Braves Clinch NL East Title With Win Over Astros

The Atlanta Braves clinched the National League East division title on Sunday with a 4-2 victory over the Houston Astros, securing their seventh division pennant in the last nine seasons. The win completed a three-game interleague series sweep at Minute Maid Park. The decisive moment came in the sixth inning when Mike Yastrzemski hit a three-run home run off Astros reliever Bryan King, capping a four-run rally that gave Atlanta the lead. The Braves' bullpen held the advantage, with Dylan Dodd striking out the side in the ninth to seal the championship. The victory marked a significant turnaround for the franchise under first-year manager Walt Weiss. The Braves rebounded from a disappointing 76-86 record and a fourth-place division finish last season, which had snapped a streak of seven consecutive playoff appearances. Atlanta has now won 24 division titles, tying the Los Angeles Dodgers for the most since the divisional format began in 1969. "I told these guys winning the division is really tough," Weiss said. "I know it's the first step, but it takes six months to do it. It takes everybody, and we used everybody.