HOUSTON (AP) — Mike Yastrzemski hit a three-run homer during a four-run sixth inning and the Atlanta Braves clinched the NL East title for the seventh time in nine years with a 4-2 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Ozzie Albies tied it at one with an RBI single before Yastrzemski’s homer to right off Bryan King (3-6).
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Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes tries to make a throw to first base as Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. singled during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Houston Astros' Jose Altuve runs up the line on his home run off Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Martin Perez during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. singles off Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown in the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Atlanta Braves' Mike Yastrzemski reacts after hitting a three-run home run off Houston Astros relief pitcher Bryan King during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
After finishing 76-86 and missing the playoffs last season, Atlanta bounced back this year under first-year manager Walt Weiss. The Braves are 92-64 and have won at least 90 games for the fifth time in the last eight seasons.
The Astros’ playoff hopes took a hit after being swept by the Braves. Houston, which has lost seven of its last nine games, trails the Rangers by a game in the AL West, but the Astros own the tiebreaker. The Rangers lost 7-2 to Toronto on Sunday.
Jose Altuve had a home run in the fourth, Yainer Diaz hit a home run in the eighth, but the Astros left the bases loaded in the first and fifth innings.
Victor Mederos (5-1) entered with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth and struck out Altuve before inducing a groundout by Diaz to end the inning. Dylan Dodd pitched the ninth for his second save.
Braves starter Martín Pérez allowed one run on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Houston starter Hunter Brown scattered three hits and struck out 10 over five scoreless innings.
Braves: RHP JR Ritchie (1-3, 5.03 ERA) starts Tuesday in the first game of a three-game series against the Reds at home.
Astros: RHP Cristian Javier (2-6, 5.31) starts Tuesday against the Mariners in the first game of a two-game series in Seattle.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes tries to make a throw to first base as Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. singled during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Houston Astros' Jose Altuve runs up the line on his home run off Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Martin Perez during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. singles off Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown in the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
Atlanta Braves' Mike Yastrzemski reacts after hitting a three-run home run off Houston Astros relief pitcher Bryan King during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren)
BALTIMORE (AP) — Twice in a row, Tyler Shough disappeared into a pile of bodies at the goal line with the game tied late in the fourth quarter.
Officials ruled he was stopped on third down and scored on fourth — it could well have been the reverse — and that was good enough for the New Orleans Saints.
Shough scored on a fourth-down sneak with 1:28 remaining, and the Saints rallied to a 24-17 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. After Shough didn't score on third down, New Orleans elected to go for it on fourth instead of kicking for a three-point lead. The second sneak was called a touchdown, and that decision was upheld after a review.
“It's a hard play on the goal line because ... sometimes they lose sight of the football. I think it's a challenging play for everyone,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “Fortunate for us to get that. Obviously we're going to go for it in that situation. Chance to score a touchdown. If not, we're forcing them to be on the minus-1 and go the long way.”
New Orleans (1-1) had first down from the 2 before a penalty and a costly incomplete pass allowed Baltimore — with only two timeouts left — to stop the clock after the next two plays. Shough finally scored on a 1-yard sneak.
The Ravens, who didn't have a first down on either of their previous two drives, made it to the New Orleans 37, but Lamar Jackson's deep pass was intercepted by Julian Blackmon with 13 seconds left.
Baltimore had a 17-9 lead and forced a three-and-out with sacks by Trey Hendrickson and Mike Green. That gave the Ravens the ball at the New Orleans 49 late in the third quarter with a chance to make it a two-score game.
But Baltimore went backwards 16 yards and punted, then the Saints drove to tie it with 9:42 remaining on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Shough to Chris Olave. After a penalty on the Ravens (1-1) moved the 2-point conversion to the 1-yard line, Travis Etienne Jr. ran the ball in to make it 17-all.
After another Baltimore three-and-out — Jackson curiously threw long on third-and-1 and his pass to Chris Moore was broken up by Kool-Aid McKinstry — the Saints took over at their own 32 with 8:06 remaining.
“A play that we liked, thought we had a shot there for an explosive,” Ravens coach Jesse Minter said. “Obviously, didn’t work out, so it’s always going to be, you know, looking at it after the fact.”
New Orleans then drove about as methodically as possible, converting two third downs and two fourth downs to seize the lead.
“We'd like to not make it as close,” Shough said.
The Saints had to sweat out a review on the touchdown.
“We exhausted all available angles and could not prove clear and obvious that he did not break the plane of the goal line,” Mark Butterworth, NFL vice president of instant replay, told a pool reporter.
Baltimore beat Indianapolis 41-23 in Minter's debut as coach, but in Week 2 the Ravens did many of the things that got John Harbaugh's staff fired, collapsing in the fourth quarter and dropping yet another home game. Baltimore was 3-6 at M&T Bank Stadium last season.
The Ravens were without top receiver Zay Flowers against the Saints. Baltimore did have offensive linemen Ronnie Stanley and John Simpson after their status was in question, but Stanley (toe) left the game in the second half.
New Orleans lost left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. to an ankle injury, but at the end the Saints moved the ball just fine.
Derrick Henry opened the scoring with a 1-yard run in the first quarter for Baltimore. After the Saints decided to kick a field goal on fourth-and-3 from the 5, Baltimore drove 80 yards and took a 14-3 lead on Jackson's 22-yard scoring strike to Rashod Bateman with 24 seconds left in the half.
Barion Brown's 53-yard kickoff return set up a New Orleans field goal before the end of the second quarter, and the Saints started the third with another three points on a 51-yard kick by Daniel Carlson. Tyler Loop connected from 49 for the Ravens to make it 17-9.
New Orleans lost in overtime at Detroit in Week 1 when its attempt at a game-winning 2-point conversion failed. This one came down to a huge play near the goal line as well.
The Saints trailed 21-0 in the second half before rallying to force OT against the Lions. Against the Ravens, they had 10 first downs to Baltimore's two in the fourth quarter.
“Our guys stuck with it all the way to the end, both games,” Moore said. “For both games to come down to one opportunity at the end, one possession, it's a good experience for our guys.”
In addition to Banks, the Saints lost cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. to a shoulder injury.
Saints: Host Las Vegas next Sunday.
Ravens: Face Dallas in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) is sacked by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Trey Hendrickson (91) in the second half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) passes against the New Orleans Saints in the second half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) carries against New Orleans Saints safety Justin Reid (21) in the first half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) passes in the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
iNew Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough converts on a fourth and one for a first down n the second half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
