Braves Clinch NL East Title, First Since 2005
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Madison Bumgarner struck out a season-high 11 over seven innings, Gregor Blanco entered in the fifth as a pinch hitter and drove in four runs, and the San Francisco Giants routed the Atlanta Braves 10-1 Saturday.
Andrelton Simmons is a good bet to win several gold gloves during his career, and he's shown the ability to stay within himself and make adjustments at the plate.
Kirk Gibson asked Ian Kennedy if he could keep going, and Arizona's ace delivered with a career-high 122 pitches.
After winning it all in 2010, the early end to the Giants' season was disheartening, but fans can take solace in the fact that other teams had it worse.
The Giants slug six homers on Sunday to win their eighth straight, offering a glimmer of hope for postseason play.
The injury-laden Giants have looked downright ugly while dropping 5 of the last 6 series, losing ground in the NL West and the wild card.
Cain threw five-hit ball to snap his three-game losing streak, but the Giants narrowly avoided another loss to Atlanta in the final at-bat, preserving a 7-5 victory over the Braves on Wednesday night.
Rookie Randall Delgado allowed no hits through six innings in his second big-league start, and the Atlanta Braves pulled out another last at-bat win on Martin Prado's two-out single in the 11th Tuesday night.
Atlanta pitching coach Roger McDowell apologized Wednesday in response to a fan's complaint that McDowell spewed homophobic comments, made crude sexual gestures and threatened to knock out his teeth with a bat before the Braves played the San Francisco Giants over the weekend.
Nate McLouth hit a two-run single off Brian Wilson with two outs in the 10th inning, and the Atlanta Braves beat the San Francisco Giants 9-6 Sunday for a three-game sweep.
