Atlanta Braves clinch fifth straight NL East title with win over Miami Marlins

MIAMI — William Contreras hit the go-ahead run in the fifth inning, and the Atlanta Braves clinched their fifth consecutive National League East title Tuesday night by defeating the Miami Marlins 2-1.

Atlanta earned a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed in the NL, behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Braves were 10 1/2 games behind the New York Mets at the start of June and lost four of five to New York in early August. After sweeping the Mets over the weekend to take the division lead, Atlanta entered the series needing a win or a Mets loss to clinch the division crown.

The Marlins delayed Atlanta's celebration Monday with a 4-0 win. And the Mets beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Tuesday evening in the first game of a doubleheader, leaving Atlanta in control of its fate in front of a large Braves crowd at loanDepot Park.

Kenley Jansen recorded his 41st save, working a perfect ninth to seal the win.

Starter Jake Odorizzi (6-6) pitched five innings, struck out six, allowed two hits, and one home run to Jesus Sanchez in the fourth.

Reliever A.J. Minter escaped Miami's threat in the eighth. Jon Berti hit a one-out double then advanced to third after stealing his 41st base of the season. Bryan De La Cruz and Avisail Garcia walked to load the bases, but Nick Fortes, pinch hitting for Sanchez, popped out to end the inning.

The Braves did not take advantage of many chances at the plate to stretch their lead, but their pitchers held the Marlins to four hits.

Collin McHugh and Raisel Iglesias pitched scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh in relief of Odorizzi.

Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a two-out single in the top of the second, scoring Orlando Arcia and giving the Braves a 1-0 lead.

In the fourth, Sanchez sent Odorizzi's first