Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Monday 2 october 2017
Aaron Wilkerson pitches Brewers past Cardinals, 6-1

By STEVE OVERBEY 6-1 on Sunday, closing out proud of,” shortstop Eric So- like symptoms. Perez said. “Maybe I can do
Associated Press their near-miss of a season gard said. “We’ll keep our Herman Perez had hoped it another time.”Perez, who
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Mil- with the best record of any heads held high and we’ll to make a different kind of was hoping to become the
waukee Brewers’ season is team that did not make be excited about the fu- history in the meaningless sixth player in major league
over, but they took some the playoffs. ture for this team.” game by playing all nine history to play every posi-
satisfaction from challeng- Jesus Aguliar added a two- St. Louis finished 83-79, three positions, but manager tion in a game, would have
ing the Cubs in the NL Cen- run homer in the eighth for games worse than last Craig Counsell nixed the had a tough time bounc-
tral and staying in conten- the Brewers, who finished year. The Cardinals failed idea after a couple innings. ing Wilkerson (1-0) off the
tion until the final weekend. 86-76, 13 games ahead of to make the postseason in “I rained on the parade,” mound.Making his second
For the Cardinals, 2017 fell last year’s pace. They were back-to-back years for the Counsell said. “I wanted start of the season, Wilk-
short of the franchise’s al- in first place or tied for the first time since 2007-2008. to win the game.”Perez, erson allowed one run on
ways lofty expectations. top spot in the NL Central “No matter what hap- known for his utility skills, two hits over seven innings.
Aaron Wilkerson took a for 65 days, but ultimately pens, if you don’t make the started the game at third He set down the first 17 hit-
perfect game into the they were eliminated from (playoffs) it’s not a good base and moved to short- ters before Jose Martinez
sixth inning, Brett Phillips wild-card contention with a year,” said catcher Yadier stop for the second. That’s delivered a pinch-hit single
hit a three-run homer and loss on Saturday. Molina, who missed the last when Counsell stepped in.“I to right with two out in the
the Brewers beat St. Louis “It’s still a season that we’re six games with concussion- respected his decision,” sixth.q
Altuve wins batting title, Astros beat Red Sox 4-3

is also among the favorites is in major league base-
for the AL MVP. ball.”
“I think every single player One day after the Red Sox
in the big leagues, after won to clinch the first back-
they win a World Series, to-back AL East titles in
would like to win an MVP. franchise history, the teams
That would make me really used lineups filled largely
proud. But to me we’re still with backups. Houston had
in the middle of the season already replaced starting
and haven’t done what pitcher Dallas Keuchel with
we want to do.” McHugh, and Boston man-
The Astros posted their best ager John Farrell scratched
record since earning 102 ace Chris Sale after Satur-
victories in 1998, winning day’s win so he could rest
the division by 21 games up for the playoffs.
over the second-place Los The Astros scored four times
Angeles Angels. The best- in the seventh inning to rally
of-five ALDS against Boston from a three-run deficit. Yuli
begins Thursday in Houston. Gurriel had two doubles
Altuve finished the season and the go-ahead sacri-
with a .346 average to eas- fice fly for Houston, which
ily win the batting title over won the four-game series
Avasail Garcia of the Chi- 3-1 and took the season se-
cago White Sox; Colora- ries against Boston 4-3.
Houston Astros’ Tony Kemp (18) steals second base as Boston Red Sox’s Brock Holt gets the throw do’s Charlie Blackmon was McHugh pitched six innings,
during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Boston, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. the best in the NL, at .331. allowing three runs to im-
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) The Astros second base- prove to 16-0 in September
By JIMMY GOLEN Altuve coasted to his third over Boston in a preview of man is the third right-hand- and October since 2014.
AP Sports Writer AL batting crown despite the Division Series match- ed hitter since 1900 to win Tyler Clippard pitched the
BOSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve going hitless in two at-bats up. three or more batting titles. ninth for his fifth save for
ran away with the AL bat- and the Houston Astros ral- “This is the first time I’ve “He’s just been consis- Houston.“Obviously, we’ve
ting title. lied for their 101st win on won a batting title and the tent,” Astros starter Collin got a glut of great pitchers
The AL West race wasn’t Sunday, cruising into the team’s going to go to the McHugh (5-2) said. “He’s as to choose from,” McHugh
any closer. playoffs with a 4-3 victory playoffs,” said Altuve, who consistent a player as there said. q
Athletics end last-place season with 5-2 win over Rangers

By STEPHEN HAWKINS “A huge amount of confi- runner against Mengden at the bottom of the AL in 13 consecutive games
AP Sports Writer dence for me. (3-2) until Adrian Beltre’s West for the third consecu- when the team still had a
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — For our team, I know this last 3,048th career hit, a single tive season, a franchise chance to make the play-
Daniel Mengden and the month we did really well,” leading off the fifth. Meng- first. But they won six more offs.
Oakland Athletics got a Mengden said. “Come in den, a second-year big games than last season, After being lifted for a
boost going into the off- here and do what I did, I leaguer who had foot sur- and Melvin got a contract pinch-runner, Beltre got an
season after another last- really look forward to next gery and a strained right extension this week, add- extended ovation from the
place finish. year.” oblique this season, walked ing a year through 2019. crowd that included a cur-
Mengden, the young right- After winning the AL West one and allowed only four Beltre played for the first tain call. The 38-year-old
hander plagued by inju- title the past two seasons, singles. time since Tuesday, the third baseman, who hit .312
ries this season, struck out the Rangers (78-84) slipped “Unbelievable, really,” night the Rangers were in his 20th major league
eight over seven scoreless from 95 wins last year. They manager Bob Melvin said. eliminated from wild-card season, is signed with the
innings and the A’s ended finished tied with Seattle “That’s the best work we’ve contention. He missed only Rangers through next sea-
the season with their 17th for third place, 23 games seen from him.” two weeks after a Grade 2 son.
win in 24 games, a 5-2 vic- behind division champion Khris Davis hit his career- strain of his left hamstring “It was nice,” Beltre said of
tory over the Texas Rangers Houston. best 43rd homer for the Ath- Aug. 31, but was back two the crowd response. “I re-
on Sunday. Texas didn’t have a base letics (75-87), who finished weeks later and was the DH ally appreciate that.”q