HOUSTON -- Aaron Nola took a perfect game into the seventh inning and Kyle Schwarber homered twice as the Philadelphia Phillies clinched their first playoff berth in 11 years with a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Monday night.
After Brandon Marsh caught Mauricio Dubon's fly ball in center for for the game's final out, players jumped and cheered in jubilation before meeting at the mound where they hugged and bounced around some more.
The video board at Minute Maid Park displayed the team's logo and the words: "Congratulations Philadelphia" as the Phillies celebrated.
A small but vocal group of Philadelphia fans congregated near the team's dugout and chanted: "Let's go Phillies," in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Phillies clinched at the same ballpark where they secured their last postseason trip on Sept. 14, 2011. That game was a 1-0 victory over the Astros highlighted by a complete game shutout by Hall of Famer Roy Halladay.
Philadelphia's postseason drought was the longest active one in the majors after the Seattle Mariners clinched their first playoff berth in 21 years Friday night.
The Phillies entered the opener of the final regular season series of the year needing a win or a loss by the Brewers to get the final National League wild-card spot. The Brewers rallied to beat the Diamondbacks 6-5 in 10 innings a few minutes before Philadelphia wrapped up the victory.
Nola (11-13) struck out nine and didn't allow a baserunner until Yordan Alvarez singled with two outs in the seventh. David Hensley followed with a single and Nola was replaced by Jose Alvarado, who struck out Kyle Tucker to end the inning.
Zach Eflin pitched a scoreless ninth to complete the shutout and get his first save in 11 years of pro ball.
Schwarber got things going for the Phillies in their first visit to Houston since Sept. 16, 2012, with a leadoff homer off Lance McCullers (4-2)
Philadelphia added some insurance when Bryson Stott and Schwarber hit back-to-back solo shots off Jose Urquidy to start the eighth inning.
It is the eighth multi-home run game this season for Schwarber, who leads the NL with a career-high 46 home runs, and gives him 199 homers in his career.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CARDINALS 3, PIRATES 2 Albert Pujols hit his 703rd home run Monday night, breaking a tie with Babe Ruth for second place in career RBI, but the St. Louis Cardinals lost to Pittsburgh when the Pirates drew four consecutive walks in the ninth inning to force home the winning run. The 42-year-old slugger connected off right-hander Mitch Keller, pulling a two-run shot into the left-field stands to snap a scoreless tie in the sixth inning. It was Pujols' 35th career home run at PNC Park, his most at any visiting ballpark. The drive gave Pujols 2,216 RBI, passing Ruth on the all-time list. Hank Aaron holds the record with 2,297.
MARLINS 4, BRAVES 0 Jesus Luzardo struck out 12 in six innings, Bryan De La Cruz hit a two-run homer and Miami prevented Atlanta from clinching its fifth straight NL East title. After sweeping the rival Mets at home over the weekend, Atlanta arrived in Miami needing one win or a New York loss to wrap up the division crown and a first-round playoff bye. But the Braves were unable to solve Luzardo or slow De La Cruz -- and the Mets were rained out at home against Washington. New York is 1 1/2 games behind Atlanta heading into today's doubleheader versus the last-place Nationals.
REDS 3, CUBS 1 Hunter Greene pitched six scoreless innings and Cincinnati remained at 99 losses. The Reds (61-99) snapped a six-game skid and can avoid losing at least 100 games for the second time in franchise history if they sweep the three-game series. Cincinnati finished 61-101 in 1982.
BREWERS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 5 (10) Hunter Renfroe homered in a ninth-inning comeback and singled home the winning run in the 10th but the Milwaukee Brewers were eliminated from postseason contention on Monday night despite a victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Brewers knew at the start of the night they could earn the NL's final wild-card spot only if they won their last three games while Philadelphia lost three straight. Milwaukee's chances ended nine minutes after their walk-off when the Phillies (87-73) beat the beat the Houston Astros 3-0 to clinch the National League's third and final wild card. Milwaukee (85-75) trailed 4-1 before tying the game in the ninth with help from an Arizona fielding miscue.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
YANKEES 3, RANGERS 1 Aaron Judge remained at 61 home runs with three games remaining, and Luis Severino pitched seven no-hit innings before Texas broke through against New York's bullpen. Judge went 1 for 4 with a checked-swing infield single, a groundout, a strikeout and a liner into a double play. He is 2 for 12 with five walks and a hit by pitch since his 61st homer Wednesday in Toronto that tied Roger Maris' American League record. That is his only homer in 12 games.
RED SOX 4, RAYS 3 Tyler Glasnow gave playoff-bound Tampa Bay a short but strong start in his second outing since Tommy John surgery last year, but the Boston Red Sox rallied against the bullpen to hand the Rays their fourth straight loss. Boston pushed Tampa Bay closer to the No. 6 playoff seed in the AL. The Rays entered the night trailing Seattle by 1 1/2 games for the fifth seed.
BLUE JAYS 5, ORIOLES 1 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 32nd homer and Toronto edged closer to the top seed for an American League wild card series with a rain-shortened victory over Baltimore. Play was halted by rain with Toronto batting with two outs in the eighth and called after a wait of 55 minutes.
ROYALS 5, GUARDIANS 2 (10) Rookie Drew Waters belted a three-run homer off Kirk McCarty in the 10th inning, sending Kansas City past Cleveland. Waters' third home run in four games landed on the porch in left field, scoring automatic runner Nicky Lopez and Michael A. Taylor.
WHITE SOX 3, TWINS 2 The White Sox watched Manager Tony La Russa announce he was leaving his position, and then beat Minnesota behind Johnny Cueto's seven effective innings. La Russa stepped down because of a pair of health issues. The White Sox are 80-80 after beginning the year with championship aspirations.
St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols celebrates as he crosses home plate after he hit home run No. 703 in his career during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols, top, celebrates with Juan Yepez as he heads to the dugout after he hit home run No. 703 in his career during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)