Berth Marked, Starter Named
MLB's standings marked Atlanta's postseason berth after a 6-2 win at Houston built on three two-run home runs and six innings from Tyler Mahle, with Philadelphia losing at the Mets and the lead at five. Kevin Stefanski named Cooper Rush the Sunday starter after Friday's practice, and the club's game-status table ruled Michael Penix Jr. out.
Friday produced a berth and a name. MLB's standings mark Atlanta's postseason place after a 6-2 win at Houston, and Kevin Stefanski named Cooper Rush the Sunday starter after practice.
Braves
Atlanta 6, Houston 2 at Daikin Park, Atlanta the visitors, game one of three. Three two-run home runs and nothing else: Michael Harris II in the fourth, his 26th, Matt Olson scoring; Ronald Acuña Jr. in the seventh, his 19th, Drake Baldwin scoring; Olson in the ninth, his 40th, Baldwin scoring again. Tyler Mahle: six innings, three hits, one run, six strikeouts, the win. Didier Fuentes allowed one run in two innings; Raisel Iglesias struck out three in an eleven-pitch ninth. Eleven hits and no errors for Atlanta, five hits and one error for Houston, roof closed, 36,921 in the seats.
After the final, MLB's standings marked Atlanta clinched, the x the site's own legend reads as a playoff berth; the marker was blank before the game ended and set after it. The division is not clinched and carries no number tonight. Ellis has the how, and Olson's 40th; Dex has the top of the order.
Atlanta are 90-64, first in the East. Philadelphia are 85-69 after losing 6-3 at the Mets, five back by MLB's count; eight to play for both. Saturday: game two at Houston, 7:10 PM ET, Grant Holmes listed against Hayden Wesneski.
Falcons
Stefanski named Rush the starter for Sunday after Friday's practice, with Jack Strand, an undrafted rookie, the backup, per the club's post under Will McFadden's byline. "Cooper will start. Jack will be the backup," Stefanski said. The club's game-status table for Sunday, as printed: Out, CB Billy Bowman Jr. (Achilles) and QB Michael Penix Jr. (Knee); Doubtful, QB Tua Tagovailoa (Oblique); Questionable, OG Chris Lindstrom (Concussion) and CB A.J. Terrell (Shoulder). Rush's own line on the practice table is full participation under the club's label Back, with no designation. The Sunday half of Dex's two-part call now has a name; the Thursday half at Lambeau is open. Miles has what Friday fixed, and for whom. Carolina at Atlanta, Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, FOX.
Atlanta United
The club's Friday availability report, posted with the match preview, carries one line, all players available for selection, and no names under it. Saturday: at Portland, 10:30 PM ET, Providence Park, away, on Apple TV, the last of thirteen MLS kickoffs that day. The Red Bulls' 1-0 at New York City FC leaves NYCFC ninth in the East on 32 and Cincinnati tenth on the same points.
Hawks
ESPN's transactions log for the Hawks added one row dated Friday, center William Baker waived, its first entry since September 11.
One more thing. The Falcons' Friday page carries two tables, and Billy Bowman Jr. and Michael Penix Jr. sit on both, under Full participation on one and Out on the other. The page prints both, one above the other, and this desk prints them the same way.
The Tilt
A berth and a starter were settled on Friday; the division and Thursday were not.
— Ray Piedmont
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