Braves win to clinch fifth straight NL East title

MIAMI (AP) — Their sluggish start now far behind them, Ronald Acuña Jr. and the World Series champion Atlanta Braves needed just one more win to complete a most stunning turnaround.

They earned it Tuesday night, beating the Miami Marlins 2-1 to take their fifth straight NL East title and finish the first leg of a trek they hope leads them to another crown.

Afterward, they popped Champagne and puffed cigars, basking in their accomplishment.

“It’s hard to win one,” manager Brian Snitker said. “To win five is pretty special. It’s a credit to our organization.”

William Contreras drove in the go-ahead run with an infield single in the fifth, and the Atlanta pitching staff turned in a solid performance.

With the win, 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. But they were in familiar territory. Atlanta was 30-35 at one point last season before winning the World Series.

“To keep plugging along and the consistency that these guys showed throughout the whole year,” Snitker said. “Coming to work every day and worrying about today. They didn’t get caught up that we were behind.”

Acuña, whose 2021 season ended when he tore his ACL in this same ballpark, hit a two-out single in the second, scoring Orlando Arcia and giving the Braves a 1-0 lead.

“I am feeling so much happiness and joy,” Acuña said. He couldn’t get through his postgame interview without teammates dousing him in champagne. “Last year, I couldn’t experience this because of my injury. I am so happy to be a part of this club.”

The Braves swept the Mets over the weekend to take the division lead