Sep 24, 2019 4 min read

Major League Baseball has set its season strikeout record for the 12th straight season.

Batters struck out 41,098 times through Monday, closing in on the 41,207 of last season. Philadelphia and Washington combined for 19 strikeouts in the first game of their day-night doubleheader, and there were more than 100 strikeouts in the night games by around 9 p.m. EDT.

Strikeouts broke 40,000 for the first time in 2017, when there were 40,104.

Before the record run started in 2008, the mark had been 32,404 in 2001. Strikeouts totaled 29,937 in 1996 before reaching the 30,000 for the first time the following year.

MLB also set a record for home runs this season. The league entered Tuesday with 6,550, surpassing the mark of 6,105 set in 2017.

National League

Washington 4-6, Philadelphia 1-5: Trea Turner’s go-ahead grand slam in the sixth inning lifted Washington to a 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies for a doubleheader sweep Tuesday that helped the Nationals clinch an NL wild card, capping quite a turnaround for a team that was 19-31 in late May.

“We knew nothing was going to be won or lost in the first five months,” said Turner, who had three hits in the day’s first game, a 4-1 win for the Nationals, “and now we’re in a good spot.”

Washington assured itself of returning to the playoffs for the fifth time in eight years after sitting out October in 2018.

Anthony Rendon delivered two sacrifice flies to raise his majors-leading RBIs total to 124 in the opening victory, a result that also eliminated Philadelphia and $330 million outfielder Bryce Harper, the ex-Nationals star, from postseason contention.

Milwaukee 4, Cincinnati 2: Ryan Braun added to his record total of homers at Great American Ball Park, and the Milwaukee Brewers moved a step closer to a wild-card berth, beating the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 for their fifth win in a row.

Just like last season, when Milwaukee put on a late rush to take the NL Central title, the Brewers have closed in on a playoff spot with a September flourish. They’ve won 16 of 18, positioning themselves for one of the NL wild cards along with Washington. Their clinching number was down to two after the latest win.

With 2018 National League MVP Christian Yelich sidelined by a broken right kneecap, the Brewers have turned to their deep bullpen and different combinations of hitting stars each night. Milwaukee has the best record in the majors in September at 18-4.

Braun connected for his 21st homer off Sonny Gray (11-8), making the final start of his All-Star season. Braun’s 27 homers at Great American are the most by a visiting player.

American League

Minnesota 4, Detroit 2: Willians Astudillo and Eddie Rosario fueled a four-run seventh inning, and the Minnesota Twins overcame an injury to starter Jake Odorizzi to beat the Detroit Tigers 4-2 Tuesday night and move closer to an AL Central title.

Odorizzi (15-7) pitched two-hit ball through six innings but was pulled with a tight left hamstring after warming up for the seventh. The right-hander hadn’t allowed a hit since Harold Castro’s bunt single in the first and left having struck out six and allowed one run.

The Twins improved to 97-60, their most victories since going 98-64 in 1970. Minnesota’s magic number to clinch the division is two over Cleveland. The Indians played later Tuesday against the White Sox and built a big lead early.

Indians activate Ramirez: The Cleveland Indians have activated third baseman José Ramírez from the 10-day injured list, adding another power bat to help with their push for an AL wild card.

Ramírez was in the starting lineup and batting sixth for the opener of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox.

Ramírez, who turned 27 last week, broke a bone in his right hand Aug. 24 against Kansas City. He had surgery two days later.

The slugger says he isn’t 100 percent, but he is ready to play.