Sep 13, 2023 - Sports

Braves claim 6th straight NL East title for the A

Michael Graff

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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Braves claim 6th straight NL East title for the A

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