BRAVES 4, MARLINS 0
At Atlanta, Georgia, Jair Jurrjens pitched seven innings and Chipper Jones homered as Atlanta beat Florida for its seventh straight win and 15th of 17 games.
The Braves closed within two games of idle Colorado in the NL wild card with six remaining. Florida’s third loss in four games all but finished off the Marlins, who dropped five-and-a-half games behind the Rockies and can do no better than tie for the wild card.
Jurrjens (14-10) won his fourth straight and has gone at least seven innings in seven straight starts, allowing only eight earned runs in 50-and-two-third innings (a 1.42 ERA) during that stretch.
Jones hit his 18th homer of the season and second since Aug. 29.
PIRATES 11, DODGERS 1
At Pittsburgh, Andy LaRoche homered twice, doubled twice and singled, driving in six runs as last-place Pittsburgh again prevented Los Angeles from clinching the NL West.
Zach Duke pitched shutout ball into the ninth inning against a understrength Dodgers lineup. LaRoche set a career high for hits in going 5 for 5 and scoring four runs.
Already assured of a playoff spot, the Dodgers lost three of four to the Pirates, who had dropped 23 of 26 going into the series — the franchise’s worst stretch in 119 seasons. The Dodgers’ magic number remained two.
LaRoche had a two-run double off Hiroki Kuroda (8-7) during the Pirates’ big second inning
NATIONALS 2, METS 1
At Washington, Mike Morse homered for the third straight game as Ross Detwiler earned his first career win for Washington.
Morse broke a 1-all tie when he led off the sixth with his third homer this season, all in the past three games.
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