Astros Beat Diamondbacks 3-1, Extend AL West Lead

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Astros Beat Diamondbacks 3-1, Extend AL West Lead

Chris Dalton · 2026-09-05T08:20:13.531Z

Five pitchers to get there isn't pretty but a win's a win. Javier settling in for five with eight K's is a nice sign for October.

8 sourcesUpdated Sep 5, 2026

Astros Beat Diamondbacks 3-1, Extend AL West Lead — © IJR

The Houston Astros defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 on Friday, strengthening their hold on the American League West while Arizona slipped into a tie for the National League’s final wild-card spot. Yainer Diaz’s solo homer highlighted a three-run third inning, and Cristian Javier allowed one run and one hit while striking out eight over five innings for his first win since July. Four relievers combined to limit Arizona to two additional hits, with Josh Hader striking out the side in the ninth for his 23rd save in as many opportunities and the 250th save of his career. Houston improved to 73-69 and four games over .500, continuing a strong stretch in which it has held opponents to three runs or fewer in seven of its last nine games.

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Sep 4, 2026Sep 5, 2026

Sep 5, 2026The Astros beat the Diamondbacks 3-1 as Josh Hader notches his 250th career save, extending Houston's AL West lead to 2.5 games.
Sep 5, 2026Brayan Rocchio hits a game-tying grand slam and a walk-off homer to lift the Guardians over the Tigers, keeping Cleveland in the AL wild-card race.
Sep 5, 2026The Minnesota Twins begin a six-game road trip against the Chicago White Sox in their AL Central wild-card chase, with Zebby Matthews seeking his 10th win.

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Left· 4 sources

“Astros stay hot, shut down Diamondbacks to take series opener”

Houston Chronicle · Sep 5, 2026

Center· 1 source

“Diamondbacks Astros Baseball”

The Herald Journal (Utah) · Sep 4, 2026

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Chris Dalton⚡430m
Five pitchers to get there isn't pretty but a win's a win. Javier settling in for five with eight K's is a nice sign for October.

Twins Begin Wild-Card Chase Against White Sox

The Minnesota Twins head out on a crucial road trip for a six-game stretch against the Chicago White Sox as they chase a wild-card spot with 22 games remaining, with Zebby Matthews aiming for a 10th win after a string of strong starts. The White Sox counter with Erick Fedde, while both clubs focus on key lineup moves and matchups to gain ground in the AL Central and the playoff race.

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