DETROIT — For the first October since 2017, the Atlanta Braves will be on the couch instead of on the field for the MLB playoffs.
With the regular season down to its final week, though, it’s clear they’re trying to make the most of what’s left of September and their baseball year — and that they have no problem filling the spoiler role for the remaining playoff hopefuls.
Ha-Seong Kim homered and drove in two runs as the streaking Braves won their eighth straight game with a 6-2 win over the slumping Detroit Tigers on Sunday, sweeping the three-game interleague series at Comerica Park.
The Tigers (85-71) went 0-6 on their last homestand of the season, losing by a combined score of 36-14. They have lost nine of their past 10 games as their lead in the American League Central Division has dropped to one game over the second-place Cleveland Guardians (84-72), whose winning streak was snapped at 10 games Sunday with a 6-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
Atlanta right-hander Spencer Strider (7-13) pitched five scoreless innings, allowing six hits and three walks while striking out six batters, winning back-to-back starts for the first time since June. He had lost five straight decisions before his past two starts.
Six relievers finished the game for the Braves (73-83), who are fourth in the National League East and can finish no better than third in the division they won six years in a row from 2018-23 before reaching the playoffs last year via a wild card secured on the final day of the regular season.
Atlanta’s winning streak — its longest since winning eight in a row in April 2023 — finally surpassed its worst losing streak of the season in terms of the number of games. The Braves began this season 0-7, then lost seven in a row at the start of June to match that skid.
Detroit right-hander Casey Mize (14-6) gave up three runs on five hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.
The Braves scored a run in three straight innings — the third through fifth — and the Tigers couldn’t get the key hit they needed.
The Braves threatened in the seventh, but they ultimately left the bases loaded. During the inning, second base umpire Alfonso Marquez ruled Drake Baldwin was out on a 3-6 force play at second, but replays showed Zach McKinstry came off the bag before catching Torkelson’s throw. The Braves had already used their challenge.
The game was delayed 27 minutes by rain during the seventh-inning stretch.
Tanner Rainey made his Detroit debut to start Atlanta’s three-run ninth inning. He allowed two walks and an RBI double without getting an out. Paul Sewald relieved him with the score 4-0 and allowed a sacrifice fly and an RBI double.
The Tigers finished the season with home attendance of 2,413,442 fans, a jump of more than 500,000 from 2024 and the highest total since drawing 2,493,859 fans in 2016.
The Braves return home for a three-game series against the NL East’s last-place Washington Nationals. Atlanta left-hander Chris Sale (5-5, 2.35 ERA) is scheduled to start Monday’s series opener at Truist Park, when Washington will go with lefty MacKenzie Gore (5-14, 4.00).
Detroit opens a three-game series against the Guardians on Tuesday with first place in the AL Central at stake. Tigers ace left-hander Tarik Skubal (13-5, 2.23) and Cleveland right-hander Gavin Williams (11-5, 3.06) are the scheduled starters for the opener at Progessive Field.