HOUSTON — Mike Yastrzemski delivered the decisive blow and Martin Pérez played the unlikely starter as the Atlanta Braves clinched the National League East with a 4-2 win over the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Sunday. The victory secured Atlanta's seventh division title within the past nine years and closed a 4-2 road trip that leaves the Braves positioned as the NL's No. 3 seed heading into the final six games of the regular season.
Pérez, a non-roster invitee who was designated for assignment on April 12, started the clincher and gave Atlanta a chance before Victor Mederos escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fifth. Mederos struck out Jose Altuve and induced an inning-ending groundout from Yainer Diaz to preserve the lead. An inning later, Mauricio Dubón doubled and Yastrzemski followed with a game-winning three-run homer in the sixth — his third homer of the road trip.
The underdog contributions have defined Atlanta's season. Prognosticators were skeptical entering Spring Training and even more so after starting pitchers Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep and Joey Wentz all sustained injuries in Spring Training. Rotation depth remained a concern, but Pérez posted a 3.04 ERA in 30 starts (26 appearances) and Trade Deadline acquisition Tyler Mahle has posted a 1.28 ERA in eight starts since being acquired from the Giants after bringing a 5.13 ERA to Atlanta.
Braves president of operations Alex Anthopoulos drew credit for both moves, along with the under-the-radar acquisition of Dubón from the Astros in November. Dubón has provided defensive versatility and clubhouse presence ahead of his double before Yastrzemski's homer. Mederos, 25, spent nearly all of the first three months at the Triple-A level and totaled 12 big-league appearances before this season, but has emerged as a key bullpen piece in the second half. AJ Smith-Shawver also flashed postseason potential Sunday, touching 100.5 mph with his fastball while recording four strikeouts over two scoreless innings after struggling as a starter over the past month.
Manager Walt Weiss, in his first year as Atlanta's skipper, has reminded players all season that expectations were low and now stands as a strong NL Manager of the Year candidate. Since divisional play began in 1969, the Braves and Dodgers lead all big league teams with 24 division titles. Atlanta, led by star power in Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson and Chris Sale, tore through the first two months, struggled in June and surged over the past few weeks. The Braves now await a Wild Card Series opponent that projects to be either the Padres, Cubs or division-rival Phillies.