The Atlanta Braves celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies to clinch the NL East at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday. Photo: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
Braves players hugged and sprayed each other with champagne; Phillies fans groaned and sprayed the field with boos.
- Just another trip around the ol' baseball sun in the NL East.
What's happening: Atlanta celebrated its sixth straight division championship Wednesday night with a 4-1 win in Philadelphia.
Why it matters: The Braves have won 18 of the 29 NL East titles since they joined the division in 1994. And this team might wind up being the best of the lot.
- Atlanta is now 96-50 this year and on pace for 106 overall wins, which would tie the 1998 squad for most in franchise history.
Details: They came out hot Wednesday, as usual. Austin Riley hit a two-run homer to center field in the first inning, and the Braves never trailed.
- Atlanta now has 132 runs in the first inning this year, far and away most in the majors.
What's next: With 16 games left in the regular season, the Braves are seven games ahead of the Dodgers in the so-called race to secure the top seed in the National League.
- If they clinch that, they'll have a bye in the first round and host their first playoff game Oct. 7.
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