This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Pennant races are heating up as baseball enters the final stretch of the 162-game season and no team has clichéd a playoff spot.
Two teams that will soon clinch are the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers, clubs that lead their respective divisions by a comfortable margin. They happen to be playing a three-game series this week as a possible precursor to a playoff showdown next month.
The San Diego Padres and Houston Astros were once National League West compatriots — yes, look it up — and both teams seem to be on their way to the postseason. The Astros are looking for their eighth straight playoff appearance.
We’ll check in on the top women’s basketball player on the planet—A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces. The two-time defending champions are hitting their stride with the playoffs on the horizon.
OK, let’s get to the breakdowns.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES AT MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Milwaukee scored just two runs while being swept in a three-game series in Philadelphia in June but tripled that output in the opener. William Contreras and Joey Ortiz drove in two runs apiece in the Brewers’ 6-2 victory.
Milwaukee rookie Jackson Chourio went hitless after being 5-for-12 with one homer, one triple, one double, six RBIs, and four runs over the previous two games. The Brewers scored 25 runs while splitting those games with Arizona.
Phillies right-hander Zach Wheeler (15-6, 2.60 ERA) is certainly capable of shutting down a lineup, and he beat Milwaukee on June 3 when he gave up one run and five hits over seven innings. Wheeler has allowed three runs in 19 innings while winning his last three starts.
Frankie Montas (3-2 since joining the Brewers) will attempt to keep Kyle Schwarber (two homers in five at-bats vs. Montas) in the ballpark. Watch out for Bryce Harper; he hit two homers on Saturday, his first blast since Aug. 9.
Phillies -1.5 run line, +120 (DraftKings)
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HOUSTON ASTROS AT SAN DIEGO PADRES
The Astros scored five or more runs in each contest of a four-game winning streak before arriving in San Diego. But Monday, they had just six hits—five of them singles—while dropping a 3-1 decision to the Padres.
Jose Altuve had two hits, and Yordan Alvarez singled him in during the eighth inning for the lone Houston run. You have to think the Astros will find their touch in the middle game of the season even though they go up against San Diego fireballer Michael King (191 strikeouts).
The Padres are also hot and have prevailed in four straight games. Surprise all-season standout Jurickson Profar went 4-for-4 and belted his 23rd home of the season while Rookie of the Year co-favorite Jackson Merrill hit his 24th.
If Houston’s Hunter Brown (168 strikeouts) can silence the Padres, Josh Hader (31 saves) may get a chance to be serenaded by boos when he takes the mound. The locals haven’t forgotten his refusal to pitch more than one inning at a time last season, and he’s viewed as the poster boy of San Diego’s underachieving 2023 season.
Astros moneyline, -102 (DraftKings)
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LAS VEGAS ACES AT SEATTLE STORM
Wilson is enjoying a historic campaign and is the first player in WNBA history to score 1,000 points in a single season. She reached that milestone with 1:57 remaining in Sunday’s 84-71 victory over the Connecticut Sun.
Wilson leads the league in scoring at 27 points a game—she can go scoreless in the final two games and still set the league record—and is en route to her third career MVP award. She’s still just 28, so there’s dozens of more honors and records in her future.
Wilson has 11 games of 30 or more points this season, but none have come against Seattle despite her averaging 26.7 points in the three games, two won by the Aces. The Storm have won four straight games overall and are one game behind the fourth-place Aces in the standings.
Seattle has a superb trio in Nneka Ogwumike, Jewell Loyd and Skylar Diggins-Smith. But Las Vegas has won seven of eight games. And, oh, did we mention they have Wilson?
A’ja Wilson, 30-plus points, +145 (DraftKings)
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